Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Check your tonsils for white spots. Feel your neck for swollen lymph nodes. Consider an ear infection an indication that bacteria are present. Watch out for an abscess by your tonsil. Notice the development of any skin rashes.

Answer: Your tonsils are the glands that sit at the back of your mouth on both sides of your throat. Bacterial tonsillitis may cause small, white, pus-filled spots on your tonsils. Look in a mirror, open your mouth wide, and look closely at the tissue on either side of the back of your throat. If it’s too hard to see, get a family member to look for you and try shining a light back there. It’s normal for your tonsils to look red and swollen with bacterial or viral tonsillitis – the white, pus-filled spots are more common to bacterial infections. Use your pointer and middle fingers to gently press along both sides of your neck, on your throat under the angle of your chin, and behind your ears. Feel for a hard or tender lump about the size of your pinkie fingernail. This could be a swollen lymph node. Though your lymph nodes can swell any time your body is fighting an infection, swollen nodes are more common with bacterial infections. Sometimes, bacteria from a throat infection can spread to the fluid in your middle ear, causing a middle ear infection (or otitis media). Symptoms of a middle ear infection include ear pain in one ear, difficulty hearing, balance problems, fluid draining from the ear, and fever. A peritonsillar abscess, also called quinsy, is an almost sure sign of bacterial tonsillitis. An abscess is a collection of pus – this occurs on one side between your tonsil and the wall of your throat. Pay attention to the following signs and symptoms that may indicate a peritonsillar abscess, and see your doctor right away if these symptoms are present:  Sore throat that is getting progressively worse on one side Difficulty swallowing A change in voice — called “hot potato voice” — in which vowels may sound muffled Swollen lymph nodes Large, red swelling on one side of the tonsils Difficulty opening your mouth Bad breath that was not present previously The uvula — the dangling tissue at the back of your throat — may look like it’s being pushed to the unaffected side (no longer midline) Some complications of bacterial tonsillitis include scarlet fever and rheumatic fever, though these usually only occur if the infection is left untreated. Both of these infections can cause a skin rash. If you notice any new rashes while you have a sore throat, consider it a likely indication of a bacterial infection and see your doctor right away. Rheumatic fever can also cause widespread joint pain.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Avoid drinking caffeinated and alcoholic beverages in the evening. Avoid taking over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines or decongestants. Try to always completely empty your bladder. Take warm Epsom salt baths in the evening. Be active and exercise more.

Answer: Caffeine and alcohol are classified as diuretics, which means they affect the muscle tone of the bladder and stimulate the kidneys to produce urine. Since a primary symptom of BPH is increased urgency to urinate, you should avoid drinking caffeinated and alcoholic beverages, especially in the evening. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, especially after dinner.  Try not to drink any beverage with caffeine or alcohol within four hours of bedtime, and stop drinking all fluids about two hours prior to heading off to bed. Caffeine is found in coffee, black tea, green tea, hot chocolate, colas, most soft drinks and virtually all energy drinks. Caffeine also increases neuron activity in your brain, which can keep you up at night and acerbate the symptoms of BPH. Many OTC cold and allergy medications, as well as sleep aids, contain antihistamines or other decongestants that can worsen BPH symptoms and trigger more trips to the bathroom. Other types of drugs can also negatively impact BPH symptoms, so review all your medications (OTC and prescriptions) with your doctor and/or pharmacist to be on the safe side.  Other problematic drugs include: high blood pressure (hypertension) medication, antispasmodics, antidepressants, and neurological drugs used to treat Parkinson’s disease.  Your doctor might be able to adjust the dosages or change the schedule for problematic medications, or maybe prescribe different ones that cause fewer urinary problems. Be aware that some drugs also contain caffeine or other diuretics/stimulants, so research the ingredients of all medications that you take. When urinating, particularly in the evening just prior to bedtime, take the time to completely empty your bladder because it will reduce the need for subsequent trips to the bathroom during the night. This isn't always easy to do with BPH and may take five to 10 minutes, but it helps to prevent sleep disturbance from having to get up every two to three hours.  To promote bladder emptying, try sitting down while urinating rather than standing up — it changes the angle of the urethra and can be more relaxing. Other methods to help promote emptying your bladder include: running the water in the bathroom sink, distracting yourself with relaxing music and keeping yourself warm (by wearing slippers or a housecoat) if it's chilly. Consider using the double-voiding technique: after your initial strong stream of urine comes out, wait a moment and then try again to see if more comes out. Taking a warm salt bath in the evening can help you cope with the symptoms of BPH in a variety of ways. The magnesium-rich Epsom salt and warm water can be soothing and combat stress, promote sleep, get rid of mild aches and pains, reduce muscle tension and potentially trigger urination. If you do feel the need to go, empty your bladder while in the bath for best results — don't worry, urine is sterile and great for moisturizing skin.  At least two cups of Epsom salts should be added to a warm bath for noticeable therapeutic results, but don't make the water too hot (to prevent scalding). Don't soak in the bath for much more than 30 minutes because the salty water will pull fluid from your body and start to dehydrate you. Sitting around too much and being inactive is generally unhealthy, but the lack of circulation and pressure on the pelvis while sitting isn't good for the prostate gland either. Some research suggests that mild exercise, such as walking, may help reduce the symptoms of BPH. Exercising can also reduce stress and muscle tension, which are contributing factors that make it more difficult to urinate normally.  Although walking, hiking and swimming are great stress-relieving exercises that can benefit BPH sufferers, avoid cycling — the pressure from the seat can irritate the prostate and make BPH symptoms worse. Lifting heavy weights and straining at the gym can make the symptoms of BPH worse in some men, so focus on less strenuous exercise. Other exercises that may acerbate BPH symptoms include rowing and canoeing.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Expect blue-ringed octopuses in shallow reefs and coral rock pools. Watch out for box jellyfish and Irukandji at tropical beaches. Check the beach for washed up jellyfish to spot bluebottles. Avoid touching any shells to prevent a cone shell attack.

Answer:
Blue-ringed octopuses are found across most Australian coastlines and they spend most of their time hiding. Look for small, 12–20 cm (4.7–7.9 in) brown octopuses around rocks and shells, and leave the water immediately if you spot one.  When these creatures feel threatened, they develop bright blue lines and rings, making them much easier to spot. Blue-ringed octopuses aren’t aggressive and are actually quite shy, but they will bite if touched. Most blue-ringed octopus bites are accidental, as it’s easy to touch or stand on one without noticing. Box jellyfish have a bell (body) that looks like a box with 4 corners. Each corner has up to 15, 3 m (9.8 ft) long tentacles. Irukandji are only the size of a fingernail, yet have tentacles that can each extend up to 1 m (3.3 ft) long.  Beaches in Queensland, Northern Territory, and Western Australia are home to box jellyfish and Irukandji. Rely on signals like washed up jellyfish, clouds of small prawns, and calm weather with a northerly breeze, as it can be difficult to spot these types of jellyfish in the water.  Irukandji syndrome develops within minutes of a sting and the symptoms include back pain, nausea, and difficulty breathing. Seek emergency medical treatment and pour vinegar over the site if possible. Bluebottle jellyfish are 2–15 cm (0.79–5.91 in) long and look like thin, blue bubbles. They relatively easy to spot in clear water and the tide is often littered with bluebottle bodies if these small jellyfish are close by in the sea. Don’t touch washed up jellyfish, as they can still sting. Although cone shells look like innocent, pretty shells, they are actually predatory sea snails which have teeth similar to a harpoon. These sea snails are approximately 12 cm (4.7 in) long and they have a bright shell pattern in brown and cream.  When a cone shell is disturbed, the tooth injects a potentially deadly venom into the victim.  Cone shells are found under sand, stones, and weeds throughout Western Australia, Northern Territory, and Queensland.