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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22615820730718391992017-04-08T18:07:35.128+07:00About HealthNinak Ninukhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-65893388711153738112016-07-29T20:13:00.000+07:002017-01-05T00:27:13.515+07:00Orthomolecular medicine

Orthomolecular medicine

Orthomolecular medicine is the prevention and treatment of disease by administering nutritional supplements. The patient's state of health, external or environmental factors and quality of diet are taken into account.

The architect of orthomolecular medicine, Nobel Prize laureate Linus Pauling, coined the term in 1968. The aim of orthomolecular medicine is not merely to eliminate disease, but to aim for "optimum health."

Origins

Linus Carl Pauling was born in 1901 in Portland, Oregon. He published his first scientific paper at the age of 22. In 1925, he graduated summa cum laude from the California Institute of Technology with a Ph.D. in chemistry. He was to remain at this institute for the next 38 years.

Though by no means the first to investigate the properties of the nutrients contained in foods, or the first to consider the medical application of nutritional supplements, his contribution to our understanding of how nutrients work in our bodies and how supplements can affect our health, has not been matched, either before or since.

It was not until 1966, after a long and distinguished career, that he changed direction in response to a letter from Irwin Stone and began to research the properties of micronutrients.

In 1970, Pauling published Vitamin C and the Common Cold, which established vitamin C as a favorite and effective remedy for colds and flu. In 1973, he founded the Institute of Orthomolecular Medicine, a non-profit research organization, with Arthur B. Robinson and Keene Dimick.

The institute later became the Linus Pauling Institute of Science and Medicine. In the years that followed, Pauling published many research papers and books detailing his findings in the field of orthomolecular medicine until his death in 1994.

As a result of Pauling's research, orthomolecular medicine has become a specialized branch of alternative medicine, and its realm of application has widened to include not only cancer and other diseases, but many mental illnesses, including schizophrenia.

Benefits

In summarizing their philosophy, practitioners of orthomolecular medicine cite Hippocrates's watchword which was "First, do no harm."

With their policy of rectifying nutrition first and then administering supplements in treating disease, they feel that they already have an advantage over allopathic methods such as chemotherapy, drug therapy, surgery and radiotherapy, which orthomolecular practitioners believe have potentially disastrous effects on the human organism.

Despite the fact that when taken in "mega-doses" nutritional supplements have been known to cause harm, they can have a significantly lower potential for toxicity than allopathic drugs.

Orthomolecular practitioners recommend that patients improve their lifestyle and eating habits to consolidate benefits felt from the supplements themselves. Many of their "discoveries" have now become more or less common knowledge, for example the fact that a combination of vitamin C and zinc can speed the departure of a virus—particularly a cold—by many days.

Orthomolecular medicine can be of benefit to anyone for a wide range of illnesses and symptoms.

Some illnesses which have been treated with orthomolecular medicine are:

depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia

Raynaud's disease, heart problems, and therosclerosis

digestive disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, diverticulitis, obeisity, and endometriosis

chronic fatigue syndrome

heavy metal toxicity and radiation sickness

osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis

infertility and other reproductive disorders

high blood pressure

asthma and other respiratory problems

eczema and other skin disorders

candidiasis

cancer, AIDS, and other immune system problems

neural tube defects in the fetus.

Description

The basic concept of orthomolecular medicine is that according to their genetic makeup, and other factors such as environment, stress levels, and levels of nutrition, individuals will have nutritional needs that are peculiar to themselves alone; no two people will be alike in this respect. Consequently, what will cause illness for one person, will produce good health in another.

Many degenerative diseases and even mental abnormalities are quite possibly the result of biochemical imbalances. Linus Pauling's research demonstrated that all illness and disease can be treated to some extent with nutritional supplements, such as vitamins, amino acids, trace minerals, electrolytes, and fatty acids.

Theoretically, fresh food that is of high quality should provide all the nutrients necessary for good health. However, the depletion of nutrients in soil result from over-use of pesticides and artificial fertilizers and intensive farming practices also means a gradual decline in the levels of nutrients in produce.

Orthomolecular practitioners, therefore, recommend that laboratory tests should be conducted to assess nutritional status so that possible areas of insufficiency may be addressed with the use of supplements.

Orthomolecular psychiatric therapy

This is the treatment of diseases of the mind by providing optimum nutrients, thus enhancing the "chemistry of the brain". It has been found to be very effective in the treatment of mental illness, even schizophrenia.

For those in the allopathic medical profession who are sceptical, practitioners remind them that when nicotinic acid was introduced, it cured hundreds of thousands of pellagra patients of psychoses in addition to the physical symptoms of this disease. Vitamin C has been used successfully to treat some mental symptoms, in particular depression.

Many other micronutrients have been found to influence brain function, among them:

thiamine

pyridoxone

folic acid

tryptophan

L(+)-glutamic acid

cyanocobalamin.

Preparations

Nutritional supplements are a growing business and can be obtained almost anywhere, even in the supermarket. It is advisable to obtain supplements from an establishment that specializes in this area, and to ensure that products are fresh and potent.

A reputable health store will have staff on hand to advise customers about what is suitable for them and how supplements should be taken.

Precautions

If taken incorrectly nutritional supplements can have a detrimental effect on the health. Some supplements can produce adverse effects when taken in combination with certain medications. Certain supplements also cause unwanted effects during pregnancy.

Instructions should always be followed, and if in doubt, a nutritionally-oriented practitioner or a physician should be consulted. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has drawn up maximum and minimum recommended doses for the guidance of the public.

However, orthomolecular practitioners point out that these levels are intended for normal healthy individuals and sometimes doses far in excess of the RDA (recommended daily allowance) are required to bring a sick person back to health.

In early 2002, the U.S. Pharmacopeial (USP) Convention announced that it would launch a voluntary dietary supplement verification program. Manufacturers of supplements can supply the USP with documentation that shows they have a quality standard system in place to address label accuracy, safety and efficacy of products. The USP then arranges for a quality audit to verify that good quality and safety practices are in place.

Patient should not try to prescribe their own supplements, but should instead consult a qualified practitioner for safer and more beneficial results. It should be noted that blood tests do not always give an accurate picture of nutritional status and most orthomolecular practitioners recommend titration of doses to suit the patient.

Side effects

Orthomolecular medicine, while generally harmless, can be dangerous if safe doses of nutritional supplements are not observed. Some supplements, notably the oil-based ones such as vitamins A, D, and E, can build up and cause undesirable consequences.

Too much vitamin A, for example can cause very dry skin, among other things. Vitamin D can cause calcification of soft tissue if taken in excessive amounts, and all these items can cause liver damage if taken in excess.

Research and general acceptance

Since the beginning of this century, both nutrition and its "offshoot," orthomolecular medicine, have been extensively researched. Both the United States and British governments have special departments which determine safe doses of all supplements.

Orthomolecular medicine is possibly the branch of alternative therapies that has been the subject of most scientific research, and has certainly been validated by that research. Therefore, it is the one branch of alternative medicine that it is very difficult for allopathic medicine to call into question.

Linus Pauling was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished scientists of the twentieth century, and left over 400,000 research papers and other scientific documents to record his findings.

Orthomolecular medicine research is based strongly on such other scientific fields as biochemistry, physiology, immunology, endocrinology, pharmacology, and toxicology.Ninak Ninukhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-15747860205160535652016-07-26T19:14:00.001+07:002016-07-26T19:14:15.797+07:00Osha

Osha - Ligusticum porteri

Osha, whose botanical name is Ligusticum porteri, is a plant native to the western United States and Mexico. A member of the Umbelliferae family, osha has been used for centuries by Native Americans and Mexicans as a treatment for sore throats, fevers, and influenza.

The plant belongs to the same family as parsley and dill, and it has the same long thin hollow stalk with large divided leaves. These leaves can reach heights of 2 ft (0.6 m).

Osha's seeds and flowers are at the top of the plant and spread out in the form of an umbrella, whence its Latin family name. Osha flowers are white and the seeds have a sweet celery-like smell, as does the entire plant. The root is very hairy, brown on the outside and yellow on the inside.

The plant has several other names: chuchupate, Indian parsley, Porter's lovage, mountain lovage, Colorado cough root. A plant related to osha, Ligusticum wallichii, is used in traditional Chinese medicine; most laboratory studies of osha have used this Chinese species.

General use

Osha root is a powerful antiviral and antibacterial agent, used for bronchial infection and sore throat. Taking a tincture or decoction of osha root, or chewing directly on the root, causes perspiration and enhances the body's immune function.

Although osha has a bitter taste, its root has a numbing effect that soothes sore throats. Since it is also an expectorant, it is very useful for coughs and pharyngitis, and can also be used for very early stages of tonsillitis.

Osha root tea helps with gastrointestinal discomfort, in particular indigestion and stomach upset associated with vomiting. It can be used to increase appetite. Both osha root tincture and tea can be used topically on cuts and scrapes, as osha also has strong antibacterial qualities.

Michael Moore, a contemporary American herbalist associated with the Southwest School of Herbal Medicine, states that osha can be used for head colds with dry cough; certain stages of pharyngitis; early stages of tonsillitis; coughs; influenza with persistent coughing; dry, hot fevers; and acute brochial pneumonia. Osha can be given together with echinacea for leukocytosis.

Preparations

Osha root

Osha is available as whole or powdered dried roots. Dried osha root can be chewed directly. Michael Moore suggests taking a "walnut-sized root" every three to four hours.

A cold infusion of osha, two to six ounces, can be taken as needed. Other products that contain osha come in different concentrations and should be mixed or diluted according to label instructions.

If osha is used in tincture form, 20–60 drops can be taken up to five times a day. One part osha to two parts honey works well as a cough syrup, and is more appealing to children, who often dislike the plant's bitter taste.

Precautions

The most important precaution to take with osha is correct identification. The plant is often confused with hemlock parsley, which it closely resembles.

Osha is also sometimes mistaken for poison hemlock, which can be fatal to humans if ingested. Osha has also been detected in the milk of lactating mothers, and should not be used by women who are pregnant or nursing.

Side effects

There are no known side effects with using osha other than allergy or hypersensitivity to it or to its plant family. High doses of osha taken over extended periods of time, however, may cause kidney or liver toxicity.

Interactions

No known adverse reactions have been reported with osha.Ninak Ninukhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-36298418945738010732016-07-25T20:32:00.004+07:002016-07-25T20:32:54.509+07:00Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA), which is also known as osteoarthrosis or degenerative joint disease (DJD), is a progressive disorder of the joints caused by gradual loss of cartilage and resulting in the development of bony spurs and cysts at the margins of the joints.

The name osteoarthritis comes from three Greek words meaning bone, joint, and inflammation. OA is one of the most common causes of disability due to limitations of joint movement, particularly in people over 50.

It is estimated that 2% of the United States population under the age of 45 suffers from osteoarthritis; this figure rises to 30% of persons between 45 and 64, and 63–85% in those over 65.

About 90% of the American population will have some features of OA in their weight-bearing joints by age 40. Men tend to develop OA at earlier ages than women.

OA typically develops gradually over a period of years. Patients with OA may have joint pain on only one side of the body. It primarily affects the knees, hands, hips, feet, and spine.

Causes and symptoms

Osteoarthritis results from deterioration or loss of the cartilage that acts as a protective cushion between bones, particularly in weight-bearing joints such as the knees and hips.

As the cartilage is worn away, the bone rubbing against bone forms spurs, areas of abnormal hardening, and fluid-filled pockets in the marrow known as subchondral cysts. As the disorder progresses, pain results from deformation of the bones and fluid accumulation in the joints. The pain is relieved by rest and made worse by moving the joint or placing weight on it.

In early OA, the pain is minor and may take the form of mild stiffness in the morning. In the later stages of OA, chronic inflammation develops. The patient may experience pain even when the joint is not being used; and he or she may suffer permanent loss of the normal range of motion in that joint.

Until the late 1980s, OA was regarded as an inevitable part of aging, caused by simple "wear and tear" on the joints. This view has been replaced by recent research into cartilage formation. OA is now considered to be the end result of several different factors contributing to cartilage damage, and is classified as either primary or secondary.

Primary osteoarthritis

Primary OA results from abnormal stresses on weight-bearing joints or normal stresses operating on weakened joints. Primary OA most frequently affects the finger joints, the hips and knees, the cervical and lumbar spine, and the big toe.

The enlargements of the finger joints that occur in OA are referred to as Heberden's and Bouchard's nodes. Some gene mutations appear to be associated with OA. Obesity also increases the pressure on the weight-bearing joints of the body.

Finally, as the body ages, there is a reduction in the ability of cartilage to repair itself. In addition to these factors, some researchers have theorized that primary OA may be triggered by enzyme disturbances, bone disease, or liver dysfunction.

Secondary osteoarthritis

Secondary OA results from chronic or sudden injury to a joint. It can occur in any joint. Secondary OA is associated with the following factors:

trauma, including sports injuries

repetitive stress injuries associated with certain occupations (like the performing arts, construction or assembly line work, computer keyboard operation, etc.)

repeated episodes of gout or septic arthritis

poor posture or bone alignment caused by developmental abnormalities

metabolic disorders

Diagnosis

History and physical examination

The two most important diagnostic clues in the patient's history are the pattern of joint involvement and the presence or absence of fever, rash, or other symptoms outside the joints.

As part of the physical examination, the doctor will touch and move the patient's joint to evaluate swelling, limitations on the range of motion, pain on movement, and crepitus (a cracking or grinding sound heard during joint movement).

Diagnostic imaging

There is no laboratory test that is specific for osteoarthritis. Treatment is usually based on the results of diagnostic imaging. In patients with OA, x rays may indicate narrowed joint spaces, abnormal density of the bone, and the presence of subchondral cysts or bone spurs.

The patient's symptoms, however, do not always correlate with x-ray findings. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography scans (CTscans) can be used to determine more precisely the location and extent of cartilage damage.

Treatment

Diet

Food intolerance can be a contributing factor in OA, although this is more significant in rheumatoid arthritis. Dietary suggestions that may be helpful for people with OA include emphasizing high-fiber, complex-carbohydrate foods, while minimizing fats.

Plants in the Solanaceae family, such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and potatoes, should be avoided, as should refined and processed foods. Citrus fruits should also be avoided, as they may promote swelling.

Foods that are high in bioflavonoids (berries as well as red, orange, and purple fruits and vegetables) should be eaten often. Black cherry juice (2 glasses twice per day) has been found to be particularly effective for partial pain relief.

Nutritional supplements

In the past several years, a combination of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate has been proposed as a dietary supplement that helps the body maintain and repair cartilage. Studies conducted in Europe have shown the effectiveness of this treatment but effects may not be evident until a month after initiating this treatment.

These substances are nontoxic and do not require prescriptions. Other supplements that may be helpful in the treatment of OA include the antioxidant vitamins and minerals (vitamins A, C, E, selenium, and zinc) and the B vitamins, especially vitamins B6 and B5.

Naturopathy

Naturopathic treatment for OA includes hydrotherapy, diathermy (deep-heat therapy), nutritional supplements, and botanical preparations, including  yucca, devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens), and hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata) berries.

Electromagnetic field therapy is believed to increase blood flow and oxygen exchange to enhance the body's natural healing processes.

This treatment is not suggested for use over an open wound or in combination with transdermal drug delivery patches, or by those who are pregnant or have insulin pumps or pacemakers. Magnets may be worn within a shoe insole, anklet, bracelet, or back support.

Traditional Chinese medicine

Practitioners of Traditional Chinese medicine treat arthritis with suction cups, massage, moxibustion (warming an area of skin by burning a herbal wick a slight distance above the skin), the application of herbal poultices, and internal doses of Chinese herbal formulas.

Daily acupressure can also provide relief for stiff, achy joints. Massage of the achy joints with a blend of aromatic oils, especially rosemary and chamomile is beneficial.

Periods of imagery are another suggested treatment—for 10-20 minutes twice daily—where the joint pain is pictured as transformed into a liquid that trickles from the body into the nearest body of water and eventually into the ocean waves.

Physical therapy

Patients with OA are encouraged to exercise as a way of keeping joint cartilage lubricated. Exercises that increase balance, flexibility, and range of motion are recommended for OA patients.

These may include walking, swimming and other water exercises, yoga and other stretching exercises, or isometric exercises. Physical therapy may also include massage, moist hot packs, or soaking in a hot tub.

Allopathic treatment

Treatment of OA patients is tailored to the needs of each individual. Patients vary widely in the location of the joints involved, the rate of progression, the severity of symptoms, the degree of disability, and responses to specific forms of treatment. Most treatment programs include several forms of therapy.

Patient education and psychotherapy

Patient education is an important part of OA treatment because of the highly individual nature of the disorder and its potential impacts on the patient's life.

Patients who are depressed because of changes in employment or recreation usually benefit from counseling. The patient's family should be involved in discussions of coping, household reorganization, and other aspects of the patient's disease and treatment regimen.

Medications

Patients with mild OA may be treated only with pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or propoxyphene (Darvon). Most patients with OA, however, are given nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs.

These include compounds such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), ketoprofen (Orudis), and flurbiprofen (Ansaid). The NSAIDs have the advantage of relieving inflammation as well as pain. They also have potentially dangerous side effects, including digestive ulcers, sensitivity to sun exposure, kidney disturbances, and nervousness or depression.

Some OA patients are treated with corticosteroids injected directly into the joints to reduce inflammation and slow the development of Heberden's nodes. Injections should not be regarded as a first-choice treatment and should be given only two or three times a year. A series of hyaluronic acid injections into the affected joint may help to lubricate and protect cartilage.

Surgery

Surgical treatment of osteoarthritis may include the replacement of a damaged joint with an artificial part or appliance; surgical fusion of spinal bones; scraping or removal of damaged bone from the joint; or the removal of a piece of bone in order to realign the bone.

Protective measures

Depending on the location of the affected joint, patients with OA may be advised to use neck braces or collars, crutches, canes, hip braces, knee supports, bed boards, or elevated chair and toilet seats. They are also advised to avoid unnecessary knee bending, stair climbing, or lifting of heavy objects.

New treatments

Since 1997, several new methods of treatment for OA have been investigated. Although they are still being developed and tested, they appear to hold promise. They include:

Disease-modifying drugs. These compounds may be useful in assisting the body to form new cartilage or improve its repair of existing cartilage.

Gene therapy.

Cartilage transplantation. This technique is presently used in Sweden.

Ninak Ninukhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-25575049034923308152016-07-25T18:45:00.004+07:002016-07-25T18:45:32.385+07:00Osteopathy

Osteopathy

Osteopathy is a "whole person" philosophy of medicine, where doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) endorse an approach that treats the entire person, rather than a specific complaint.

Attention is given to prevention, wellness, and helping the body to heal itself. Because the body is viewed as a single organism or unit, special focus is given to understanding body mechanics and the interrelationship of the body's organs and systems.

A particular emphasis is placed on the musculoskeletal system. Dos may utilize physical manipulation of muscles and bones in conjunction with, or as an alternative to, conventional treatments, drug therapies, and surgery to provide complete health care.

Origins

Dr. Andrew Still developed the osteopathic approach to medicine. Still, whose father was a Methodist minister and physician, was himself a medical doctor who served as a Union surgeon during the Civil War. After the war, personal tragedy struck the Still household when three of his children died from spinal meningitis.

This event angered and disillusioned him. He became dissatisfied with the state of medical knowledge and treatments available at that time. Consequently, he began an intense study of the human body to find underlying causes and cures for ailments.

Still gave great attention to anatomy. He recognized the importance of the musculoskeletal system, the body's ability for self-healing, and focused on prevention and the concept of "wellness."

In an era when drug treatment was frequently dangerous and overused, and surgery often fatal, Still was able to develop alternative treatments. For example, by manipulating the ribs and spine, Still provided treatments for pneumonia.

He gave attention to the lymphatic system (which filters foreign matter and removes excess fluids, proteins, and waste products from the tissues and transports them to the blood to be circulated and eliminated) and manipulating the fascia (connective tissue that is tough, but thin and elastic; it forms an uninterrupted three-dimensional network from head to foot, sheathing every muscle, bone, nerve, gland, organ, and blood vessel), allowing him to address a range of other ailments.

Still's sons learned his philosophies and techniques, but demand overwhelmed their ability to supply care. In 1892, Still founded the first college of osteopathic medicine, the American School of Osteopathy, in Kirksville, Missouri. When he died in 1917, there were more than 5,000 practicing osteopaths in the United States.

Today, osteopaths are the fastest growing segment of the total population of physicians and surgeons in the United States. In 2002, there were more than 49,000 doctors of osteopathy. Osteopathy has spread outside of the United States and is now practiced in countries throughout the world.

Benefits

Free osteopathy at the athletics

The osteopathic focus on prevention and wellness may help individuals to avoid illness by teaching healthy behaviors and encouraging health-promoting lifestyle changes.

In addition to conventional treatments, drugs, and surgeries, DOs may offer manipulative therapies not available from their allopathic counterparts MDs). Many people seek care from an osteopath for back or neck pains, joint pains, or injuries.

However, DOs may use manipulative therapies to treat a variety of ailments and conditions including arthritis, allergies, asthma, dizziness, carpal tunnel syndrome, menstrual pain, migraine headaches, sciatica, sinusitis, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and problems in the jaw joints.

Manipulative therapies may be incorporated into the treatment plan to speed recovery from various conditions, such as heart attack or disc surgery, and to address pediatric concerns, such as otitis media (ear infection) and birth traumas.

Various manipulative therapies may also be appropriate in alleviating discomforts associated with pregnancy, for example, back pain or digestive problems. Some osteopaths even feel that regular osteopathic treatments may help minimize the effects of aging on the spine and joints.

Also, as noted by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), the field of sports medicine has found particular benefit in osteopathic practitioners because of their emphasis on "the musculoskeletal system, manipulation, diet, exercise, and fitness. Many professional sports team physicians, Olympic physicians, and personal sports medicine physicians are DOs."

Description

Osteopathic medicine considers the human body to be a complex unit of interrelated parts, a unified organism. Organs and systems do not function independently and should not be treated as such. A disturbance in one part of the body affects the entire body. Illness is also impacted by many variables, such as emotions, stress, lifestyle, and environment.

Therefore, illness must be addressed by taking a whole person approach to treatment. Because the body is seen as self-regulating and self-healing, the osteopath gives special attention to illness prevention and helping the body maintain or re-establish wellness.

The nervous and circulatory systems play crucial roles in maintaining the functioning of the body's organs and systems; negative body-wide effects may occur when these two major systems are not functioning optimally.

Relieving blocked blood flow or nerve impulses will help the body to heal itself by promoting blood flow through affected tissues. The blood supply will be better able to deliver vital nutrients and boost the immune system, the nerve supply to the area will be improved, and systemic balance can be restored.

Performing Osteopathy

The musculoskeletal system is key in this effort to achieve and maintain systemic balance and health. The musculoskeletal system is comprised of the bones, tendons, muscles, tissues, nerves, and spinal column.

As the body's largest system, it encompasses over 60% of body mass and can suffer mechanical disorders or amplify illness processes anywhere in the body. Therefore, structural evaluation and attention to the musculoskeletal system is central to osteopathy.

In addition to conventional care such as drug therapies and surgery, osteopaths may use a variety of manipulative procedures to help the body systems function at peak levels. These techniques are commonly referred to as Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT).

OMT is a form of noninvasive, "hands-on" care used for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment to reduce pain and restore motion, as well as help the body heal itself. OMT may be used to facilitate the movement of body fluids and normal tissue functioning, and release painful joints or dysfunctional areas. These therapies take different forms depending on patient needs.

In addition to easing the pain of physical disorders, OMT appears to be helpful in some psychiatric conditions as well. A recent study performed at the College of Osteopathic Medicine in Downers Grove, IL, found that OMT as an adjunct to psychotherapy alleviated the symptoms of depression in women, as measured by the Zung Depression Scale, a standard diagnostic instrument.

Manipulative procedures may be categorized and discussed in a variety of ways. According to the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, the following groupings encompass some of the most commonly used procedures.

Descriptions are compiled from the American Academy of Osteopathy, Leon Chaitow, N.D., DO, and others.

Articulatory techniques. Procedures that move joints through their range of motion (articulating the joints) may be used to restore normal functioning.

Counterstrain. This type of therapy is used to alleviate trigger points localized areas of hyperirritability in the muscles). The procedure involves first finding a body position that relieves the patient's pain. Through a process in which the patient and practitioner repeatedly use coordinated techniques of pushing (or compression), relaxing, and changing position, the trigger point is eased.

Cranial treatment. Cranial treatments focus on the craniosacral system which consists of the brain, spinal cord, cerebrospinal fluid, dura (the membrane covering the brain and spinal cord), cranial bones, and the sacrum (triangular bone comprised of five fused vertebrae, and forming posterior section of the pelvis). Craniosacral release is a gentle technique that focuses on normalizing imbalances in the natural rhythms of this system. A light touch is used to detect and release restrictions in the system and encourage the body's own healing processes. Craniosacral therapies arose from the work of Dr. William Sutherland, a DO who developed and explored the concept that the bones of the skull allowed movement and could be manipulated to improve the system's rhythmic movements. Some DOs choose to specialize in cranial osteopathy. Craniosacral therapy is also practiced by a wide variety of health care professionals. As listed by the Upledger Institute, these practitioners include MDs, chiropractors, doctors of Oriental medicine, naturopaths, nurses, psychiatric specialists, psychologists, dentists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, acupuncturists, massage therapists, and other professional bodyworkers.

Myofascial release treatment. Various direct or indirect treatments are applied to release fascia tissues.

Lymphatic techniques. These techniques focus on improving lymphatic circulation, improving the ability of the lymphatic system to do its job of waste removal.

Soft tissue techniques. Applied to tissue other than bone, these techniques use varying pressure and may stretch, roll, or knead, resulting in the relaxation or release of tissues.

Thrust techniques. A quick, sharp thrust (which is often described as high velocity/low amplitude) to the area requiring treatment is used to force a correction, restoring normal joint function and movement. This is similar to chiropractic adjustment.

Precautions

DOs use the full range of conventional diagnostic techniques, drug therapies, treatments, and surgical interventions available to MDs. If deemed appropriate by the DO, OMT may be employed in addition to these conventional diagnoses, and treatments or may serve as an alternative to drug therapies.

During the course of treatment, manipulative therapies may be interrupted or stopped if complications occur—for example, a rise in blood pressure. In some situations, the osteopath may determine that no further benefit will be gained from continuing manipulative treatment. Manipulation should not be applied in several medical conditions.

As listed by Chris Belshaw, these conditions are mainly "acute infections; fractures; bone disease; cancer; gross structural deformities; such severe general medical conditions as gross high blood pressure or heart attack; vascular disease, for example, thrombosis; neurological conditions with nerve damage; spinal cord damage; and severe prolapse of an intervertebral disc." Additionally, as in any area of medicine, there is the possibility of mistaken diagnosis. Patients should always discuss all medical conditions, treatments, questions, and concerns with their physicians.

Side effects

Some patients, as noted by Belshaw, may experience mild headaches following neck treatments or discomfort after back manipulation. Some flushing and bruising may appear on those with sensitive skin. These reactions may last for several hours. Such symptoms may recur as treatment continues. Symptoms may return if treatment is stopped too soon.

Research and general acceptance

Research has shown the benefits of osteopathic care in a range of ailments and through improved recovery times. In addition to many of the conditions discussed above, the American Osteopathic Healthcare Association reports ongoing research on patient recovery times, length of hospital stays, chronic pain, chlamydia infection in women, reduction of deep vein thrombosis, and fall prevention for the elderly.

Osteopathic colleges have increased their attention to biomedical research opportunities for students and those who desire to pursue research careers. The AOA Board of Research encourages and supports development of scientific research in the osteopathic medical profession.

The AOA has also conducted several campaigns to educate the public on osteopathy. In 2000, the AOA started a Women's Health Initiative, a three-year campaign to promote women's healthcare among osteopathic physicians and the public.Ninak Ninukhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-31841627129250987402016-07-25T17:59:00.001+07:002016-07-25T17:59:12.521+07:00Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis

The word osteoporosis literally means porous bones. It occurs when bones lose an excessive amount of their protein and mineral content, particularly calcium.

Over time, bone mass, and therefore bone strength, is decreased. As a result, the bones become fragile and break easily. Even a sneeze or a sudden movement may be enough to break a bone in someone with severe osteoporosis.

Description

Osteoporosis is a serious public health problem. Some 28 million people in the United States are affected by this potentially debilitating disease, which is responsible for 1.5 million fractures (broken bones) annually.

These fractures, which are often the first sign of the disease, can affect any bone, but the most common locations are the hip, spine, and wrist.

Breaks in the hip and spine are of special concern because they almost always require hospitalization and major surgery; and may lead to other serious consequences, including permanent disability and even death.

To understand osteoporosis, it is helpful to understand the basics of bone formation. Bone is living tissue that's constantly being renewed in a two-stage process (resorption and formation) that occurs throughout life.

In the resorption stage, old bone is broken down and removed by cells called osteoclasts. In the formation stage, cells called osteoblasts build new bone to replace the old.

During childhood and early adulthood, more bone is produced than removed, reaching its maximum mass and strength by the mid-30s. After that, bone is lost at a faster pace than it's formed, so the amount of bone in the skeleton begins to slowly decline.

Most cases of osteoporosis occur as an acceleration of this normal aging process. That is referred to as primary osteoporosis. The condition can also be caused by other disease processes or prolonged use of certain medications that result in bone loss; if so, it is called secondary osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis occurs most often in older people, especially in women after menopause. It affects nearly half of all adults, men and women, over the age of 75. Women, however, are five times more likely than men to develop the disease.

They have smaller, thinner bones than men to begin with, and they lose bone mass more rapidly after menopause (usually around age 50), when they stop producing a bone-protecting hormone called estrogen. In the five to seven years following menopause, women can lose about 20% of their bone mass. By age 65 or 70, though, men and women lose bone mass at the same rate.

As an increasing number of men live longer, health professionals are increasingly aware that osteoporosis is an important health issue for men as well. In fact, men account for about 20% of all spinal fractures and up to 30% of all hip fractures due to osteoporosis.

Causes and symptoms

A number of factors increase the risk of developing osteoporosis. They include:

Age. Osteoporosis is more likely as people grow older and their bones lose strength.

Sex. Women are more likely to have osteoporosis because they start out with less bone. They also lose bone tissue more rapidly as they age. While women commonly lose 30%–50% of their bone mass over their lifetimes, men lose only 20%–33% of theirs.

Race. Caucasian and Asian women are most at risk for the disease, but African American and Hispanic women can get it too.

Body type. Women with small bones or thin frames are more liable to develop osteoporosis.

Early menopause. Women who begin menopause early because of heredity, surgery, or lots of physical exercise may lose large amounts of bone tissue early in life. Such conditions as anorexia and bulimia may also lead to early menopause and osteoporosis.

Lifestyle. People who smoke or drink too much, or do not get enough exercise, have an increased chance of getting osteoporosis.

Medications. Certain prescription medications may speed up the loss of bone. These drugs include methotrexate, cimetidine, corticosteroids, and heparin.

Diet. Adults who do not get enough calcium or protein may be more likely to have osteoporosis. People who constantly diet are more prone to the disease.

Osteoporosis is often called the silent disease, because bone loss occurs without symptoms. People often don't know they have the disease until a bone breaks, frequently in a minor fall that wouldn't normally cause a fracture.

A common occurrence is compression fractures of the spine. These can happen even after a seemingly normal activity, such as bending or twisting to pick up a light object.

The fractures can cause severe back pain, but sometimes they go unnoticed. Either way, the vertebrae collapse down on themselves, and the person actually loses height. The hunchback appearance of many elderly women, sometimes called dowager's hump or widow's hump, is due to the effect of osteoporosis on the vertebrae.

Diagnosis

Osteoporosis bone

Certain types of doctors may have more training and experience than others in diagnosing and treating people with osteoporosis. These include a geriatrician, who specializes in treating the aged; an endocrinologist, who specializes in treating diseases of the body's endocrine system (glands and hormones); and an orthopedic surgeon, who treats fractures, such as those caused by osteoporosis.

Before making a diagnosis of osteoporosis, the doctor usually takes a complete medical history, conducts a physical examination, and orders x rays, as well as blood and urine tests, to rule out other diseases that cause loss vof bone mass.

The doctor may also recommend a bone density test. This is the only way to know for certain if osteoporosis is present. It can also show how far the disease has progressed.

Several diagnostic tools are available to measure the density of a bone. The ordinary x ray is one, though it's the least accurate for early detection of osteoporosis, because it doesn't reveal bone loss until the disease is advanced and most of the damage has already been done.

Two other tools that are more likely to catch osteoporosis at an early stage are computed tomography scans (CT scans) and machines called densitometers, which are designed specifically to measure bone density.

The CT scan, which takes a large number of x rays of the same spot from different angles, is an accurate test, but uses higher levels of radiation than other methods. The most accurate and advanced of the densitometers uses a technique called DEXA (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry).

With the DEXA scan, a double x-ray beam takes pictures of the spine, hip, or entire body. It takes about 20 minutes to do, is painless, and exposes the patient to only a small amount of radiation—about 1/50 that of a chest x ray.

In late 2001, Medicare began reimbursing for a test that measures bone resorption, an important measure for tracking a patient's response to osteoporosis therapy. The relatively inexpensive test measures a baseline amount, then compares amounts from later tests to track progress. The test consists of simple urine collection.

People should talk to their doctors about their risk factors for osteoporosis and if and when to have a bone density test. Ideally, women should have bone density measured at menopause and periodically afterward, depending on the condition of their bones. Men should be tested around age 65. Men and women with additional risk factors, such as those who take certain medications, may need to be tested earlier.

Treatment

Alternative treatments for osteoporosis focus on maintaining or building strong bones. They include nutritional and herbal therapies and homeopathy.

Nutritional therapy

A healthful diet low in fats and animal products and containing whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and calcium-rich foods (such as dairy products, dark-green leafy vegetables, sardines, salmon, and almonds), along with nutritional supplements (such as calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D) are important components of nutritional approaches to treating this disease.

Women should also eat more soy products such as tofu, soy burgers, or miso. Soy beans contain a substance called isoflavones which have estrogen-like activity.

Isoflavones may help to increase bone density, alleviate hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms, lower the risk of cancer, and even reduce the risk of heart attacks. Natural hormone therapy, such as the use of soy products, is a safer alternative to synthetic estrogenic hormones, which may increase the risk of breast cancer.

In addition, women should avoid foods that may accelerate bone loss. They should avoid having too much salt in their diet, not only because salt raises the blood pressure but also because it may contribute to osteoporosis. They should also cut down on coffee, caffeinated sodas, and alcohol.

High consumption of these beverages, studies have shown, are associated with accelerated drop in bone density and increase risk of bone fracture in old age. Caffeinated sodas are especially bad for the bones because in addition to containing caffeine, they also have high amounts of phosphoric acid. Phosphoric acid increases bone resorption, thus decreasing bone density.

Herbal supplements

Herbal supplements for osteoporosis emphasize such calcium-containing plants as horsetail (Equisetum arvense), oat straw (Avena sativa), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), marsh mallow (Althaea officinalis), and sourdock (Rumex crispus). There are, however, few data from clinical trials to support the use of these herbs.

Homeopathy

Homeopathic remedies for osteoporosis focus on treatments believed to help the body absorb calcium. These remedies may include such substances as Calcarea carbonica (calcium carbonate) or Silica (flint). Again, there are few data other than isolated case reports regarding the effectiveness of these remedies.

Allopathic treatments

There are a number of good treatments for primary osteoporosis, most of them medications. For people with secondary osteoporosis, treatment may focus on curing the underlying disease.

Drugs

For most women who've gone through menopause, the best treatment for osteoporosis is hormone replacement therapy (HRT), also called estrogen replacement therapy.

In addition to alleviating hot flashes, synthetic estrogens protect women against heart disease and they help to relieve and prevent osteoporosis. HRT increases a woman's supply of estrogen, which helps build new bone while preventing further bone loss.

Some women, however, do not want to take hormones because they have been linked to an increased risk of breast or uterine cancer. Other studies suggest that the risk is due to increasing age.

Whether or not a woman takes hormones is a decision she should make carefully with her doctor. Most women take estrogen along with a synthetic form of progesterone, another female hormone. The combination helps protect against cancer of the uterus.

For people who can't or decide not to take estrogen, two other medications can be good choices. These are alendronate and calcitonin. Alendronate and calcitonin both stop bone loss, help build bone, and decrease fracture risk by as much as 50%.

Alendronate (sold under the name Fosamax) is the first nonhormonal medication for osteoporosis ever approved by the FDA. It attaches itself to bone that's been targeted by bone-eating osteoclasts. It protects the bone from these cells. Osteoclasts help your body break down old bone tissue.

Calcitonin is a hormone that's been used as an injection for many years. A new version is on the market as a nasal spray. It too slows down bone-eating osteoclasts. Side effects of these drugs are minimal, but calcitonin builds bone by only 1.5% a year.

Fosamax (alendronic acid) has proven safe in very large multi-year studies, and is now indicated for treatment of osteoporosis in most men. Several medications under study include other biphosphonates that slow bone breakdown (like alendronate), sodium fluoride, vitamin D metabolites, and selective estrogen receptor modulators.

Surgery

Unfortunately, much of the treatment for osteoporosis is for fractures that result from advanced stages of the disease. For complicated fractures, such as broken hips, hospitalization and a surgical procedure are required. In hip replacement surgery, the broken hip is removed and replaced with a new hip made of plastic, or metal and plastic.

Despite often-successful surgeries, a large percentage of those who survive are unable to return to their previous level of activity, and many end up moving from self-care to a supervised living situation or nursing home. That's why prevention, getting early treatment, and taking steps to reduce bone loss are vital.

Expected results

There is no cure for osteoporosis, but it can be controlled. Most people who have osteoporosis fare well once they get treatment. The medicines available now build bone, protect against bone loss, and halt the progress of this disease.

Prevention

Building strong bones, especially before the age of 35, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are the best ways of preventing osteoporosis. To build as much bone mass as early as possible in life, and to help slow the rate of bone loss later in life:

Get calcium in foods

Experts recommend 1,500 milligrams (mg) of calcium per day for adolescents, pregnant or breast-feeding women, older adults (over 65), and postmenopausal women not using hormone replacement therapy.

All others should get 1,000 mg per day. Foods are the best source for this important mineral. Milk, cheese, and yogurt have the highest amounts. Other foods that are high in calcium are green leafy vegetables, tofu, shellfish, Brazil nuts, sardines, and almonds.

Take calcium supplements

Many people, especially those who don't like or can't eat dairy foods, don't get enough calcium in their diets and may need to take a calcium supplement. Supplements should be taken with meals and accompanied by six to eight glasses of water a day.

Get vitamin D

Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. People can get vitamin D from sunshine with a quick (15–20 minute) walk each day or from foods such as liver, fish oil, and vitamin D fortified milk. During the winter months it may be necessary to take supplements. Four hundred mg daily is usually the recommended amount.

Avoid smoking and alcohol

Smoking reduces bone mass, as does heavy drinking. To reduce risk, do not smoke; and limit alcoholic drinks to no more than two per day. An alcoholic drink is 1.5 ounces of hard liquor, 12 ounces of beer, or 5 ounces of wine.

Exercise regularly

Exercising regularly builds and strengthens bones. Weight-bearing exercises, in which bones and muscles work against gravity, are best. These include aerobics, dancing, jogging, stair climbing, tennis, walking, and lifting weights.

People who have osteoporosis may want to attempt gentle exercise, such as walking, rather than jogging or fast-paced aerobics, which increase the chance of falling. Try to exercise three to four times per week for 20–30 minutes each time.Ninak Ninukhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-35096177524247064942016-07-25T01:38:00.000+07:002016-07-25T01:38:54.892+07:00Ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is a disease in which the cells in the ovaries become abnormal, start to grow uncontrollably, and form tumors. Ninety percent of all ovarian cancers develop in the cells that line the surface of the ovaries and are called epithelial cell tumors.

Description

The ovaries are a pair of almond-shaped organs that lie in the pelvis on either side of the uterus. The fallopian tubes connect the ovaries to the uterus.

The ovaries produce and release usually one egg each month during the menstrual cycle. Along with the adrenal gland, the ovaries also produce the female hormones estrogen and progesterone, which regulate and maintain the secondary female sexual characteristics.

Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer among women in the United States. It accounts for 4% of all cancers in women. However, the death rate due to this cancer is higher than that of any other cancer among women.

About 1 in 70 women in the United States will eventually develop ovarian cancer, and 1 in 100 will die from it. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimates that 25,400 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2003, and that 14,300 women will die from the disease.

Ovarian cancer can develop at any age, but more than half the cases occur among women who are 65 years old or older. The incidence of the disease is highest among Native American women, followed by Caucasian, Vietnamese, Hispanic, and Hawaiian women.

Only 50% of the women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer will survive five years after initial diagnosis. This low survival rate is because at the time of initial diagnosis, the cancer is usually in an advanced stage.

It is difficult to diagnose ovarian cancer early because often there are no warning symptoms and the disease spreads relatively quickly. In addition, the ovaries are situated deep in the pelvis and small tumors can't be detected easily during a routine physical examination.

Causes and symptoms

Symptoms of ovarian cancer

The actual cause of ovarian cancer is not known, but several factors are known to increase a woman's chances of developing the disease. These are called risk factors.

The major risk factors for cancer in general are tobacco, alcohol, diet, sexual and reproductive behavior, infectious agents, family history, occupation, environment, and pollution. There are several risk factors particularly associated with ovarian cancer.

Age. The incidence of the disease increases with age Half of all cases are diagnosed after age 65.

Race. The incidence of the disease is highest among Native American women and lowest among Korean and Chinese women.

High-fat diet. When Asian women move to the more affluent Western countries and adopt a diet that is rich in fat, the incidence of ovarian cancer among them rises. Furthermore, ovarian cancer is highest in those countries with the highest consumption of dairy foods (Switzerland, Denmark, and Sweden) and lowest in those countries with the lowest dairy intake (Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore). Ovarian cancer is also linked to high socioeconomic status in women.

Family history. Women who have even one close relative with the disease increase their risk threefold. In addition, if a woman has had breast cancer, she is at an increased risk for ovarian cancer.

Early menstruation/late menopause. Menstruating early (before age 12) and experiencing menopause late seem to put women at a higher risk for ovarian cancer. It is believed that the longer a woman ovulates, the higher her risk of ovarian cancer (some researchers think exposure to estrogen during the monthly cycles is the cause). Since ovulation occurs only during the childbearing years, the longer she menstruates, the greater her risk. Pregnancy gives a break from ovulation and exposure to estrogen for nine months. Hence, multiple pregnancies actually appear to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. Similarly, since oral contraceptives suppress ovulation and reduce exposure to estrogen, women who take birth control pills have a lower incidence of the disease.

Fertility drugs. One study has shown that prolonged use of certain fertility drugs, such as clomiphene citrate, may increase a woman's risk of developing ovarian tumors.

Talcum powder. Some studies have suggested that the use of talcum powder in the genital area may double a woman's risk of getting the cancer. The incidence of ovarian cancer is higher than normal among female workers exposed to asbestos. Since talc contains particles of asbestos, some researchers believe that is what accounts for the increased risk.

Ovarian cancer has no specific signs or symptoms in the early stages of the disease. There may be some vague, nonspecific symptoms that are often ignored. However, if any of the symptoms persist, it is essential to have them evaluated by a doctor immediately.

Only a doctor can determine whether the symptoms are an indication of early ovarian cancer; however, the presence of two or more of the following symptoms is reason for concern. The patient may experience:

pain or swelling in the abdomen

bloating, and a general feeling of abdominal discomfort

constipation, nausea, or vomiting

loss of appetite, fatigue

unexplained weight gain (generally due to an accumulation of fluid in the abdomen)

vaginal bleeding in postmenopausal women.

Diagnosis

Ovarian cancer stages

If ovarian cancer is suspected, the doctor typically begins the diagnosis by taking a complete medical history to assess all the risk factors. A thorough pelvic examination is conducted. Blood tests to determine the level of a particular blood protein, CA125, may be ordered. This protein is usually elevated when a woman has ovarian cancer.

However, it is not a definitive test because the levels may also rise in other gynecologic conditions, such as endometriosis and ectopic pregnancy. Recently, researchers have found another biological marker, a protein called prostasin, that appears to be specific to ovarian cancer.

While prostasin should not be used as the only blood test for ovarian cancer, assessment of prostasin levels together with CA125 levels improves the likelihood of early detection. Ultrasound is almost always used to check the size of the ovaries.

Standard imaging techniques such as computed tomography scans (CT scans) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be used to determine the condition of the ovaries and if the disease has spread to other parts of the body.

A new noninvasive technique for early detection of ovarian cancer involves a genetically altered virus. Researchers at the University of Alabama engineered a common cold virus to infect ovarian cancer cells with a green fluorescent protein that reveals the cancer cells. The technique can also be used to monitor the effectiveness of therapy.

Other new tests for the early detection of ovarian cancer are still undergoing development. One of the most promising is a blood test for asymptomatic early stage ovarian cancer.

In order to determine if the tumor is benign or cancerous, surgery is necessary. If the tumor appears to be small from the imaging tests, then a procedure known as laparoscopy may be used.

A tiny incision is made in the abdomen and a slender, hollow, lighted instrument is inserted through it. This lets the doctor view the ovary more closely and to obtain a piece of tissue for microscopic examination. If the tumor appears large, a laparotomy is performed under general anesthesia.

This procedure combines both diagnosis and treatment for ovarian cancer because the tumor is often completely removed at this time. A piece of the tissue that is removed will be examined under a microscope to determine whether the tumor was benign or malignant.

Surgery confirms the diagnosis, but ovarian cancer is often strongly suspected before surgery based on symptoms and ultrasound. The goal of surgery is to completely remove the cancer, but often this is not possible.

Diagnosis in alternative treatment uses mainstream diagnostic techniques and supplements them with thorough physical and psychological examinations.

Considerations such as lifestyle, relationships, and emotional and psychological histories are used to complete an overall portrait of a patient's health in order to develop holistic strategies for healing.

Treatment

There are many alternative treatments available to help with ovarian cancer. Alternative treatments can be used in conjunction with, or separate from, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

When used with conventional treatment, alternative treatments have been shown to decrease pain and side effects, aid in the recovery process, and improve the quality of life of cancer patients.

Alternative treatment of cancer is complicated, and there are many choices in therapies and alternative practitioners. Consumers should consult as many trained healthcare practitioners as possible when choosing alternative therapies.

If consumers are willing to ask questions and thoroughly research their options, they can increase their chances of getting the best possible alternative support for the difficult task of treating cancer.

Alternative medicine generally views cancer as a holistic problem. That is, cancer represents a problem with the body's overall health and immunity. As such, treatment is holistic as well, striving to strengthen and heal the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of patients.

Alternative cancer treatments may emphasize different basic approaches, which include traditional medicines, mind/body approaches, physical approaches, nutritional and dietary approaches, integrated approaches, and experimental programs.

Traditional medicines

Traditional Chinese medicine uses acupuncture, acupressure massage, herbal remedies, and movement therapies like t'ai chi and qigong to treat cancer.

Traditional Chinese herbal remedies have already contributed a significant number of anticancer drugs, and studies have shown their anticancer properties. Acupuncture has been shown to reduce some tumors, significantly reduce pain, and support and improve immune system activity.

Ayurvedic medicine uses detoxification, herbal remedies, massage, exercise, yoga, breathing techniques, and meditation as part of its cancer treatment. Panchakarma is an extensive detoxification and strengthening program that is recommended for cancer patients and those undergoing chemotherapy and radiation.

Panchakarma uses fasting, special vegetarian diets, enemas, massage, herbal medicines, and other techniques to rid the body of excess toxins (believed to contribute to chronic diseases like cancer) and to strengthen the immune system. Some ayurvedic herbs may also have significant anticancer properties.

Naturopathy and homeopathy are traditional Western healing systems using herbal medicines and other techniques to strengthen the immune system and reduce the pain of cancer treatment. Western herbalism is also beginning to compile studies of many herbs that have potential anticancer and immune strengthening properties (like mistletoe).

Mind/body approaches

Mind/body treatments seek to help patients with the mental and spiritual challenges posed by cancer and try to mobilize the body's own defenses and immune system.

Some of these therapies include psychotherapy, support groups, guided imagery, visualization techniques, meditation, biofeedback, hypnosis, breathing techniques, and yoga. Mind/body approaches work with the idea that the mind and emotions can profoundly influence the health of the body.

These techniques help patients manage the stress and anxiety that accompany cancer. Mind/body techniques have also been shown to stimulate the immune system and to reduce the pain of symptoms and conventional treatments.

Physical approaches

Physical approaches to cancer include exercise; massage therapies; movement therapies including yoga, t'ai chi, and qigong; breathing techniques; and relaxation techniques. These therapies strive to increase immune system response, promote relaxation and stress reduction, and reduce side effects (like pain, nausea, weakness, and physical immobility) of conventional treatments.

Nutritional and dietary approaches

Cancer patients have heightened needs for diets free of toxic chemicals and full of cancer-fighting nutrients. Diet and nutrition may improve both a cancer patient's chances for recovery and the patient's quality of life during treatment.

In laboratory studies, vitamins such as A, C and E, as well as compounds such as isothiocyanates and dithiolthiones found in broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, and beta-carotene found in carrots, tomatoes, and salad greens, have been shown to protect against cancer.

The minerals selenium and zinc are also important nutrients in the ovarian cancer diet. Omega-3 essential fatty acids such as flaxseed oil or evening primrose oil are recommended as well.

Dietary approaches for ovarian cancer include vegetarianism, the raw food diet, and macrobiotics. Cancer diets generally emphasize raw and fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and peas.

These diets also restrict or eliminate intake of fat, meat, dairy products, sugar, hydrogenated oils, processed foods, and foods with additives and artificial ingredients. Caffeine and alcohol are generally prohibited, and overeating is strongly discouraged.

Many herbs have been shown to have anticancer, immune enhancing, and symptom reducing properties. Some of the herbs used for ovarian problems include burdock, mullein, yarrow, vitex, dandelion, black cohosh, St. John's wort, red raspberry, nettles, and Siberian ginseng.

Chinese herbs include astragalus, ginger, dong quai, cinnamon, rehmannia root, and scrophularia root. Patients should consult a competent herbalist or naturopathic doctor for individualized herbal support for ovarian cancer.

A review of medical literature done in early 2003 found that five plant extracts and 69 compounds isolated from plants have been shown to have antitumor activity against ovarian cancers.

Some recent additions to the list include triterpenes isolated from Manihot esculenta, a plant found in the Surinam rain forest, and from Ligulariopsis shichuana, a plant used in traditional Chinese medicine to bring down inflammation.

Integrated approaches

Keith Block, M.D., is a conventional doctor and oncologist (cancer specialist) who is integrating many alternative practices into his cancer treatment center affiliated with the Chicago Medical School. His program seeks to provide individualized cancer treatment using both conventional therapies while integrating alternative healing techniques.

Block advocates a special diet (based on vegetarianism and macrobiotics), exercise, psychological support, and herbal and nutritional supplements. Block's program has received acclaim for both treatment success and satisfaction of patients.

As of early 2003, the University of Kansas Medical Center is conducting a study of the effectiveness of adding four well-known antioxidants (vitamins A, C, E, and beta-carotene) to conventional chemotherapy for ovarian cancer.

Experimental programs

Antineoplaston therapy was developed by Stanislaw Burzynski, a Polish doctor, who began practicing in Houston, Texas. Burzynski has isolated a chemical, deficient in those with cancer, that he believes stops cancer growth, and his treatment has shown some promise.

Dr. Joseph Gold, the director of the Syracuse Cancer Research Institute, discovered that the chemical hydrazine sulfate has many positive effects in cancer patients, including stopping weight loss, shrinking tumors, and increasing survival rates.

The Livingston therapy was developed by the late Virginia Livingston, an American doctor. She asserted that cancer is caused by certain bacteria that she claimed are present in all tumors.

She advocated a detoxification program and special diet that emphasized raw or lightly cooked, primarily vegetarian foods, with special vitamin and nutritional supplements.

The Gerson therapy has been the best known nutritional therapy for cancer. It is available in two clinics in California and Mexico. It consists of a basic vegetarian diet low in salt and fat, with high dosages of particular nutrients using raw fruit and vegetable juices.

The Gerson therapy also requires patients to drink raw calf's liver juice, believed to aid the liver, and advocates frequent coffee enemas (thought to help the body evacuate toxins).

Allopathic treatment

The cornerstone of allopathic treatment for ovarian cancer is surgery. The goal is to remove as much of the cancer as possible. Chemotherapy, which involves the use of anticancer drugs to kill the cancer cells, is usually administered after the surgery to destroy any remaining cancer.

New drugs to treat ovarian cancer are in the clinical trial stage, including monoclonal antibody treatment for advanced ovarian cancer. Radiation therapy is not routinely used for ovarian cancer.

The type of surgery depends on the extent of the disease. In most procedures, the ovaries, uterus, and fallopian tubes are completely removed. In rare cases, if the cancer is not very aggressive and the woman is young and has not had children, a more conservative approach may be adopted.

Only one ovary may be removed, and, if possible, the fallopian tubes and the uterus may be left intact. Occasionally, in addition to the female reproductive organs, the appendix may also be removed.

The liver and the intestine will be examined for signs of cancer and may be biopsied. Ovarian cancer spreads contiguously, which means that it moves to the organs that are next to it. In some cases, extensive surgery may be needed to remove as much of the cancer as possible.

If the patient's cancer is advanced, she may be treated with radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or both. Chemotherapy may be either systemic or intraperitoneal (IP), which means that the drugs are injected into the abdomen.

The most common drug used is paclitaxel (Taxol), combined with either cisplatin or carboplatin. Cancers that do not respond to these combinations may be treated with topotecan (Hycamtin) or with a a combination of paclitaxel and epirubicin (Ellence).

Expected results

Most often ovarian cancer is not diagnosed until it is in an advanced stage, making it the most deadly of the female reproductive cancers. More than 50% of the women who are diagnosed with the disease die within five years.

If ovarian cancer is diagnosed while it is still localized to the ovary, more than 90% of the patients will survive five years or more. However, only 24% of all cancers are found at this early stage.

Alternative medicine rarely claims to be able to cure cancer on a regular basis, but many treatments have been shown to help improve symptoms, control the pain and side effects of conventional treatments, speed healing, and increase the quality of life for cancer patients.

Alternative therapies have also shown some unexpected results and cures. Some alternative therapies may be strongest as preventative measures, before major problems like cancer occur in the body, and as supportive measures, used with allopathic medicine.

Prevention

There are ways to reduce one's risks of developing ovarian cancer. Currently, genetic tests are available that can help to determine whether a woman who has a family history of breast, endometrial, or ovarian cancer has inherited the mutated gene that predisposes her to these cancers. (However, this mutation affects only a few
women.)

If the woman tests positive for the mutation, then she may opt to have her ovaries removed (a procedure called an oophorectomy). Allopathic medicine often recommends removing the ovaries as prevention even when a clear genetic component is not found, and this procedure is called a prophylactic oophorectomy.

Having one or more children, preferably having the first before age 30, and breast-feeding may decrease a woman's risk of developing the disease.

High-risk women are advised to undergo periodic screening with transvaginal ultrasound or a blood test for CA125 protein. The American Cancer Society recommends annual pelvic examinations for all women after age 40, in order to increase the chances of early detection of ovarian cancer.

Alternative medicine stresses preventative measures that avoid removing the ovaries, unless a clear genetic risk has been established. Some studies have shown that removal of the ovaries does not necessarily reduce the risk of cancer, and does not necessarily increase longevity rates in women.

Having sound physical and mental health can significantly reduce the chances of getting cancer of any type. The following guidelines are generally recommended by doctors, nutritionists, and alternative practitioners for cancer prevention and recovery.

 Do not smoke.

Do not drink alcohol excessively.

Exercise regularly, at least 20 minutes per day. It is better to exercise outdoors in the fresh air. In a 1987 study at Harvard, Dr. Rose Frisch surveyed more than 5,398 women of all age groups. Those women in all groups who performed regular exercise had less risk for uterine, breast, cervical, ovarian, and vaginal cancers. For breast cancer, the risk was cut in half.

Avoid exposure to radiation. This includes avoiding unnecessary x rays, not residing near sources of natural or man-made radiation, and avoiding occupational exposure to radiation.

Avoid exposure to harmful chemicals, in food, the home, and the workplace.

Maintain proper body weight and avoid obesity.

Practice safe sex.

Protect the skin from overexposure to sunlight. People should avoid direct exposure to sunlight between 11 A.M. and 3 P. M., and take other necessary precautions against sunburn.

Eat a healthy diet. People should become educated on and practice dietary principles that reduce the risk of cancer. These principles include eating plenty of raw and fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. People should consume organically grown foods when possible, minimize overeating, reduced the intake of meat and dairy products, increase fiber, avoid processed and artificial foods. They should also avoid canned foods including soft drinks, avoid sugar and refined starch products such as white flour, reduce the intake of fat, avoid hydrogenated vegetable oils such as margarine and shortening, and drink filtered or spring water.

Strive to maintain sound mental and emotional health. It is helpful to learn a technique like yoga, t'ai chi, or meditation to reduce stress and promote relaxation. People should maintain healthy relationships and social support systems.

Ninak Ninukhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-18996074785852671322016-07-24T22:56:00.001+07:002016-07-24T22:56:13.287+07:00Ovarian cysts

Ovarian cysts

Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs that form inside or on the surface of the ovaries, which are the female reproductive organs that lie in the lower abdomen.

Ovarian cysts appear and disappear regularly as part of the normal menstrual cycle. The cysts can, however, become a medical problem if they remain in the ovaries, enlarge, and cause pain or other symptoms.

Description

Ovarian cysts develop as a normal part of a healthy menstrual cycle; mature ovaries very often have cysts in them. The cysts that appear during the regular activity of the ovaries are called functional cysts. There are two types of functional cysts, known as follicular cysts and luteal cysts respectively.

In the ovaries, immature eggs are stored in the follicles, which are tiny tube-like membranes. When menstruation begins in the early teens, women have nearly 400,000 follicles that store and produce eggs in the ovaries.

During each menstrual cycle, an egg matures inside one of the follicles, and the follicle sac fills up with a liquid (liquor folliculi) that nourishes the growing egg. This swollen follicle is a follicular cyst. When the egg is released into the fallopian tube during ovulation, the follicle opens or ruptures and the fluid drains away.

Sometimes there is pain associated with ovulation, known as Mittelschmerz, which is a German word that means middle pain. Mittelschmerz may last from a few minutes to several days. A small amount of bleeding may also accompany the normal release of an egg from the follicle.

After ovulation, another functional cyst forms on the ovary where the egg was released. This cyst is called the corpus luteum, or luteal cyst.

The luteal cyst has the function of secreting progesterone, an important female hormone that regulates the reproductive cycle. If no pregnancy occurs, the luteal cyst should disappear with the continuation of the menstrual cycle.

Abnormalities in the menstrual cycle may cause cysts to remain and grow irregularly. Sometimes the follicles stay filled with liquid after the egg is released, or the egg does not get released in the proper way and the follicle continues to grow.

These follicular cysts can reach 2 in (5 cm) or more in diameter, and may cause pain and pressure. They may rupture completely. Luteal cysts can also become abnormal. These cysts can grow quite large, to 3 in (8 cm)or more in diameter, and can cause sharp pain in the abdomen.

Luteal cysts are often misdiagnosed as ectopic (tubal) pregnancies, particularly when they break open and cause bleeding and severe pain. Sometimes a cyst can bleed; it is then known as a corpus hemorrhagicum, meaning a body that bleeds. Bleeding often occurs when the cyst naturally breaks and begins to go away.

When bleeding lasts for longer than several days and a large cyst remains, surgical intervention is sometimes called for. Surgery on the ovaries is usually performed through an instrument called a laparoscope. A laparoscope is a small device with a tiny camera.

Other types of cysts and growths may occur on the ovaries as well. Neoplastic (new growth) cysts may appear, which are benign (noncancerous) growths. These cysts occur when cells of the ovaries not related to ovulation begin to grow abnormally.

Dermoid tumors are a type of benign growth that may occur on the ovaries and resemble cysts. Abnormal cysts may contain fluid or blood, and may be inside the ovary or next to it under the surface. Other cysts can be solid or contain cellular debris. All abnormal cysts require close watch by a doctor.

There is also a condition known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), in which the eggs and follicles are not released from the ovaries and instead form multiple cysts. Obesity is linked to this condition, as 50% of women with PCOS are also obese.

Hormonal imbalances play a major role in this condition, including high levels of the hormone androgen and low levels of progesterone, the female hormone necessary for egg release. High levels of insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar, are often found in women with PCOS.

PCOS is also characterized by irregular menstrual periods, infertility, and hirsutism (excessive hair growth on the body and face). Although PCOS was formerly thought to be an adult-onset condition, more recent research indicates that it begins in childhood, possibly even during fetal development.

In adolescent girls, ovarian cysts may be associated with a genetic disorder known as McCune-Albright syndrome, which is characterized by abnormal bone growth, discoloration of the skin, and early onset of puberty. The ovarian cysts are responsible for the early sexual maturation.

Causes and symptoms

Ovarian cysts symptoms

The causes of nonfunctional ovarian cysts are not yet fully understood. Many factors are believed to play a role in the development of cysts, including a woman's general state of health, weight, diet, personal history, and lifestyle.

The mind/body connection may also be a factor with cysts, as stress and anxiety may be prominent factors. Some alternative practitioners and psychotherapists believe that unexpressed creativity and repressed emotions like guilt and anger may be linked to problems in the ovaries.

For PCOS, obesity, hormonal imbalances and high blood insulin levels are closely linked to the condition. For example, women with PCOS are five to ten times more likely to develop type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes than women in the general population.

PCOS is also known to run in families, which suggests that genetic factors contribute to its development.

As of 2002, the specific gene or genes responsible for PCOS have not yet been identified; however, several groups of researchers in different countries have been investigating genetic variations associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes in order to determine whether the same genetic variations may be involved in PCOS.

As of early 2003, McCune-Albright syndrome is known to be associated with mutations in the GNAS1 gene. The mutation is sporadic, which means that it occurs during the child's development in the womb and that the syndrome is not inherited.

Some cysts can be asymptomatic (without symptoms), while others can cause swelling, aching, sharp pain, and bleeding. Pain from cysts may last from a few minutes to a few days.

Other symptoms of cysts include late or missed periods, feelings of pressure or weight in the lower abdomen, and constipation and problems urinating due to internal pressure from cysts. Ruptured cysts can cause intense pain, and produce symptoms resembling those of appendicitis, infection or ectopic pregnancy.

Medical attention should be sought at once for the following symptoms:

 sudden sharp pain in the lower abdomen

persistent pain on the right side of the abdomen accompanied by sickness, fever, or vomiting

abdominal pain along with vaginal discharge, fever, or swelling

Intermittant bursts of pain in the lower abdomen during intercourse, bowel movements, or exercise.

Diagnosis

The majority of ovarian cysts in adults are found during routine pelvic examinations performed by doctors or gynecologists (specialists in women's sexual organs and health issues). An ultrasound test can be given to identify the location, size and probable type of cyst.

Cysts less than 1.6 in (4 cm) in diameter are considered normal in premenopausal women. Doctors examine cysts closely to make certain they are not fibroid tumors or cancer. The cysts may be watched for a few months to allow them to go away or shrink on their own.

For abnormal, painful or bleeding cysts, a biopsy may be performed. A biopsy is a procedure in which a small amount of tissue is surgically removed and examined to determine the exact type of growth.

In alternative treatment, practitioners will closely consider lifestyle, diet, and emotional and psychological profiles in order to identify all the factors that may be playing a role in the development of cysts.

Ovarian cysts can be diagnosed in female fetuses by transabdominal ultrasound during the mother's pregnancy.

Treatment

Alternative treatment strives to reduce the possible causes and symptoms of cysts. Consumers should search for practitioners who have experience treating women's problems in general and ovarian cysts in particular.

Because cysts may have many possible causes, ranging from hormone imbalances to emotional stress, a holistic approach to healing should include measures to balance and improve physical, emotional, and mental health.

Preventive and supportive measures include dietary and nutritional changes, herbal supplementation, hot/cold compresses, daily exercise, and stress management through mind/body techniques. Treatments for existing cysts include such traditional healing systems as traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, homeopathy, and naturopathic medicine.

Diet and nutrition

Dietary guidelines for treatment and prevention of cysts include:

 Eliminating caffeine and alcohol.

Reducing intake of sugars, including honey and maple syrup, and refined starches such as white flour products.

Increasing use of foods rich in vitamin A and carotenoids; good choices include carrots, tomatoes, and salad greens.

Eating foods high in B vitamins such as whole grains.

Including a dietary source of iodine such as seaweed for thyroid support.

Nutritional supplements include:

 Omega-3 essential fatty acids, such as flaxseed oil or evening primrose oil to promote hormonal balance. Essential fatty acids are also found in fatty fish like salmon and trout.

Vitamins A, C, and E, and the minerals zinc and selenium. Zinc and selenium should be taken at different times. A good multivitamin and mineral supplement is also recommended.

Herbal therapies

Herbs that promote hormonal balance, steady blood sugar levels, and immune system strengthening are generally recommended. Herbs used to treat cysts include burdock, mullein, yarrow, vitex, dandelion, black cohosh, St. John's wort, red raspberry, nettles and Siberian ginseng.

Chinese herbs include astragalus, ginger, dong quai, cinnamon, rehmannia root, and scrophularia root, although the specific formula that is given is tailored to the symptoms of the specific patient. A competent herbalist or naturopathic doctor should be consulted for herbal treatment of ovarian cysts.

Compresses

Compresses can be used to stimulate circulation and healing in the ovaries. A hot water bottle covered with a towel soaked in castor and essential oils can be applied to the lower abdomen near the ovaries. Lavender, rosemary, and chamomile are recommended essential oils.

A hot compress can also be made by heating in a warm oven a cloth soaked in castor and essential oils, which is then applied to the lower abdomen. Bags of ice covered with towels can be used alternately as cold treatments to increase local circulation.

Exercise and bodywork

Daily exercise for twenty minutes or more is recommended. Exercising outdoors in plenty of sunlight may help regulate hormones. Yoga includes exercises specifically designed to increase circulation and healing in the lower abdomen, and is an excellent stress-reduction technique as well.

Mind/body therapies

Mind/body therapies seek to heal the emotional and psychological components that may be contributing to cyst formation. Stress reduction can be achieved through yoga, meditation, t'ai chi, breathing techniques, progressive relaxation, and others. Visualization techniques, yoga, and qigong may help stimulate healing in the internal organs.

Some practitioners have theorized that problems in the ovaries may be linked to certain emotional states. For instance, the ovaries are the organs that create life, and blocked creativity in women may contribute to their dysfunction.

Furthermore, the ovaries are the specific female organs, and some healers have proposed that women who suffer abuse, low self-esteem, guilt and anger may be susceptible to ovarian problems. Psychotherapy, support groups, and other mind/body therapies seek to help women uncover and confront emotional issues.

Other systems

Traditional Chinese medicine utilizes acupuncture, acupressure, dietary and herbal remedies for ovarian cysts. Ayurvedic medicine uses herbal remedies, diet, exercise, yoga, massage, and detoxification.

Homeopathic practitioners prescribe the remedies Apis for cysts on the right ovary and Colocynthis for cysts on the left ovary, as well as other remedies for hormone and immune system balance. Naturopathy tends to view ovarian cysts as associated with blood sugar problems, and uses herbal, dietary and other natural remedies to balance hormone and insulin levels.

Allopathic treatment

The treatment of ovarian cysts may vary according to the type of cyst and the patient's symptoms. Some cysts can be drained of fluid with the use of a fine needle, although this treatment has been shown to be no more effective in eliminating cysts than leaving them alone. Many cysts, particularly small ones, can be watched closely for several months to determine if they will go away on their own.

Ultrasound is used to view cysts. A laparoscopy is a surgical procedure that may be used to correct bleeding cysts and other cyst conditions without removing the ovary, and allows doctors to view the ovaries.

Doctors advise surgical removal for cysts that are larger than 4 in (10 cm) and for complex cysts. Complex cysts are solid or have additional growths inside them.

Most uncomplicated ovarian cysts in female infants resolve on their own shortly after delivery. Complicated cysts are treated by laparoscopy or laparotomy after the baby is born.

McCune-Albright syndrome is treated with testolactone (Teslac), an anti-estrogen drug that corrects the hormonal imbalance caused by the ovarian cysts.

Long-term management of PCOS has been complicated in the past by lack of a clear understanding of the causes of the disorder. Most commonly, hormonal therapy has been recommended, including estrogen and progesterone and such other hormone-regulating drugs as ganirelix (Antagon).

Birth control pills have also been prescribed by doctors to regulate the menstrual cycle and to shrink functional cysts. In severe and painful cases, the ovaries have been removed by surgery.

More recent studies have shown that increasing sensitivity to insulin in women with PCOS leads to improvement in both the hormonal and metabolic symptoms of the disorder. As of 2002, this sensitivity is increased by either weight loss and exercise programs or by medications.

Metformin (Glucophage), a drug originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, has been shown to be effective in reducing the symptoms of hyperandrogenism as well as insulin resistance in women with PCOS.

Another strategy that is being tried with PCOS is administration of flutamide (Eulexin), a drug normally used to treat prostate cancer in men. Preliminary results indicate that the antiandrogenic effects of flutamide benefit patients with PCOS by increasing blood flow to the uterus and ovaries.

A surgical procedure known as ovarian wedge resection appears to improve fertility in women with PCOS who have not responded to drug treatments. In an ovarian wedge resection, the surgeon removes a portion of the polycystic ovary in order to induce ovulation.

Expected results

Neither type of functional ovarian cyst, follicular or luteal, has been shown to progress to cancer. When cysts do not go away on their own, they often can be removed without harming the ovaries. Some women have opted to live with large cysts instead of surgery without negative consequences. The chances for cysts recurring can vary.

Some women never have cysts, others get them once or occasionally, while others see them appear and disappear almost constantly. Likewise, ovarian cysts can be painful and bothersome for some women, while other women experience no symptoms.Ninak Ninukhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-45862611976514004272016-07-23T22:53:00.003+07:002016-07-23T22:53:40.598+07:00Oxygen/ozone therapy

Oxygen/ozone therapy

Oxygen/ozone therapy is a term that describes a number of different practices in which oxygen, ozone, or hydrogen peroxide are administered via gas or water to kill disease microorganisms, improve cellular function, and promote the healing of damaged tissues.

The rationale behind bio-oxidative therapies, as they are sometimes known, is the notion that as long as the body's needs for antioxidants are met, the use of certain oxidative substances will stimulate the movement of oxygen atoms from the bloodstream to the cells.

With higher levels of oxygen in the tissues, bacteria and viruses are killed along with defective tissue cells. The healthy cells survive and multiply more rapidly. The result is a stronger immune system.

Ozone itself is a form of oxygen, O3, produced when ultraviolet light or an electric spark passes through air or oxygen. It is a toxic gas that creates free radicals, the opposite of what antioxidant vitamins do. Oxidation, however, is good when it occurs in harmful foreign organisms that have invaded the body. Ozone inactivates many disease bacteria and viruses.

Origins

The various forms of oxygen and ozone therapy have been in use since the late nineteenth century. The earliest recorded use of oxygen to treat a patient was by Dr. J. A. Fontaine in 1879. In the 1950s, hyperbaric oxygen treatment was used by cancer researchers. The term hyperbaric means that the oxygen is given under pressure higher than normal air pressure.

Recently, oxygen therapy has also been touted as a quick purification treatment for mass-market consumers. Oxygen bars can be found in airports and large cities, and provide pure oxygen in 20 minute sessions for approximately $16.

While proponents claim that breathing oxygen will purify the body, most medical doctors do not agree. What is more, oxygen can be harmful to people with severe lung diseases, and these people should never self-treat with oxygen.

Ozone has been used since 1856 to disinfect operating rooms in European hospitals, and since 1860 to purify the water supplies of several large German cities.

Ozone was not, however, used to treat patients until 1915, when a German doctor named Albert Wolff began to use it to treat skin diseases. During World War I, the German Army used ozone to treat wounds and anaerobic infections.

In the 1950s, several German physicians used ozone to treat cancer alongside mainstream therapeutic methods. It is estimated that as of the late 1990s, about 8,000 practitioners in Germany were using ozone in their practices. This figure includes medical doctors as well as naturopaths and homeopaths.

Hydrogen peroxide is familiar to most people as an over-the-counter preparation that is easily available at supermarkets as well as pharmacies, and is used as an antiseptic for cleansing minor cuts and scrapes.

It was first used as an intravenous infusion in 1920 by a British physician in India, T. H. Oliver, to treat a group of 25 Indian patients who were critically ill with pneumonia. Oliver's patients had a mortality rate of 48%, compared to the standard mortality rate of 80% for the disease.

In the 1920s, an American physician named William Koch experimented with hydrogen peroxide as a treatment for cancer. He left the United States after a legal battle with the FDA.

In the early 1960s, researchers at Baylor University studied the effects of hydrogen peroxide in removing plaque from the arteries as well as its usefulness in treating cancer, but their findings were largely ignored.

Benefits

Oxygen and ozone therapies are thought to benefit patients in the following ways:

Stimulating white blood cell production.

Killing viruses (ozone and hydrogen peroxide).

Improving the delivery of oxygen from the blood stream to the tissues of the body.

Speeding up the breakdown of petrochemicals.

Increasing the production of interferon and tumor necrosis factor, thus helping the body to fight infections and cancers.

Increasing the efficiency of antioxidant enzymes.

Increasing the flexibility and efficiency of the membranes of red blood cells.

Speeding up the citric acid cycle, which in turn stimulates the body's basic metabolism.

Description

Oxygen, ozone, and hydrogen peroxide are used therapeutically in a variety of different ways. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) involves putting the patient in a pressurized chamber in which he or she breathes pure oxygen for a period of 90 minutes to two hours.

HBO may also be administered by using a tight-fitting mask, similar to the masks used for anesthesia. A nasal catheter may be used for small children.

Ozone therapy

Ozone therapy may be administered in a variety of ways:

Intramuscular injection: A mixture of oxygen and ozone is injected into the muscles of the buttocks.

Rectal insufflation: A mixture of oxygen and ozone is introduced into the rectum and absorbed through the intestines.

Autohemotherapy: Between 10–15 mL of the patient's blood is removed, treated with a mixture of oxygen and ozone and reinjected into the patient.

Intra-articular injection: Ozone-treated water is injected into the patient's joints to treat arthritis, rheumatism and other joint diseases.

Ozonated water: Ozone is bubbled through water that is used to cleanse wounds, burns, and skin infections, or to treat the mouth after dental surgery.

Ozonated oil: Ozone is bubbled through olive or safflower oil, forming a cream that is used to treat fungal infections, insect bites, acne, and skin problems.

Ozone bagging: Ozone and oxygen are pumped into an airtight bag that surrounds the area to be treated, allowing the body tissues to absorb the mixture.

Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide may be administered intravenously in a 0.03% solution. It is infused slowly into the patient's vein over a period of one to three hours.

Treatments are given about once a week for chronic illness but may be given daily for such acute illnesses as pneumonia or influenza. A course of intravenous hydrogen peroxide therapy may range from one to 20 treatments, depending on the patient's condition and the type of illness being treated.

Injections of 0.03% hydrogen peroxide have also been used to treat rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. The solution is injected directly into the inflamed joint.

Hydrogen peroxide is also used externally to treat stiff joints, psoriasis, and fungal infections. The patient soaks for a minimum of 20 minutes in a tub of warm water to which 1 pint of 35% food-grade hydrogen peroxide (a preparation used by the food industry as a disinfectant) has been added.

Preparations

Oxygen is usually delivered to the patient as a gas; ozone as a gas mixed with oxygen or bubbled through oil or water; and hydrogen peroxide as an 0.03% solution for intravenous injection or a 35% solution for external hydrotherapy.

Precautions

Patients interested in oxygen/ozone therapies must consult with a physician before receiving treatment. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment should not be given to patients with untreated pneumothorax, a condition in which air or gas is present in the cavity surrounding the lungs.

Patients with a history of pneumothorax, chest surgery, emphysema, middle ear surgery, uncontrolled high fevers, upper respitory infections, seizures, or disorders of the red blood cells are not suitable candidates for oxygen/ozone therapy.

In addition, patients should be aware that oxygen is highly flammable. If treatments are administered incorrectly or by an unskilled person, there is a risk of fire.

Side effects

Typical side effects of oxygen or ozone therapy can include elevated blood pressure and ear pressure similar to that experienced while flying. Side effects may also include headache, numbness in the fingers, temporary changes in the lens of the eye, and seizures.

Research and general acceptance

Oxygen/ozone therapies are far more widely accepted in Europe than in the United States. The most intensive research in these therapies is presently being conducted in the former Soviet Union and in Cuba. In the United States, the work of the Baylor researchers was not followed up.

In 2000, the Office of Alternative Medicine of the National Institutes of Health (presently the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, or NCCAM) indicated interest in conducting clinical trials of oxygen/ozone therapies; as of 2003, however, these studies have not been carried out.

Recent European research in ozone therapy includes studies in the oxygenation of resting muscles, the treatment of vascular disorders, and the relief of pain from herniated lumbar disks. No corresponding studies are being done in the United States as of late 2003.Ninak Ninukhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-44579252454986231172016-07-23T22:11:00.002+07:002017-01-29T22:27:38.265+07:00Pain

Pain

Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body.

However, pain is more than a sensation, or the physical awareness of pain; it also includes perception, the subjective interpretation of the discomfort.

Perception gives information on the pain's location, intensity, and something about its nature. The various conscious and unconscious responses to both sensations and perception, including the emotional response, add further definition to the overall concept of pain.

Description

Pain arises from any number of situations. Injury is a major cause, but pain may also arise from a wide variety of illnesses. It may accompany a psychological condition, such as depression, or may even occur in the absence of a recognizable trigger.

Acute pain

Acute pain often results from ordinary tissue damage, such as a skin burn or broken bone. Acute pain can also be associated with headaches or muscle cramps. This type of pain usually goes away as the injury heals or the cause of the pain (stimulus) is removed.

To understand acute pain, it is necessary to understand the nerves that support it. Nerve cells, or neurons, perform many functions in the body. Although their general purpose, providing an interface between the brain and the body, remains constant, their capabilities vary widely. Certain types of neurons are capable of transmitting a pain signal to the brain.

As a group, these pain-sensing neurons are called nociceptors, and virtually every surface and organ of the body is wired with them. The central part of these cells is located in the spine, and they send threadlike projections to every part of the body. Nociceptors are classified according to the stimulus that prompts them to transmit a pain signal.

Thermoreceptive nociceptors are stimulated by temperatures that are potentially tissue damaging. Mechanoreceptive nociceptors respond to a pressure stimulus that may cause injury.

Polymodal nociceptors are the most sensitive and can respond to temperature and pressure. Polymodal nociceptors also respond to chemicals released by the cells in the area from which the pain originates.

Nerve cell endings, or receptors, are at the front end of pain sensation. A stimulus at this part of the nociceptor unleashes a cascade of neurotransmitters (chemicals that transmit information within the nervous system) in the spine. Each neurotransmitter has a purpose. For example, substance P relays the pain message to nerves leading to the spinal cord and brain.

These neurotransmitters may also stimulate nerves leading back to the site of the injury. This response prompts cells in the injured area to release chemicals that not only trigger an immune response, but also influence the intensity and duration of the pain.

Chronic and abnormal pain

Chronic pain refers to pain that persists after an acute injury heals, cancer pain, pain related to a persistent or degenerative disease, and long-term pain from an unidentifiable cause.

It is estimated that one in three people in the United States will experience chronic pain at some point in their lives. Of these people, approximately 50 million are either partially or completely disabled.

Chronic pain may be caused by the body's response to acute pain. In the presence of continued stimulation of nociceptors, changes occur within the nervous system. Changes at the molecular level are dramatic and may include alterations in genetic transcription of neurotransmitters and receptors.

These changes may also occur in the absence of an identifiable cause; one of the frustrating aspects of chronic pain is that the stimulus may be unknown. For example, the stimulus cannot be identified in as many as 85% of individuals suffering lower back pain.

Other types of abnormal pain include allodynia, hyperalgesia, and phantom limb pain. These types of pain often arise from some damage to the nervous system (neuropathic). Allodynia refers to a feeling of pain in response to a normally harmless stimulus.

For example, some individuals who have suffered nerve damage as a result of viral infection experience unbearable pain from just the light weight of their clothing. Hyperalgesia is somewhat related to allodynia in that the response to a painful stimulus is extreme.

In this case, a mild pain stimulus, such as a pin prick, causes a maximum pain response. Phantom limb pain occurs after a limb is amputated; although an individual may be missing the limb, the nervous system continues to perceive pain originating from the area.

Causes and symptoms

Baby in pain

Pain is the most common symptom of injury and disease, and descriptions can range in intensity from a mere ache to unbearable agony. Nociceptors have the ability to convey information to the brain that indicates the location, nature, and intensity of the pain.

For example, stepping on a nail sends an information-packed message to the brain: the foot has experienced a puncture wound that hurts a lot.

Pain perception also varies depending on the location of the pain. The kinds of stimuli that cause a pain response on the skin include pricking, cutting, crushing, burning, and freezing. These same stimuli would not generate much of a response in the intestine. Intestinal pain arises from stimuli such as swelling, inflammation, and distension.

Diagnosis

Pain is considered in conjunction with other symptoms and individual experiences. An observable injury, such as a broken bone, may be a clear indicator of the type of pain a person is suffering.

Determining the specific cause of internal pain is more difficult. Other symptoms, such as fever or nausea, help narrow down the possibilities. In some cases, such as lower back pain, a specific cause may not be identifiable.

Diagnosis of the disease causing a specific pain is further complicated by the fact that pain can be referred to (felt at) a skin site that does not seem to be connected to the site of the pain's origin. For example, pain arising from fluid accumulating at the base of the lung may be referred to the shoulder.

Since pain is a subjective experience, it may be very difficult to communicate its exact quality and intensity to other people. There are no diagnostic tests that can determine the quality or intensity of an individual's pain.

Therefore, a medical examination will include a lot of questions about where the pain is located, its intensity, and its nature. Questions are also directed at what kinds of things increase or relieve the pain, how long it has lasted, and whether there are any variations in it. An individual may be asked to use a pain scale to describe the pain.

One such scale assigns a number to the pain intensity. For example, 0 may indicate no pain, and 10 may indicate the worst pain the person could imagine. Scales are modified for infants and children to accommodate their level of comprehension.

Treatment

Both physical and psychological aspects of pain can be dealt with through alternative treatment. Some of the most popular treatment options include herbal therapies, nutritional therapies, homeopathy, acupressure and acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, guided imagery, and relaxation techniques, such as yoga, hypnosis, and meditation. Hydrotherapy can also be very beneficial for pain relief.

Herbal therapies

Mild natural painkillers are used as herbal remedies for pain. They should only be used for mild to moderate chronic pain. However, unlike prescription drugs, they are not addictive and do not dull the senses.

In addition, they can help heal the nervous system as well as relieving pain. The following herbal remedies have been known to provide pain relief:

 Capsaisin: is found naturally in cayenne pepper. (Its cream or gel form may be able to relieve some arthritic pain.)

Bromelain: reduce inflammation.

Curcumin: reduces inflammation.

Kava kava: helps relax the body.

Pine-bark and grape-seed extracts: reduces inflammation.

Pain-relief tea: is composed of white willow bark, chamomile, skullcap, valerian root and licorice root. (This herbal preparation may be effective in relieving normal aches and pain. However, persons with high blood pressure or those allergic to aspirin should avoid using this preparation.)

Nutritional therapy

Diet and nutrition can play important roles in controlling chronic pain. Patients with chronic pain some times find relief just by eating healthy foods and by adding nutritional supplements with pain-killing properties. A diet high in fiber and complex carbohydrates is recommended.

Because inflammation is often caused by allergic reactions, patients should eliminate allergic foods from their diets. They should also avoid foods high in fats or margarine, red meat, dairy products, shell-fish, alcohol, and coffee.

In addition, they may consider taking one of the following nutritional supplements: flaxseed oil, bromelain, calcium taken with magnesium, vitamin C taken with bioflavonoids, and glucosamine.

Glucosamine sulfate is one of the best natural remedies available for arthritic pain. Studies have shown that it effectively reduces pain and improves joint movement in 80% of arthritic patients. It works by healing and regenerating new connective tissues damaged by the inflammatory process.

It may also increase the level of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, and reduces inflammation in most arthritic patients. Recently, researchers also confirmed what thousands of people with arthritis have known for a long time — that cod liver oil eases the pain of arthritis.

A new study says that the omega-3 fatty acids in cod liver oil break down joint cartilage, slowing destruction of the joints and easing pain. This has been good news for arthritis sufferers who can not tolerate the prescription drugs available for arthritis treatment.

Homeopathy

Depending on a patient's specific condition, a homeopathic physician may prescribe one of the following medications for pain management:

 Arnica: for treatment of acute pain after an injury.

Hypericum: for treatment of pain in nerves, fingers or toes after injury or surgery.

Ledum: for treatment of pain associated with black-and-blue bruises and puncture wounds.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture involves inserting needles at various points on the skin of the body. These needles direct chi (life force) to organs or functions of the body.

This therapy possibly works by triggering the release of endorphins, therefore dulling the perception of pain. Acupuncture can effectively reduce most chronic pain. However, it may require up to 10 sessions before results are noticeable.

A 2002 study showed that acupuncture worked well for chronic neck pain and range of motion, but that its long-term effects were limited. It is important that patients request disposable needles to prevent transmission of AIDS, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases.

Acupressure

There are some acupressure techniques that patients can train themselves to do to help relieve pain. Using thumbs or fingers to apply pressure at appropriate acupressure points in the body, a person can release muscular tension in the head, neck or shoulder; calm the nervous system and relieve painful symptoms. Like acupuncture, acupressure probably works by releasing endorphins.

Massage

Massage involves using physical manipulation techniques to make various parts of the body, such as muscles, connective tissues, and vertebrae, work together and function properly. This form of therapy may effectively reduce stress and physical pain.

Chiropractic

Chiropractors treat patients by manipulating joints and the spine. It is believed that pain, especially back pain, is caused by misalignment of the spine. This form of treatment is most effective in patients with persistent back pain and neck problems. It is also effective in patients with acute, uncomplicated low back pain.

Relaxation therapy

Relaxation techniques include meditation, yoga, guided imagery, biofeedback, and hypnotherapy. When practiced regularly, these techniques have been shown to relax muscles and reduce tension and stress-related pain.

Lifestyle changes

Lifestyles can be changed to include a healthier diet and regular exercise. Regular exercise, aside from relieving stress, has been shown to increase endorphins.

Hydrotherapy

This form of therapy uses hot and cold compresses, whirlpools, saunas, and alternating cold/warm showers or body wraps to reduce the soreness of aching joints, inflamed muscles, chronic muscle strains, and backache. Some of these treatments can be done at home.

Allopathic treatment

There are many drugs aimed at preventing or treating pain. Nonopioid analgesics, narcotic analgesics, corticosteroids, anticonvulsant drugs, and tricyclic antidepressants work by blocking the production, release, or uptake of neurotransmitters.

Nonopioid analgesics are used for treatment of minor pain. They include common over-the-counter medications such as aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), and ibuprofen (Advil).

Narcotic analgesics such as codeine, morphine, and methadone are used for more severe pain, such as cancer pain. These medications are available with a doctor's prescription.

Initially developed to treat seizures and depression, some anticonvulsants and antidepressants now also have pain-killing applications. Finally, corticosteroid injections directly into or near the nerve that is transmitting the pain signal are reserved for intractable (unrelenting) pain that is not treatable by other medications.

Drugs are not always effective in controlling pain. Surgical methods are used as a last resort if drugs and local anesthetics fail. Electrode implants are the least destructive surgical procedure.

However, this method may not completely control pain and is not used frequently. Other surgical techniques involve destroying or severing the nerve, but the use of this technique is limited by side effects, including unpleasant numbness.

Expected results

Successful pain treatment is highly dependent on successful resolution of the pain's cause. Acute pain will stop when an injury heals or when an underlying problem is treated successfully. Chronic pain and abnormal pain are more difficult to treat, and it may take longer to find a successful resolution. Some pain is intractable and will require extreme measures for relief.

In 2002, several health care organizations got together to form a panel charged with working on standards for evaluating effectiveness of pain management for patients who suffer from cancer, arthritis, and back pain. The standards will help physicians and others better measure patients' pain and effectiveness of pain management drugs and techniques.

Prevention

Pain is generally preventable only to the degree that the cause of the pain is preventable; diseases and injuries are often unavoidable. However, increased pain, pain from surgery and other medical procedures, and continuing pain are preventable through drug treatments and alternative therapies.

For many years, experts thought that arthritis patients should not exercise because it would damage their joints. However, a 2002 report said that regular low-impact exercise such as water aerobics or riding a stationary bicycle can actually help arthritic patients prevent pain.Ninak Ninukhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-90384597629304163582016-07-20T18:00:00.000+07:002016-07-20T18:52:01.434+07:00Paleolithic diet

Paleolithic diet

The Paleolithic, or caveman, diet is a reversion to the foods eaten by humans prior to the advents of civilization, agriculture, and technology. Before those developments, the human diet during the Stone Age is thought to have consisted largely of lean red meat and vegetation.

Modern-day adherents to Paleolithic diets add vigorous physical activity to mimic the Stone Age's hunter-gatherer lifestyle. In some cases, modern-day "Paleos" actually adopt such a lifestyle, hunting their own food in the natural environment.

Origins

The Paleolithic Period of human development, characterized by the use of chipped, stone tools, began about 2.5 million years ago. Whenever possible, Paleolithic peoples consumed large amounts of animal meat and offal, deriving 45-65% of their energy from animals.

Among those aboriginal, hunter-gatherer societies in Australia, Africa, and South America that survived into the twentieth century, the rates of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease, and other conditions were remarkably low until they switched to modern diets.

In most other cultures, this switch to modern diets happened about 10,000 years ago, when it was discovered that many inedible plants could be rendered suitable for human consumption by cooking. This resulted in the introduction of grains, beans, and potatoes as foods, and later followed by sugar, milk, and milk products.

Benefits

Many nutritionists and scientists believe a Paleolithic diet and lifestyle might be an effective weapon against the adverse effects of modern affluence, reducing risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, and other conditions.

Since this was the diet practiced during much of human evolution, advocates argue, it is the food that humans were designed to eat. Additionally, these advocates endorse the idea that milk (after weaning) and grains were never intended for human consumption.

Description

Paleo foods

There is really no single Paleolithic diet. Hunter gatherer cultures in different parts of the world ate widely differing diets, due to the availability in each locality. Stone Age diets also varied significantly depending on the season. Generally, however, such diets included much lean red meat from game, as well as eggs, fish, fruit, nuts, and vegetables.

Excluded from most Paleolithic diets were grains (e.g., breads, pasta, cereals, corn), milk, refined sugars, beans, soy beans, or lentils. For twenty-first century adherents to Caveman diets, potatoes and peanuts are also forbidden.

These diets are high in high-quality protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, iron, mono-unsaturated fats, omega-3 fats, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. They are low in salt, saturated fats, enzyme inhibitors such as protease or amylase inhibitors, exorphins, and glycoalkaloids.

Precautions

Concerns have been expressed about the environmental effects of millions of people switching to diets heavy in red meats, requiring many agricultural operations to switch from growing crops to raising livestock.

Sensitive wild areas could be ravaged in the search for insufficient quantities of Paleolithic foods. The global food supply is widely thought to be incapable of supporting widespread adoption of this diet.

It is also believed that Stone Age peoples had access to a broader range of wild foods than are currently available, and modern-day "Paleos" should monitor their consumption to ensure a balanced diet. Some nutritionists caution against total dietary exclusion of milk and milk products, arguing that low-fat dairy products can be useful to maintain sufficient levels of calcium.

Paleo foods NOT

Side effects

A balanced Paleolithic diet is thought to be generally free of harmful side effects, although anyone excluding milk and dairy products should be careful to maintain sufficient dietary levels of calcium to avoid problems such as osteoporosis, osteomalacia, rickets, and tetany.

Research and general acceptance

Many aspects of the Paleolithic diet have proven health benefits. There is absolutely no question that people who get plenty of exercise and eat lots of fruits and vegetables and avoid saturated fats tend to be healthier. Some experts are dubious, however, as to whether the benefits of the caveman diet extend into old age.

They argue that diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and arthritis are found less frequently in hunter-gatherer societies because few members of those societies survive to an age at which those conditions become problems.Ninak Ninukhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-27628999498616603342016-07-19T17:58:00.006+07:002016-07-19T17:58:57.734+07:00Panchakarma

Panchakarma

Panchakarma is the purification therapy used in Ayurvedic medicine. The word panchakarma means five actions and refers to five procedures intended to intensively cleanse and restore balance to the body, mind, and emotions. Panchakarma is used by Ayurvedic physicians as a treatment of a wide variety of health conditions and as a preventative measure.

Origins

Ayurvedic medicine is the oldest healing system in the world, originating in the ancient civilizations of India some 3,000–5000 years ago. Ayurveda means knowledge of life in Sanskrit.

Panchakarma is based on central concepts of Ayurveda, which state that disease is caused by the build-up of toxic substances in the body and by imbalances in the body and mind.

Today, Ayurvedic medicine is used by millions of people, including 80% of the population of India. Ayurveda has become an increasingly accepted alternative medical treatment in America during the last couple of decades, aided by the efforts of Deepak Chopra, a conventionally trained M.D. who has written several bestsellers based on Ayurvedic principles.

Several Ayurvedic institutes and health clinics have been established in America that perform panchakarma and research on its healing effects. The ideas behind panchakarma have influenced other alternative treatments.

Environmental medicine studies how the accumulation of environmental substances in the body may cause disease, and detoxification therapy utilizes cleansing the body as its central treatment.

Benefits

Panchakarma is used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat almost all diseases, particularly those that are chronic, metabolic or stress-related in origin.

Panchakarma has been used to treat allergies, asthma, arthritis, cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, colitis, high cholesterol, depression, diabetes, digestive disorders, heart disease, hypertension, immune problems, infections, inflammation, insomnia, nervous disorders, obesity, skin problems, and ulcers. Panchakarma may be used alongside intensive conventional treatments including chemotherapy and surgery, to support healing and recovery.

Panchakarma is safe and non-toxic, and can be used as prevention and to increase general well-being. Panchakarma is limited in treating traumatic injuries, acute pain, and conditions requiring immediate surgery or invasive procedures.

Description

The first step of any Ayurvedic treatment is a thorough examination and diagnosis by an Ayurvedic practitioner, who determines the type and extent of panchakarma treatment required.

According to Ayurvedic theory, physical and emotional traits are classified as three doshas—vata, kapha, and pitta. Each individual has all three doshas with one predominating. If an imbalance occurs, diseases/conditions appear.

Panchakarma rebalances the doshas, bringing them back to equilibrium and the individual back to good health. The physician may prescribe herbal remedies and recommend dietary and lifestyle changes that may be enacted before, during and after panchakarma.

Ayurvedic doctors believe that disease generally starts in the digestive tract. Due to poor diets, bad health habits, and other causes, digestion can be impaired, causing a toxic substance called ama to accumulate in the body.

Ama interferes with normal functioning and the flow of energy, creating imbalances and disease. One goal of panchakarma is to cleanse the body of excess ama, and to restore the body's digestive power (agni).

In panchakarma, there are two main types of therapy. Shamana is the supportive therapies that include the preparation and post-therapy measures.

The main treatment is called shodhana and refers to pancakarma's five main cleansing and elimination procedures. During preparation for panchakarma, oil therapy (termed snehana in Ayurveda) is the first treatment. Patients are given oil massages—abhyangais full body massage and shirodhaya is forehead massage.

They are fed dietary oils to lubricate the digestive tract, and are sometimes administered oil enemas. For stress-related and mental conditions, a special oil massage is given during which oil is steadily poured onto the patient's forehead.

Oil therapy may be used for up to a week before the main treatment. Sweating therapy (swedana) is another preparation that uses saunas, steam rooms, heated clothing, herbal poultices, and exercise.

The five main methods of panchakarma are therapeutic vomiting (vamana), purgation (virechana), enema therapy (niruha basti for medicated enemas and anuvasana basti for oil enemas), and nasal cleansing (nasya).

Depending on the health problem, one or more of these methods are used to cleanse the body and promote healing. Other Ayurvedic therapies may be used in conjunction as well.

Vamana uses herbal solutions or salt water to induce vomiting. This treatment is used for skin problems, asthma, diabetes, chronic sinus or lung infections, epilepsy, heart disease, and digestive disorders. Niruha basti uses special herbal solutions, and treats conditions including skin diseases, liver problems, abdominal tumors, parasites, and chronic fevers.

For therapeutic enemas, medicinal oils and herbal solutions are used to cleanse the lower bowels. Niruha and anuvasana basti are used to treat conditions such as constipation, arthritis, nervous disorders, colitis, headaches, muscle weakness, and lower back pain.

During nasya, medicated oils or powders are administered into the nostrils to cleanse the sinuses. This therapy is used to treat conditions of the head, including mental disorders, headaches, and ear, nose, and throat problems.

After cleansing methods are performed, patients go through an important aftercare stage called paschata karma. Patients are advised to rest, avoid certain activities, and often receive attention from nurses and doctors.

Psychological care and counseling may be part of the healing program, as panchakarma strives to cleanse the patient of emotional problems in addition to physical ones. Patients are also counseled about preventative practices. Dietary changes are carefully planned, and lifestyle considerations are examined and recommended.

Exercise programs, such as yoga, and stress-management techniques, including meditation, may be introduced to patients during or after panchakarma, and herbal remedies may be prescribed as well.

Panchakarma treatment can vary in length from a couple days to several weeks. Some clinics offer in-patient services, during which patients are intensively treated around the clock with medical supervision, dietary therapy, exercise, yoga, meditation, massage, and other therapies.

Most clinics offer out-patient services, during which panchakarma treatments may take two or more hours per day until completed. Some clinics provide housing arrangements for visiting patients.

The cost of panchakarma treatment from Ayurvedic clinics averages around $300 per day, not including initial physician fees, housing, and herbal prescriptions. Clinics with in-patient services are more expensive, and the costs vary with services. Insurance coverage of panchakarma varies, depending on the policy and whether the practitioner is a licensed physician.

Preparations

Patients should be thoroughly diagnosed and cared for by a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner. Patients should seek panchakarma treatment from reputable clinics with adequate staff and facilities.

Precautions

Certain panchakarma methods are not appropriate for specific health problems, and some should not be performed on children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Panchakarma treatments should only be administered by qualified and experienced practitioners.

Side effects

During panchakarma, fatigue, malaise, headaches, congestion, general illness, and an increase in symptoms may occur as side effects. Also, because panchakarma seeks to release stored emotional problems from the patient, some people can experience mental disturbances and depression during treatment.

Research and general acceptance

The majority of clinical trials in Ayurveda has been conducted in more than 40 research institutions in India, many supported by the government, with findings published in India and European scientific journals. Because Ayurveda has been outside the Western scientific system for years, research in America is just beginning.

In general, allopathic medicine is skeptical of Ayurveda and reluctant to fund research. Much research in America is being supported by the Maharishi Ayur-Ved organization, which studies the Ayurvedic products it sells and its clinical practices, including panchakarma.

One interesting study was performed in the Netherlands with panchakarma and Maharishi Ayur-Ved products. A group of patients with chronic illnesses, including asthma, bronchitis, hypertension, and diabetes, were treated with panchakarma and other Ayurvedic remedies.

Strong results were observed, with nearly 80% of the patients improving and some chronic conditions being completely cured. Other studies have shown that panchakarma can lower cholesterol and improve digestive disorders.

Diabetes, acne, and allergies have been successfully treated with Ayurvedic remedies, and many Ayurvedic herbs have been proven effective in lab tests. Ayurvedic treatments, including panchakarma, have been used successfully to support the healing process of patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Currently, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is also funding studies on Ayurveda. Outside of scientific research, there are many patients who give testimonials to the effectiveness of panchakarma, which may be obtained from Ayurvedic clinics.Ninak Ninukhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-69876408143019275842016-07-19T17:23:00.000+07:002017-01-29T20:23:31.918+07:00Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas, an organ that is important in digestion. Pancreatitis can be acute, beginning suddenly, usually with the patient recovering fully; or chronic, progressing slowly with permanent injury to the pancreas.

The pancreas is located in the midline of the back of the abdomen, closely associated with the liver, stomach, and duodenum, the first part of the small intestine.

The pancreas is considered a gland. A gland is an organ whose primary function is to produce chemicals that pass either into the main blood circulation (called an endocrine function), or pass into another organ (called an exocrine function).

The pancreas is unusual because it has both endocrine and exocrine functions. Its endocrine function produces three hormones. Two of these hormones, insulin and glucagon, are central to the processing of sugars in the diet (carbohydrate metabolism or breakdown).

The third hormone produced by the endocrine cells of the pancreas affects gastrointestinal functioning. This hormone is called vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). The pancreas's exocrine function produces a variety of digestive enzymes (trypsin, chymotrypsin, lipase, and amylase, among others).

These enzymes are passed into the duodenum through a channel called the pancreatic duct. In the duodenum, the enzymes begin the process of breaking down a variety of food components, including, proteins, fats, and starches.

Acute pancreatitis occurs when the pancreas suddenly becomes inflamed but improves. Patients usually recover fully from the disease, and in almost 90% of cases, the symptoms disappear within about a week after treatment.

The pancreas returns to its normal structure and functioning after healing from the illness. After an attack of acute pancreatitis, the tissue and cells of the pancreas typically return to normal.

With chronic pancreatitis, damage to the pancreas occurs slowly over time. Symptoms may be persistent or sporadic, but the condition does not disappear and the pancreas is permanently impaired. Pancreatic tissue is damaged, and the tissue and cells function poorly.

Causes and symptoms

There are a number of causes of acute pancreatitis. The most common, however, are gallbladder disease and alcoholism. These two diseases are responsible for more than 80% of all hospitalizations for acute pancreatitis. Other factors in the development of pancreatitis include:

certain drugs

infections

structural problems of the pancreatic duct and bile ducts (channels leading from the gallbladder to the duodenum)

injury to the abdomen resulting in injury to the pancreas (including injuries occurring during surgery)

abnormally high levels of circulating fats in the bloodstream

malfunction of the parathyroid gland, with high blood levels of calcium

complications from kidney transplants

a hereditary tendency toward pancreatitis (recent advances in gene mapping have led to the discovery that a mutation in the gene responsible for cystic fibrosis is associated with a greatly increased risk of pancreatitis)

Pancreatitis caused by drugs accounts for about 5% of all cases. Some drugs that are definitely related to pancreatitis include:

azathioprine, 6–mercaptopurine (Imuran)

dideoxyinosine (Videx)

estrogens (birth control pills)

furosemide (Lasix)

pentamidine (NebuPent)

sulfonamides (Urobak, Azulfidine)

tetracycline

thiazide diuretics (Diuril, Enduron)

valproic acid (Depakote)

Some drugs that are probably related to pancreatitis include:

acetaminophen (Tylenol)

angiotensin–converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (Capoten, Vasotec)

erythromyci

methyldopa (Aldomet)

metronidazole (Flagyl, Protostat)

nitrofurantoin (Furadantin, Furan)

nonsteroidal anti–inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (Aleve, Naprosyn, Motrin)

salicylates (aspirin)

All of these causes of pancreatitis seem to have a similar mechanism in common. Under normal circumstances, many of the extremely potent enzymes produced by the pancreas are not active until they enter the duodenum, in which contact with certain other chemicals allows them to function. In pancreatitis, these enzymes become prematurely activated and actually begin their digestive functions within the pancreas.

The pancreas, in essence, begins to digest itself. This process is known as autodigestion. A cycle of inflammation begins, including swelling and loss of function. Digestion of the blood vessels in the pancreas results in bleeding.

Other active pancreatic chemicals cause the blood vessels to become leaky, and fluid begins to leak out of the normal circulation into the abdominal cavity. The activated enzymes also gain access to the bloodstream through the eroded blood vessels, and begin circulating throughout the body.

Pain is a major symptom of pancreatitis. The pain is usually quite intense and steady, located in the upper right hand corner of the abdomen, and often described as "piercing" or "boring." This pain is also often felt all the way through to the patient's back. The patient's breathing may become quite shallow because deeper breathing tends to cause more pain.

Patients usually find some relief of pain by sitting up and bending forward; this postural relief is characteristic of pancreatic pain. Nausea and vomiting, and abdominal swelling are all common, as well. A patient will often have a slight fever, with an increased heart rate and low blood pressure.

Classic signs of shock may appear in more severely ill patients. Shock is a very serious syndrome that occurs when the volume (quantity) of fluid in the blood is very low.

In shock, a patient's arms and legs become extremely cold, the blood pressure drops dangerously low, the heart rate is quite fast, and the patient may begin to experience changes in mental status.

In very severe cases of pancreatitis (called necrotizing pancreatitis) the pancreatic tissue begins to die and bleeding increases.

Due to the bleeding into the abdomen, two distinctive signs may be noted in patients with necrotizing pancreatitis. Turner's sign is a reddish purple or greenish brown color in the flank area (the area between the ribs and the hip bone). Cullen's sign is the appearance of a bluish color around the navel.

Some of the complications of pancreatitis are due to shock. When shock occurs, all of the body's major organs are deprived of blood and the oxygen it carries, resulting in damage. Kidney, respiratory, and heart failure are serious risks of shock.

The pancreatic enzymes that have begun circulating throughout the body (as well as various poisons created by the abnormal digestion of the pancreas by those enzymes) have severe effects on the major body systems. Any number of complications can occur, including damage to the heart, lungs, kidneys, lining of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, eyes, bones, and skin.

As the pancreatic enzymes work on blood vessels surrounding the pancreas, and even blood vessels located at a distance, the risk of blood clots increases. These blood clots complicate the situation by blocking blood flow in the vessels. When blood flow is blocked, the supply of oxygen is decreased to various organs and the organ can be damaged.

The pancreas may develop additional problems, even after the pancreatitis decreases. When the entire organ becomes swollen and suffers extensive cell death (pancreatic necrosis), the pancreas becomes extremely susceptible to serious infection. A local collection of pus (called a pancreatic abscess) may develop several weeks after the illness subsides, and may result in increased fever and a return of pain.

Another late complication of pancreatitis, occurring several weeks after the illness begins, is called a pancreatic pseudocyst. This occurs when dead pancreatic tissue, blood, white blood cells, enzymes, and fluid that has leaked from the circulatory system accumulates.

In an attempt to enclose and organize this abnormal accumulation, a kind of wall forms from the dead tissue and the growing scar tissue in the area. Pseudocysts cause additional abdominal pain by putting pressure on and displacing pancreatic tissue, resulting in more pancreatic damage.

Pseudocysts also press on other nearby structures in the gastrointestinal tract, causing more disruption of function. Pseudocysts are life-threatening when they become infected (abscess) and rupture. Simple rupture of a pseudocyst causes death 14% of the time. Rupture complicated by bleeding causes death 60% of the time.

As the pancreatic tissue is increasingly destroyed in chronic pancreatitis, many digestive functions become disturbed. The quantity of hormones and enzymes normally produced by the pancreas begins to seriously decrease.

Decreases in the production of enzymes result in the inability to appropriately digest food. Fat digestion, in particular, is impaired. A patient's stools become greasy as fats are passed out of the body.

The inability to digest and use proteins results in smaller muscles (wasting) and weakness. The inability to digest and use the nutrients in food leads to malnutrition and a generally weakened condition. As the disease progresses, permanent injury to the pancreas can lead to diabetes.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of pancreatitis can be made very early in the disease by noting high levels of pancreatic enzymes circulating in the blood (amylase and lipase).

Later in the disease, and in chronic pancreatitis, these enzyme levels will no longer be elevated. Because of this fact, and because increased amylase and lipase can also occur in other diseases, the discovery of such elevations are helpful but not mandatory in the diagnosis of pancreatitis.

Other abnormalities in the blood may also point to pancreatitis, including increased white blood cells (occurring with inflammation and/or infection), changes due to dehydration from fluid loss, and abnormalities in the blood concentration of calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, and sugars.

X rays or ultrasound examination of the abdomen may reveal gallstones, perhaps responsible for blocking the pancreatic duct. The gastrointestinal tract will show signs of inactivity (ileus) due to the presence of pancreatitis.

Chest x rays may reveal abnormalities due to air trapping from shallow breathing, or due to lung complications from the circulating pancreatic enzyme irritants.

Computed tomography scans (CT scans) of the abdomen may reveal the inflammation and fluid accumulation of pancreatitis, and may also be useful when complications like an abscess or a pseudocyst are suspected.

In the case of chronic pancreatitis, a number of blood tests will reveal the loss of pancreatic function that occurs over time. Blood sugar (glucose) levels will rise, eventually reaching the levels present in diabetes.

The levels of various pancreatic enzymes will fall, as the organ is increasingly destroyed and replaced by nonfunctioning scar tissue. Calcification of the pancreas can also be seen on x rays.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) may be used to diagnose chronic pancreatitis in severe cases. In this procedure, the doctor uses a medical instrument fitted with a fiber-optic camera to inspect the pancreas.

A magnified image of the area is shown on a television screen viewed by the doctor. Many endoscopes also allow the doctor to retrieve a small sample (biopsy) of pancreatic tissue to examine under a microscope. A contrast product may also be used for radiographic examination of the area.

Treatment

Pancreatitis is a serious condition that requires medical diagnosis and treatment. Alternative therapies should be used only to complement conventional treatment.

Nutritional therapy

Before taking nutritional supplements, patients should consult their doctors to make sure these supplements do not interfere with their overall treatment program. The following nutritional changes are recommended to help support pancreatic function and relieve pancreatitis symptoms:

Follow a diabetic diet and avoid alcohol consumption.

Limit intake of hydrogenated/saturated fats, sugar, and highly processed foods.

Increase intake of yellow and orange fruits and dark-green vegetables, which are good sources of betacarotene, whole foods, vitamin C, and other antioxidants.

Take high-potency multivitamin/mineral supplements.

Use chromium (300 mcg daily) supplements to help control blood sugar level and enhance insulin effectiveness.

Take lipotrophic agents(which increase bile flow to and from the liver), such as vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folic acid, choline, betaine, and methionine.

Take pancreatic enzymes at mealtime.

Other therapies

Other alternative treatments such as acupuncture or relaxation techniques can help patients cope with painful symptoms associated with pancreatitis. Reduce stress by meditation, yoga, t'ai chi, or other relaxation techniques. Stress can stimulate pancreatitis attacks.

Allopathic treatment

Treatment of acute pancreatitis involves quickly and sufficiently replacing lost fluids by giving the patient new fluids through a needle inserted in a vein (intravenous or IV fluids). Pain is treated with a variety of medications.

In order to decrease pancreatic function (and decrease the discharge of more potentially harmful enzymes into the bloodstream), the patient is not allowed to eat. A thin, flexible tube (nasogastric tube) may be inserted through the patient's nose and down into his or her stomach. Oxygen may need to be administered by nasal prongs or by a mask.

Complications, such as infections that often occur in cases of necrotizing pancreatitis, abscesses, and pseudocysts, will require antibiotics administered intravenously.

Severe necrotizing pancreatitis may require surgery to remove part of the dying pancreas. A pancreatic abscess can be drained by a needle inserted through the abdomen and into the collection of pus (percutaneous needle aspiration) or surgically removed, if necessary.

Pancreatic pseudocysts may shrink on their own (in 25–40% of cases) or may continue to expand, requiring needle aspiration or surgery. When diagnostic exams reveal the presence of gallstones, surgery may be necessary for their removal.

Because chronic pancreatitis often includes repeated flares of acute pancreatitis, the same kinds of basic treatment are necessary. Patients receive IV replacement fluids, receive pain medication, and are monitored for complications.

Treatment of chronic pancreatitis caused by alcohol consumption requires that the patient stop drinking alcohol entirely. As chronic pancreatitis continues and insulin levels drop, a patient may require insulin injections in order to be able to process sugars in his or her diet.

Pancreatic enzymes can be replaced with oral medicines, and patients sometimes have to take as many as eight pills with each meal. Drugs can be used to reduce the pain, but when narcotics are used for pain relief, there is danger of the patient becoming addicted.

Expected results

A number of systems have been developed to help determine the prognosis of an individual with pancreatitis.

A very basic evaluation of a patient will allow some prediction to be made based on the presence of dying pancreatic tissue (necrosis) and bleeding. When necrosis and bleeding are present, as many as 50% of patients may die.

More elaborate systems have been created to help determine the prognosis of patients with pancreatitis.

Ranson's signs, the most commonly used system, identifies 11 different signs that can be used to determine the severity of the disease. The first five categories are evaluated when the patient is admitted to the hospital:

age over 55 years

blood sugar level over 200 mg/Dl

serum lactic dehydrogenase over 350 IU/L (increased with increased breakdown of blood, as would occur with internal bleeding, and with heart or liver damage)

AST over 250 micron (a measure of liver function, as well as a gauge of damage to the heart, muscle, brain, and kidney)

white blood count over 16,000 MUL

The next six of Ranson's signs are reviewed 48 hours after admission to the hospital. These are:

greater than 10% decrease in hematocrit (a measure of red blood cell volume)

increase in BUN (blood urea nitrogen, an indicator of kidney function) greater than 5 mg/dL

blood calcium less than 8 mg/dL

PaO2 (a measure of oxygen in the blood) less than 60 mm Hg

base deficit greater than 4 mEg/L (a measure of change in the normal acidity of the blood)

fluid sequestration greater than 6 L (an estimation of the quantity of fluid that has leaked out of the blood circulation and into other body spaces).

Once a doctor determines how many of Ranson's signs are present and gives the patient a score, the doctor can better predict the risk of death. The more signs present, the greater the chance of death.

A patient with less than three positive Ranson's signs has a less than 5% chance of dying. A patient with three to four positive Ranson's signs has a 15–20% chance of dying.

The results of a CT scan can also be used to predict the severity of pancreatitis. Slight swelling of the pancreas indicates mild illness.

Significant swelling, especially with evidence of destruction of the pancreas and/or fluid buildup in the abdominal cavity, indicates more severe illness. With severe illness, there is a worse prognosis.

Surgical treatment of pancreatitis is frequently followed by complications because of the leakage of pancreatic enzymes from the remaining portion of the organ.

A team of French surgeons has reported that treating patients with somatostatin-14, a hormone that inhibits pancreatic secretion as well as pancreatic blood flow, appears to be effective in lowering the rate of complications from pancreatic surgery. In spite of recent advances in surgical technique, however, the mortality rate following surgery for pancreatitis is still 3%–10%.

Prevention

Alcoholism is essentially the only preventable cause of pancreatitis. Patients with chronic pancreatitis must stop drinking alcohol entirely. The drugs that cause or may cause pancreatitis should also be avoided.Ninak Ninukhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-25988861054933914002016-07-17T19:00:00.000+07:002017-01-29T09:24:04.482+07:00Panic disorder

Panic disorder

A panic attack is a sudden, intense experience of fear coupled with an overwhelming feeling of danger, accompanied by physical symptoms of anxiety, such as a pounding heart, sweating, and rapid breathing.

A person with panic disorder may experience repeated panic attacks (at least several a month) and feel severe anxiety about having another attack.

Description

Each year, panic disorder affects one in every 63 Americans. While many people experience moments of anxiety, panic attacks are sudden and unprovoked, having little to do with real danger.

Panic disorder is a chronic, debilitating condition that can have a devastating impact on a person's family, work, and social life. Typically, the first attack strikes without warning. A person might be walking down the street, driving a car, or riding an escalator when suddenly panic strikes.

Pounding heart, sweating palms, and an overwhelming feeling of impending doom are common features. While the attack may last only seconds or minutes, the experience can be profoundly disturbing. A person who has had one panic attack typically worries that another one may occur at any time.

As the fear of future panic attacks deepens, the person begins to avoid situations in which panic occurred in the past. In severe cases of panic disorder, the victim refuses to leave the house for fear of having a panic attack. This fear of being in exposed places is often called agoraphobia.

People with untreated panic disorder may have problems getting to work or staying on the job. As the person's world narrows, untreated panic disorder can lead to depression, substance abuse, and in rare instances, suicide.

Causes and symptoms

Scientists aren't sure what causes panic disorder, but they know that a tendency to develop the condition can be inherited. In 2001, a team of geneticists pinpointed an abnormal duplication (known as DUP25) of a segment of human chromosome 15q as implicated in panic disorder.

In addition to genetic factors, some experts think that people with panic disorder may have a hypersensitive nervous system that unnecessarily responds to nonexistent threats.

panic attacks

Research suggests that people with panic disorder may not be able to make proper use of their body's normal stress-reducing chemicals. And in some cases, panic disorder develops as a drug intolerance reaction to medications given to reduce high blood pressure.

People with panic disorder usually have their first panic attack in their 20s. Four or more of the following symptoms during panic attacks would indicate panic disorder if no medical, drug-related, neurologic, or other psychiatric disorder is found:

pounding, skipping, or palpitating heartbeat

shortness of breath or the sensation of smothering

dizziness or lightheadedness

nausea or stomach problems

chest pains or pressure

choking sensation or a "lump in the throat"

chills or hot flashes

sweating

fear of dying

feelings of unreality or being detached

tingling or numbness

shaking and trembling

fear of losing control

A panic attack is often accompanied by the urge to escape, together with a feeling of impending doom. Others are convinced they are about to have a heart attack, suffocate, lose control, or "go crazy".

Once people experience one panic attack, they tend to worry so much about having another attack that they avoid the place or situation associated with the original episode.

Diagnosis

Because its physical symptoms are easily confused with other conditions, panic disorder often goes undiagnosed. A thorough physical examination is needed to rule out a medical condition.

Because the physical symptoms are so pronounced and frightening, panic attacks can be mistaken for a heart problem. Some people experiencing a panic attack go to an emergency room and endure batteries of tests until a diagnosis is made.

Once a medical condition is ruled out, a mental health professional is the best person to diagnose panic and panic disorder, taking into account not just the actual episodes, but how the patient feels about the attacks, and how they affect everyday life.

Treatment

One approach used in several medical centers focuses on teaching patients how to accept their fear instead of dreading it. In this method, the therapist repeatedly stimulates a person's body sensations (such as a pounding heartbeat) that can trigger fear.

Eventually, the patient gets used to these sensations and learns not to be afraid of them. Patients who respond report almost complete absence of panic attacks.

Neurolinguistic programming and hypnotherapy can also be beneficial in treating panic attacks, since these techniques can help bring an awareness of the root cause of the attacks to the conscious mind.

Herbs known as adaptogens may also be prescribed by an herbalist or holistic healthcare provider to treat anxiety related to panic disorder.

These herbs are thought to promote adaptability to stress, and include Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus), ginseng (Panax ginseng), wild yam (Dioscorea villosa), borage (Borago officinalis), licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile), milk thistle (Silybum marianum), and nettles (Urtica dioica).

Herbal preparations of skullcap (Scutellaria lateriafolia), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), passionflower (Passiflora incarnata), and oats (Avena sativa) may also be recommended to ease the symptoms of panic disorder. Nutritional supplementation with B vitamins, magnesium, and antioxidant vitamins are also useful for relieving anxiety.

Chinese medicine regards anxiety as a disruption of qi, or energy flow, inside the patient's body. The practitioner of Chinese medicine chooses acupuncture and/or herbal therapy to rebalance the entire system.

In acupuncture, the kidney meridian is associated with fear and may be out of balance. Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), or ling-zhi is a medicinal mushroom prescribed in TCM to reduce anxiety and insomnia.

It is available in extract form, but because reishi can interact with other prescription drugs and is not recommended in patients with certain medical conditions, individuals should consult their healthcare practitioner before taking the remedy.

Other TCM herbal remedies for panic disorder include the cordyceps mushroom (also known as caterpillar fungus.) There are several herbal formulas, depending on the pattern of imbalance in an individual.

Panic disorder infographic

Meditation and mindfulness training can be beneficial to patients with phobias and panic disorder. Hydrotherapy, massage therapy, and aromatherapy are useful to some anxious patients because they can promote general relaxation of the nervous system. Popular aromatherapy prescriptions for anxiety relief include essential oils of lavender, ylang-ylang, and chamomile.

Relaxation training, which is sometimes called anxiety management training, includes breathing exercises and similar techniques intended to help the patient prevent hyperventilation and relieve the muscle tension associated with the fight-or-flight reaction of anxiety.

Yoga, aikido, t'ai chi, and dance therapy help patients work with the physical, as well as the emotional, tensions that either promote anxiety or are created by the anxiety.

Finally, patients can make certain lifestyle changes to help keep panic at bay, such as eliminating caffeine and alcohol, cocaine, amphetamines, and marijuana.

There are also homeopathic remedies that may be helpful by seeing a trained homeopathic practitioner.

It is important for patients who are using alternative treaments for panic disorder alongside allopathic medications or treatments to keep their health care provider informed about any herbal remedies they may be taking that could interact with prescription medications.

A study done in 2001 found that Americans are more likely to seek alternative treatment for anxiety disorders than standard allopathic therapies, and that the percentage of alternative therapy users was the same in both sexes. In addition, the percentage was not affected by age, race, education, income, place of residence, marital status, or employment.

Allopathic treatment

Most patients with panic disorder respond best to a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy and medication. Cognitive-behavioral therapy usually runs from 12–15 sessions. It teaches patients:

How to identify and alter thought patterns so as not to misconstrue bodily sensations, events, or situations as catastrophic.

How to prepare for the situations and physical symptoms that trigger a panic attack.

How to identify and change unrealistic self-talk (such as "I'm going to die!") that can worsen a panic attack.

How to calm down and learn breathing exercises to counteract the physical symptoms of panic.

How to gradually confront the frightening situation step by step until it becomes less terrifying.

How to "desensitize" themselves to their own physical sensations, such as rapid heart rate.

At the same time, many people find that medications can help reduce or prevent panic attacks by changing the way certain chemicals interact in the brain. People with panic disorder usually notice whether or not the drug is effective within two months, but most people take medication for at least six months to a year.

Several kinds of drugs can reduce or prevent panic attacks, including:

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antipressants like paroxetine (Paxil) or fluoxetine (Prozac), some approved specifically for the treatment of panic.

Tricyclic antidepressants such as clomipramine (Anafranil).

Benzodiazepines such as alprazolam (Xanax) and clonazepam (Klonopin).

A combination of sertraline, another SSRI, with clonazepam has been reported as especially effective in treating panic disorder.

Expected results

While there may be occasional periods of improvement, the episodes of panic rarely disappear on their own. Fortunately, panic disorder responds very well to treatment; panic attacks decrease in up to 90% of people after six to eight weeks of a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy and medication.

Unfortunately, many people with panic disorder never get the help they need. If untreated, panic disorder can last for years and may become so severe that a normal life is impossible. Many people who struggle with untreated panic disorder and try to hide their symptoms end up losing their friends, family, and jobs.

Prevention

There is no way to prevent the initial onset of panic attacks. Antidepressant drugs or benzodiazepines can prevent future panic attacks, especially when combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy. There is some suggestion that avoiding stimulants (including caffeine, alcohol, or over-the-counter cold medicines) may help prevent attacks as well.Ninak Ninukhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-37795498252851076732016-07-17T16:41:00.002+07:002016-07-17T17:06:46.456+07:00Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5)

Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5)

Pantothenic acid, also known as vitamin B5, is a member of the water-soluble B vitamin family. It is an essential ingredient of two substances, coenzyme A and acyl carrier protein, which are needed to metabolize carbohydrates and fats.

The same coenzymes play a part in production of certain hormones, vitamin D, red blood cells, and the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.

Pantothenic acid is necessary for proper growth and development. Studies of Mexican infants whose diets are deficient in micronutrients have shown that those who receive dietary supplements containing pantothenic acid do not show the growth retardation that appears in control groups.

General use

There is not an RDA for pantothenic acid, since deficiency is not known to occur in normal circumstances. Although a daily intake is required for good health, some of this vitamin is found in nearly every food. The standard for the minimum amount of pantothenic acid is the Estimated Safe and Adequate Daily Dietary Intake.

That value is 2 mg for infants less than six months old, 3 mg for infants six to 12 months old and children one to three years old, 3–4 mg for children four to six years old, 4–5 mg for children seven to 10 years old, and 4–7 mg for everyone over 11 years of age. This recommended intake is a minimal amount necessary to prevent deficiency, and may not be the optimal amount needed for good health.

Pantothenic acid and pantethine are both available as supplements, and do appear to function somewhat differently. Pantethine can be used to lower serum cholesterol and triglycerides.

It is more expensive and less effective than using niacin (vitamin B3) for the same purpose, but does not have the potential side effects that niacin does. Generally a dose of 300 mg taken three times a day is recommended for this purpose.

Pantethine may be a good cholesterol-lowering alternative for people with diabetes, who cannot take niacin due to the potential side effects on blood sugar regulation. Taking supplements of pantothenic acid does not affect cholesterol, as in this form it is immediately converted into coenzymes.

One very small study indicated that large daily doses of pantothenic acid (2 g of calcium pantothenate) were helpful to relieve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Consult a healthcare provider regarding use of supplements for this purpose.

Panthenol is a derivative of pantothenic acid and is frequently an ingredient of shampoos and other hair care products. Experiments with rats have shown that a deficiency of pantothenic acid can cause hair to turn gray and fall out.

Neither oral nor topical use of any form of pantothenic acid has been shown to prevent or treat gray hair or balding in humans. Some skin care products contain another form of pantothenic acid, called panthoderm, which may be helpful in treatment of minor skin injuries.

Other claims for pantothenic acid that remain unproven are that it improves immune function, decreases allergies, and acts as an anti-aging substance.

Preparations

Natural sources

Almost every food contains some pantothenic acid. Meats, dairy, whole grains, eggs, and legumes are among the richest sources. Products made from grains that have been processed are among the few foods that are lacking in B5; it is not added back after processing since there are so many other sources of it.

In order to get the most value out of the pantothenic acid contained in natural sources, use fresh foods whenever possible. Cook with minimal amounts of water since the water-soluble vitamin content may be leached out.

Frozen foods lose some of their water-soluble vitamin content as they thaw. Processing can also destroy a significant amount of the vitamin content of foods. Pantothenic acid is fairly heat-stable, and is not broken down by cooking although it is destroyed by extremes of pH as may be created by adding such things as baking soda or vinegar.

Supplemental sources

Oral supplements of both pantothenic acid and pantethine are available. The latter is quite expensive, and less stable than other types. Calcium pantothenate is one form of pantothenic acid made for oral use. Dexpanthenol is formulated for topical, intramuscular, or intravenous use. It is generally recommended that the B-vitamin family be taken in balanced amounts.

Taking an excessive amount of an individual B-vitamin may have a detrimental effect on the absorption of others. As with all supplements, pantothenic acid should be stored in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight, and out of the reach of children. A dose of up to 500 mg is often recommended.

Deficiency

Due to its wide availability in food sources, pure deficiency of pantothenic acid is unknown. It is possible, though, to have low levels in conjunction with other B vitamins under certain conditions.

This category may include people with severe nutritional deficiencies; and those with conditions affecting absorption, such as sprue or removal of portions of the gastrointestinal tract.

People who chronically abuse alcohol or other drugs, and those under excessive amounts of stress including debilitating illnesses or recovery from burns or surgery are also at higher risk of general vitamin deficiency.

The elderly are more susceptible both to poor nutritional status and decreased vitamin absorption. Use of tobacco is also detrimental to B vitamin absorption. Athletes who have a strenuous, daily physical regimen and people with physically active occupations may require larger than average amounts of pantothenic acid.

Experimentally induced deficiency of pantothenic acid has caused fatigue, somnolence, headache, hyperreflexia of extremities, tingling, numbness, or burning in hands and feet, weakness, gastrointestinal problems, irritability, and increased numbers of infections.

B5 infographic

Precautions

People with hemophilia should not use dexpanthenol as it may prolong bleeding time. Anyone with a known or suspected obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract should also not use this product.

Side effects

Taken in very large doses, pantothenic acid may cause diarrhea. Topical use of dexpanthenol may cause a skin reaction.

Interactions

The effects of the medication levodopa may be decreased by supplemental pantothenic acid. This problem is not seen with combination carbidopa and levodopa products. These medications are often used to treat symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Anyone taking medication for this condition should consult a health care provider before taking nutritional supplements.Ninak Ninukhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-71647460977764946962016-07-16T21:53:00.004+07:002017-01-29T09:04:31.090+07:00Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a motor system disorder caused by the chronic, progressive degeneration of neurons (nerve cells) in regions of the brain that control movement. PD causes a decline in the initiation, speed, and smoothness of movement. Over time it may come to affect many bodily functions.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) was first described in 1817 by James Parkinson. It affects more than one million people in the United States, including some 500,000 people who have yet to be diagnosed. About 50,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. The average age of PD onset is 60.

Symptoms of PD are seen in as many as 15% of those between the ages 65 and 74 and almost 30% of those between the ages of 75 and 84. Only 5 to 10% of PD cases occur before the age of 50. Young-onset PD occurs in those under age 40. A parent or sibling with PD increases one's risk of developing the disease.

PD results from the degeneration and death of neurons in the substantia nigra, movement control centers on each side of the brain. These cells secrete dopamine, a neurotransmitter that attaches to receptors on cell surfaces in another part of the brain—the corpus striatum that controls muscle action.

When dopamine levels fall, the neurons of the corpus striatum begin to misfire. It is estimated that dopamine-producing cells begin dying about 13 years before PD symptoms become evident. The symptoms of PD begin when about 60% of the dopamine-producing cells have died.

Causes and symptoms

Causes

Although the cause of Parkinson's Disease (PD) is unknown, it appears to result from a combination of environmental and hereditary factors as well as oxidative damage and aging. Factors for PD may include:

herbicide and pesticide exposure

an as-yet-unidentified toxin or virus

cellular damage from oxidation by free-radicals (atoms or molecules with an unpaired electron)

loss of dopamine-secreting cells with age, particularly with accelerated aging

fewer dopamine-secreting cells at birth

Parkinson's symptoms

Symptoms

Early symptoms of PD often are quite subtle, developing on one or both sides of the body. The primary symptoms of PD are:

tremors (shaking) while at rest. (The classic PD tremor is the rubbing of the thumb and forefinger at a frequency of about three rubs per second. Tremors may spread to the hands, arms, legs, feet, jaw, and face. The tremors increase with stress. However, many people with PD do not experience tremors)

slow movement (bradykinesia) or freezing during movement (akinesia)

stiffness or rigidity of the limbs and trunk

poor balance leading to frequent falls

Other early symptoms of PD:

short, shuffling steps

stooped posture

masking (reduction) of facial expression and infrequent blinking

slow or rapid, soft, monotonic (without inflection) speech

other speech changes

insomnia, restlessness, and nightmares

depression

emotional changes, including fear, irritability, and insecurity

incontinence

constipation

small, illegible handwriting

frequent, dramatic swings in mobility and moods

Later-stage PD symptoms may include:

frozen muscles that prevent the initiation of movement

oily or very dry skin

sweating

digestive tract shutdown causing difficulties in swallowing, digesting, and elimination

auditory and/or visual hallucinations

progressive deterioration of intellectual function

(dementia), affecting 30 to 40% of those with latestage PD

loss of contact with reality (psychosis)

Medications for PD can also cause some of these symptoms.

Diagnosis

There is no definitive test for PD. Diagnosis is based on a careful medical history and complete neurological examination.

In addition to PD, anything that damages the substantia nigra can cause Parkinson's-like symptoms, called parkinsonism. Possible causes of parkinsonism:

infection

nausea

trauma

stroke

exposure to manganese or other toxins

medications for psychiatric disorders, such as haloperidol (Haldol) or chlorpromazine (thorazine)

a chemical called MPTP, found as an impurity in some illegal drugs

epilepsy

alzheimer's disease

other neurodegenerative diseases that sometimes are referred to as Parkinson's plus or parkinsonism plus syndromes

Brain scans, blood tests, lumbar puncture, or x rays may be used to rule out causes of parkinsonism other than PD.

Treatment

There is no cure for Parkinson's disease, nor is there a treatment that slows its progression.

Many factors can help relieve PD symptoms, at least temporarily:

maintaining general health

regular, moderate, muscle-building exercise

erequent rest

smaller, more frequent, meals to accomodate gastrointestinal slowdowns

physical, occupational, and/or speech therapies

encouragement and emotional support

Fatigue, anxiety, and depression can aggravate PD symptoms significantly.

Therapies that may relieve muscle tightness in PD:

acupuncture

massage

yoga

feldenkrais

t'ai chi

qigong

meditation.

A physical therapist can design an appropriate exercise program and suggest strategies and techniques for improving balance and stimulating movement during slowdowns or freezing.

Supplementation therapies for PD:

amino acids

essential fatty acids including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, fish oil, and flax oil

antioxidants including carotenoids (dark green and orange fruits and vegetables) and other bioflavenoids (antioxidants derived from foods)

vitamins A, B, C, and E

selenium and zinc

calcium and magnesium

coenzyme Q10 (CoQ )

For more than 4,000 years, practitioners of Ayurveda—traditional Indian medicine—have prescribed mucuna seeds (Mucuna pruriens) to treat Parkinson's disease. Mucuna contains a natural form of levodopa.

Allopathic treatment

Drugs

The pharmacological treatment of Parkinson's disease is very complex. Although many drugs may relieve at least some symptoms of PD, their effectiveness varies with the patient and the progression of the disease. Side effects may preclude the use of the most effective dose or require another drug to counteract them.

LEVODOPA. Levodopa (L-dopa, L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) has been the standard treatment for PD since the 1960s and remains one of the best drugs for treating symptoms, particularly tremors and movement problems.

Levodopa (Laradopa) is a naturally occurring derivative of dopamine that is converted into dopamine in the brain. However, unlike dopamine, levodopa can reach the brain from the bloodstream.

Levodopa treatment may begin at the onset of PD symptoms or when the symptoms begin to interfere with daily life. At least 75% of patients are helped to some degree by levodopa and the drug enables many people with PD to live relatively normal lives for a number of years. Levodopa normally is prescribed only in combination with other drugs.

Side effects of levodopa:

nausea and vomiting

low blood pressure, particularly when standing up, resulting in dizziness and fainting

dyskinesias (abnormal movements including twisting and tics) in at least 50% of patients

agitation

hallucinations

These effects usually lessen after several weeks on levodopa.

After five or more years on levodopa, many patients develop:

motor fluctuations, including "peak-dose" dyskinesias when the drug is at its highest level in the brain

on-off phenomena—significant changes in response as the drug levels fluctuate

unpredictable responses to the drug

The levodopa dosage is usually increased when these changes occur. However, dyskinesias may increase with increasing dosages.

Levodopa is an amino acid that is absorbed from the digestive system by the same transporters that carry amino acids from dietary proteins. Therefore some healthcare practitioners may limit or redistribute protein intake to improve levodopa adsorption into the bloodstream.

ENZYME INHIBITORS. Since levodopa and dopamine are amino acids, they can be broken down by the same enzyme systems that break down other amino acids. Therefore the two most-commonly prescribed forms of levodopa include an amino-acid-decarboxylase (AADC) inhibitor: carbidopa (in Sinemet) or benzaseride (in Madopar).

These drugs enable more levodopa to enter the brain and may reduce some side effects. Controlledrelease formulations (Sinemet CR) can prolong the interval between doses. Carbidopa also prevents vitamin B6 (pyridoxin) from interfering with levodopa.

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) also breaks down levodopa. The COMT inhibitor entacapone (Comtan) prolongs the effects of levodopa and may moderate its fluctuations.

Stalevo contains levodopa, carbidopa, and entacapone. Although the COMT inhibitor tolcapone (Tasmar) reduces the average required dosage of levodopa by 25%, it is no longer commonly used because of severe side effects and possible liver damage and failure.

Selegiline (deprenyl) inhibits monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B), which metabolizes dopamine in the brain. Selegiline can delay levodopa treatment for an average of nine months and also is used in combination with levodopa (Eldepryl) in early-stage PD. Common side effects include dyskinesias, dry mouth, and mood swings.

DOPAMINE AGONISTS. Dopamine agonists (DAs) are drugs that activate dopamine receptors, mimicking the effects of dopamine. In younger adults with early-stage PD, DAs appear to be more effective than levodopa.

More often, DAs are used in conjunction with Sinemet to prolong the action of levodopa and reduce levodopa-induced dyskinesias. Although they are expensive, DAs may postpone or prevent the need for expensive neurosurgery at later stages of PD.

DAs include:

Bromocriptine (Parlodel)

Pergolide (Permax)

Pramipexole (Mirapex)

Ropinirole (Requip)

Side effects of DAs are similar to those of levodopa, including drowsiness and confusion. DAs may cause dyskinesias in at least 50% of patients. Pergolide has been associated with a type of heart disease.

ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS. The neurotransmitters dopamine and acetylcholine balance each other's effects in the brain. Anticholinergics help maintain this balance when dopamine levels fall.

Although they may control tremors in early-stage PD, their side effects—including dry mouth, urine retention, severe constipation, blurred vision, confusion, memory loss, and hallucinations—are usually too severe for older patients or those with dementia. Anticholinergics rarely work for very long. Trihexyphenidyl (Artane) and benztropine (Cogentin) are the most common anticholinergics for PD.

OTHER DRUGS. Other common PD medications:

Diphenhydramine (Benadryl), an antihistamine, and antidepressants such as amitryptiline (Elavil), have similar effects as anticholinergics and may be appropriate for older patients.

Amantadine (Symmetrel) is an antiviral drug used in later-stage PD, particularly to treat tremors and levodopa-induced dyskinesias. Its effects include increased dopamine release and blocking of glutamate, an amino acid that destroys neurons. Side effects include swollen ankles and purple mottling of the skin.

Clozapine (Clozaril) is particularly effective for psychiatric symptoms of late-stage PD, including psychosis and hallucinations.

Although drug therapies can relieve most symptoms of early-stage PD, as the disease advances, drug responses begin to fluctuate and their overall effectiveness decreases.

Surgery

Surgery may be used to help manage severe or debilitating PD symptoms when drug treatments fail.

Pallidotomy uses an electrical current to destroy a small amount of brain tissue in the globus pallidus, which is over-stimulated by the corpus striatum in PD.

Pallidotomy may relieve tremors and slow, rigid movements, and decrease dyskenisias caused by drug therapy, by interfering with the neural pathway between the globus pallidus and the thalamus (a major transmission center in the brain).

The benefits often do not last and the surgery may cause slurred speech, disabling weakness, and vision problems, particularly with a double pallidotomy (surgery on both sides of the brain).

Thalamotomy reduces hand and arm tremors by destroying small amounts of tissue in the thalamus. Because a double thalamotomy leaves patients extremely weak and with slurred speech, it usually is performed on only one side of the brain, relieving tremors on the opposite side of the body.

With deep brain stimulation (DBS), a device similar to a heart pacemaker sends signals to fine electrodes implanted in the subthalamic nuclei or the globus pallidus (Activa Therapy).

The electrical pulses appear to interrupt signals from the thalamus that are involved in tremors. DBS restores a balance between excitatory (tending to excite) and inhibitory (interfering or retarding) signals in brain signal transmission centers, thereby decreasing or abolishing dyskinesias without slowing normal movement.

Patients use a magnetic device to adjust stimulation in one or both halves of the brain, as the response dictates. DBS usually results in a significant improvement in some motor symptoms, including tremors and peak-dose dyskinesias, and improves motor function and mobility. It also enables patients to take higher doses of levodopa.

The implantation of fetal cells to replace the dopamine-producing cells of the substantia nigra appears to benefit only patients under age 60. It can have serious side effects and about 15% of patients later develop severe dykinesia due to dopamine-overproduction.

The use of stem cells derived from embryos discarded by infertility clinics is a potentially useful treatment for PD. However, it remains morally and ethically controversial.

Prognosis

There is no way to predict the course of PD. Many people live active, productive lives for 12 to 15 years. However, in others the disease progresses rapidly. Regardless of treatment, PD symptoms worsen with time and become less responsive to drug therapy.

Most people with PD experience some additional problem every year. A small number of patients eventually become completely incapacitated. Although PD is not fatal, its effects can lead to fatal accidents or illnesses.

Prevention

There are no clear risk factors or preventions for PD. Central body obesity may increase the risk. Some studies have found that coffee drinking or hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in postmenopausal women may decrease the risk of PD. However, heavy coffee drinking in combination with HRT appears to increase the risk of Parkinson's disease.Ninak Ninukhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-63784743746238638082016-07-15T22:03:00.000+07:002016-12-23T16:18:28.882+07:00Parsley

Parsley

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum and P. sativum) is a member of the Apiaceae family of plants. Relatives of this common culinary herb include the garden vegetables carrot, parsnip, and celery. Parsley belongs to the same family as poison hemlock (Conium maculatum L.), a deadly narcotic herb.

Parsley is native to the Mediterranean area but is now naturalized and cultivated throughout the world. Nicolas Culpeper, the seventeenth-century English herbalist and astrologer, placed parsley under the dominion of the planet Mercury.

Common names for this herb include parsley breakstone, garden parsley, rock parsley, persely, and petersylinge. A variety known as Hamburg parsley (P. crispum, "Tuberosum"), first cultivated in Holland, has a root as much as six times as large as garden parsley.

In ancient times parsley was dedicated to Persephone, the wife of Hades and goddess of the underworld. Parsley is slow to germinate. Folk legend explains this characteristic with the myth that parsley must first visit Hades seven times before it may freely germinate and flourish on the earth. It was also believed that the herb would flourish only in gardens where a strong woman presides over the household.

Parsley was used as a ceremonial herb in ancient Greek and Roman cultures. The herb was sprinkled on corpses to cover the stench, and planted on the graves of loved ones. Roman gladiators ate parsley before facing foes in the arena. Victorious Greek athletes were crowned with parsley.

In the Middle Ages this lovely herb was known as merry parsley and was credited with lethal powers. It was believed that one could bring certain death to an adversary by pulling a parsley root from the earth while calling out the enemy's name.

Parsley is a self-seeding biennial that thrives in rich, moist soil in full sun or partial shade. It grows from a single spindle-shaped taproot producing smooth, many-branched and juicy stems.

Growing parsley

The bright green leaves are feather-like in appearance, tri-pinnate and finely divided. Some varieties are flat-leafed, others are more compact and curly. Diminutive five-petaled flowers are yellow-green and borne in dense, flat-topped clusters.

They bloom in midsummer. The gray-brown seeds are tiny, ribbed and ovate (egg-shaped). Parsley can grow as much as 3 ft (1 m) tall in its second year as the flower-bearing stems become nearly leafless and reach for the sun.

General use

Parsley's taproot, leaves, and seeds are used medicinally. The leaf is used extensively as a culinary herb and garnish. Parsley's volatile oil, particularly the oil from the seed, contains the chemicals apiole, also known as parsley camphor, and myristicin in varying quantities depending on the variety of parsley.

These constituents are diuretic, and also act as uterine stimulants. The diuretic effect of parsley appears to be related to increased retention of potassium in the small intestine.

Internal uses

In folk tradition, parsley has been used to promote menstruation, facilitate childbirth, and increase female libido. Its emmenagogic properties can bring on delayed menstruation. Parsley juice also inhibits the secretion of histamine; it is useful in treating hives and relieving other allergy symptoms.

A decoction of parsley root can help eliminate bloating and reduce weight by eliminating excess water gain. Parsley has also been used traditionally as a liver tonic and as a means of breaking up kidney stones.

Parsley juice

The German Commission E, an advisory panel on herbal medicines, has approved parsley for use in the prevention and treatment of kidney stones. The saponin content of parsley may help relieve coughs. Parsley root is laxative and its carminative action can relieve flatulence and colic.

Parsley is rich in vitamins and minerals, including A and C, as well as calcium, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, zinc, potassium, and iron. The boron and fluorine in parsley give strength to the bones. Parsley's high chlorophyll content makes this beneficial herb a natural as a tasty breath freshener.

More recently, the natural deodorizing activity of parsley has been put to use by the food industry. More particularly, parsley can be added to processed foods containing onions or garlic in order to minimize the odors associated with these vegetables.

External uses

The freshly gathered leaves of parsley have been used as a poultice to relieve breast tenderness in lactating women. Parsley poultices may also soothe tired, irritated eyes, and speed the healing of bruises. The juice will relieve the itch and sting of insect bites, and serves well as a mosquito repellent.

A juice-soaked gauze pad can be applied to relieve earache or toothache, or used as a face wash to lighten freckles. The powdered seeds, sprinkled on the hair and massaged into the scalp for three days, are a folk remedy said to stimulate hair growth. Parsley has also been used as a hair rinse in efforts to eradicate head lice.

Preparations

Dried parsley

The root and seed of parsley should be harvested in the fall from plants in the second year of growth. The leaves can be harvested throughout the growing season. It is important not to confuse wild parsley with the herb Aethusa cynapium, also known as "fool's parsley." It would be a toxic mistake.

After harvesting, remove parsley leaves from the stems and place them in a single layer on a drying tray out of direct sunlight in an airy room. When the herb is thoroughly dry, store it in tightly sealed, clearly labeled dark glass containers.

Decoction: Many of parsley's medicinal properties are concentrated in the root and are best extracted by decoction. Add about 1 tsp of thinly-sliced fresh or dried parsley root to 8 oz of cold water in a glass or ceramic pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for about ten minutes and infuse for an additional ten minutes. Drink up to three cups daily.

Infusion: Place 2 oz of fresh parsley leaves or root in a warmed glass container. Bring 2.5 cups of fresh nonchlorinated water to the boiling point and add it to the herbs.

Cover and infuse the tea for about ten minutes, then strain. Drink the herb after the infusion cools. The prepared tea can be kept for about two days in the refrigerator. Parsley tea may be enjoyed by the cupful up to three times a day.

Tincture: Combine 4 oz of finely-cut fresh or powdered dry herb with 1 pt of brandy, gin, or vodka in a glass container. There should be enough alcohol to cover the plant parts and have a 50/50 ratio of alcohol to water.

Place the mixture away from light for about two weeks, shaking several times each day. Strain and store in a tightly capped dark glass bottle. A standard dose is 1/2–1 tsp of the tincture up to three times a day

Juice: Large amounts of organic fresh parsley are needed for juicing. An electric home juicer or food processor may be used. Squeeze any pulp through a sieve to extract all the juice. Prepare parsley juice fresh as needed, and store in clearly labeled glass containers. Keep refrigerated.

Precautions

A chemical found in the oil-rich seeds of parsley has abortifacient properties. For this reason, women should not use parsley during pregnancy or lactation.

Parsley irritates the epithelial tissues of the kidney, increasing blood flow and filtration rate; therefore persons with kidney disease should not take this herb internally without consultation with a qualified herbalist or physician.

According to the PDR for Herbal Medicine, the daily dose of parsley in medicinal preparations is 2.1 oz (6 g). Parsley's volatile oil is toxic in high doses, and overdose can lead to poisonings.

Side effects

Parsley contains furocoumarins—compounds that can cause photosensitivity in fair-skinned persons exposed to sunlight after "intensive skin contact" with the freshly harvested herb. Parsley may also cause allergy in sensitive persons.

Interactions

No interactions have been reported between parsley and standard allopathic medications.Ninak Ninukhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-80294449540539277392016-07-14T18:05:00.001+07:002016-07-20T19:12:19.725+07:00Passionflower

Passionflower

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is a creeping perennial vine with white, purple-tinged flowers and orange berries that grows to a height of up to 30 ft (9 m).

First used by Native Americans and the Aztecs of Mexico as a sedative, passionflower has been a popular folk remedy for centuries in Europe and North America. Other names for passionflower include maypop, granadilla, passion vine, and apricot vine.

The herb, which is generally used today to alleviate anxiety and insomnia, received its curious name from the Spanish conquistadors who overran Mexico and Peru in the sixteenth century.

In the flowers of the vine, they saw various symbols of the Passion of Christ, which in Christian tradition refers to the period of time between the Last Supper and Christ's death.

In the Spaniard's elaborate analogy, the corona in the center of the flower was thought to resemble the crown of thorns worn by Jesus during the crucifixion. The flower's tendrils symbolized whips, the five stamens represented Christ's wounds, the total number of petals corresponded to the 10 faithful apostles (Peter and Judas did not make the cut), and so on.

While there are over 400 species belonging to the genus Passiflora, the variety used for medicinal purposes is called incarnata, which can be translated "embodied".

The plant is obtained primarily from the southern United States, India, and the West Indies, though passionflower also grows in Mexico as well as Central and South America. Only the parts of the plant that grow above the ground are used as a drug, in fresh and dried form.

Some investigations of passionflower have been conducted in humans; in addition, animal and other studies suggest that the herb has sedative, anxiolytic, and antispasmodic properties. The German Commission E, considered an authoritative source of information on alternative remedies, reported that passionflower appears to reduce restlessness in animals.

In a 1988 study involving rats that was published in a German journal of pharmacology, passionflower was shown to prolong sleep, reduce motor activity, and protect the rodents from convulsions. Despite findings such as these, researchers have been unable to identify the herb's active ingredients.

Attention has focused on flavonoids (medicinal passionflower contains up to 2.5% of these chemicals); maltol; and harmala alkaloids such as harman, harmine, harmaline, and harmalol. (The Germans attempted to use harmine as a truth serum during World War II because of the chemical's reputation for inducing a euphoria-like state.)

Some researchers speculate that it is the interaction, or synergy, of several chemicals in passionflower that is responsible for the herb's therapeutic effects.

General use

Although it has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), passionflower is mainly used in the United States and Europe to relieve anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia.

It is also recommended for the relief of nausea caused by nervousness or anxiety. The herb appears to work, at least in part, by mildly depressing the central nervous system and preventing muscle spasms.

In its capacity as a sedative and sleep aid, passionflower has been endorsed by several important European research organizations. For over 15 years, passionflower has been approved by Commission E for the treatment of nervous unrest.

The European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy has approved the herb for use in people who experience tension, restlessness, and insomnia associated with irritability. Passionflower is listed in many national pharmacopoeiae as a drug plant.

Passionflower is often used in combination with other sedative plants. In the United Kingdom, it is an ingredient in several dozen over-the-counter (OTC) sedatives.

In Germany, the herb is used as an ingredient in sedative preparations that also include valerian and lemon balm. The standardized sedative tea formula approved by Commission E contains 30% passionflower, 40% valerian root, and 30% lemon balm. Passionflower is also used in Germany in a special sedative tea for children.

The ingredients of this tea typically include 30% passionflower, 30% lemon balm, 30% lavender flower, and 10% St. John's wort. In combination with hawthorn, passionflower is also used to alleviate digestive spasms associated with gastritis and colitis.

In the past, passionflower was approved by the FDA as an ingredient in OTC sleep aids and sedative products. This approval was revoked in 1978 during a review by the agency, but not because the reviewers found passionflower to be unsafe or ineffective.

Drug manufacturers were responsible for submitting information about the safety and effectiveness of OTC medications under review by the FDA. No companies submitted data for passionflower, so the herb was denied approval because it had no sponsors.

Throughout its history, passionflower has been used to treat a variety of medical problems in addition to those mentioned above. These include epilepsy, diarrhea, neuralgia, asthma, whooping cough, seizures, painful menstruation, and hemorrhoids (when used externally).

Some herbalists also recommend passionflower as a treatment for Parkinson's disease, based on their belief that the harmine and harmaline in the herb may help to counteract the effects of the disorder. As of 2000, these additional uses for passionflower are considered speculative.

In 2002, a team of American researchers published a report finding that passionflower shows promise as a chemopreventive for cancer. The scientists found that passionflower extract inhibits an early antigen of Epstein-Barr virus, which suggests that it may also inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors.

Preparations

Passionflower tincture

Recommended dosages of passionflower generally range from 4–8 g of herb a day. While it is typically used in preparations containing other sedative ingredients, it may also be used alone.

Passionflower tea can be prepared by steeping 1 teaspoonful of the herb in 150 ml of simmering water. The mixture should be strained after about 10 minutes. Dosage is usually two or three cups of tea a day, taken during the day and a half-hour before going to bed.

The liquid extract preparation is usually taken three times a day in doses of 0.5–1.0 ml. Dosage for the tincture is 0.5–2.0 ml three times a day. Tablets containing passionflower are available in the United Kingdom. Persons who use a combination product containing passionflower should follow the package directions for use.

Precautions

Passionflower is not known to be harmful when taken in recommended dosages, though there are some precautions to consider. The herb contains two potentially dangerous alkaloids called harman and harmaline. In large amounts, these chemicals may stimulate the tissue of the uterus.

However, most authorities believe that the amounts of harman and harmaline contained in medicinal passionflower are too small to have an adverse effect when the herb is used in normal amounts. Caution should also be exercised when combining passionflower with certain medications (see below).

While self-care measures such as passionflower may be effective in relieving anxiety or insomnia, these problems may be a symptom of a more serious psychological disorder that requires consultation with a mental health professional.

Nighttime sleep aids should not be used for longer than two weeks without seeking medical advice. Due to lack of sufficient medical study, passionflower should be used with caution in children, women who are pregnant or breast-feeding, and people with liver or kidney disease.

Side effects

When taken in recommended dosages, passionflower has not been associated with any significant or bothersome side effects.

Interactions

Passionflower has the potential to interact adversely with certain medications. The harman and harmaline in passionflower may increase the effects of prescription antidepressants called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), which are generally used to treat depression, panic attacks, and eating disorders. Passionflower may also increase the effects of OTC sedatives as well as those sold by prescription.Ninak Ninukhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-68599898077526372122016-07-14T17:13:00.001+07:002016-07-20T20:23:29.466+07:00Pau d'arco

Pau d'arco

Pau d'arco (pronounced pow-darko) is a large tree that grows in the Amazon rain forest and in tropical areas of South America. The botanical names for the species most commonly used are Tabebuia heptaphylla and Tabebuia impetiginosa.

The tree is called taheebo or lapacho in South America. The inner bark of pau d'arco is used as an herbal medicine, most notably in the treatment of cancer and infections.

The pau d'arco tree grows up to 150 ft (45 m) tall and 10 ft (3 m) in diameter, and is prized for its lumber. The wood is extremely hard, and makes fine furniture. The tree produces large purple flowers, making it popular for landscaping and decoration. The bark of the tree has been used medicinally by native South American peoples for centuries. Rain forest medicine men scrape the inner bark and brew a tea from it.

The tea has been used to treat conditions as varied as malaria, infections, fever, arthritis, skin problems, syphilis, AIDS, and cancer. Pau d'arco has long been a common herbal remedy for Europeans who moved to South America as well, and is sometimes drunk there as a refreshing tea. The tea has a cool, bitter flavor.

Pau d'arco became known to the mainstream medical community during the 1960s. At that time, a doctor named Theodore Meyer learned of the herb from a rain-forest tribe, and used it to treat patients suffering from leukemia (cancer of the blood). He reported that the herb completely cured five cases of advanced cancer.

Then, a hospital in South America used a tea made from the herb to treat cancer patients, and reported that pau d'arco reduced pain and cured tumors in some patients. These stories made it to the press, and pau d'arco was touted around the world as a miracle cancer cure.

Pau d'arco caught the attention of American researchers and drug companies, and scientific studies on it were performed. Scientists isolated an active chemical found in the bark, and termed it lapachol. Several studies showed that lapachol was effective against cancerous tumors in rats, giving it promise as a cancer cure.

In 1974, however, the National Cancer Institute concluded that the amounts of lapachol required for beneficial effects against cancer in humans would result in toxic side effects, and stopped researching pau d'arco as a cancer treatment.

Although research in general did not support the huge claims made for pau d'arco, it continued to generate stories of miraculous cancer cures and other successes treating infections and chronic conditions.

Some researchers have theorized that other ingredients in the bark besides lapachol may have therapeutic effects; and it has been shown that the use of the whole herb does not create the side effects that extracted lapachol causes. Researchers have isolated over 20 active chemicals in pau d'arco.

Research, mainly on laboratory animals, has shown pau d'arco to have anti-microbial and anti-viral properties, helping to destroy bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses by increasing the supply of oxygen to cells.

It has demonstrated effectiveness against yeast infections, malaria, tuberculosis, strep, and dysentery. Pau d'arco has also been shown to influence the activity of the immune system.

In small dosages, it increases immune system activity and in large doses suppresses some immune responses such as inflammation. Its anti-inflammatory actions have given pau d'arco promise as a remedy for allergies, arthritis, skin problems, ulcers and other inflammatory conditions.

General use

Pau d'arco is used frequently in the herbal treatment of cancer and infections, including candidiasis and other yeast infections. Pau d'arco is also used for allergies, arthritis, diabetes, flu, lupus, parasites, skin diseases, and ulcers.

Preparations

Pau d'arco bark

Pau d'arco is available in health food stores in capsules, tinctures, and as dried bark. The recommended dosage is 1-2 capsules or 1-2 droppersful of tincture taken one to four times per day, depending on the condition and patient.

Tea can be made from the bark by adding 1 tbsp of bark for every 3 cups of water. The tea should be boiled for 20 minutes or longer in a non-aluminum pot. One cup of tea can be taken three or four times daily for acute conditions. One-half cup three or four times daily is recommended for other conditions.

Precautions

Pregnant and lactating women should not use pau d'arco, as its effects during pregnancy have not been sufficiently researched. Pau d'arco has been shown to have blood-thinning actions in some people, and may cause anemia (shortage of red blood cells) when used over long periods.

For this reason, pau d'arco should not be used before surgery or by patients with anemia or bleeding problems. Another precaution consumers should take is assuring that the product they purchase is produced by a reputable manufacturer. Pau d'arco is a valuable resource in South America, and there has been a history of fraudulent products being exported.

Some of these products have caused uncomfortable side effects that do not occur with real pau d'arco. In Canada in 1987, a chemical analysis of 12 commercial products revealed that only one contained the active ingredient lapachol, and that was in minute amounts.

Some manufacturers have begun to offer products with standardized quantities of active ingredients to assure quality. The pau d'arco imported from Argentina is generally considered to be the highest quality bark.

Side effects

Possible side effects from ingesting too much pau d'arco include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, and stomach cramps. Long-term usage has been reported to cause anemia.

Interactions

Pau d'arco products should be avoided by those taking anticoagulant (blood thinning) medication.Ninak Ninukhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-30903332731317214802016-07-14T16:43:00.001+07:002017-01-29T08:28:48.414+07:00Pelvic inflammatory disease

Pelvic inflammatory disease

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a term used to describe any infection in the lower female reproductive tract that spreads upward to the upper female reproductive tract. The lower female genital tract consists of the vagina and the cervix. The upper female genital tract consists of the body of the uterus, the fallopian or uterine tubes, and the ovaries.

PID is the most common and the most serious consequence of infection with sexually transmitted diseases (STD) in women. Over one million cases of PID are diagnosed annually in the United States, and it is the most common cause for hospitalization of reproductive-age women.

Sexually active women aged 15–25 are at highest risk for developing PID. The disease can also occur, although less frequently, in women having monogamous sexual relationships. The most serious consequences of PID are increased risk of infertility and ectopic pregnancy.

To understand PID, it is helpful to understand the basics of inflammation. Inflammation is the body's response to disease-causing (pathogenic) microorganisms. The affected body part may swell due to accumulation of fluid in the tissue or may become reddened due to an excessive accumulation of blood.

A discharge (pus) may be produced that consists of white blood cells and dead tissue. Following inflammation, scar tissue may form by the proliferation of scar-forming cells (fibrosis). Adhesions of fibrous tissue form and cause organs or parts of organs to stick together.

PID may be used synonymously with the following terms:

salpingitis (inflammation of the fallopian tubes)

endometritis inflammation of the inside lining of the body of the uterus)

tubo-ovarian abscesses (abscesses in the tubes and ovaries)

pelvic peritonitis (inflammation inside of the abdominal cavity surrounding the female reproductive organs)

Causes and symptoms

A number of factors affect the risk of developing PID. They include:

Age. The incidence of PID is very high in younger women and decreases as a woman ages.

Race. The incidence of PID is 8–10 times higher in nonwhites than in whites.

Socioeconomic status. The higher incidence of PID in women of lower socioeconomic status is due in part to a woman's lack of education and awareness of health and disease, and due in part to barriers to her accessibility to medical care.

Use and method of contraception. Induced abortion, use of an IUD, nonuse of such barrier contraceptives as condoms, and frequent douching are all associated with a higher risk of developing PID.

Lifestyle. Such high-risk behaviors as drug and alcohol abuse; early age at first intercourse; a high number of sexual partners; and smoking all are associated with a higher risk of developing PID.

Specific sexual practices. Intercourse during the menses and frequent intercourse may offer more opportunities for the admission of pathogenic organisms to the inside of the uterus.

The presence of a sexually transmitted disease. Sixty to seventy-five percent of PID cases are associated with STDs. A prior episode of PID increases the chances of developing subsequent infections.

The two major organisms that cause STDs are Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis. The main symptom of N. gonorrheae infection (gonorrhea) is a vaginal discharge of mucus and pus.

Sometimes bacteria from the colon normally in the vaginal cavity may travel upward to infect the upper female genital organs, facilitated by the infection with gonorrhea. Infections with C. trachomatis and other nongonoccal organisms are more likely to have mild or no symptoms.

Although PID is unusual in women who are not sexually active, disease organisms other than the gonococcus and C. trachomatis can occasionally gain entrance to the upper female reproductive tract and cause PID.

Cases have been reported from Canada, Norway, and South America of PID caused by pinworms, pneumococci, and Entamoeba histolytica, a pathogenic amoeba.

Normally the cervix produces mucus that acts as a barrier to prevent disease-causing microorganisms, called pathogens, from entering the uterus and moving upward to the tubes and ovaries. This barrier may be breached in two ways.

A sexually transmitted pathogen, usually a single organism, invades the lining cells, alters them, and gains entry. Another way for organisms to gain entry happens when trauma or alteration to the cervix occurs.

Childbirth, spontaneous or induced abortion, or use of an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD) are all conditions that may alter or weaken the normal lining cells, making them susceptible to infection, usually by several organisms. During menstruation, the cervix widens and may allow pathogens entry into the uterine cavity.

Recent evidence suggests that bacterial vaginosis (BV), a bacterial infection of the vagina, may be associated with PID. BV results from the imbalance of normal organisms in the vagina— by douching, for example.

While the balance is altered, conditions then favor the overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria that thrive in the absence of free oxygen. A copious discharge is usually present. Should some trauma occur in the presence of anaerobic bacteria, such as menses, abortion, intercourse, or childbirth, these organisms may gain entrance to the upper genital organs.

The most common symptom of PID is pelvic pain. However, many women with PID have symptoms so mild that they may be unaware that they are infected.

In acute salpingitis, a common form of PID, swelling of the fallopian tubes may cause tenderness on physical examination. Fever may be present. Abscesses may develop in the tubes, ovaries, or in the surrounding pelvic cavity.

Infectious discharge may leak into the peritoneal cavity and cause peritonitis; or abscesses may rupture, causing a life-threatening surgical emergency.

Chronic salpingitis may follow an acute attack. Subsequent to inflammation, scarring and resulting adhesions may result in chronic pain and irregular menses. Due to blockage of the tubes by scar tissue, women with chronic salpingitis suffer a high risk of having an ectopic pregnancy.

An ectopic pregnancy develops when a fertilized ovum is unable to travel down the fallopian tube to the uterus and implants itself in the tube, on the ovary, or in the peritoneal cavity. This condition can also be a life-threatening surgical emergency.

IUDs

The use of intrauterine devices, or IUDs, has been strongly associated with the development of PID. Bacteria may be introduced to the uterine cavity while the IUD is being inserted or may travel up the tail of the IUD from the cervix into the uterus. Surrounding uterine tissue may show areas of inflammation, increasing its susceptibility to pathogens.

Some researchers, however, maintain that the connection between IUDs and PID has been exaggerated and that further research is necessary.

Susceptibility to STDs

Susceptibility to STDs involves many factors, some of which are not known. The ability of the organism to produce disease and the circumstances that place the organism in the right place at a time when a trauma or alteration to the lining cells has occurred are factors. The woman's own immune response also helps to determine whether infection occurs.

Diagnosis

If PID is suspected, the physician will take a complete medical history and perform an internal pelvic examination. Other diseases that may cause pelvic pain, such as appendicitis and endometriosis, must be ruled out. If pelvic examination reveals tenderness or pain in that region, or tenderness on movement of the cervix, these are good physical signs that PID is present.

Specific diagnosis of PID is difficult to make because the upper pelvic organs are hard to reach for samplings. The physician may take samples directly from the cervix to identify the organisms that may be responsible for infection.

Two blood tests may help to establish the existence of an inflammatory process. A positive C-reactive protein (CRP) and an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) indicate the presence of inflammation.

The physician may take fluid from the cavity surrounding the ovaries called the cul de sac; this fluid may be examined directly for bacteria or may be used for culture. Diagnosis of PID may also be done using a laparoscope, but laparoscopy is expensive, and it is an invasive procedure that carries some risk for the patient.

A newer diagnostic technique that has dramatically improved the accuracy of laboratory testing for PID and other STDs is the ligase chain reaction (LCR) technique. The LCR technique detects DNA from N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis in a patient's urine sample. LCR technology is less invasive as well as more accurate.

Treatment

Alternative therapy should be complementary to antibiotic therapy. Because of the potentially serious nature of this disease, a patient should first consult an allopathic physician to start antibiotic treatment for infections.

Traditional medicine is better equipped to quickly eradicate the infection, while alternative treatments can help the body fight the disease and relieve painful symptoms associated with PID. Some of the alternative treatments include diets, nutritional supplements, herbal remedies, homeopathy, acupressure, and acupuncture.

General recommendations

Bed rest. Patients need to rest and reduce physical activity to help the body recuperate faster.

Avoid sexual activity. Both patient and her partner should be treated for PID infections. They should also avoid sexual activity until their infections are completely eradicated.

Healthy diet. Diet should include a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. These foods contain high amount of phytonutrients and essential vitamins that help keep the body strong and stimulate the immune system to fight infections.

Nutritional supplements

The following nutritional supplements may be helpful:

Daily vitamin and mineral supplements. These supplements can ensure that the body receives all the essential nutrients for normal body function. They also help keep the body strong to fight diseases including PID.

Vitamin C. High-dose vitamin C (1–2 g) boost the immune function and help the body fight infection better.

Herbal treatment

The following herbal remedies may be helpful:

Castor oil packs. Patients can make warm packs by pouring castor oil on a clean piece of cloth wrapped in layers and warming it before placing on the lower part of their abdomen for up to 20 minutes. It is recommended that patients repeat this therapy every day for up to seven days.

Echinacea spp., goldenseals and Calendula officinalis. These herbs are believed to have antimicrobial activity and may be taken to augment the action of prescribed antibiotics.

Grapefruit seed extract. This herb has been used to fight a variety of infections including bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic, and worm infections.

Blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) and false unicorn root (Chamaelirium luteum). These remedies are recommended as tonics for the general well-being of the female genital tract.

Homeopathy

A homeopathic practitioner may prescribe a patientspecific remedy to help reduce some of the symptoms associated with PID. Herbs that are used in PID patients include Apis mellifica, Arsenicum album, Belladonna, Colocynthis, Magnesia phosphorica, and Mercurius vivus.

Acupressure

Acupressure (applying pressure on specific pressure points) can increase blood flow to the pelvic region, reduce pain, and promote general health.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture involves inserting needles at various points on the skin of the body. These needles are like antennae that direct qi (life force) to organs or functions of the body. This treatment may help with pain and also strengthen immunity. It is important that patients request disposable needles to prevent transmission of AIDS, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases.

Allopathic treatment

If acute salpingitis is suspected, treatment with antibiotics should begin immediately. The patient is usually treated with at least two broad-spectrum antibiotics that can kill both N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis plus other types of bacteria that may have the potential to cause infection.

Hospitalization may be required to ensure compliance. Treatment for chronic PID may involve hysterectomy. Early treatment of suspected PID is essential because some strains of N. gonorrhoeae are showing increasing resistance to standard antibiotics as of 2002.

If a woman is diagnosed with PID, she should see that her sexual partner is also treated to prevent the possibility of reinfection.

Expected results

PID can be cured if the initial infection is treated immediately. If infection is not recognized, as frequently happens, the process of tissue destruction and scarring that results from inflammation of the tubes results in irreversible changes in the tube structure that cannot be restored to normal.

Subsequent bouts of PID increase a woman's risk of complications. Thirty to forty percent of female infertility cases are due to acute salpingitis.

With modern antibiotic therapy, death from PID is almost nonexistent. In rare instances, death may occur from the rupture of tubo-ovarian abscesses and the resulting infection in the abdominal cavity. One recent study has linked infertility, a consequence of PID, with a higher risk of ovarian cancer.

Prevention

The prevention of PID is a direct result of the prevention and prompt recognition and treatment of STDs or of any suspected infection involving the female genital tract. The main symptom of infection is an abnormal discharge. To distinguish an abnormal discharge from the mild fluctuations of normal discharge associated with the menstrual cycle takes vigilance and self-awareness.

Sexually active women must be able to detect symptoms of lower genital tract disease. Frank dialogue regarding sexual history, risks for PID, and treatment options is necessary with a physician. Also, open discussions with sexual partners regarding symptoms and possible infection is imperative.

Lifestyle changes should focus on preventing the transfer of organisms when the body's delicate lining cells are unprotected or compromised. Barrier contraceptives, such as condoms, diaphragms, and cervical caps, should be used.

Women in monogamous relationships should use barrier contraceptives during menses and take their physician's advice regarding intercourse following abortion, childbirth, or biopsy procedures.Ninak Ninukhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-85677930293126214412016-07-13T20:11:00.001+07:002017-01-29T07:59:08.994+07:00Pennyroyal

American Pennyroyal

Pennyroyal (Hedeoma pulegioides), known as American pennyroyal, and Mentha pulegium, known as English or European pennyroyal, are both members of the Lamiaceae or mint family. These two beneficial herbs, though classified in different genera, have similar chemical constituents and medicinal properties.

American pennyroyal is also known as mock pennyroyal, mosquito plant, fleabane, tickweed, stinking balm, and hedeoma. This aromatic American native thrives in limestone-rich soil, in fields, and in sunny patches of open woodlands throughout North America.

American pennyroyal was used extensively by Native Americans to treat a variety of ailments from headache and stomach distress to itching, watery eyes, and fevers.

For external use, the leaves were crushed and applied to the skin to repel mosquitoes and other insects. American pennyroyal came to be called squawmint and squaw balm because of its traditional use by native women to promote menstrual flow.

Women in some Native American tribes reportedly drank hot pennyroyal tea regularly as a method of contraception. Pennyroyal was listed as a medicinal drug in official publications from 1831–1931. It was included in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia as an abortifacient (an agent that induces abortion) until 1931.

American pennyroyal is an annual mint with small, oval leaves arranged opposite each other on a square stem. Leaves are entire and may be sparsely-toothed or smooth on the margins. The erect stems grow to 1 ft (31 cm) high from a many-branched root system.

The tiny blue-violet flowers grow in whorls from the leaf axils on the top half of the stems. The fragrant herb blossoms in midsummer. The entire plant exudes a strong, acrid aroma and has a mint flavor. The scent is offensive to fleas, chiggers, mosquitoes, and other irritating insects.

European pennyroyal, also known as English pennyroyal, is a perennial mint native to Europe and Asia. The herb has naturalized throughout North America since its introduction to the continent by early European colonists.

European pennyroyal was mentioned in Greek literature as early as 421 B.C. in the plays of Aristophanes where it was noted for its use as an abortifacient. In the first century A.D. the herbalist and physician Pliny wrote of pennyroyal's action to repel fleas. The specific name for the herb is from the Latin word pulex, meaning flea.

European pennyroyal thrives in moist areas along stream banks, around ponds, in irrigated fields, and in boggy grasslands. This growing habit is reflected in some of European pennyroyal's other common names, including run-by-the-ground, lurk-in-the-ditch, and pudding grass.

European pennyroyal can be distinguished from the American native pennyroyal not only by its preferred habitat, but also, with careful observation, by its appearance. European or English pennyroyal hugs the ground where it grows, with only the flower stalk rising to a height of about 1 ft (31 cm).

The oval leaves are opposite along the square stem, but are smaller than those of the American pennyroyal, measuring about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) long. The tiny, tubular blossoms each have four stamens in the European herb, and bear only two stamens in the American native.

General use

European Pennyroyal

Pennyroyal has been used traditionally as a stimulating tea to relieve digestive disorders, gall bladder disorders, gout, nausea, and nervous conditions. Pennyroyal leaf, prepared as a hot infusion, will promote perspiration.

Some herbalists suggest the additional treatment of a hot footbath while drinking the herbal infusion as a remedy at the onset of colds and flu. Pennyroyal may relieve headache, bring down fever, and quiet coughs.

It has also been used to treat bronchitis and sinusitis. As a carminative (gas-reliever), pennyroyal is considered an effective remedy for flatulence, a virtue it shares with other mints. The herbal infusion has also been used traditionally to treat suppressed menstruation.

By far the most controversial and dangerous use of pennyroyal is as an abortifacient. Its emmenagogic properties stimulate uterine contraction and promote menstrual flow. The essential oil has been used for centuries to induce abortion.

This use of the essential oil of pennyroyal is extremely risky, and has sometimes been lethal to both the mother and the fetus. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported on a 1998 fatal case of pennyroyal overdose in a self-induced abortion. Both pennyroyals contain as much as 85% of the toxic phytochemical pulegone in the essential oil.

Pennyroyal is also considered potentially dangerous because of its hepatotoxicity, or ability to harm the liver. Of four cases of pennyroyal poisoning reported in San Francisco in 1996, one patient died from liver damage. As of late 2001, researchers are studying the pathways of pulegone metabolism in the human body in order to determine the degree of toxicity more precisely.

The best use for this potent herb is an external application as an insect repellent to deter mosquitoes, fleas, chiggers, and other pests. It is also soothing as a skin wash to relieve itching and rash. Pet collars, woven from the freshly gathered stems and leaves, will deter fleas, and bunches of the herb, hanging to dry, will also keep pests at bay.

Many commercial products contain the oil of pennyroyal in insect-repellent preparations. Other chemical constituents in pennyroyal include tannins, such as rosmaric acid, and flavonoids, including diosmin and hesperidin.

Preparations

Pennyroyal illustration

The essential oil of pennyroyal and the fresh or dried leaves and stems are medicinally active. Gather fresh leaves in the summer, on a dry and sunny day when the herb is in blossom. Hang bundles of the herb to dry in a light, airy room out of direct sunlight. When the herb is thoroughly dry, strip the leaves from the stems and store in tightly sealed, clearly labeled, dark-glass containers.

Infusion: Place 2 oz of fresh, or 1 oz of dried, pennyroyal leaves in a warmed glass container. Bring 2.5 cups of fresh, nonchlorinated water to a boil and add it to the herbs. Do not boil the tea. Cover and infuse the tea for about 10 minutes. Strain.

The prepared tea will store for about two days in the refrigerator. This infusion may be used externally as a soothing skin wash. According to some herbalists, pennyroyal leaf infusion may also be safely consumed as a medicinal tea, taking up to two cups throughout the day.

Others, however, including the PDR For Herbal Medicines, recommend that pennyroyal not be ingested due to its hepatotoxicity. Other non-toxic herbs, such as peppermint (Mentha piperita) and spearmint (Mentha spicata) may be used to remedy many of the same conditions that pennyroyal treats without the toxic risk.

Precautions

Pregnant women should never ingest pennyroyal, particularly the oil, nor should they apply the oil externally as it may be absorbed through the skin. Pennyroyal essential oil contains as much as 85% of the ketone pulegone, an extremely toxic phytochemical.

Overdose of the essential oil has been reported to cause severe liver damage, coma, and death. Quantities as small as 0.5 tsp of the essential oil have caused extremely toxic reactions. The effective abortifacient dosage is dangerously close to the lethal dose. Women have died when attempting to induce abortion by ingesting pennyroyal oil.

American pennyroyal contains twice as much of the toxic volatile oil as European pennyroyal. The PDR For Herbal Medicines recommends that the drug not be used because of its hepatotoxicity, although with proper dosage and administration of the foliage drug, poisoning is not likely.

Side effects

Contact dermatitis is possible when using crushed leaf or the undiluted oil extract on the skin to repel insects.

Interactions

None reported.Ninak Ninukhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-74535631209891805302016-07-13T19:06:00.002+07:002017-01-29T07:42:45.363+07:00Peppermint

Peppermint

Peppermint (Mentha piperita) is an aromatic perennial plant that grows to a height of about 3 ft (1 m). It has light purple flowers and green leaves with serrated edges. Peppermint belongs to the Lamiaceae family and grows throughout North America, Asia, and Europe. There are more than 25 species of true mint grown throughout the world.

The plant is harvested when the oil content is highest. When ready for harvest, it is always collected in the morning, before noon sun reduces the leaf essential oil content.

This generally takes place shortly before the plant blooms, which occurs in the summer (July through August) or during dry, sunny weather. The United States is responsible for producing 75% of the world's supply of peppermint.

History

Peppermint is a natural hybrid of water mint (Mentha aquatica) and spearmint (Mentha spicata) and was first cultivated in England in the late seventeenth century. The herb has been used as a remedy for indigestion since Ancient Egyptian times. In fact, dried peppermint leaves were found in Egyptian pyramids dating back to 1000 B.C.

The ancient Greeks and Romans valued it as a stomach soother. During the eighteenth century, peppermint became popular in Western Europe as a folk remedy for nausea, vomiting, morning sickness, respiratory infections, and menstrual disorders.

Peppermint was first listed in the London Pharmacopoeia in 1721. In modern times it appears in the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia as a remedy for intestinal colic, gas, colds, morning sickness, and menstruation pain.

Properties

Peppermint is a cooling, relaxing herb that contains properties that help ease inflamed tissues, calm muscle spasms or cramps, and inhibit bacteria and microorganisms. It also has pain-relieving and infection-preventing qualities.

The medicinal parts of peppermint are derived from the whole plant, and include a volatile oil, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and triterpenes. The plant is primarily cultivated for its oil, which is extracted from the leaves of the flowering plant.

The essential oil contains the principal active ingredients of the plant: menthol, menthone, and menthyl acetate. Menthyl acetate is responsible for peppermint's minty aroma and flavor. Menthol, peppermint's main active ingredient, is found in the leaves and flowering tops of the plant. It provides the cool sensation of the herb.

The menthol content of peppermint oil determines the quality of its essential oil. This varies depending upon climate, habitat, and where the peppermint is grown.

For instance, American peppermint oil contains 50–78% menthol, while English peppermint oil has a menthol content of 60–70%. Japanese peppermint oil contains 85% menthol. Peppermint and its oils help with intestinal function.

Peppermint also contains vitamin A and C, magnesium, potassium, inositol, niacin, copper, iodine, silicon, iron, and sulfur.

General use

Peppermint Essential Oil

Peppermint is one of the most popular flavoring agents. Many products contain peppermint, including chewing gum, mints and candies, ice cream and other sweets, tobacco, toothpaste, mouthwash, cough drops, teas, alcoholic liqueurs, and digestive aids.

It is also used to scent soaps, perfumes, detergents, lipsticks and other cosmetics, and is an ingredient in many over-the-counter medications. Therapeutically, peppermint is used to treat many ailments of the skin, circulatory system, respiratory system, digestive system, immune system, and nervous system.

Peppermint and headaches

Peppermint's pain-relieving effects on headaches have been known for many years. The first documented report to link peppermint and headache relief was published in 1879.

A more recent study took place in Germany in 1996. In this double-blind study, researchers found that an ethanol solution containing 10% peppermint oil was as effective in relieving headache pain as 1,000 mg of acetaminophen.

In another study, 32 people with headaches massaged peppermint oil on their temples. The results showed that the peppermint oil significantly relieved their pain.

When applied to the skin, peppermint reduces sensitivity and relieves pain. Rubbed on the temples, across the forehead, and behind the neck, peppermint oil helps to ease digestive-related headaches and migraines by generating a cooling effect on the skin and relaxing cranial muscles.

Peppermint as a digestive aid

Peppermint is employed in the treatment of various digestive ailments, such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, diverticulitis, liver and gallbladder complaints, loss of appetite, spastic colon, diarrhea, gas, bloating, colic, cramps, and heartburn.

The infused herb tea of peppermint or a few drops of its essential oil stimulate the flow of digestive juices and the production of bile, a substance that helps to digest fats. This eases indigestion, relieves gas, reduces colon spasms, and eases motion sickness and nausea.

When peppermint is taken after a meal, its effects will reduce gas and help the digestion of food by reducing the amount of time the food is in the stomach. This is one reason after-dinner mints are so popular.

The compounds of the essential oil have antispasmodic properties that reduce spasms of the colon and intestinal tract and relax the stomach muscles. Peppermint has a soothing effect on the lining and muscles of the colon, which helps to relieve diarrhea and spastic colon.

Menthol acts to stimulate the stomach lining. Its cooling properties soothe the stomach and ease stomach pain. Peppermint oil is popular in the treatment of motion and sea sickness and nausea associated with pregnancy. It acts as an anesthetic to the stomach wall and eases vomiting and nausea.

An account on the effects of peppermint on nausea appeared in the September 1997 issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing, in which gynecological patients were given peppermint oil to counter post-operative nausea. The patients reported less nausea and required fewer drugs to treat the nausea.

A German health commission, German Commission E, has endorsed peppermint tea as a treatment for indigestion. Clinical trials in Denmark and Britain in the 1990s confirmed peppermint's actions as a therapeutic treatment for irritable bowel syndrome.

In 1996, a German study was performed to research the therapeutic benefits of peppermint essential oil on irritable bowel syndrome. Subjects with irritable bowel syndrome were given enteric-coated capsules containing peppermint and caraway oils. Results showed that the pain symptoms, which ranged from moderate to severe, improved in 89.5% of the group.

Peppermint and respiratory ailments

Peppermint is an expectorant and decongestant. It is used to help treat many respiratory ailments including asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis, and coughs.

Peppermint is an element of many cough preparations, not only for its pleasant flavor, but also because it contains compounds that help ease coughs. Constituents of peppermint increase the production of saliva, causing frequent swallowing and suppressing the cough reflex.

German Commission E has officially recognized peppermint's ability to reduce inflammation of nasal passageways. When menthol vapors are inhaled, nasal passageways are opened to provide temporary relief of nasal and sinus congestion.

Peppermint essential oil is an ingredient in many commercial chest and cold rubs. These are popularly rubbed onto the chest to ease congestion. A tea made from the leaves can stimulate the immune system and relieve the congestion of colds, flus, and upper respiratory infections.

Other conditions

Peppermint is an effective relaxant and can be helpful in treating nervous insomnia, stress, anxiety, and restlessness.

Many over-the-counter balms and liniments contain peppermint essential oil. These are applied externally to relieve muscle pain, arthritis, itching, and fungal infections.

Peppermint induces sweating and can help bring down fevers. It is said that it contains antioxidants that help prevent cancer and heart disease. The essential oil is a powerful antiseptic and is useful in treating bad breath and sore throats. It is also beneficial in preventing tooth decay and gum disease.

A plant with potent antiviral properties, peppermint can help fight viruses that cause ailments such as influenza, herpes, yeast infections, and mumps. Peppermint is also used as an earache remedy, to dissolve gallstones, to ease muscle tightness, and to ease menstrual cramps.

A 2002 report announced that peppermint also helped participants in a study run faster do more pushups and show greater grip strength than those who were not exposed to peppermint scent.

Although researchers concluded the effect may have been psychological, a result of peppermintís effect on mood and increased motivation, it still resulted in measurable performance improvement.

Preparations

Peppermint Tea

Peppermint is available as a tincture, tea, essential oil, oil capsules, and tablets. The fresh and dried leaves may be purchased in bulk.

Tablets and capsules are often coated so the oil's therapeutic properties are released in the intestine and not in the stomach. These enteric-coated pills are used in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis, and other chronic digestive ailments. Peppermint oil capsules are effective in treating lower intestinal disorders:

Irritable bowel syndrome: 1–2 capsules three times daily between meals.

Gallstones: 1–2 capsules three times daily between meals.

Peppermint tea

Peppermint tea may be used to relieve migraine headaches, minor colds, digestive ailments, and morning sickness, as well as many other conditions. Taken after a meal, the tea acts to settle the stomach and improve digestion.

To prepare the tea, pour one cup of boiling water over 1–2 tsp of dried peppermint leaves, cover, and steep for 10 minutes. Strain the mixture before drinking.

DOSAGE. For relief of migraine pressure, drink 1–2 cups of cool tea daily.

For digestive disorders, drink one cup of tea with meals.

For cough relief, drink 3–4 cups of cool tea throughout the day, taking frequent sips (every 15–30 minutes).

For morning sickness, women may drink a tea that has been diluted.

Aromatherapy and peppermint

The essential oil of peppermint is a pale yellow or greenish liquid that is made by distilling the flowering herb. When inhaled, the oil can reduce fever, relieve nausea and vomiting, improve digestion, and soothe the respiratory system.

Various studies have been performed on the oil's ability to improve the sense of taste and smell and improve concentration and mental acuity when inhaled.

The oil blends well with other essential oils such as benzoin, rosemary, lavender, marjoram, lemon, eucalyptus, and other mints. Essential oils are available at many health food stores or through a qualified aromatherapist.

Peppermint essential oil can be used in several ways: inhaled, rubbed on reflexology points on the bottom of the feet, diffused into the air, or as a therapeutic bath. Below are some applications for the use of peppermint essential oil:

Steam inhalation for congestion relief: A few drops of the essential oil of peppermint are placed in a large bowl of hot water. The person should cover his or her head with a towel, lean over the bowl, and inhale the steam.

Motion sickness: A few drops of essential oil should be places on a tissue and inhaled.

Headaches: A few drops can be placed on a cool, wet towel and used as a compress on the forehead. Or, massaged into the neck, back, temples, and/or forehead.

Digestion: Several drops of diluted oil massaged on the stomach or the pure oil rubbed onto the bottoms of the feet.

Breath freshener: Several drops placed on the tongue.

Therapeutic bath: Several drops of diluted oil placed into a tepid bath to relieve stomach complaints, nasal congestion, headache, or menstrual cramps. If essential oil is not available, a bath can be made by adding to the water a cloth bag filled with several handfuls of dried or fresh peppermint leaves.

As with any essential oil, caution should be taken when using it. Essential oils are highly concentrated and should be diluted with a vegetable oil prior to external use to prevent adverse reactions, as some people are allergic to peppermint or its essential oil. The oil may cause a skin reaction if the dosage is excessive. Avoid contact with the eyes.

Precautions

Extreme caution should be used when administering to children under five years of age as the menthol can cause a choking reaction in young children.

Peppermint oil should not be applied to the faces of infants or small children.

The essential oil of peppermint should not be ingested unless under professional supervision.

Pure menthol or pure peppermint should not be ingested. Pure peppermint may cause an irregular heartbeat. Pure menthol is poisonous and fatal in doses as small as 1 tsp.

Pregnant women with a history of miscarriage should use peppermint with caution. Large amounts of peppermint may trigger a miscarriage. Additional caution should be practiced by women who are breast-feeding their infants.

Side effects

If the essential oil is not used properly it can cause dermatitis and other allergic reactions.

Rare reactions to enteric-coated capsules may occur. These reactions include skin rash, heartburn, slow heart rate, and muscle tremors.

Large internal doses of peppermint essential oil may result in kidney damage.

Interactions

Peppermint should not be used in conjunction with homeopathic treatment.Ninak Ninukhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-86659260276175024682016-07-12T23:45:00.004+07:002017-01-29T07:27:01.882+07:00Peripheral neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy, sometimes called peripheral neuritis, is damage to the nerves that connect peripheral (outlying) portions of the body (especially the hands, arms, legs, and feet) to the central nervous system. It may involve only one peripheral nerve (mononeuropathy) or several nerves (polyneuropathy).

Similar to electrical wiring in a house, the body has a highly complex network of nerves made up of bundles of neurons, axons, and dendrites. This network originates in the brain and extends down through the spinal cord.

These nerves branch off at junctures along this pathway to connect each portion of the body to the brain and spinal cord, the central nervous system. Nerves relay necessary information to and from every area, notifying the brain of sensations and external conditions.

The brain, in turn, sends messages back to those areas. With peripheral neuropathy, damage has occurred to the nerves that connect peripheral portions of the body, and the patient feels pain or numbness.

Peripheral neuropathy is not usually considered a disease. It is more often thought of as a symptom of other diseases or conditions, or results from damage caused by the introduction of toxic substances.

There are an estimated two million Americans who suffer from peripheral neuropathy. It becomes more common as people age, and the majority of its victims are 65 years old or older.

Causes and symptoms

The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy depend upon which type of nerve fiber is affected. Sensory nerve fiber damage is more likely to generate various sensations, while motor nerve fiber is more apt to result in weakening and wasting of muscle tissue in the affected area.

It is a condition that develops quite gradually, usually over a period of months or even years. A tingling, prickly sensation in the toes and/or feet is commonly the first sign that is noticed, or there may be numbness in this area.

Typical peripheral neuropathy symptoms

Typically this feeling progresses to the lower legs, fingers, hands, arms, and then the trunk of the body in severe cases. As the situation worsens, the tingling sensation feels more like burning or severe discomfort followed by sharp, almost electric shock-like jabs of pain.

These sensations may begin in the toes and feet, and then progress to other affected areas. Later symptoms often include increasing muscle weakness, poor coordination, numbness, and lack of feeling.

Urinary incontinence, diarrhea, constipation, impotence, and postural hypotension (dramatic drops in blood pressure when a person stands) causing dizziness or dangerous falls are other potential negative effects, especially in the elderly.

Peripheral nerves are extended and delicate, easily damaged by a variety of things. Diabetes, alcoholism, diseases of the autoimmune system such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, and exposure to health damaging substances can cause peripheral neuropathy.

Chronic liver and kidney disease, thyroid gland imbalances, bacterial or viral infections, and cancer can also cause the damage. Many of the strong anticancer drugs used and certain vitamin deficiencies can also lead to this condition.

Repetitive mechanical actions that put pressure on a particular nerve, like the wrist in carpal-tunnel syndrome, or even inherited abnormalities in the body can cause peripheral neuropathy. However, in many cases no one single reason for this condition can be found.

Guillain-Barre syndrome, also called acute polyneuritis or ascending paralysis, is the only form of peripheral neuropathy that develops differently.

It is a rare and very serious form that is believed to be caused by an autoimmune reaction to infection. Its primary difference from other types of peripheral neuropathy is the terrific rapidity of its onset.

A few rare forms of peripheral neuropathy are inherited. The best known inherited peripheral neuropathy is called Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome, or CMT. More than 20 different genes and loci on human chromosomes are now known to be associated with CMT.

Diagnosis

Because peripheral neuropathy can be caused by a variety of factors, outcomes vary depending upon the reason for the nerve damage. Some causes, such as vitamin or metabolic deficiencies, can be reversed if caught early; other causes may not be reversible.

Because of these factors, early diagnosis is very important. A neurologist (a doctor who specializes in the nervous system) can diagnose the disorder, try to determine the cause, and assess the extent of the damage.

Sensations of pain, temperature, and touch in various parts of the body are tested by observing the person's ability to respond to a stimulus. If areas of either hypersensitivity or loss of sensation are found, the boundaries of that feeling are mapped by further testing.

An electromyogram (EMG) tests the electrical activity occurring in muscles and can be used in the diagnostic process. X rays, blood tests, and muscle biopsies are common tests used in determining the cause of peripheral neuropathy.

For example, blood tests that show elevated blood sugar would indicate diabetes, or elevated liver function tests or thyroid levels could indicate liver or thyroid disease.

Treatment

Treating the underlying cause of the peripheral neuropathy is the key to reversing this condition. For example, diabetics who closely follow their diabetic diet and keep their blood sugar in good control stand the best chance of recovering.

Nutritional deficiencies often related to alcoholism may indicate that the person needs to stop drinking and requires vitamin supplements.

Changes in lifestyle or treatment of the disease condition causing the neuropathy is a highly important facet of reversing, arresting, or simply reducing the symptoms of this uncomfortable condition.

Several simple self-care actions can also relieve symptoms. They include:

 That shoes and stockings should never be tight, but rather loose cotton socks and shoes with good support and padding should be worn. Good foot care includes daily or twice daily foot soaks in tepid to cool water for 15 minutes followed by application of a moistening cream.

Keeping heavy bed covers off of feet at night either by turning back the covers or using a bed cradle.

Improving circulation and stimulating regeneration of nerves by frequently massaging the affected areas and walking as much as possible. Hydrotherapy with whirlpool baths may also be used to improve circulation.

Reducing the intake of caffeine and nicotine, both of which may increase pain.

Lowering the stress level as much as possible, including taking steps to treat the depression and/or insomnia that often accompany peripheral neuropathy. This may include relaxation therapies or herbal remedies.

Herbal remedies used for peripheral neuropathy include gingko, St. John's wort, vervain, oats, and gotu kola. Nutritional supplements that may provide relief and are thought to help repair nerve fibers include supplemental carnitine, gamma-linolenic acid, alpha-lipoic acid, magnesium, chromium, choline, inositol, vitamins B6 and B12, niacin, thiamine, biotin, and folic acid.

Additional therapies thought to provide relief include detoxification and fasting, used to cleanse the system and eliminate poisons that may cause nerve damage.

Control of symptoms is a significant part of the treatment. Pain relief is usually the highest priority. Bodywork such as massage and movement therapies like t'ai chi and qigong may provide relief.

Acupuncture can also be used to promote general health and provide some symptomatic relief. Meditation or yoga may help with relaxation and pain control.

Another alternative approach to peripheral neuropathy is the Feldenkrais method, which works on improving the patient's sense of balance, and thus helps to prevent falls.

Allopathic treatment

It may take months for the symptoms to subside. Milder pain can be treated with over-the-counter pain medications, including Tylenol or aspirin, while more severe episodes of pain may require pain relievers such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or naproxen, or narcotics such as codeine, Demerol, or morphine.

Sometimes tricyclic antidepressants such as Elavil, Tofranil, or Norpramin are used both for pain relief and the depression that may accompany chronic pain.

Anticonvulsant medications such as Tegretol, Neurontin, or Dilantin are effective against electric like, jabbing pain. Less frequently used drugs include heart and blood pressure drugs such as Mexitil and clonidine, which may alleviate burning sensations.

The acute onset and potentially serious symptoms that can develop in Guillain-Barre syndrome, including nerve and muscle damage affecting swallowing and breathing, make this the type of peripheral neuropathy most likely to require in-patient hospital treatment.

The person suffering from this syndrome must be carefully monitored, may require intubation in order to breathe, and may even have blood plasma removed in order to reduce the number of antibodies in the blood.

Expected results

Full recovery from peripheral neuropathy is possible if the nerves are not damaged beyond repair. The outcome is dependent upon the extent of damage.

Research is now being conducted that may lead to the manufacture of substances similar to the naturally produced chemicals in the body that stimulate repair of small nerve fibers.

The majority of people suffering from Guillain-Barre syndrome recover completely, often without even receiving medical treatment, but some will develop residual, permanent weakness in the affected area or have further episodes.

Prevention

The best way to prevent peripheral neuropathy is to treat the underlying disease or eliminate the toxic substance that may cause the symptoms.Ninak Ninukhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-41751980109381445132016-07-12T23:14:00.003+07:002017-01-29T07:21:54.044+07:00Periwinkle

Periwinkle

An herbal remedy with a rich history in folk medicine, periwinkle is the common name for a pair of perennial flowering shrubs belonging to the dogbane (Apocynaceae) family.

The herb has been used for centuries to treat a variety of ailments and was a favorite ingredient of magical charms in the Middle Ages. The purple-flowered plant was called sorcerer's violet by superstitious Europeans and was renowned for its power to dispel evil spirits.

There are two main varieties: lesser periwinkle (Vinca minor), which is also called common periwinkle, and greater periwinkle (Vinca major). Lesser periwinkle originated in Spain, France, and other areas of Europe but can now be found growing in many parts of the world, while greater periwinkle is native to southern Europe.

While not widely recommended for medicinal purposes today, periwinkle is sometimes used to improve brain circulation and alleviate heavy menstrual periods. Only the above-ground parts of the plant are used as a drug.

It is important to distinguish lesser and greater periwinkle from a close relative called Madagascar periwinkle. The Latin name for this herb is Catharanthus roseus, but it was formerly classified as Vinca rosea, and is still called by that name in some of the herbal literature.

Another member of the dogbane family, this plant originated on the island of Madagascar but now grows in the southern United States and many other temperate regions of the world.

Madagascar periwinkle has been used for centuries to treat a variety of medical problems, from diabetes and eye infections to sore throats and tumors. Modern research has indicated that Madagascar periwinkle contains dozens of alkaloids, some of which may have the ability to lower blood sugar levels and stop bleeding.

Two of these alkaloids, vincristine and vinblastine, are recognized by Western medicine as potent anticancer agents. (A shaman in Madagascar who used the plants to treat tumors and cancer gave Western scientists the lead.)

They are used to make important prescription drugs. Madagascar periwinkle is not widely recommended as a dietary supplement because some of the alkaloids in the plant can cause serious and potentially dangerous side effects.

General use

A bunch of periwinkle

While not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), periwinkle has been reported to have a number of beneficial effects. Unfortunately, there is scarcely any scientific evidence to support these claims.

Both forms of the herb have been used as an astringent for centuries and may be useful in alleviating excessive bleeding during menstruation, according to some herbalists.

Lesser periwinkle is generally recommended for improving circulation, particularly in the brain. Greater periwinkle has been used to combat nervousness or anxiety and help reduce high blood pressure. Periwinkle is also reputed to be effective in treating diabetes, perhaps by stimulating the pancreas.

While they do not recommend periwinkle for a wide variety of ailments, some practitioners of alternative medicine claim that the herb is useful in treating certain conditions. Periwinkle has been used as an effective astringent that can be used orally or topically.

It is mainly used to treat excessive menstrual bleeding but may also be a helpful choice in cases of colitis, diarrhea, bleeding gums, nosebleeds, sore throats, and mouth ulcers.

Perhaps the most intriguing dietary supplement derived from periwinkle is vinpocetine, which is made from an alkaloid chemical in lesser periwinkle called vincamine.

While vinpocetine is not what most people would consider a natural remedy, since it is produced via chemical manipulation in the laboratory, it is sold in the United States as a dietary supplement.

Several studies of vinpocetine suggest that it may improve brain function and memory, particularly in people affected by diseases that decrease mental capacity such as Alzheimer's disease or dementia.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society in 1987, vinpocetine appeared to improve the condition of several dozen elderly patients who suffered from mental impairment due to aging.

Researchers found that the 42 patients who took vinpocetine for three months performed better on several tests of mental functioning than those in the placebo group. In the study, no significant side effects were associated with vinpocetine.

Exactly how vinpocetine works is unknown. According to one theory, vinpocetine may protect brain cells from damage caused by oxygen deprivation. The apparent effectiveness of vinpocetine, which is made partly from a chemical contained in lesser periwinkle, may help to explain the herb's traditional reputation as a brain booster. It is important to remember, however, that periwinkle itself has not been proven to have the same effects as vinpocetine.

Preparations

The optimum daily dosage of periwinkle has not been established with any certainty. Readers who wish to use this herb should follow the package directions for proper usage or consult a doctor experienced in the use of alternative remedies.

The dosage of vinpocetine is generally 30 mg a day, divided into three equal doses. Taking vinpocetine with food may enhance its effectiveness by increasing the amount of drug absorbed.

Precautions

Periwinkle is not known to be harmful when taken in recommended dosages, though it is important to remember that the long-term effects of taking the herb (in any amount) have not been investigated. Periwinkle should not be used by people with low blood pressure or constipation.

Due to lack of sufficient medical study, periwinkle should be used with caution in children, women who are pregnant or breast-feeding, and people with liver or kidney disease.

Taking too much periwinkle can cause a potentially dangerous drop in blood pressure (symptoms include dizziness and fainting). In case of overdose, seek emergency care.

Vinpocetine should not be combined with certain medications or dietary supplements (see below).

Side effects

Periwinkle may cause flushing and gastrointestinal problems.

When taken in recommended dosages, vinpocetine is not associated with any bothersome or significant side effects.

Interactions

Periwinkle is not known to interact adversely with any drugs or dietary supplements. Periwinkle may be combined with cranesbill and agrimony. It may also be used in conjunction with beth root for menstrual problems.

Vinpocetine should not be combined with agents that thin the blood, except under medical supervision. These include drugs such as warfarin (Coumadin) and aspirin as well as dietary supplements like ginkgo, vitamin E in high dosages, and garlic.Ninak Ninukhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-62043050939476645602016-07-12T23:00:00.001+07:002017-01-29T07:13:28.856+07:00Pet therapy

Pet therapy

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT), also known as pet therapy, utilizes trained animals and handlers to achieve specific physical, social, cognitive, and emotional goals with patients.

Origins

The enjoyment of animals as companions dates back many centuries, perhaps even to prehistoric times. The first known therapeutic use of animals started in Gheel, Belgium in the ninth century. In this town, learning to care for farm animals has long been an important part of an assisted living program designed for people with disabilities.

Some of the earliest uses of animal-assisted healing in the United States were for psychiatric patients. The presence of the therapy animals produced a beneficial effect on both children and adults with mental health issues.

It is only in the last few decades that AAT has been more formally applied in a variety of therapeutic settings, including schools and prisons, as well as hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, and outpatient care programs.

Benefits

Studies have shown that physical contact with a pet can lower high blood pressure, and improve survival rates for heart attack victims. There is also evidence that petting an animal can cause endorphins to be released.

Endorphins are chemicals in the body that suppress the pain response. These are benefits that can be enjoyed from pet ownership, as well as from visiting therapeutic animals.

Many skills can be learned or improved with the assistance of a therapy animal. Patient rehabilitation can be encouraged by such activities as walking or running with a dog, or throwing objects for the animal to retrieve.

Fine motor skills may be developed by petting, grooming, or feeding the animal. Patient communication is encouraged by the response of the animal to either verbal or physical commands.

Activities such as writing or talking about the therapy animals or past pets also develop cognitive skills and communication. Creative inclusion of an animal in the life or therapy of a patient can make a major difference in the patient's comfort, progress, and recovery.

Description

Animal-assisted therapy

The way in which AAT is undertaken depends on the needs and abilities of the individual patient. Dogs are the most common visiting therapy animals, but cats, horses, birds, rabbits, and other domestic pets can be used as long as they are appropriately screened and trained.

For patients who are confined, small animals can be brought to the bed if the patient is willing and is not allergic to the animal. A therapeutic plan may include a simple interaction aimed at improving communication and small motor skills, or a demonstration with educational content to engage the patient cognitively.

If the patient is able to walk or move around, more options are available. Patients can walk small animals outside, or learn how to care for farm animals. Both of these activities develop confidence and motor abilities.

Horseback riding has recently gained great therapeutic popularity. It offers an opportunity to work on balance, trunk control, and other skills. Many patients who walk with difficulty, or not at all, get great emotional benefit from interacting with and controlling a large animal.

One advantage of having volunteers provide this service is that cost and insurance are not at issue.

Precautions

AAT does not involve just any pet interacting with a patient. Standards for the training of the volunteers and their animals are crucial in order to promote a safe, positive experience for the patient. Trained volunteers will understand how to work with other medical professionals to set goals for the patient and keep records of progress.

Animals that have been appropriately trained are well socialized to people, other animals, and medical equipment. They are not distracted by the food and odors that may be present in the therapy environment and will not chew inappropriate objects or mark territory.

Animals participating in AAT should be covered by some form of liability insurance.

Research and general acceptance

The research evidence supporting the efficacy of AAT is slim, although the anecdotal support is vast. Although it may not be given much credence by medical personnel as a therapy with the potential to assist the progress of the patients, some institutions do at least allow it as something that will uplift the patients or distract them from their discomforts.Ninak Ninukhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261582073071839199.post-59623506542031835792016-07-12T01:20:00.000+07:002017-01-28T00:01:06.128+07:00Phlebitis

Phlebitis in hand

Thrombophlebitis is the inflammation of a vein, with blood clots forming inside the vein at the site of in flammation. Thrombophlebitis is also known as phlebitis, phlebothrombosis, and venous thrombosis.

There are two aspects of thrombophlebitis, inflammation of a vein and blood clot formation. If the inflammation component is minor, the disease is usually called venous thrombosis or phlebothrombosis.

Thrombophlebitis can occur in both deep veins and superficial veins, but most often occurs in the superficial veins of the extremities (legs and arms).

Most cases occur in the legs. When thrombophlebitis occurs in a superficial vein, one that is near the surface of the skin and is visible to the eye, the disease is called superficial thrombophlebitis.

Any form of injury to a blood vessel can result in thrombophlebitis. In the case of superficial thrombophlebitis, the blood clot usually attaches firmly to the wall of the affected blood vein.

Since superficial veins do not have muscles that massage the veins and help the blood to circulate, blood clots in superficial veins tend to remain where they form and seldom break loose.

When thrombophlebitis occurs in a deep vein, a vein that runs deep within muscle tissue, it is called deep venous thrombosis. Deep venous thrombosis presents the threat of producing blood clots that will break loose to form emboli.

Emboli are clumps of cells that are carried by the circulation to other tissues where they can lodge and block the blood supply. Emboli typically come to rest in the lungs and cause tissue damage that can sometimes be serious or fatal.

Causes and symptoms

Phlebitis cause

The main symptoms of phlebitis are tenderness and pain in the area of the affected vein. Redness and/or swelling may also be seen. In the case of deep venous thrombosis, there is more swelling than is caused by superficial thrombophlebitis, and the patient may experience muscle stiffness in the affected area.

There are many causes of thrombophlebitis. The main causes can be grouped into three categories: injury to veins, increased blood clotting, and blood stasis. When blood veins are damaged, collagen in the vein wall is exposed. Platelets respond to collagen by initiating the clotting process.

Damage to a vein can occur as a consequence of in-dwelling catheters, trauma, infection, Buerger's disease, or the injection of irritating substances. Increased tendency of the blood to clot can be caused by malignant tumors, genetic disorders, high-fat diets, and oral contraceptives.

Stasis, in which the blood clots due to decreased blood flow in an area, can happen following surgery, as a consequence of varicose veins, as a complication of postpartum states, and following prolonged bed rest.

In the case of prolonged bed rest, blood clots form because of inactivity, allowing blood to move sluggishly and stagnate (collect) in the veins. Stasis can lead to blood clots. These clots (also called emboli) are sometimes released when the patient stands up and resumes activity. Emboli can present a problem if they lodge in vital organs.

In the case of postpartum patients, a fever developing four to 10 days after delivery may indicate thrombophlebitis. It is also known that thrombophlebitis in some patients involves hereditary factors, including mutations of genes that control the amount of clotting factors in the blood.

Questions have been raised in recent years as to whether frequent long-distance air travel increases the risk of thrombophlebitis in airline pilots and passengers. As of 2001, studies of the effects of long-distance flights on blood circulation in human test subjects have yielded conflicting results.

Diagnosis

In superficial thrombophlebitis, the location of the clot can sometimes be seen by the unaided eye. Blood clots are hard and can usually be detected by a physician using palpation (massage).

Deep venous thrombosis requires specialized diagnostic instruments to detect the blood clot. Among the instruments a physician may use are ultrasound and x ray, coupled with dye injection (venogram).

Treatment

While patients have to rely on conventional medicine to resolve major blood clots in the veins, alternative therapies help prevent future blood clots and bring relief from pain due to superficial thrombophlebitis.

Physical therapy

Physical therapy helps prevent blood clots in patients who are temporary bed-ridden after a major surgery or accidents. Physical therapists help patients exercise their arms and legs while they are restricted in bed, use massage to stimulate muscles, and encourage them to regain their mobility as soon as possible.

Nutritional therapy

The following dietary changes may help prevent phlebitis and further vein damage:

Limit fat intake. Saturated and hydrogenated fats are associated with increased risk of thrombosis and poor blood circulation.

Eat a heart-healthy, high-fiber diet with emphasis on fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts and seeds, and fish.

Eat lots of garlic, ginger, onions, and hot pepper. These spices have blood-thinning activity and prevent clot formation.

Increase consumption of cherries, blueberries, and blackberries. They contain chemicals called proanthocyanidins and anthocyanidins that help improve vein function and keep veins healthy.

Take nutritional supplements. Supplements that help prevent blood clots and keep veins healthy include B complex vitamins, especially folic acid (2,500 mg/day), vitamin B6 (25 mg/day) and vitamin B12 (2 mcg/day); vitamin C (500 - 3,000 mg/day) and vitamin E (800 - 1,200 IU).

Herbal therapy

Several herbs help keep veins healthy and strong and/or prevent blood clots. They include:

Butcher's broom (Ruscus aculeatus)

Gingko biloba

Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica)

Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)

Bromelain (a natural enzyme found in pineapple that inhibits clot formation therefore preventing thrombophlebitis).

Allopathic treatment

Superficial thrombophlebitis usually resolves without treatment. Application of heat or anti-inflammatory drugs (aspirin or ibuprofen) can help relieve the pain. It can take from several days to several weeks for the clot to resolve and the symptoms to completely disappear. Rarely, anticoagulant drugs may be administered.

Deep venous thrombosis is a serious condition. To prevent pulmonary embolism, anticoagulant drugs are given and the patient's limbs are elevated. The primary objective in treating deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is prevention of a pulmonary embolism.

The patient usually is hospitalized during initial treatment. The prescribed anticoagulant drugs limit the ability of blood clots to grow and new clots to form. Sometimes, a drug that dissolves blood clots is administered.

Recent advances in drug treatment of DVT include the use of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), which is safer for use in pregnant women and also allows more patients with DVT to be treated on an outpatient basis.

Surgery may be used to treat DVT if the affected vein is likely to present a long term threat of producing blood clots that will release emboli. The affected veins are either removed or tied off to prevent the release of the blood clots.

Tying off superficial blood veins is an outpatient procedure that can be performed with local anesthesia. The patient is capable of immediately resuming normal activities.

Expected results

Superficial thrombophlebitis seldom progresses to a serious medical complication, although non-lethal embolisms may be produced. Deep venous thrombosis may lead to embolism, especially pulmonary embolism. This is a serious consequence of deep venous thrombosis, and is sometimes fatal.

Prevention

To prevent phlebitis, people should eat a high-fiber, heart-healthy diet and engage in regular physical exercises such as walking, bicycling, or running. If temporarily bedridden, they should stretch their arms and legs frequently and try to become mobile as soon as possible.Ninak Ninukhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com