| How to Measure Blood Oxygen Posted: 21 May 2016 05:00 PM PDT Pulse oximetry and arterial blood gas tests are methods to measure how much oxygen is in your blood.[1] Normal oxygen saturation levels range from 97% to 99% in healthy people.[2] When your blood oxygen is too low, it's called hypoxemia.[3] Your doctor may ask you to take a blood oxygen level test because of a variety of medical conditions and procedures. Both pulse oximetry and arterial blood gas tests are widely used; the latter may be more accurate, but the former can be used to monitor blood oxygen levels over a period of time.[4][5] EditMeasuring Blood Oxygen by an Arterial Blood Gas Test - Contact a health professional to receive an arterial blood gas test. Your doctor or other medical professional can accurately measure your blood oxygen level using advanced techniques and equipment. You may need to have your blood oxygen level tested prior to surgery or other medical procedures, or if you have certain conditions, such as:[6][7]
- Sleep apnea
- A heart attack or congestive heart failure
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Anemia
- Lung cancer
- Asthma
- Pneumonia
- Cystic fibrosis
- A current or possible need for mechanical ventilation to support your breathing
- Prepare for the procedure.[8] While the arterial blood gas test is common and quite safe, you will still want to prepare for the procedure. Talk to your doctor to make sure you understand the test, and ask questions any questions you may have about it. You can also help by letting your doctor know if:
- You have or have had bleeding problems
- You take blood thinners, such as aspirin or warfarin (Coumadin)
- You are taking any medications
- You have any known allergies to medications or anesthetics
- Know the risks. The arterial blood gas test is a routine procedure, and there is little chance of serious issues developing as a result of it.[9] Potential minor risks include:
- A small bruise at the site where blood is drawn from the artery. Keeping pressure on the site for at least ten minutes after the needle is removed will lower the chances of bruising.
- Feelings of lightheadedness, dizziness, or nausea while blood is being drawn from your artery.
- Prolonged bleeding. This is a potential risk if you have a bleeding disorder or are taking blood-thinning medicines such as aspirin or warfarin.
- A blocked artery. If the needle damages a nerve or artery, it may cause the artery to become blocked. This is a rare problem.
- Have a health professional select the test site. To measure blood oxygen with this method, blood must be drawn from an artery. Usually, one in your wrist (the radial artery) is chosen, although blood can also be drawn from an artery in your groin (the femoral artery) or from your arm above the elbow (the brachial artery).[10][11] A needle will be used to draw the blood for the sample.
- You will be able to sit for the procedure, and your arm will be extended and will rest on a comfortable surface.
- The health professional will feel your wrist to find your pulse and to check the blood flow of your arteries (a procedure called the Allen test).
- If you use an arm for dialysis, or if there is infection or inflammation at the intended test site, another area will be used for the arterial blood gas test.
- An artery is chosen for this procedure because it will allow the oxygen to be measured before it enters body tissues, giving a more accurate reading.
- If you are currently on oxygen therapy, your doctor may have the oxygen shut off for twenty minutes prior to the test (unless you cannot breathe without the oxygen) to help get an accurate reading of your blood oxygen level.
- Have a health professional take a blood sample. Once he or she has selected a test site, your health professional will prepare the site and use a needle to take a blood sample.[12]
- First, the skin on the test site will be cleaned with alcohol. You may be given a local anesthetic (by injection) to numb the area first.
- The needle will be puncture your skin, and blood will fill the syringe. Make sure that you breathe normally while the blood is being drawn. If you were not given a local anesthetic, you may feel some slight pain during this step.
- Once the syringe is full, the needle will be removed and gauze or a cotton ball will be put over the puncture site.
- A bandage will be put over the puncture site. You should apply pressure to the site for five to ten minutes in order to stop any bleeding. If you are on any blood thinning medications or have bleeding problems, your health professional may instruct you to apply pressure for a longer time.
- Follow post-procedure instructions.[13] In the majority of cases, patients will recover from the minor discomfort of an arterial blood gas test quickly and without issue. However, you should be gentle at first with the arm or leg used for the blood draw. Avoid lifting or carrying objects for about twenty for hours after the test.
- Contact your doctor if you have prolonged bleeding from the site, or any other unexpected issue.
- Have the blood sample sent to a lab. Once the sample is collected, your health professional will send the sample to a lab to complete the test. When the sample arrives at a lab, technicians can use special equipment to measure the blood oxygen level of your sample.[14]
- The amount of time that passes before receiving the results of your arterial blood gas test will depend on which lab your sample is sent to. Your health professional will be able to give you this information.
- In emergency situations, particularly if you are in a hospital, the results may be available within a few minutes. Ask your healthcare provider how long you can expect to wait to receive your results.
- Interpret the results. The arterial blood gas test gives a reading of partial pressure of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your blood, which is more specific and useful to healthcare professionals than the percentages produced by pulse oximetry. Normal oxygen results are between 75-100mmHg (a unit used to measure pressure); normal carbon dioxide results are between 38-42mmHg.[15] [16] Your doctor will discuss the implications of your test results with you, including how your "normal" level may vary based on a number of factors, including:
- Your elevation above sea level
- The particular lab your sample was sent to
- Your age
- If you have a fever or low body temperature
- If you have certain conditions, such as anemia
- If you smoke just prior to the test
EditMeasuring Blood Oxygen by Pulse Oximetry - Contact a health professional to receive a pulse oximetry test. A pulse oximetry test can give the saturation of oxygen in your blood by transmitting light through your tissues. It [17] You may need to have your blood oxygen level tested prior to surgery or other medical procedures, or if you have certain conditions, such as:[18][19]
- Sleep apnea
- A heart attack or congestive heart failure
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Anemia
- Lung cancer
- Asthma
- Pneumonia
- Cystic fibrosis
- A current or possible need for mechanical ventilation to support your breathing
- Prepare for the procedure. The pulse oximetry method of measuring blood oxygen level is non-invasive, so there is usually little you need to do to prepare for the test.[20] However, your doctor will still discuss the test with you and answer any questions you may have.
- You may be asked to remove fingernail polish, if applicable.
- Your doctor may give you other specific instructions for preparation, based on your medical condition and history.
- Know the risks. There are very few risks associated with pulse oximetry.[21] These are minimal, but include:
- Skin irritation at the application site. This may occur with prolonged or repeated application of the probe sensor.
- Inaccurate readings in cases of smoke or carbon monoxide inhalation.
- Your doctor can let you know if there are any additional risks, based on your specific medical condition.
- Have your health professional prepare the sensor. The sensor used to measure the oxygen level of blood by pulse oximetry is a clip-like device called a probe.[22] The probe sensor contains a light source, a light detector, and a microprocessor. The light emitted from the source on one side of the clip passes through your skin and reaches the detector on the other side of the clip. The microprocessor does calculations based on the information received from the detector in order to calculate the oxygen level of your blood with a very small margin of error.
- Have your health professional attach the sensor to your body. Usually, a finger, ear, or nose is chosen as the site to attach the sensor.[23][24] The sensor will then use light to measure the oxygen level of your blood.
- This method has the advantage of being painless and noninvasive, since no needles are involved.[25]
- However, it is not as accurate as an arterial blood gas test, so in some cases, both tests may need to be performed.[26]
- Your health professional cannot attach the sensor to an area with excessive movement or tremor, or with bruising.[27] For example, if you have a dark bruise under your fingernail, your health professional may place the sensor on your ear instead.
- Let the sensor perform a reading. The sensor's microprocessor will compare the transmission of two wavelengths of light, red and infrared, as they pass through the relatively thin skin of your finger, ear or other site.[28] Hemoglobin in your blood that has absorbed oxygen absorbs more infrared light, while hemoglobin lacking oxygen absorbs more red light. The sensor calculates the difference between these two values to provide information for deriving your blood oxygen level.[29]
- Remove the probe. If you are having your blood oxygen level measured for a one-time reading, then once the sensor has taken the necessary measurements and completed its calculations, the probe can be removed.[30] In some cases (such as for certain congenital heart conditions), however, your doctor may require you to wear the probe for continuous monitoring.[31] If you are asked to do this, remove the probe sensor only when your doctor tells you to.
- Follow post-procedure instructions. Most of the time, there are no special restrictions following the pulse oximetry test, and you can immediately return to normal activities. [32] Depending on your individual medical condition, however, your doctor may give you special post-procedure instructions.
- Interpret the results. Once your doctor has the results of your pulse oximetry test, he or she will review them with you.[33] An oxygen saturation level of about 95% is described as normal.[34] Your doctor will discuss the implications of your test results with you, including how certain factors may alter the results of the test, including:
- Decreased peripheral blood flow
- Light shining on the oximetry probe
- Movement of the test site area
- Anemia
- Abnormal warmth or coolness at the test site area
- Sweating at the test site area
- Recent injection of contrast dye
- Smoking tobacco
- There are proposed methods for taking pulse oximetry tests with smartphones or other consumer-grade electronic devices.[35] These methods are still under development, so discuss them with your doctor first.
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| How to Write a Batch File Posted: 21 May 2016 09:00 AM PDT A batch file contains a series of DOS commands, and is commonly written to automate frequently performed tasks. Instead of typing the same commands over and over, you can simply double-click the batch file. Writing a batch file is easier than it looks; the difficult part is making sure that everything happens in the right order. Well-made batch files can save you a lot of time over the long run, especially if you deal in repetitive tasks. EditWriting a Batch File Note: In Linux, shell scripts are used instead of batch files. See this guide for details on writing shell scripts in Linux. - Open Notepad. Notepad allows you to create code as a text file and then save it when you're done as a batch file. You can open Notepad by clicking Start → Programs → Accessories → Notepad. You can also enter into the Run box.
- Learn some basic batch commands. Batch files run a series of DOS commands, so the commands that you can use are similar to DOS commands. Some of the more important ones include:
- ECHO - Displays text on the screen
- @ECHO OFF - Hides the text that is normally output
- START - Run a file with it's default application
- REM - Inserts a comment line in the program
- MKDIR/RMDIR - Create and remove directories
- DEL - Deletes a file or files
- COPY - Copy a file or files
- XCOPY - Allows you to copy files with extra options
- FOR/IN/DO - This command lets you specify files.
- TITLE - Edit the title of the window. [1]
- Write a program to create a directory. One of the easiest ways to learn how to create batch files is to focus on doing basic tasks first. For example, you can use a batch file to quickly create multiple directories:[2]
- Save the file. Once you have entered your code, you can save the file using the Batch filetype. Click File → Save As.
- Click the "Save as type" dropdown menu.
- Select "All files".
- Enter a name for the program followed by or .
- Make sure the encoding is ANSI and save the file
- Write the code to make a basic backup program. Batch files are great for running multiple commands, especially if you configure it to be able to run multiple times. With the XCOPY command, you can make a batch file that copies files from select folders to a backup folder, only overwriting files that have been updated since the last copy:
- This copies over files from the folder "original" to the folder "backupfolder". You can replace these with the paths to the folders you want. specifies that only updated files will be copied, specifies that all subdirectories in the listed directory will be copied, and keeps the confirmation message appearing every time a file is overwritten.
- Save the file. Once you have entered your code, you can save the file using the Batch filetype. Click File → Save As.
- Click the "Save as type" dropdown menu.
- Select "All files".
- Enter a name for the program followed by or .
- Write a more advanced backup program. While simply copying the files from one folder to another is nice, what if you want to do a little sorting at the same time? That's where the FOR/IN/DO command comes in. You can use that command to tell a file where to go depending on the extension:
- Save the file. Once you have entered your code, you can save the file using the Batch filetype. Click File → Save As.
- Click the "Save as type" dropdown menu.
- Select "All files".
- Enter a name for the program followed by or .
EditSample Batch File - You will have to use quotes if you want to open a directory or file with spaces in its name, like start "C:\Documents and Settings\".
- Batch files can also have a .cmd extension beginning with Windows 2000. There is no difference in operation, but the .cmd files use 32-bit execution while the .bat files use 16-bit execution.
- You can use third-party editors such as UltraEdit to edit your batch file, but for the most part, these are a waste of time when writing simple batch files.
- Depending on the commands you use, it can be dangerous. Be sure you know what you are doing, and that none of the code is dangerous (e.g. batch commands to delete files).
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| How to Treat a Skin Yeast Infection Naturally Posted: 21 May 2016 01:00 AM PDT Yeast infections are overgrowths of certain species of fungus, most notably Candida albicans.[1] Due to lowered immune function and/or very poor hygiene, fungi can grow out of control on skin, particularly in the warm moist folds of the groin, underarms, breasts, and feet. Candida yeast infections can also grow internally within the mucous membranes of the mouth, intestines and vagina. Yeast infections of the skin can be treated with a variety of natural remedies, as well as topical anti-fungal medications. Aside from some mild and potentially embarrassing symptoms, yeast infections are not considered serious — although for people with reduced immunity they can be life threatening if the infection spreads to the blood and rest of the body. EditDiagnosing a Skin Yeast Infection - Look for red, itchy patches. Fungal/yeast infections of the skin usually appear as an irritated rash that's red (sometimes grey), often scaly, and always itchy.[2] The patches are slightly raised and can form little pustules if scratched a lot. On the exterior of the body, yeast grows best within folds of skin because it tends to be dark, moist and warm. As such, obese people and large-breasted women can be at higher risk of yeast infections of the skin if they have compromised immunity or practice poor hygiene.
- A Candida diaper rash within the folds and cleft of the buttocks is not uncommon among infants, especially those who sit in wet or dirty diapers for too long.
- Fungus also commonly invades scalp, fingernails and toenails, as well as the area between the toes and on the sole of the feet (commonly called athlete's foot).
- Your doctor can confirm a diagnosis by scraping off a little of the rashy skin and looking at it under a microscope or placing it in a culture medium (petri dish) to grow.
- Be aware of musty odors. Another characteristic of yeast infections, and something that can readily distinguish them from other skin infections or rashes, is a musty odor. This odor is most pronounced when Candida yeast infects the inside of the mouth (called oral thrush) or vagina, but also fairly noticeable when it grows on the skin or within skin folds. The sweet and musty characteristic of yeast growth can sometimes be masked by or confused with regular body odors because they tend to proliferate near the underarms, groin and buttocks.
- Although fungi have a characteristic odor, they can change shape and appearance in response to environmental factors and the area of the body they infect. They can grow as round shapes (yeasts) or as long, thin threads called hyphae.[3]
- Some fungi species reproduce by spreading small spores in the air, which can land on skin or be inhaled. This is why yeast/fungal infections usually begin on the skin or in the lungs.[4]
- Understand the risk factors. Anyone can potentially get a yeast/fungal infection because they are so common in our environment, but people with really bad hygiene and those with weak immune systems are at much higher risk. In general, opportunistic infections (fungal, viral and bacterial) are much higher in people with weak immune systems because they have far less ability to fight them off.[5] As such, microorganisms such as fungi/yeast can be opportunistic and take advantage of their weakened host.
- The main causes of weakened immunity are age (being very young or old), chronic stress, chronic malnourishment, immune system infections such as HIV/AIDS, autoimmune disorders, diabetes, over-medication (with antibiotics or corticosteroids, for examples) and chemotherapy for cancer.[6]
- People who use public baths and swimming facilities without foot protection are also at risk of fungal infections of the feet and toenails, which can then spread to other parts of their body.
EditTreating the Infection Naturally - Use coconut oil. Coconut oil contains three different fatty acids (caprylic, capric & lauric acids) that are fungicidal, which means they kill fungi such as Candida and other species.[7] These fatty acids within coconut oil kill yeast by destroying their cell walls, so it's very unlikely and difficult for fungi to gain resistance against them.
- Buy a good quality coconut oil (it's likely to be a solid instead of a liquid) and rub some it into your yeast infection 3x per day. You should see results (less redness and itching) within a week.
- Coconut oil is also a popular remedy for fighting systemic (internal) Candida yeast infections, although its taken orally in such situations.
- Coconut oil is also effective against bacterial skin infections and other kind of skin conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis, which can look similar to yeast/fungal skin infections.
- Try tea tree oil. Application of tea tree oil, an extract of melaleuca alternifolia, can also be effective on yeast/fungal infections of the skin because it has strong antimicrobial properties and works well as a fungicide.[8] Tea tree oil also boosts immunity, which can be helpful in preventing initial infections and re-infections of Candida and other fungi. Start with 2-3 drops of the tea tree oil on your skin infection, 3x daily for at least a couple of weeks and see how it works.
- Tea tree oil has been a popular antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory for many years in Australia, but has become better known in the U.S. over the last decade or so.
- Tea tree oil can cause both skin irritation and allergic reactions in some people who are especially sensitive, but the prevalence is rare. As such, test a little on some healthy skin before applying it to your yeast infection.
- Consider oil of oregano. Oil of oregano contains a couple of different compounds (carvacrol and thymol) that are both strong fungicides.[9] These compounds completely inhibit Candida and other fungi via dehydration — they dry out and eventually die. Oil of oregano is quite strong and can cause a burning sensation on skin, so make sure to dilute it with vitamin E or some cod liver oil — water won't work well to dilute because it doesn't mix with oils.
- Mix 1-2 drops of oregano oil with the same quantity of vitamin E or fish oil and apply it your skin infection 3x daily for a couple weeks and make note of the progress.
- Taken sublingually (in the mouth under the tongue), oil of oregano seems to stimulate the immune system and help prevent most types of infections.
- Keep your immune system strong. With any type of infection (fungal, bacterial or viral), true prevention and protection depends on a strong and healthy immune response. Your immune system is made up of specialized white blood cells that are designed to search for and destroy potential pathogens such as fungi.[10] However, when your immune system is weakened due to the above-mentioned reasons, disease-causing microorganisms can grow and spread virtually unchecked. Thus, focus on boosting your natural immunity in order to combat yeast infections and stay healthy.
- Getting more quantity and better quality of sleep, eating more fresh produce, eating less refined sugars (sodas, candy, deserts), reducing your alcohol consumption, quitting smoking, practicing good hygiene and exercising regularly are all methods of keeping your immune response strong.[11]
- Vitamin and herbal supplements that can boost immune system function include: vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, echinacea and olive leaf extract.
- If natural remedies are not effective for your yeast infection of the skin, then consult your doctor about anti-fungal medicated creams and ointments.
- There are many over-the-counter drying powders, creams and lotions that contain the fungicides, miconazole or clotrimazole, and they tend to work nearly as well as prescription medications.
- If your fungal/yeast infection is on your feet, then make sure to keep them clean, cool and dry. Change your socks regularly and wear shoes that can "breathe", such as leather types.
- To prevent Candida diaper rash, change your infants diapers regularly and dry their bottom with baby powder (or nystatin powder) before putting a new diaper on.
- If you are overweight and have trouble reaching all your skin folds in the shower, then soak in a Epsom salt bath instead. The salt deters skin infections of all types and the magnesium will soothe your muscles.
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