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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30943802289144924912017-11-21T03:02:37.894-08:00Try to Stay HealthyArticles about health and staying healthyKelly Amaretahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-87437504367617580342014-01-27T22:59:00.002-08:002014-01-27T22:59:56.825-08:00Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy, or water therapy, is the use of water (hot, cold, steam, or ice) to relieve discomfort and promote physical well-being.

The therapeutic use of water has a long history. Ruins of an ancient bath were unearthed in Pakistan and date as far back as 4500 B.C. Bathhouses were an essential part of ancient Roman culture. The use of steam, baths, and aromatic massage to promote well being is documented since the first century. Roman physicians Galen and Celsus wrote of treating patients with warm and cold baths in order to prevent disease.

By the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, bathhouses were extremely popular with the public throughout Europe. Public bathhouses made their first American appearance in the mid 1700s.

In the early nineteenth century, Sebastien Kneipp, a Bavarian priest and proponent of water healing, began treating his parishioners with cold water applications after he himself was cured of tuberculosis through the same methods. Kneipp wrote extensively on the subject, and opened a series of hydrotherapy clinics known as the Kneipp clinics, which are still in operation today.

Around the same time in Austria, Vincenz Priessnitz was treating patients with baths, packs, and showers of cold spring water. Priessnitz also opened a spa that treated over 1,500 patients in its first year of operation, and became a model for physicians and other specialists to learn the techniques of hydrotherapy.

Benefits

Hydrotherapy can soothe sore or inflamed muscles and joints, rehabilitate injured limbs, lower fevers, soothe headaches, promote relaxation, treat burns and frostbite, ease labor pains, and clear up skin problems. The temperature of water used affects the therapeutic properties of the treatment.

Hot water is chosen for its relaxing properties. It is also thought to stimulate the immune system. Tepid water can also be used for stress reduction, and may be particularly relaxing in hot weather. Cold water is selected to reduce inflammation.

Alternating hot and cold water can stimulate the circulatory system and improve the immune system. Adding herbs and essential oils to water can enhance its therapeutic value. Steam is frequently used as a carrier for essential oils that are inhaled to treat respiratory problems.

Since the late 1990s, hydrotherapy has been used in critical care units to treat a variety of serious conditions, including such disorders of the nervous system as Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Description

Water can be used therapeutically in a number of ways. Common forms of hydrotherapy include:

Whirlpools, Jacuzzis, and hot tubs. These soaking tubs use jet streams to massage the body. They are frequently used by physical therapists to help injured patients regain muscle strength and to soothe joint and muscle pain. Some midwives and obstetricians also approve of the use of hot tubs to soothe the pain of labor.

Pools and Hubbard tanks. Physical therapists and rehabilitation specialists may prescribe underwater pool exercises as a low-impact method of rebuilding muscle strength in injured patients. The buoyancy experienced during pool immersion also helps ease pain in such conditions as arthritis. The Arthritis Foundation has put together a set of Aquatic Program exercises that have been shown to improve isometric strength and range of motion in osteoarthritis patients.

Baths. Tepid baths are prescribed to reduce a fever. Baths are also one of the oldest forms of relaxation therapy. Aromatherapists often recommend adding essential oils of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) to a warm to hot bath to promote relaxation and stress reduction. Adding Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) or Dead Sea salts to a bath can also promote relaxation and soothe rheumatism and arthritis.

Showers. Showers are often prescribed to stimulate the circulation. Water jets from a shower head are also used to massage sore muscles. In addition, showering hydrotherapy has been shown to be preferable to immersion hydrotherapy for treating burn patients.

Moist compresses. Cold, moist compresses can reduce swelling and inflammation of an injury. They can also be used to cool a fever and treat a headache. Hot or warm compresses are useful for soothing muscle aches and treating abscesses.

Steam treatments and saunas. Steam rooms and saunas are recommended to open the skin pores and cleanse the body of toxins. Steam inhalation is prescribed to treat respiratory infections. Adding botanicals to the steam bath can increase its therapeutic value.

Internal hydrotherapy. Colonic irrigation is an enema that is designed to cleanse the entire bowel. Proponents of the therapy say it can cure a number of digestive problems. Douching, another form of internal hydrotherapy, directs a stream of water into the vagina for cleansing purposes. The water may or may not contain medications or other substances. Douches can be self-administered with kits available at most drug stores.

Preparations

Because of the expense of the equipment and the expertise required to administer effective treatment, hydrotherapy with pools, whirlpools, Hubbard tanks, and saunas is best taken in a professional healthcare facility, and/or under the supervision of a healthcare professional. However, baths, steam inhalation treatments, and compresses can be easily administered at home.

Bath preparations

Warm to hot bath water should be used for relaxation purposes, and a tepid bath is recommended for reducing fevers. Herbs can greatly enhance the therapeutic value of the bath for a variety of illnesses and minor discomforts.

Herbs for the bath can be added to the bath in two ways—as essential oils or whole herbs and flowers. Whole herbs and flowers can be placed in a muslin or cheesecloth bag that is tied at the top to make an herbal bath bag.

The herbal bath bag is then soaked in the warm tub, and can remain there throughout the bath. When using essential oils, add five to 10 drops of oil to a full tub. Oils can be combined to enhance their therapeutic value.

Marjoram (Origanum marjorana) is good for relieving sore muscles; juniper (Juniperus communis) is recommended as a detoxifying agent for the treatment of arthritis; lavender, ylang ylang (Conanga odorata), and chamomile (Chamaemelum nobilis) are recommended for stress relief; cypress (Cupressus sempervirens), yarrow (Achillea millefolium), geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), clary sage (Salvia sclaria), and myrtle (Myrtus communis) can promote healing of hemorrhoids; and spike lavender and juniper (Juniperus communis) are recommended for rheumatism.

To prepare salts for the bath, add one or two handfuls of Epsom salts or Dead Sea salts to boiling water until they are dissolved, and then add them to the tub.

A sitz bath, or hip bath, can also be taken at home to treat hemorrhoids and promote healing of an episiotomy. There is an special apparatus available for taking a seated sitz bath, but it can also be taken in a regular tub partially filled with warm water.

Steam inhalation

Steam inhalation treatments can be easily administered with a bowl of steaming water and a large towel. For colds and other conditions with nasal congestion, aromatherapists recommend adding five drops of an essential oil that has decongestant properties, such as peppermint (Mentha piperita) and eucalyptus blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus).

Oils that act as expectorants, such as myrtle (Myrtus communis) or rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), can also be used. After the oil is added, the individual should lean over the bowl of water and place the towel over the head to trap the steam. After approximately three minutes of inhaling the steam with eyes closed, the towel can be removed.

Other herbs and essential oils that can be beneficial in steam inhalation include:

Tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) for bronchitis and sinus infections.

Sandalwood (Santalum album), virginian cedarwood (Juniperus virginiana), and frankincense (Boswellia carteri) for sore throat.

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris) for cough.

Compresses

A cold compress is prepared by soaking a cloth or cotton pad in cold water and then applying it to the area of injury or distress. When the cloth reaches room temperature, it should be resoaked and reapplied. Applying gentle pressure to the compress with the hand may be useful. Cold compresses are generally used to reduce swelling, minimize bruising, and to treat headaches and sprains.

Warm or hot compresses are used to treat abscesses and muscle aches. A warm compress is prepared in the same manner as a cold compress, except steaming water is used to wet the cloth instead of cold water. Warm compresses should be refreshed and reapplied after they cool to room temperature.

Essential oils may be added to moist compresses to increase the therapeutic value of the treatment. Peppermint, a cooling oil, is especially effective when added to cold compresses. To add oils to compresses, place five drops of the oil into the bowl of water the compress is to be soaked in. Never apply essential oils directly to a cloth, as they may irritate the skin in undiluted form.

Precautions

Individuals with paralysis, frostbite, or other conditions that impair the nerve endings and cause reduced sensation should take hydrotherapy treatments only under the guidance of a trained hydrotherapist, physical therapist, or other appropriate healthcare professional.

Because these individuals cannot accurately sense temperature changes in the water, they run the risk of being seriously burned without proper supervision. Diabetics and people with hypertension should also consult their healthcare professional before using hot tubs or other heat hydrotherapies.

Hot tubs, Jacuzzis, and pools can become breeding grounds for bacteria and other infectious organisms if they are not cleaned regularly, maintained properly, kept at the appropriate temperatures, and treated with the proper chemicals.

Individuals should check with their healthcare provider to ensure that the hydrotherapy equipment they are using is sanitary. Those who are using hot tubs and other hydrotherapy equipment in their homes should follow the directions for use and maintenance provided by the original equipment manufacturer.

Certain essential oils should not be used by pregnant or nursing women or by people with specific illnesses or physical conditions. Individuals suffering from any chronic or acute health condition should inform their healthcare provider before starting treatment with any essential oil.

Such essential oils as cinnamon leaf, juniper, lemon, eucalyptus blue gum, peppermint, and thyme can be extremely irritating to the skin if applied in full concentration. Oils used in hydrotherapy should always be diluted in water before they are applied to the skin. Individuals should never apply essential oils directly to the skin unless directed to do so by a trained healthcare professional and/or aromatherapist.

Colonic irrigation should be performed only by a healthcare professional. Pregnant women should never douche, as the practice can introduce bacteria into the vagina and uterus. They should also avoid using hot tubs without the consent of their healthcare provider.

The vagina is self-cleansing, and douches have been known to upset the balance of vaginal pH and flora, promoting vaginitis and other infections. Some studies have linked excessive vaginal douching to increased incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

Side effects

Most forms of hydrotherapy are well tolerated. There is a risk of allergic reaction (also known as contact dermatitis) for some patients using essential oils and herbs in their bath water.

These individuals may want to test for allergic sensitization to herbs by performing a skin patch test (i.e., rubbing a small amount of diluted herb on the inside of their elbow and observing the spot for redness and irritation). People who experience an allergic reaction to an essential oil should discontinue its use and contact their healthcare professional for further guidance.

The most serious possible side effect of hydrotherapy is overheating, which may occur when an individual spends too much time in a hot tub or Jacuzzi. However, when properly supervised, this is a minimal risk.

Research and general acceptance

Hydrotherapy treatments are used by both allopathic and complementary medicine to treat a wide variety of discomforts and disorders. Not as well accepted are invasive hydrotherapy techniques, such as colonic irrigation, enemas, and douching.

These internal cleansing techniques can actually harm an individual by upsetting the natural balance of the digestive tract and the vagina. Most conventional medical professionals agree that vaginal douches are not necessary to promote hygiene in most women, and can actually do more harm than good.

Training and certification

Hydrotherapy is practiced by a number of physical therapists, medical doctors (especially those specializing in rehabilitation), nurses, and naturopathic physicians. Medical doctors, physical therapists, and nurses are licensed throughout the United States.

Naturopaths are licensed in a number of states. Aromatherapists, who frequently recommend water-based treatments with herbs and essential oils, are not licensed, although there are certification programs available for practitioners.Nina Astikahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-66969714194848077332014-01-27T22:42:00.003-08:002014-01-27T23:04:43.398-08:00Hypercortisolemia

Hypercortisolemia

Cortisol is an essential glucocorticoid hormone, a subgroup of steroid hormones, the major hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. Hormones are messenger substances, substances produced in one gland or area of the body that move through the blood and stimulate activity in other glands or areas.

Glucocorticoid hormones affect carbohydrate and protein metabolism. Steroid hormones are hormones related to cholesterol. Hypercortisolemia refers to high amounts of circulating cortisol and may be a pathological or non-pathological condition.

Pathological hypercortisolemia, or Cushing's syndrome, named after the United States surgeon, Harvey Cushing (1869–1939), may result from a lung cancer, tumor of the pituitary or adrenal glands, or from kidney failure.

Nonpathological hypercortisolemia is a normal response of pregnancy, and to such traumas, as accidents or surgery (including circumcision, studies show), some forms of depression and stress. Over time, continued exposure to trauma and stress may produce chronic hypercortisolemia and result in serious long-term debilitating illness.

Causes and symptoms

The natural regulation of cortisol is governed by a circular feedback response system. Output is initiated when pituitary gland secretions of adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) travel to and stimulate the adrenal glands located atop the kidneys near the middle of the upper back. From the adrenals, cortisol travels to its target tissues, initiating a series of reactions known as the "flight-or-fight" response.

Information from these target tissues is monitored by the brain. If the messages received tell the brain that more help is needed, the pituitary gland is stimulated to secrete more ACTH, which stimulates increased secretion of cortisol. The most significant feedback factor is stress.

When stress levels are reported to the brain as high, high levels of cortisol are released in response. When stress remains high indefinitely, cortisol levels may also remain high indefinitely, producing a series of biochemical, physiological and even anatomical reactions.

Normally, cortisol output has a diurnal and circadian rhythm, rising in the morning, falling at night, and changing with the seasons. Changes related to work-sleep cycles affect this rhythm, and changes in the rhythm affect night time sleep patterns. Changes in the length of daylight hours, blindness, and loss of consciousness also affects the rhythm.

Cortisol target tissues include:

liver

bone

blood vessels

kidney

muscle

brain

immune system

Long-term exposure to cortisol, whether natural or synthetic—from such steroid drugs as prednisone, dexamethasone (Decadron), and Methylprednisone (Medrol)— may eventually result in such changes as osteoporosis, muscle weakening and wasting, high blood pressure, increased abdominal fat deposition, immune dysfunction, steroid-induced diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Another serious consequence may be the eventual fatigue and failure of the adrenal glands. Cushing's syndrome classic symptoms include, in addition to "normal" longterm symptoms, a "moon face" (rounded), thinning of the skin accompanied by purple or pink stretch marks and easy bruising, acne, increased facial and body hair and decreased scalp hair in women, and fatigue.

Diagnosis

Initial diagnosis may be made through the office of a family practice physician or internist on the basis of signs and symptoms, physical examination, and lab work including testing levels of circulating cortisol. Three types of testing are available to check cortisol levels: 24-hour urine collection; blood testing; and, saliva sampling.

The 24-hour urine collection test is done at home beginning after the first urination of the morning and finishing after the first urination of the following day. This test can be done on infants. No special preparation is necessary.

The test is described as not uncomfortable. Special considerations were reported to include emotional or physical stress and medications: lithium, diuretics, estrogen, tricyclic antidepressants, ketoconazole, and glucocorticoids.

Blood testing requires a visit to a lab, where blood is drawn and then analyzed. This test can be performed on infants, children and adults. Preparation for the test may include discontinuation of medications similar to those medications listed above, as advised by one's healthcare provider.

Some people experience pain or trauma with blood drawing, which may affect test results. Results may also be affected by the timing of the blood draw, since cortisol normally varies rhythmically. Risks of a blood test include bruising, pain, excessive bleeding, infection, fainting or the need for multiple punctures. Saliva sampling is done at home by collecting four samples at specific times of day.

Unlike the urine collection method that produces a daily average, or the blood test that produces a single-spot sampling, saliva sampling produces a time-wave pattern for a more amplified diagnosis. Preparation includes discontinuation of medications listed with the other two methods, as well as a short list of foods and drinks, antacids, tooth brushing, and smoking prior to sampling.

Cost comparisons were not reported. Test results may suggest followup care with an endocrinologist, who is a specialist in glandular and hormonally related disease, for further testing and diagnosis.

Treatment

Preventive alternative care may focus on stress reduction primarily. Since stress may be induced by emotional demands, dietary and nutritional imbalances, subclinical illness (illness which may not have fully shown itself), and physical inactivity, an alternative-minded medical doctor, a licensed naturopathic physician, or other professional alternative healthcare provider may first work to reestablish balance through lifestyle changes specific to individual need.

Treatment may include counseling; dietary and nutritional therapies; energy therapies, such as Reiki, tai-chi, qi gong, chakra balancing or Healing Touch; Traditional chinese medicine, including chinese herbals and acupuncture; chiropractic; Ayurvedic medicine; environmental medicine; homeopathy; relaxation therapy; biofeedback; craniosacral work; massage; exercise therapies; shamanism; and faith-based therapies, including prayer, meditation, yoga and other spiritual exercises.

Dietary supplement products to block cortisol or correct underlying dietary and nutritional insufficiencies are also being advertised. Assistance from a professional healthcare provider is recommended.

Allopathic treatment

Initial allopathic care may focus on antidepressants, hypoglycemics (drugs that lower blood sugar), sedatives, or anti-hypertensives (drugs that lower blood pressure), medications to correct underlying or related imbalances.

Discontinuance of such steroidal medications as prednisone, dexamethasone (Decadron), and methylprednisone (Medrol) may be warranted or advised. Treatment may also include higher protein recommendations to combat muscle wasting, or therapies which support kidney function.

Prognosis

In hypercortisolemia that has not progressed to serious disease, prognosis may be very good when committed changes in lifestyle are made. The prognosis may be further improved when medications are avoided which either intensify the imbalance, or overlook or disguise an underlying cause, thereby adding further stress.

In Cushing's syndrome, or where hypercortisolemia has progressed to chronic disease, prognosis may be complicated by a need for difficult surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. Follow up supplemental administration of cortisol may be required. Where surgery or other direct control of adrenal output is not an option, administration of cortisol output suppressing medications may be necessary.

Prevention

Given that stress is the single most influential feedback signal to the brain, a reasonable conclusion is that stress reduction is the single most influential prevention. Lifestyle changes, strategies, and therapies that reduce or eliminate stress, directly by reducing burden, or indirectly by improving underlying health, are key.

One theory in medicine is that if preventive intervention can be made before an organ or gland is exhausted, especially if supportive, strengthening or tonifying remedies and therapies are also employed, good health can be restored, and a higher quality of life preserved.Nina Astikahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-6586247181896375232014-01-27T22:39:00.003-08:002014-01-27T23:04:58.852-08:00Hypertension

Hypertension

Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries as it flows through them. Arteries are the blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the body's tissues.

As blood flows through arteries, it pushes against the inside of the artery walls. The more pressure the blood exerts on the artery walls, the higher the blood pressure. The size of small arteries also affects the blood pressure.

When the muscular walls of arteries are relaxed, or dilated, the pressure of the blood flowing through them is lower than when the artery walls are narrow, or constricted.

Blood pressure is highest when the heart beats to pump blood out into the arteries. When the heart relaxes to fill with blood again, the pressure is at its lowest point. Blood pressure when the heart beats is called systolic pressure.

Blood pressure when the heart is at rest is called diastolic pressure. When blood pressure is measured, the systolic pressure is stated first and the diastolic pressure second.

Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). For example, if a person's systolic pressure is 120 and diastolic pressure is 80, it is written as 120/80 mm Hg. The American Heart Association considers blood pressure above 140 over 90 high for adults.

Hypertension is a major health problem, especially because it has no symptoms. Many people have hypertension without knowing it. In the United States, about 50 million people age sixty and older have high blood pressure.

Hypertension is more common in men than women and in people over the age of 65 than in younger persons. More than half of all Americans over the age of 65 have hypertension. It is also more common in African-Americans than in white Americans.

Hypertension is serious because people with the condition have a higher risk for heart disease and other medical problems than people with normal blood pressure. Serious complications can be avoided by getting regular blood pressure checks and treating hypertension as soon as it is diagnosed.

If left untreated, hypertension can lead to the following medical conditions:

arteriosclerosis, also called atherosclerosis

blindness

heart attack

stroke

enlarged heart

kidney damage

Arteriosclerosis is hardening of the arteries. The walls of arteries have a layer of muscle and elastic tissue that makes them flexible and able to dilate and constrict as blood flows through them. High blood pressure can make the artery walls thicken and harden.

When artery walls thicken, the inside of the blood vessel narrows. Cholesterol and fats are more likely to build up on the walls of damaged arteries, making them even narrower. Blood clots can also get trapped in narrowed arteries, blocking the flow of blood.

Arteries narrowed by arteriosclerosis may not deliver enough blood to organs and other tissues. Reduced or blocked blood flow to the heart can cause a heart attack. If an artery to the brain is blocked, a stroke can result.

Hypertension makes the heart work harder to pump blood through the body. The extra workload can make the heart muscle thicken and stretch. When the heart becomes too enlarged it cannot pump enough blood. If the hypertension is not treated, the heart may fail.

The kidneys remove the body's wastes from the blood. If hypertension thickens the arteries to the kidneys, less waste can be filtered from the blood. As the condition worsens, the kidneys fail and wastes build up in the blood. Dialysis or a kidney transplant are needed when the kidneys fail. About 25% of people who receive kidney dialysis have kidney failure caused by hypertension.

Causes and symptoms

Many different actions or situations can normally raise blood pressure. Physical activity can temporarily raise blood pressure. Stressful situations can make blood pressure go up.

When the stress goes away, blood pressure usually returns to normal. These temporary increases in blood pressure are not considered hypertension. A diagnosis of hypertension is made only when a person has multiple high blood pressure readings over a period of time.

The cause of hypertension is not known in 90–95% of the people who have it. Hypertension without a known cause is called primary or essential hypertension. When a person has hypertension caused by another medical condition, it is called secondary hypertension.

Secondary hypertension can be caused by a number of different illnesses. Many people with kidney disorders have secondary hypertension. The kidneys regulate the balance of salt and water in the body.

If the kidneys cannot rid the body of excess salt and water, blood pressure goes up. Kidney infections, a narrowing of the arteries that carry blood to the kidneys, called renal artery stenosis, and other kidney disorders can disturb the salt and water balance.

Cushing's syndrome and tumors of the pituitary and adrenal glands often increase levels of the adrenal gland hormones cortisol, adrenalin, and aldosterone, which can cause hypertension. Other conditions that can cause hypertension are blood vessel diseases, thyroid gland disorders, some prescribed drugs, alcoholism, and pregnancy.

Even though the cause of most hypertension is not known, some people have risk factors that give them a greater chance of getting hypertension. Many of these risk factors can be changed to lower the chance of developing hypertension or as part of a treatment program to lower blood pressure.

Risk factors for hypertension include:

age over 60

male sex

race (The African-American community has a higher incidence of hypertension.)

heredity

salt sensitivity

obesity

inactive lifestyle

heavy alcohol consumption

use of oral contraceptives

Some risk factors for hypertension can be changed, while others cannot. Age, male sex, and race are risk factors that a person cannot deter. Some people inherit a tendency to get hypertension.

People with family members who have hypertension are more likely to develop it than those whose relatives are not hypertensive. People with these risk factors can avoid or eliminate the other risk factors to lower their chance of developing hypertension.

Diagnosis

Because hypertension does not cause symptoms, it is important to have blood pressure checked regularly. Blood pressure is measured with an instrument called a sphygmomanometer. A cloth-covered rubber cuff is wrapped around the upper arm and inflated.

When the cuff is inflated, an artery in the arm is squeezed to momentarily stop the flow of blood. Then, the air is let out of the cuff while a stethoscope placed over the artery is used to detect the sound of the blood spurting back through the artery.

This first sound is the systolic pressure, the pressure when the heart beats. The last sound heard as the rest of the air is released is the diastolic pressure, the pressure between heartbeats. Both sounds are recorded on the mercury gauge on the sphygmomanometer.

A number of such factors as pain, stress, or anxiety can cause a temporary increase in blood pressure. For this reason, hypertension is not diagnosed on the basis of only one high blood pressure reading.

If a blood pressure reading is 140/90 or higher for the first time, the physician will have the person return for another blood pressure check. Diagnosis of hypertension usually is made based on two or more readings after the first visit. Sometimes, patients have high blood pressure only while in the doctor's office.

This phenomenon, called "white-coat hypertension" has usually been dismissed as mere anxiety over visiting the doctor. In late 2001, an Italian study questioned dismissal of these patients as not being hypertensive and encouraged further study.

Systolic hypertension of the elderly is common and is diagnosed when the diastolic pressure is normal or low, but the systolic is elevated, e.g.170/70 mm Hg. This condition usually coexists with hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis).

Blood pressure measurements are classified in stages according to severity:

normal blood pressure: lower than 130/85 mm Hg

high normal: 130–139/85–89 mm Hg

mild hypertension: 140–159/90–99 mm Hg

moderate hypertension: 160–179/100–109 mm Hg

severe hypertension: 180–209/110–119

very severe hypertension: 210/120 or higher

A typical physical examination to evaluate hypertension includes:

medical and family history

physical examination

ophthalmoscopy: examination of the blood vessels in the eye

chest x ray

electrocardiograph (ECG)

blood and urine tests

The medical and family history help the physician determine if the patient has any conditions or disorders that might contribute to or cause the hypertension. A family history of hypertension might suggest a genetic predisposition to the disorder.

The physical exam may include several blood pressure readings at different times and in different positions. The physician uses a stethoscope to listen to sounds made by the heart and blood flowing through the arteries. The pulse, reflexes, height, and weight are checked and recorded. Internal organs are palpated, or felt, to determine if they are enlarged.

Because hypertension can cause damage to the blood vessels in the eyes, the eyes may be checked with an instrument called an ophthalmoscope. The physician will look for thickening, narrowing, or hemorrhages in the blood vessels.

A chest x ray can detect an enlarged heart, other heart abnormalities, or lung disease.

An electrocardiogram (ECG) measures the electrical activity of the heart. It can detect if the heart muscle is enlarged and if there is damage to the heart muscle from blocked arteries.

Urine and blood tests may be done to further evaluate health and to detect the presence of disorders that might cause hypertension.

Treatment

There is no cure for primary hypertension, but blood pressure can almost always be lowered with the correct treatment. The goal of treatment is to lower blood pressure to levels that will prevent heart disease and other complications of hypertension.

In secondary hypertension, the disease that is responsible for the hypertension is treated in addition to the hypertension itself. Successful treatment of the underlying disorder may cure the secondary hypertension.

Treatment to lower blood pressure usually includes changes in diet and getting regular exercise. Patients with mild or moderate hypertension who do not have damage to the heart or kidneys may first be treated primarily with lifestyle changes.

Lifestyle changes that may reduce blood pressure by about 5–10 mm Hg include:

reducing salt intake

reducing fat intake

losing weight

getting regular exercise

quitting smoking

reducing alcohol consumption

managing stress

Natural remedies approved by a physician may also lower or even prevent hypertension. Aromatherapy as a treatment option uses essential oils either inhaled from a bottle in times of anxiety or massaged daily into the skin at bedtime in the area beneath the collarbone. Blue chamomile and lavender are known for their stress relief and relaxation effects.

Food therapy has also been shown to affect blood pressure. Muscles that regulate blood pressure have been noted to dilate with the intake of celery; celery juice has also been found to have a mild diuretic effect.

Eating fresh fruits and vegetables, which are high in potassium and magnesium, lowers systemic sodium and fluid levels in the circulatory system. A 2001 study showed that reducing intake of sodium decreases blood pressure in participants with or without hypertension.

Garlic intake has also been linked with lowering blood pressures. Taken either via enteric-coated capsules or fresh garlic cloves, allicin is thought to be the ingredient that brings down the blood pressure.

Relaxation and meditation can help lower blood pressure. Focusing on relaxing music can also slow the heart rate and lower blood pressure, as can imagery (envisioning coolness seeping into the pores and throughout the body, sensing that blood pressure is within normal range).

Yoga experts cite two specific poses, the corpse pose and the knee squeeze, when used in combination with breathing exercises, as being particularly helpful in relieving tension and improving blood flow.

Allopathic treatment

Patients whose blood pressure remains higher than 139/90 will most likely be advised to take antihypertensive medication. Numerous drugs have been developed to treat hypertension. The choice of medication will depend on the stage of hypertension, side effects, other medical conditions the patient may have, and other medicines the patient is taking.

Patients with mild or moderate hypertension are initially treated with monotherapy, a single antihypertensive medicine. If treatment with a single medicine fails to lower blood pressure sufficiently, a different medicine may be tried or another medicine may be added to the first.

Patients with more severe hypertension may initially be given a combination of medicines to control their hypertension. Combining antihypertensive medicines with different types of action often controls blood pressure with smaller doses of each drug than would be needed for monotherapy.

Antihypertensive medicines fall into several classes:

diuretics

beta-blockers

calcium channel blockers

angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors)

alpha-blockers

alpha-beta blockers

vasodilators

peripheral-acting adrenergic antagonists

centrally-acting agonists

Diuretics help the kidneys eliminate excess salt and water from the body's tissues and the blood. This helps reduce the swelling caused by fluid buildup in the tissues. The reduction of fluid dilates the walls of arteries and lowers blood pressure.

Beta-blockers lower blood pressure by acting on the nervous system to slow the heart rate and reduce the force of the heart's contraction. They are used with caution in patients with heart failure, asthma, diabetes, or circulation problems in the hands and feet.

Calcium channel blockers block the entry of calcium into muscle cells in artery walls. Muscle cells need calcium to constrict, so reducing their calcium keeps them more relaxed and lowers blood pressure.

ACE inhibitors block the production of substances that constrict blood vessels. They also help reduce the buildup of water and salt in the tissues. They are often given to patients with heart failure, kidney disease, or diabetes. ACE inhibitors may be used together with diuretics.

Alpha-blockers act on the nervous system to dilate arteries and reduce the force of the heart's contractions.

Alpha-beta blockers combine the actions of alpha and beta blockers.

Vasodilators act directly on arteries to relax their walls so blood can move more easily through them. They lower blood pressure rapidly and are injected in hypertensive emergencies when patients have dangerously high blood pressure.

Peripheral-acting adrenergic antagonists act on the nervous system to relax arteries and reduce the force of the heart's contractions. They usually are prescribed together with a diuretic. Peripheral acting adrenergic antagonists can cause slowed mental function and lethargy.

Centrally-acting agonists also act on the nervous system to relax arteries and slow the heart rate. They are usually used with other antihypertensive medicines.

In 2001, a medical device company announced findings about the effectiveness of a breathing device to work along with antihypertensive medications.

By helping patients alter breathing patterns to lengthen the phase in which they exhale, they could slow breathing and see beneficial effects on blood pressure accumulate. The device is available through prescription only, but is pending over-the-counter-clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA.)

Expected results

There is no cure for hypertension. However, it can be well controlled with the proper treatment. The key to avoiding serious complications of hypertension is to detect and treat it before damage occurs.

Because antihypertensive medicines control blood pressure, but do not cure it, patients must continue taking the medications to maintain reduced blood pressure levels and avoid complications.

Prevention

Prevention of hypertension centers on avoiding or eliminating known risk factors. Even persons at risk because of age, race, or sex or those who have an inherited risk can lower their chance of developing hypertension.

The risk of developing hypertension can be reduced by making the same lifestyle changes recommended for treating hypertension.Nina Astikahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-20561717403078265542014-01-27T22:30:00.000-08:002014-01-27T22:30:17.844-08:00Hyperparathyroidism

Hyperparathyroidism

Hyperparathyroidism is the overproduction by the parathyroid glands of a hormone called parathyroid hormone (parathormone). Parathyroid glands are four pea-sized glands located just behind the thyroid gland in the front of the neck. Parathyroid hormone (parathormone) helps regulate the levels of calciumand phosphorus in the body.

Thyroid glands and parathyroid glands, despite their similar names and proximity, are entirely separate, and each produces hormones with different functions.

Hyperparathyroidism may be primary or secondary. It most often occurs in patients over age 30, and most commonly in patients 50 to 60 years old. It rarely occurs in children or the elderly. Women are affected by the disease up to three times more often than men. It is estimat- ed that 28 of every 100,000 people in the United States will develop hyperparathyroidism each year.

Normally, parathyroid glands produce the parathormone as calcium levels drop and lower to meet the demands of a growing skeleton, pregnancy, or lactation. However, when one or more parathyroid glands malfunction, it can lead to overproduction of the hormone and elevated calcium level in the blood. Therefore, a common result of hyperparathyroidism is hypercalcemia, or an abnormally high level of calcium in the blood.

Primary hyperparathyroidism occurs as a malfunction of one of the glands, usually as a result of a benign tumor called an adenoma. Secondary hyperparathyroidism occurs as the result of an abnormality outside the parathyroid glands related to the body's metabolism, or chemical changes in living cells that help provide the body's energy. These changes cause a resistance to the function of the parathyroid hormones. Primary hyperparathyroidism is one of the most common endocrine disorders, led only by diabetes and hyperthyroidism.

Causes and symptoms

Often, there are no obvious symptoms to give rise to suspicion of hyperparathyroidism, and it is first diagnosed when a patient is discovered to be hypercalcemic during a routine blood chemistry profile.

Patients may believe they have been feeling fine, but realize improvements in sleep, irritability, and memory following treatment. When symptoms are present, they may include development of gastric ulcers or pancreatitis because high calcium levels can cause inflammation and pain in the linings of the stomach and pancreas.

Most of the symptoms of hyperparathyroidism are those present as a result of hypercalcemia, such as kidney stones, osteoporosis, or bone degradation resulting from the bones giving up calcium. Muscle weakness, central nervous system disturbances such as depression, psychomotor and personality disturbances, and even coma can occur.

Patients also may experience heartburn, nausea, constipation, or abdominal pain. In secondary hyperparathyroidism, patients may show such signs of calcium imbalance as deformities of the long bones. Symptoms of the underlying disease also may be present.

Most commonly, hyperparathyroidism occurs as the result of a single adenoma, or benign tumor, in one of the parathyroid glands. About 90 percent of all cases of hyperparathyroidism are caused by an adenoma. The tumors seldom are cancerous. They will grow to a much larger size than the parathyroid glands, often to the size of a walnut.

Genetic disorders or multiple endocrine tumors also can cause a parathyroid gland to enlarge and oversecrete hormone. In 10 percent or fewer of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism, there is enlargement of all four parathyroid glands. This condition is called parathyroid hyperplasia.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism most often is made when a blood test (radioimmunoassay) reveals high levels of parathyroid hormone and calcium. A blood test that specifically measures the amount of parathyroid hormone has made diagnosis simpler. Hypercalcemia is mild or intermittent in some patients, but persistent hypercalcemia is an excellent indicator of primary hyperparathyroidism.

Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA or DXA), a tool used to diagnose and measure osteoporosis, may be used once the diagnosis is made to show reduction in bone mass for primary hyperparathryroidism patients. Once a diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism is reached, the physician will probably order further tests to evaluate complications. For example, abdominal radiographs might reveal kidney stones.

For secondary hyperparathyroidism, normal or slightly decreased calcium levels in the blood and variable phosphorous levels may be visible. A patient history of familial kidney disease or convulsive disorders may suggest a diagnosis of secondary hyperparathyroidism. Other tests may reveal a disease or disorder that is causing the secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Treatment

Limiting intake of soft drinks can help to prevent hyperparathyroidism. Soda drinks contain high levels of phosphorus. High phosphorus intake can cause hypocalcemia that leads to secondary hyperparathyroidism.

In patients with hyperparathyroidism, forcing fluids and reducing intake of calcium-rich foods can help decrease calcium levels prior to surgery or if surgery is not necessary. These patients should not take any supplements that contain calcium without a doctor's approval.

Allopathic treatment

Hyperparathyroidism cases will usually be referred to an endocrinologist, who is a physician specializing in hormonal problems, or a nephrologist, who specializes in kidney and mineral disorders.

Patients with mild cases of hyperparathyroidism may not need immediate treatment if they have only slight elevations in blood calcium level and normal kidneys and bones. These patients should be regularly checked, probably as often as every six months, by physical examination and measurement of kidney function and calcium levels.

A bone densitometry—a test to diagnose and monitor osteoporosis or thinning of bones— measurement should be performed every one or two years. After several years with no worsened symptoms, the length of time between tests may be increased.

Patients with more advanced hyperparathyroidism usually will have all or half of the affected parathyroid gland or glands surgically removed. This surgery is relatively safe and effective. The primary risks are those associated with general anesthesia.

There are some instances in which the surgery can be performed with the patient under regional, or cervical (neck) block, anesthesia. Often such studies as ultrasonography—a test with highfrequency sound waves (ultrasound) that are bounced off tissues and echoes are converted to pictures called sonograms— prior to surgery help pinpoint the affected areas.

Treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism involves removing or treating the underlying cause. In 2004, a new drug therapy was shown to lower parathyroid levels and improve calcium and phosphorus function in patients receiving dialysis (a blood-purifying treatment often performed on people with kidney diseases) who had uncontrolled secondary hyperparathyroidism. The drug, called cinacalcet, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for people who have chronic kidney disease with secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Expected results

Removal of the enlarged parathyroid gland or glands (parathyroidectomy) cures the disease 95 percent of the time. Relief of bone pain may occur in as few as three days. In 2004, a study showed that parathyroidectomy improved depression in patients with hyperparathyroidism.

As many as 54 percent of patients who had the procedure no longer needed antidepressant medications after having the surgery. In up to five percent of patients undergoing surgery, chronically low calcium levels may result, and these patients will require calcium supplements or vitamin D treatment.

Damage to the kidneys as a result of hyperparathyroidism is often irreversible. Prognosis is generally good; however, complications of hyperparathyroidism such as osteoporosis, bone fractures, kidney stones, peptic ulcers, pancreatitis, and nervous system difficulties may worsen prognosis.

Prevention

Secondary hyperparathyroidism may be prevented by early treatment of the disease causing it. Early recognition and treatment of hyperparathyroidism may prevent hypercalcemia. Since the cause of primary hyperparathyroidism, the adenoma which causes parathyroid enlargement, is largely unknown, there are no prescribed prevention methods.Nina Astikahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-24784487801330965912014-01-27T22:18:00.001-08:002014-01-27T23:04:12.020-08:00Infant Massage

Infant Massage

Infant massage refers to massage therapy as specifically applied to infants. In most cases, oil or lotion is used as it would be on an adult subject by a trained and licensed massage therapist. Medical professionals caring for infants might also use massage techniques on infants born prematurely, on those with motor or gastrointestinal problems, or on those who have been exposed to cocaine in utero.

The practice of massaging infants dates back to ancient times, particularly in Asian and Pacific Island cultures; that is, massage was a component of the baby's regular bath routine among the Maoris and Hawaiians. Touch in these cultures is considered healthful both physically and spiritually.

In the West, however, infant massage has received more attention in recent years in conjunction with the popularity of natural childbirth and midwife-assisted births. Dr. Frédéric Leboyer, a French physician who was one of the leaders of the natural childbirth movement, helped to popularize infant massage through his photojournalistic book on the Indian art of baby massage.

Infant massage was introduced formally into the United States in 1978, when Vimala Schneider McClure, a yoga practitioner who served in an orphanage in Northern India, developed a training program for instructors at the request of childbirth educators. An early research study by R. Rice in 1976 had showed that premature babies who were massaged surged ahead in weight gain and neurological development over those who were not massaged.

From McClure's training in India, her knowledge of Swedish massage and reflexology, along with her knowledge of yoga postures that she had already adapted for babies, she became the foremost authority on infant massage. In 1986 she founded the International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM), which has 27 chapters worldwide as of 2000.

Benefits

Research from experiments conducted at the Touch Research Institutes at the University of Miami School of Medicine and Nova Southeastern University has been cited for the clinical benefits massage has on infants and children. Tiffany Field, Ph. D., director, noted that the research ".. suggests that touch is as important to infants and children as eating and sleeping. Touch therapy triggers many physiological changes that help infants and children grow and develop. For example, massage can stimulate nerves in the brain which facilitate food absorption, resulting in faster weight gain. It also lowers level of stress hormones, resulting in improved immune function."

The benefits of infant massage include:

relaxation

relief from stress

interaction with adults

stimulation of the nervous system

The results of several studies showed that infant massage alleviates the stress that newborns experience as a result of the enormous change that birth brings about in their lives after the 6–9 months they have spent in the womb. Both premature infants and full-term babies need the relaxation that comes from massaging and moving their limbs and muscles.

In infants with colic, massage provides the relief necessary to disperse gas, ease muscle spasms, tone the digestive system and help it work efficiently. Some techniques even help bring relief from teething and emotional stress. The stimulation an infant receives from massage can aid circulation, strengthen muscles, help digestion, and relieve constipation.

The bonding that occurs with massage between a parent and child enhances the entire process of bonding that comes with contact through all of the senses, including touch, voice, and sight. It affords a physical experience of quality time between the parents and the child as well as with any significant others in a baby's life.

Description

Various techniques are used in infant massage, with the different strokes specific to a particular therapy. Special handling is used for treating a baby with gas and colic. Some of the strokes are known as "Indian milking," which is a gentle stroking of the child's legs; and the "twist and squeeze" stroke, a gentle squeeze of the muscles in the thigh and calf.

The light "feather" strokes often employed in regular Swedish massage are applied at the end of a massage. The procedure is not unlike certain forms of adult massage, but with extra care taken for the fragility of the infant.

There are also specific Chinese techniques of pediatric massage, including massage of children with special needs. In China, these forms of massage can be given by medical professionals, but parents are often taught how to do the simpler forms for home treatment of their children.

Preparations

If lotions or oils are used, care is taken to ensure their safety on a baby's delicate skin. The most important consideration is to use vegetable oils rather than mineral oils, which can clog the pores in the skin. The oil that is used should be warmed in the caregiver's hands before applying it to the baby's skin. The environment in which the massage is given to an infant should be comfortably warm, and as calm and nonthreatening as possible.

Precautions

Extreme caution is necessary when performing infant massage. Strokes are made with the greatest delicacy in order not to harm the infant in any way. Proper techniques are taught by licensed massage therapists ensuring that the infant is treated with appropriate physical touch. Anyone who is unfamiliar with handling a baby should receive appropriate instruction before beginning infant massage.

Side effects

No adverse side effects have been reported when infant massage is done properly after careful instruction, or by a licensed massage therapist who specializes in infant care.

Research and general acceptance

In addition to the study already noted regarding touch therapy, a website devoted to infant massage lists research published as early as 1969, and cites hundreds of individual projects that have been conducted throughout the world focusing on infant massage.

Many of the studies are related to the benefits of massage and touch for premature infants and others born with such risk factors as drug dependence. Conclusions regarding the benefits are overwhelmingly positive. The proliferation of therapists licensed in infant massage across the United States and worldwide indicates that infant massage is increasingly recognized as a legitimate health care treatment.

Training and certification

The International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM) has developed a basic course for licensing infant massage therapists. The pioneer in the field, Vimala McClure, began to prepare a course of instruction in the 1970s. The course is introduced in four-day sessions around the United States.

Licensing is obtained by those who complete the course, pass a take-home examination, and complete a teaching practicum with five families over a three-month period. IAIM listed its course in 2000 as costing $550.00 if paid in full two weeks prior to training, and $595 after that. It includes a $100 nonrefundable deposit due one month before training.

The cities where the basic course was offered in 2000 included Augusta, GA; Gaithersburg, MD; Chicago, IL; Boston, MA; Washington, DC; Charlottesville, VA; Minneapolis, MN; and Albuquerque, NM. In 2000, the International Institute of Infant Massage in Albuquerque also offered an Infant Massage Instructor Certification Course specifically geared to men, entitled "Men Teaching Fathers," and scheduled to last four days.

The licensing of massage therapists varies from state to state, as infant massage qualifies for consideration as medical treatment. Infant massage is becoming an increasingly popular discipline within the field. Numerous websites provide listings for infant massage specialists throughout the United States. The IAIM course is recognized as the official course for infant massage.Nina Astikahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-78178693525184753682014-01-27T22:05:00.000-08:002014-01-27T22:05:49.894-08:00Hyperthermia

Hyperthermia

Hyperthermia involves raising the body's core temperature as a means of eradicating tumors. The treatment simulates fever. Some therapies actually bring on fever through the introduction of fever-causing organisms, while others raise body temperature by directly heating the blood.

Hyperthermia dates back to investigations begun in 1883 by William B. Coley, M.D., a general surgeon at New York City's Memorial Hospital. Coley was intrigued by a paper published in 1868 by an American family physician named Busch. Busch's paper described a patient with an untreatable sarcoma of the face.

Though Busch had been unable to help the patient overcome her cancer, the patient went into remission spontaneously after suffering a bout of the skin infection known as erysipelas. The erysipelas resulted in a high fever ranging from 104°F to 105.8°F (40°C to 41°C).

Over the next 20 years, Coley performed a series of experiments to study the effects of elevated temperature on various forms of cancer. After experimenting on animals, Coley moved to treating human cancer patients, injecting them with bacteria to induce high fevers.

The bacteria he used are known as Coley's toxins. He reported much success with his method, especially against soft-tissue sarcomas and sarcomas of the bone. Yet his treatment also had serious side effects due to the infections he was introducing.

In spite of its drawbacks, Coley's work intrigued a few other researchers. A study published in Cancer Research in 1957 showed that in a review of 450 cases of supposed spontaneous remissions of cancer, 150 of the patients had suffered acute infections that raised their body temperatures.

In the 1960s, a Cleveland surgeon and breast cancer specialist, George Crile Jr., published several studies of his experiments in eliminating tumors in mice using heat.

Another doctor, Harry Leveen of South Carolina, began building machines that used radio frequencies to heat either the whole body or affected parts. But Leveen's machines were not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Leveen took his inventory to the University of Bangor in Wales.

Hyperthermia did not receive much attention in the United States after this point, but practitioners in other countries, particularly Germany, Italy, and Mexico, have reported good results with it. An international congress on hyperthermia has been held each year since 1977.

Benefits

Hyperthermia has been shown in several studies to reduce malignant tumors either alone or in combination with chemotherapy. A 1998 study of patients with breast and ovarian cancer found that hyperthermia therapy increased the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

This study suggested that patients undergoing hyperthermia might be successfully treated with lower doses of chemotherapy. A 2003 study demonstrated that women with breast cancer were less likely to experience spread of the cancer to distant lymph nodes or the lungs if they received a combination of whole-body hyperthermia and chemotherapy.

A form of localized hyperthermia used to treat benign enlarged prostate glands can be performed in a doctor's office in as little as an hour, and this method does not have the side effects, such as impotence and incontinence, that often accompany traditional prostate surgery.

Newer methods of hyperthermia involving noninvasive (no penetration of skin) microwave technology have been introduced in other countries and were making their way to the United States in early 2002.

This technology offered excellent results for some cancer patients in improving five-year survival rates for some aggressive forms of cancer when combined with other cancer therapy procedures.

Description

Hyperthermia therapy involves raising the body's internal temperature, and this can be brought about by several methods. Hyperthermia can involve the whole body, or just an affected local region.

For reducing an enlarged prostate, doctors use a device approved by the FDA in 1996 that delivers microwaves to the prostate, while water cools the surrounding tissue to prevent burns.

For whole-body hyperthermia, a method used in Europe employs a tent-like device that delivers infrared light to the body. The patient is injected with toxins to provoke a mild fever and then monitored under lights.

The lights produce a slow rise in temperature, optimally to 107.6°F (42°C). A prominent practitioner of hyperthermia in Mexico directly heats the patient's blood. Under sedation, the doctor inserts a catheter into each leg near the groin. The two catheter tubes are connected to a heat exchanger.

The heat exchanger heats the patient's blood, bringing up the entire body temperature. The patient is monitored by thermometers in the esophagus and rectum. Body temperature is raised to 107.6°F (42°C) for about one hour.

Side effects

The side effects of hyperthermia depend on how it is delivered. Cardiac problems are possible. The patient should be closely monitored during the procedure and after. For treatment of the prostate, localized hyperthermia seems to be without the side effects of traditional prostate surgery.

Research and general acceptance

Though research into hyperthermia as a cancer treatment began in the United States, most active practitioners are in Europe or Mexico as of 2004. However, the heat therapy for prostate enlargement was approved in the United States in 1996.

Localized hyperthermia was being studied in the late 1990s for treatment of other conditions, including menorrhagia (heavy menstrual periods) and malignant tumors of the liver and rectum. Whole body hyperthermia continues to be studied and tested for its impact on cancers, and a test underway in 1999 in Texas examined this therapy for patients with AIDS.

Several studies in 2003 showed hyperthermia's positive effects on cellular immune response in cancer patients, especially when used along with chemotherapy. One study suggested that the effectiveness of certain chemotherapy drugs used for leukemia patients could be enhanced by adding hyperthermia to the treatment.

Training and certification

Practitioners performing hyperthermia are certified medical doctors and such trained assistants as nurses and anesthesiologists.Nina Astikahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-70683078029903729512014-01-27T21:52:00.000-08:002014-01-27T21:52:12.298-08:00Infertility

Infertility

Infertility is the failure of a couple to conceive a pregnancy after trying to do so for at least one full year. In primary infertility, pregnancy has never occurred. In secondary infertility, one or both members of the couple have previously conceived, but are unable to conceive again after a full year of trying.

Approximately 20% of couples struggle with infertility at any given time. Infertility has increased as a problem over the last 30 years. Some studies blame this increase on social phenomena, including the tendency for marriage and starting a family to occur at a later age. For women, fertility decreases with increasing age:

Infertility in married women ages 16–20 = 4.5%.

Infertility in married women ages 35–40 = 31.8%.

Infertility in married women over the age of 40 = 70%.

Presently, individuals often have several sexual partners before they marry and try to have children. This increase in numbers of sexual partners has led to an increase in sexually transmitted diseases.

Scarring from these infections, especially from pelvic inflammatory disease (infection of the female reproductive organs) seems to be in part responsible for the rise in infertility.

Furthermore, use of some forms of the contraceptive called the intrauterine device (IUD) has contributed to an increased rate of pelvic inflammatory disease, with subsequent scarring. A study in 2001 found that copper IUDs have probably been wrongfully blamed for tubal infertility, while infection from the sexually transmitted disease chlamydia was likely the cause.

To understand the causes of infertility, it is first necessary to understand the basics of human reproduction. Fertilization occurs when a sperm from the male merges with an egg (ovum) from the female, creating a zygote that contains genetic material (DNA) from both the father and the mother. If pregnancy is then established, the zygote will develop into an embryo, then a fetus, and ultimately, if all goes well, a baby will be born.

Sperm are small cells that carry the father's genetic material. The sperm are mixed into a fluid called semen, which is discharged from the penis during sexual intercourse. The whiplike tail of the sperm allows the sperm to swim up the female reproductive tract, in search of an egg.

The ovum is the cell that carries the mother's genetic material. Once a month, a single mature ovum is produced, and leaves the ovary in a process called ovulation. This ovum enters a tube leading to the uterus (the fallopian tube) where fertilization occurs.

When fertilization occurs, the resulting cell (which now contains genetic material from both the mother and the father) is called the zygote. This single cell will divide into multiple cells and the resulting cluster of cells (called a blastocyst) moves into the womb (uterus).

The uterine lining (endometrium) has been preparing itself to receive a pregnancy by growing thicker. If the blastocyst successfully attaches itself to the wall of the uterus, then pregnancy has been achieved.

Causes and Symptoms

Unlike most medical problems, infertility is an issue requiring the careful evaluation of two separate individuals, as well as an evaluation of their interactions with each other. In about 3–4% of couples, no cause for their infertility will be discovered.

About 40% of the time, infertility is due to a problem with the male; about 40% of the time, infertility is due to the female; and about 20% of the time, there are fertility problems with both the male and the female.

The main factors involved in causing infertility include:

male problems: 35%

ovulation problems: 20%

tubal problems: 20%

endometriosis: 10%

cervical factors: 5%

Male factors

Male infertility can be caused by a number of different characteristics of the sperm. To check for these characteristics, a sample of semen is obtained and examined under the microscope (semen analysis). Four basic characteristics are usually evaluated:

Sperm count refers to the number of sperm present in a semen sample. The normal number of sperm present in just 1 ml of semen is over 20 million. A man with only 5–20 million sperm is considered subfertile and a man with fewer than 5 million sperm is considered infertile.

Sperm are also examined to see how well they swim (sperm motility) and to be sure that most have normal structure.

Not all sperm within a specimen of semen will be perfectly normal. Some may be immature, and some may have abnormalities of the head or tail. A normal semen sample will contain no more than 25% abnormal forms of sperm.

Volume of the semen sample is important. An abnormal amount of semen could affect the ability of the sperm to successfully fertilize an ovum.

Any number of conditions result in abnormal findings in the semen analysis. Men can be born with testicles that have not descended properly from the abdominal cavity (where testicles develop originally) into the scrotal sac, or may be born with only one instead of the normal two testicles.

Testicle size can be smaller than normal. Past infection (including mumps) can affect testicular function, as can a past injury. The presence of abnormally large veins (varicocele) in the testicles can increase testicular temperature, which decreases sperm count.

History of having been exposed to various toxins, drug use, excess alcohol use, use of anabolic steroids, certain medications, diabetes, thyroid problems, or other endocrine disturbances can have direct effects on the formation of sperm (spermatogenesis). A study published in late 2001 linked certain organic solvents that men encounter in the workplace as possible causes of low sperm count.

The types of solvents are most likely encountered in such occupations as those of professional printers, painters, and decorators. Theories suggest solvents like glycol ethers, which are know to affect animals' reproductive systems, are the most harmful.

Problems with the male anatomy can cause sperm to be ejaculated not out of the penis, but into the bladder; and scarring from past infections can interfere with ejaculation.

Studies continue to uncover reasons for male infertility. In 2001, researchers reported that a certain protein lacking in the sperm could prevent formation of the structure on the head of the sperm that contains enzymes that help penetrate the egg, allowing conception. The finding should lead to further study of the molecular basis of male fertility.

Ovulatory problems

The first step in diagnosing ovulatory problems is to make sure that an ovum is being produced each month. A woman's morning body temperature is slightly higher around the time of ovulation.

A woman can measure and record her temperatures daily and a chart can be drawn to show whether or not ovulation has occurred. Luteinizing hormone (LH) is released just before ovulation. A simple urine test can be done to check if LH has been released around the time that ovulation is expected.

Pelvic adhesions and endometriosis

Pelvic adhesions cause infertility by blocking the fallopian tubes and preventing the sperm from reaching the egg. Pelvic adhesions are fibrous scars. These scars can be the result of past infections, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, or infections following abortions or prior births. Previous abdominal surgeries can also leave behind scarring.

Endometriosis is the abnormal location of uterine tissue outside of the uterus. When uterine tissue is planted elsewhere in the pelvis, it still bleeds on a monthly basis with the start of the normal menstrual period. This leads to irritation within the pelvis around the site of this abnormal tissue and bleeding, and may cause scarring. Endometriosis may lead to pelvic adhesions.

A hysterosalpingogram (HSG) can show if the fallopian tubes are blocked. This is an x-ray exam that tests whether dye material can travel through the patient's fallopian tubes. Scarring also can be diagnosed by examining the pelvic area through the use of a laparoscope that is inserted into the abdomen through a tiny incision made near the navel.

Cervical factors

The cervix is the opening from the vagina into the uterus through which the sperm must pass. Mucus produced by the cervix helps to transport the sperm into the uterus.

Injury to the cervix or scarring of the cervix after surgery or infection can result in a smaller than normal cervical opening, making it difficult for the sperm to enter. Injury or infection can also decrease the number of glands in the cervix, leading to a smaller amount of cervical mucus.

In other situations, the mucus produced is the wrong consistency (perhaps too thick) to allow sperm to travel through. In addition, some women produce antibodies (immune cells) that are specifically directed to identify sperm as foreign invaders and to kill them.

Cervical mucus can be examined under a microscope to diagnose whether cervical factors are contributing to infertility. The interaction of a live sperm sample from the male partner and a sample of cervical mucus from the female partner can also be examined. This procedure is called a post-coital test.

Treatment

Conventional treatment for infertility usually involves invasive and, expensive procedures. There are many alternative treatments available that can increase the chance of conception. Some have been proven effective in clinical studies.

General measures to increase fertility include monitoring ovulation and timing intercourse (optimal chance for conception is within six days prior to and including the day of ovulation); and quitting smoking, excessive drinking, and drug use. To improve sperm quality, men can wear boxer shorts instead of briefs.

Both men and women can increase fertility by eating a well-balanced diet. Good food choices include legumes (especially soy), dark-colored vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, and sufficient good quality protein including meat, fish, and eggs.

Some people think that refined sugar, processed cheeses, foods made with white flour, and chemical preservatives should be avoided. Adequate sleep is also important.

Supplements

Dietary supplements that can enhance fertility include:

Multivitamins can help treat infertility in women.

Vitamin E has antioxidant activity that prevents reproductive damage in men and women. It can increase sperm count and motility in men and balance hormones in women.

Vitamin C has antioxidant activity that prevents reproductive damage in men and women. Also, a study found that vitamin C supplementation led to improved sperm count and decreased sperm clumping in infertile men.

Folic acid (with a multivitamin) improved fertility in a study of infertile women.

Zinc deficiency is often associated with low sperm count. Studies have found that zinc supplementation can improve male fertility.

Arginine supplementation led to major increases in sperm count and motility in a study of infertile men.

Selenium has antioxidant activity. Selenium supplementation led to increased sperm count and motility and decreased number of abnormal sperm in a study of infertile men.

Beta-carotene supplementation can increase sperm count and motility.

B vitamins (B2,B6, and B12) are important for optimal fertility.

Herbal and Chinese medicine

The following may be taken by women to treat infertility:

Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) has been used to regulate menstrual cycles and for infertility.

Licorice helps to balance levels of estrogen and testosterone and is used for infertility.

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) has a beneficial effect on the uterus, can calm the nervous system, and can balance hormone levels.

Nettle (Urtica dioica) supports the uterus and hormonal system.

Raspberry leaf strengthens the mucous lining of the uterus.

Chasteberry (Vitex agnus-castus) balances hormone production.

Ladies mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris) balances hormone production.

Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) is an Ayurvedic remedy for infertility and works by balancing hormones.

Rehmannia is an Ayurvedic remedy for infertility.

Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) is an Ayurvedic remedy for infertility.

False unicorn (Chamaelirium luteum) balances hormone levels.

Pomegranate essence balances the reproductive system.

The following may be taken by men to treat infertility:

Ginseng may increase the formation of sperm, testosterone levels, and sexual activity.

Pygeum may help infertile men who have a reduced secretion of semen.

Pine bark extract improves sperm shape.

Chasteberry (Vitex agnus-castus) balances hormone production.

Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) is an Ayurvedic remedy for infertility and works by balancing hormones. May increase sperm production.

Saw palmetto (Serenoa serrulata) increases the production of testosterone and strengthens the reproductive system.

Ashwaganda (Withania omnifera) is an Ayurvedic remedy that improves the quality of semen and sperm count.

Chinese herbals must be specifically designed and used to treat infertility in males.

Other treatments

A variety of other alternative treatments may be used for infertility:

stress reduction

cognitive behavior therapy

visualization

homeopathy

reflexology

essential oils

acupuncture

Allopathic treatment

The first step in the treatment of infertility is to perform thorough physical exams and testing of both partners in the hope of finding the source of infertility. For the woman this involves blood testing and ultrasound examinations at specific days during the menstrual cycle.

This may include an endometrial biopsy in which a sample of the lining of the uterus is taken and examined. Hysteroscopy, in which a special camera examines the inside of the uterus, may be performed.

Pelvic adhesions can be treated during laparoscopy. The adhesions are cut using special instruments. Endometriosis can be treated with certain medications, but may also require surgery to repair any obstruction caused by adhesions.

Treatment of cervical factors includes antibiotics in the case of an infection, steroids to decrease production of anti-sperm antibodies, and artificial insemination techniques to completely bypass the cervical mucus.

Treatment of ovulatory problems depends on the cause. If a thyroid or pituitary problem is responsible, simply treating that problem can restore fertility.

Medications that stimulate ovulation are clomiphene citrate (Clomid) that is taken by mouth and follicle stimulating hormone (Pergonal, Fertinex, and Follistim) that is given by injection. These drugs increase the risk of multiple births (twins, triplets, etc.) and may cause side effects.

Treatment of male infertility includes addressing known reversible factors first; for example, discontinuing any medication known to have an effect on spermatogenesis or ejaculation, as well as decreasing alcohol intake, and treating thyroid or other endocrine disease. Varicoceles can be treated surgically. Testosterone in low doses can improve sperm motility.

Other treatments of male infertility include collecting semen samples from multiple ejaculations, pooling them, and depositing them into the female's uterus during ovulation. When the male partner's sperm is proven to be absolutely unable to produce pregnancy, donor sperm may be used. Depositing the male partner's sperm or donor sperm by mechanical means into the female is called artificial insemination.

Assisted reproductive techniques include in vitro fertilization (IVF), gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT), and zygote intrafallopian tube transfer (ZIFT). These are usually used after other techniques to treat infertility (surgery, medications, and/or insemination) have failed.

IVF involves the use of drugs to induce the simultaneous production of many eggs from the ovaries, which are retrieved surgically or via ultrasound-guided needle aspiration through the vaginal wall. The ova and sperm are combined in a laboratory, where several of the ova may be fertilized.

Cell division is allowed to take place up to the pre-embryo stage. While this takes place, the female may be given progesterone to ensure that her uterus is ready for implantation. Two or more pre-embryos are transferred to the female's uterus.

Success rates of IVF are still rather low. The national average success rate of IVF is approximately 27% but some centers have higher pregnancy rates. Because most IVF procedures put more than one embryo into the uterus, the chance for a multiple birth (twins or more) is greatly increased.

GIFT involves retrieval of both multiple ova and semen, and the mechanical placement of both within the female's fallopian tubes, where fertilization may occur. ZIFT involves the same retrieval of ova and semen, and fertilization and growth in the laboratory up to the zygote stage, at which point the zygotes are placed in the fallopian tubes. Both GIFT and ZIFT have higher success rates than IVF.

Expected results

In general, it is believed that about half of the couples who undergo a complete evaluation of infertility followed by treatment will ultimately have a successful pregnancy. About 5% of those couples who choose to not undergo evaluation or treatment will go on to conceive after a year or more.Nina Astikahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-70339836332558569672014-01-27T21:41:00.000-08:002014-01-27T21:41:13.157-08:00Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is the overproduction of thyroid hormones by an overactive thyroid gland.

Located in the front of the neck, the thyroid gland produces the hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) that regulate the body's metabolic rate by helping to form protein ribonucleic acid (RNA) and increasing oxygen absorption in every cell. In turn, the production of these hormones is controlled by a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) that is produced by the pituitary gland.

When production of the thyroid hormones increases despite the level of TSH being produced, hyperthyroidism occurs. The excessive amount of thyroid hormones in the blood increases the body's metabolism, creating both mental and physical symptoms.

The term hyperthyroidism covers any disease that results in an overabundance of thyroid hormone. Other names for hyperthyroidism, or specific diseases within the category, include Graves' disease, diffuse toxic goiter, Basedow's disease, Parry's disease, and thyrotoxicosis.

Hyperthyroidism affects 2.5 million people in the United States, but could affect up to 4.5 million people because more than half of the people with thyroid disease don't know they have it. Although it occurs at all ages, hyperthyroidism is most likely to occur after the age of 15.

There is a form of hyperthyroidism called neonatal Graves' disease, which occurs in infants born of mothers with Graves' disease. Occult hyperthyroidism may occur in patients over age 65 and is characterized by a distinct lack of typical symptoms. Diffuse toxic goiter occurs in as many as 80% of patients with hyperthyroidism.

Causes and symptoms

Hyperthyroidism is often associated with the body's production of auto-antibodies in the blood that cause the thyroid to grow and secrete excess thyroid hormone. This condition, as well as other forms of hyperthyroidism, may be inherited.

Regardless of the cause, hyperthyroidism produces the same symptoms, including weight loss with increased appetite, shortness of breath and fatigue, intolerance to heat, heart palpitations (strong, very fast heartbeats), increased frequency of bowel movements, weak muscles, tremors, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping. Women also may notice decreased menstrual flow and irregular menstrual cycles.

Patients with Graves' disease often have a goiter (visible enlargement of the thyroid gland), although as many as ten percent do not. These patients also may have bulging eyes. Thyroid storm, a serious form of hyperthyroidism, may show up as sudden and acute symptoms, some of which mimic typical hyperthyroidism but with the addition of fever, substantial weakness, extreme restlessness, confusion, emotional swings or psychosis, and perhaps even coma.

Diagnosis

Physicians will look for physical signs and symptoms indicated by patient history. On inspection, the physician may note symptoms such as a goiter or eye-bulging. Other symptoms or family history may be clues to a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism.

An elevated basal (lowest range of normal) body temperature above 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees centigrade) may be an indication of a heightened basal metabolic rate (which measures the energy used to maintain vitality) and hyperthyroidism. A simple blood test can be performed to determine the amount of thyroid hormone in the patient's blood.

The diagnosis usually is straightforward with this combination of clinical history, physical examination, and routine blood hormone tests. Radioimmunoassay, or a test to show concentrations of thyroid hormones with the use of a radioisotope (a chemical element capable of radioactive or atomic transformations) mixed with fluid samples, helps confirm the diagnosis.

A thyroid scan is a nuclear medicine procedure involving injection of a radioisotope dye that will tag the thyroid and help produce a clear image of inflammation or involvement of the entire thyroid.

Other tests can determine thyroid function and thyroidstimulating hormone levels. Ultrasonography (a test whereby high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) are bounced off tissues and echoes are converted to pictures (sonograms), computed tomography or (CT) scan (an x-ray computer procedure that produces a detailed picture of a crosssection of the body), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (an x-ray technique that produces a detailed image of the inner body using a powerful magnet, radio waves, and a computer) may provide visual confirmation of a diagnosis or help to determine the extent of involvement.

Treatment

Alternative treatments for hyperthyroidism include nutritional therapy, herbal therapy, and homeopathy, the use of tiny doses of diluted and harmless remedies to catalyze healing.

Nutritional therapy

Consumption of such foods as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, rutabagas, spinach, turnips, peaches, and pears can help naturally suppress thyroid hormone production. Dairy products and any stimulants such as tea, coffee, soda, and other caffeinated drinks should be avoided. Under the supervision of a trained physician, high dosages of certain vitamin/mineral combinations can help alleviate hyperthyroidism.

Homeopathy

An experienced homeopath may give patients specific remedies tailored to their overall personality profile as well as their specific symptoms. Symptomatic treatments may include Iodium or Natrum muriaticum.

Other therapies

Other alternative treatments that may help relieve hyperthyroidism symptoms include traditional Chinese medicine and Western herbal medicine. Stress reduction techniques such as meditation also may prove beneficial. Patients should contact experienced herbalists for specific preparations and treatment.

Allopathic treatment

Allopathy is the theory or system of medical practice that combats disease by use of remedies that produce effects different from those produced by the disease. Treatment will depend on the specific disease and individual circumstances such as age, severity of disease, and other conditions affecting a patient's health.

Antithyroid drugs

Antithyroid drugs often are administered to help the patient's body cease overproduction of thyroid hormones. In 2004, some drugs used to interfere with the thyroid gland's uptake of iodine were propylthiouracil (PTU) and methimazole (Tapazole®).

Medication may work for young adults, pregnant women, and others. Women who are pregnant should be treated with the lowest dose required to maintain thyroid function in order to minimize the risk of hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland function) in the infant.

Radioactive iodine

Radioactive iodine often is prescribed to damage cells that make thyroid hormone. The cells need iodine to make the hormone, so they will absorb any iodine found in the body. The patient may take an iodine capsule daily for several weeks, resulting in the eventual shrinkage of the thyroid, reduced hormone production, and a return to normal blood levels.

A single large oral dose of radioactive iodine simplifies treatment but should only be given to patients who are not of reproductive age or are not planning to have children, since a large amount can concentrate in the reproductive organs (gonads).

Surgery

Patients treated with thyroidectomy, or surgery involving of partial or total removal of the thyroid, most often suffer from large goiter and have suffered relapses, even after repeated attempts to address the disease through drug therapy with iodine.

Following thyroidectomy or iodine therapy, patients must be carefully monitored for years to watch for signs of hypothyroidism, or insufficient production of thyroid hormones. Hypothyroidism can occur as a complication of thyroid production suppression.

Expected results

Hyperthyroidism generally is treatable and carries a good prognosis. Most patients lead normal lives with proper treatment. The majority of patients who receive radioactive iodine report feeling better within about three to six weeks of treatment. Thyroid storm, however, can be life-threatening and can lead to heart, liver, or kidney failure. Some patients who undergo radioactive iodine treatment or surgery become hypothyroid.

Prevention

There are no known prevention methods for hyperthyroidism, since its causes are either inherited or not completely understood. The best prevention tactic is knowledge of family history and close attention to symptoms and signs of the disease. Careful attention to prescribed therapy can prevent complications of the disease.Nina Astikahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-80560078744957495152014-01-27T21:29:00.001-08:002014-01-27T21:29:53.491-08:00Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is the treatment of a variety of health conditions by hypnotism or by inducing prolonged sleep.

Hypnotherapy is thought to date back to the healing practices of ancient Greece and Egypt. Many religions such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and others have attributed trance-like behavior to spiritual or divine possession.

An Austrian physician, Franz Mesmer (1734–1815), is credited with being the first person to scientifically investigate the idea of hypnotherapy in 1779 to treat a variety of health conditions. Mesmer studied medicine at the University of Vienna and received his medical degree in 1766.

Mesmer is believed to have been the first doctor to understand the relationship of psychological trauma to illness. He induced a trance-like state, which became known as mesmerization, in his patients to successfully treat nervous disorders. These techniques became the foundation for modern-day hypnotherapy.

Mesmer's original interest was in the effect of celestial bodies on human lives. He later became interested in the effects of magnetism and found that magnets could have tremendous healing effects on the human body.

Mesmer believed that the human body contained a magnetic fluid that promoted health and well being. It was thought that any blockage to the normal flow of this magnetic fluid would result in illness, and that the use of the Mesmerism technique could restore the normal flow.

Mesmer performed his technique by passing his hands up and down the patient's body. The technique was supposed to transmit magnetic fluid from his hands to the bodies of his patients.

During this time period, there was no clear delineation between health conditions that were physical or psychological in nature. Although Mesmer did not realize it at that time, his treatments were most effective for those conditions that are now known to be primarily psychosomatic.

Mesmer's technique appeared to be quite successful in the treatment of his patients, but he was the subject of scorn and ridicule from the medical profession. Because of all the controversy surrounding mesmerism, and because Mesmer's personality was quite eccentric, a commission was convened to investigate his techniques and procedures.

The very distinguished panel of investigators included Benjamin Franklin, the French chemist Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier, and the physician Jacques Guillotin. The commission acknowledged that patients did seem to obtain noticeable relief from their conditions, but the whole idea was dismissed as being medical quackery.

Other pioneers in this field, such as James Braid and James Esdaile, discovered that hypnosis could be used to successfully anesthetize patients for surgeries. James Braid accidentally discovered that one of his patients began to enter a hypnotic state while staring at a fixed light as he waited for his eye examination to begin.

Since mesmerism had fallen out of favor, Braid coined the term hypnotism, which is derived from the Greek word for sleep. Braid also used the techniques of monotony, rhythm, and imitation to assist in inducing a hypnotic state. These techniques are generally still in use.

Around 1900, there were very few preoperative anesthetic drugs available. Patients were naturally apprehensive when facing surgery. One out of 400 patients would die, not from the surgical procedure, but from the anesthesia. Dr. Henry Munro was one of the first physicians to use hypnotherapy to alleviate patient fears about having surgery.

He would get his patients into a hypnotic state and discuss their fears with them, telling them they would feel a lot better following surgery. Ether was the most common anesthetic at that time, and Dr. Munro found that he was able to perform surgery using only about 10% of the usual amount of ether.

It took more than 200 years for hypnotherapy to become incorporated into mainstream medical treatment. In 1955, the British Medical Association approved the use of hypnotherapy as a valid medical treatment, with the American Medical Association (AMA) giving its approval in 1958.

Benefits

Hypnotherapy is used in a number of fields including psychotherapy, surgery, dentistry, research, and medicine. Hypnotherapy is commonly used as an alternative treatment for a wide range of health conditions, including weight control, pain management, and smoking cessation. It is also used to control pain in a variety of such conditions as headache, facial neuralgia, arthritis, burns, musculoskeletal disorders, childbirth, and many more.

Hypnotherapy is being used in place of anesthesia, particularly in patients who prove to be allergic to anesthetic drugs, for such surgeries as hysterectomies, cesarean sections, certain cardiovascular procedures, thyroidectomy, and others. Dentists use hypnotherapy with success on patients who are allergic to all types of dental anesthetics. Hypnotherapy is also useful in helping patients overcome phobias.

Hypnotherapy is used for nonmedical patients as well as those who wish to overcome bad habits. Hypnotherapy has been shown to help those who suffer from performance anxiety in such activities as sports and speaking in public.

In academic applications, it has also been shown to help with learning, participating in the classroom, concentrating, studying, extending attention span, improving memory, and helping remove mental blocks about particular subjects.

In more general areas, hypnotherapy has been found to be beneficial for such problems as motivation, procrastination, decision-making, personal achievement and development, job performance, buried or repressed memories, relaxation, and stress management.

Description

Hypnotherapy involves achieving a psychological state of awareness that is different from the ordinary state of consciousness. While in a hypnotic state, a variety of phenomena can occur. These phenomena include alterations in memory, heightened susceptibility to suggestion, paralysis, sweating, and blushing. All of these changes can be produced or removed in the hypnotic state. Many studies have shown that roughly 90% of the population is capable of being hypnotized.

This state of awareness can be achieved by relaxing the body, focusing on one's breathing, and shifting attention away from the external environment. In this state, the patient has a heightened receptivity to suggestion. The usual procedure for inducing a hypnotic trance in another person is by a direct command repeated in a soothing, monotonous tone of voice.

Preparations

Ideally, the following conditions should be present to successfully achieve a state of hypnosis:

willingness to be hypnotized

rapport between the patient or client and the hypnotherapist

a comfortable environment conducive to relaxation

Precautions

Hypnotherapy can have negative outcomes. When used as entertainment, people have been hypnotized to say or do things that would normally embarrass them. There have been instances where people already dangerously close to psychological breakdown have been pushed into an emotional crisis during what was supposed to be a harmless demonstration of hypnosis.

A statement from the World Hypnosis Organization (WHO) warns against performing hypnosis on patients suffering from psychosis, organic psychiatric conditions, or antisocial personality disorders. Because there are no standard licensing requirements, there is a risk that the hypnotist will have difficulty in controlling or ending a hypnotic state that has been induced in the patient.

There is a commonly held belief that a person cannot be coerced into doing things that he or she would not normally do while under hypnosis. The hynotherapist should take care, however, not to give suggestions during hypnosis that are contrary to the patient's moral code.

Many religions do not condone the practice of hypnotherapy. Leaders of the Jehovah's Witnesses and Christian Science religions oppose the use of hypnotherapy and advise their members to avoid it completely, whether for entertainment or therapy.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints approves it for medical purposes, but cautions members against allowing themselves to be hypnotized for entertainment or demonstration purposes.

In 1985, the AMA convened a commission that warned against using hypnotherapy to aid in recollection of events. The commission cited studies that showed the possibility of hypnotic recall resulting in confabulation or an artificial sense of certainty about the course of events. As a result, many states limit or prohibit testimony of hypnotized witnesses or victims.

Side effects

Experiments have been conducted to determine any side effects of hypnotherapy. Some subjects have reported side effects such as headache, stiff neck, drowsiness, cognitive distortion or confusion, dizziness, and anxiety. However, most of these effects cleared up within several hours of the hypnotherapy session.

Research and general acceptance

Research on the effectiveness of hypnotherapy on a variety of medical conditions is extensive. In one study, the use of hypnotherapy did not seem to alter the core symptoms in the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); however, it did seem useful in managing the associated symptoms, including sleep disturbances and tics.

Hypnotherapy is being studied in children who have common chronic problems and to aid in relieving pain. Children are particularly good candidates for hypnotherapy because their lack of worldly experience enables them to move easily between the rational world and their imagination.

Studies with children have shown responses to hypnotherapy ranging from diminished pain and anxiety during a number of medical procedures; a 50% range in reduction of symptoms or a complete resolution of a medical condition; and a reduction in use of antinausea medication and vomiting during chemotherapy for childhood cancers.

In 2002, a report compiled several study results on hypnosis. One recent study evaluated how self-hypnosis relieved pain and anxiety in patients undergoing angioplasty with local anesthesia. Those patients needed less sedation and less procedure time. Another study found that pregnant adolescents counseled in hypnosis needed less anesthesia during delivery and less pain medication afterward. They also left the hospital sooner.

The use of hypnotherapy with cancer patients is another area being investigated. A meta-analysis of 116 studies showed positive results of using hypnotherapy with cancer patients. Ninety-two percent showed a positive effect on depression; 93% showed a positive effect on physical well-being; 81% showed a positive effect on vomiting; and 92% showed a positive effect on pain.

In 2002, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Association reported that it recognizes hypnosis therapy as one effective tool to help terminally ill patients deal with their fears, feelings, and emotions; and to promote relaxation.

Training and certification

In the early twenty-first century, anyone could be a hypnotherapist. It is very easy to learn how to hypnotize someone, and the fact that hypnotism dates back to ancient times proves the ease with which a trance can be induced.

There are no licensing procedures in place that limit the practice of hypnotherapy to medical professionals. Hypnotherapists are not regulated in any way; there are no uniform education or certification requirements to perform hypnotherapy.

The National Board for Hypnotherapy and Hypnotic Anaesthesiology (NBHA) has specific membership requirements and also offers varying levels of professional recognition. Certification as a Clinical Hypnotherapist (C.Ht.) requires a minimum of 200 hours of classroom instruction and, independent study and life learning experience in the medical, dental, psychological, or peer counseling professions.

Certification as a Medical Hypnotherapist (C.M.H.) requires meeting the standards for the Clinical Hypnotherapist level plus attending a residential training course or home study training course that requires a clinical practicum/internship approved by the NBHA.

Certification as a Hypno-Anesthesia Therapist (Ct.H.A.) requires the successful completion of an NBHA-approved course in Visualization and Guided Imagery for Pain Management, and a passing score on the examination. Certification as a Registered Hypnotic Anaesthesiologist (R.H.A.) requires two years of continuous membership in the NBHA at the Ct.H.A. level, and completion of advanced training seminars.

The highest level of certification that can be obtained in this organization is Fellow (F.B.H.A.). Requirements for achieving this level of certification include membership at the R.H.A. level and a graduate degree from an accredited university, plus submitting a comprehensive thesis.

There is an ongoing debate regarding the issue of clinically trained versus lay hypnotists. The position of the American Society of Clinical Hypnotists (ASCH) is that the training of lay hypnotists is unethical. This organization supports only the training of those persons who are pursuing an advanced degree in the health sciences.

ASCH further believes that hypnotherapy is a treatment modality to be used in conjunction with other forms of treatment, not a treatment that stands alone. Medical professionals believe that lay hypnotists keep the view of hypnotherapy in low esteem by the general public. They also believe that their practices are impacted economically by the lay hypnotists.

ASCH and the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis (SCEH) are two organizations that are trying to set up formal screening, training, and accrediting standards. Both of these organizations offer formal training to medical professionals at their annual meetings.Nina Astikahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-88969152988481319252014-01-27T21:27:00.001-08:002014-01-27T21:27:11.193-08:00Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism, or a condition of insufficient thyroid hormone in the body, develops when the thyroid gland fails to produce or secrete as much thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) as the body needs.

Because T4 regulates such essential functions as heart rate, digestion, physical growth, and mental development, an insufficiency of this hormone can slow life-sustaining processes, damage organs and tissues in every part of the body, and lead to life-threatening complications.

Hypothyroidism is one of the most common chronic diseases in the United States. Symptoms may not appear until years after the thyroid has stopped functioning, and they are often mistaken for signs of other illnesses, menopause, or aging. Although this condition is believed to affect as many as 11 million adults and children, as many as two of every three people with hypothyroidism may not know they have the disease.

The thyroid gland influences almost every organ, tissue, and cell in the body. It is shaped like a butterfly and located just below the Adam's apple. The thyroid stores iodine the body gets from food and uses this mineral to create T4 and T3. Low T4 levels can alter weight, appetite, sleep patterns, body temperature, sex drive, and a variety of other physical, mental, and emotional characteristics.

There are three types of hypothyroidism. The most common is primary hypothyroidism, in which the thyroid doesn't produce an adequate amount of T4. Secondary hypothyroidism develops when the pituitary gland does not release enough of the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) that prompts the thyroid to manufacture T4.

Tertiary hypothyroidism results from a malfunction of the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls the endocrine system. Drug-induced hypothyroidism, an adverse reaction to medication, occurs in two of every 10,000 people, but rarely causes severe hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism is at least twice as common in women as it is in men. Although hypothyroidism is most common in women who are middle-aged or older, the disease can occur at any age. Newborn infants are tested for congenital (acquired in utero (Latin)) thyroid deficiency (cretinism) using a test that measures the levels of thyroxine and TSH in the infant's blood. Treatment within the first few months of life can prevent mental retardation and physical abnormalities. Older children who develop hypothyroidism suddenly stop growing.

Factors that increase a person's risk of developing hypothyroidism include age, weight, and medical history. Women are more likely to develop the disease after age 50; men, after age 60. Obesity (excessively fat condition) also increases the risk.

A family history of thyroid problems or a personal history of high cholesterol levels or such autoimmune diseases as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or diabetes can make an individual more susceptible to hypothyroidism.

Causes and symptoms

Hypothyroidism is most often the result of Hashimoto's disease, also known as chronic thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland). In this disease, the immune system fails to recognize that the thyroid gland is part of the body's own tissue and attacks it as if it were a foreign body.

The attack by the immune system impairs thyroid function and sometimes destroys the gland. Other causes of hypothyroidism include:

Radiation (the process whereby an element like radium emits rays). Radioactive (the quality some atoms have of producing energy) iodine used to treat hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) or radiation treatments for head or neck cancers can destroy the thyroid gland.

Surgery. Removal of the thyroid gland because of cancer or other thyroid disorders can result in hypothyroidism.

Viruses (very small organisms that cause disease)and bacteria (very small one-cell organisms that divide and can cause disease). Infections that depress thyroid hormone production usually cause permanent hypothyroidism.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Among viruses, HIV, the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS, may cause overt hypothyroidism. A 2004 report said that hypothyroidism occurs more often in HIV-infected patients taking highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

Medications. Nitroprusside, lithium, or iodides can induce hypothyroidism. Because patients who use these medications are closely monitored by their doctors, this side effect is very rare.

Pituitary gland malfunction. This is a rare condition in which the pituitary gland fails to produce enough TSH to activate the thyroid's production of T4.

Congenital defect. One of every 4,000 babies is born without a properly functioning thyroid gland.

Diet. Because the thyroid makes T4 from iodine drawn from food, an iodine-deficient diet can cause hypothyroidism. Adding iodine to table salt and other common foods has eliminated iodine deficiency in the United States. Certain foods (cabbage, rutabagas, peanuts, peaches, soybeans, spinach) can interfere with thyroid hormone production.

Environmental contaminants. Certain industrial chemicals, such as PCBs, found in the local environment at high levels may also cause hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism sometimes is referred to as a "silent" disease because early symptoms may be so mild that no one realizes anything is wrong. Untreated symptoms become more noticeable and severe, and can lead to confusion and mental disorders, breathing difficulties, heart problems, fluctuations in body temperature, and death.

Someone who has hypothyroidism will probably have more than one of the following symptoms:

Fatigue

decreased heart rate

progressive hearing loss

weight gain

problems with memory and concentration

depression

goiter (enlarged thyroid gland)

muscle pain or weakness

loss of interest in sex; decreased libido

numb, tingling hands

dry skin

swollen eyelids

dryness, loss, or premature graying of hair

extreme sensitivity to cold

constipation

irregular menstrual periods

hoarse voice

Hypothyroidism usually develops gradually. When the disease results from surgery or other treatment for hyperthyroidism, symptoms may appear suddenly and include severe muscle cramps in the arms, legs, neck, shoulders, and back. It's important to see a doctor if any of these symptoms appear unexpectedly.

When hypothyroidism remains undiagnosed and untreated, a person may eventually develop myxedema. Symptoms of this rare but potentially deadly complication include enlarged tongue, swollen facial features, hoarseness, and physical and mental sluggishness.

Myxedema coma is characterized by unresponsiveness, irregular and shallow breathing, and a drop in blood pressure and body temperature. The onset of this medical emergency can be sudden in people who are elderly or have been ill, injured, or exposed to very cold temperatures; who have recently had surgery; or who use sedatives or antidepressants. Without immediate medical attention, myxedema coma can be fatal.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of hypothyroidism is based on the patient's observations, medical history, physical examination, and thyroid function tests. Doctors who specialize in treating thyroid disorders (endocrinologists) are most apt to recognize subtle symptoms and physical indications of hypothyroidism.

A blood test known as a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) assay, tests of T4 and T3 levels, a thyroid nuclear medicine scan, and thyroid ultrasound are used to confirm the diagnosis.

A woman being tested for hypothyroidism should let her doctor know if she is pregnant or breastfeeding. All patients should be sure their doctors are aware of any recent procedures involving radioactive materials or contrast media.

The TSH assay is extremely accurate, but some doctors doubt the test's ability to detect mild hypothyroidism. They advise patients to monitor their basal (resting) body temperature for below-normal readings that could indicate the presence of hypothyroidism.

These readings should be taken for five consecutive days, starting on the second day of the menstrual cycle for female patients. The normal temperature reading is 97.5°F (36.4°C).

Treatment

Alternative treatments are aimed primarily at strengthening the thyroid gland and will not eliminate the need for thyroid hormone medications. They include nutritional therapy, herbal therapy, and exercise.

Nutritional therapy

If a person is experiencing symptoms resembling those of hypothyroidism, it is best to talk to a family physician immediately for appropriate diagnosis and treatments. Nutritional therapy should only be complementary and not used to replace conventional treatment for this disorder.

In 2004, a study found that feeding soy formula to infants with congenital hypothyroidism led to prolonged increases in TSH levels. The study authors recommended close follow-up and frequent TSH measures if infants are put on soy-based formulas.

A naturopath or a nutritionist may recommend the following dietary changes to improve mild hypothyroidism:

Avoiding eating the following raw foods: cabbage, mustard, spinach, cassava roots, peanuts, soybeans, and peaches. They may interfere with thyroid hormone production if not cooked.

Eating foods with high iodine content such as fish, shellfish, and seaweed.

Taking multivitamin and mineral supplements daily. Vitamins A, B2, B3, B6, E, and zinc are needed for normal thyroid hormone production.

Strengthening thyroid function with thyroid preparations sold at local food stores. They are used to treat mild hypothyroidism only. Available products include thyroid extracts, iodine, zinc, or tyrosine. Most Americans may not need iodine supplements, as the daily requirement can easily be met by eating iodine-rich foods or using iodized salt. Consuming more than 600 mcg of iodine per day may result in toxicity.

Herbal therapies

Herbal remedies to improve thyroid function and relieve thyroid symptoms include Siberian ginseng (for treatment of fatigue), Panax ginseng, and bladder wrack (Fucus vesiculosus,) which can be taken in capsule form or as a tea.

Homeopathic remedies

Homeopathic treatments (tiny doses of diluted, safe remedies to promote healing) may gradually reduce the need for supplemental thyroid hormone in some patients. Homeopathic remedies for hypothyroidism include homeopathic thyroid as well as others based on the patient's individualized symptoms.

Exercise

Exercise improves thyroid function by stimulating production of thyroid hormone and making body tissues more responsive to the effects of thyroid hormone. It also increases the metabolic (chemical changes in cells providing energy to the body) rate and helps hypothyroid patients lose weight.

Allopathic treatment

In allopathic treatment—medical practice that combats disease with remedies that produce effects different from those produced by the disease—natural or synthetic thyroid hormones are used to restore normal (euthyroid) thyroid hormone levels.

Synthroid, or synthetic T4, is easy to take and works for about 80% of patients. In addition, some patients need additional T3. However, physicians have not agreed for many years on adding this therapy. In 2004, a study showed there were no benefits to adding T3 to traditional T4 therapy.

Synthetic hormones are more effective than natural substances, but it may take several months to determine the correct dosage. Patients start to feel better within 48 hours, but symptoms will return if they stop taking the medication.

Most doctors prescribe levothyroxine sodium tablets, and most people with hypothyroidism will take the medication for the rest of their lives. Aging, other medications, and changes in weight and general health can affect how much replacement hormone a patient needs, and regular TSH tests are used to monitor hormone levels. Patients should not switch from one brand of thyroid hormone to another without a doctor's permission.

Possible side effects of too much T4 or T3 include osteoporosis (after long-term use), occasional anxiety, heart palpitations (very fast, strong heartbeat), insomnia, and occasional episodes of mania (acting crazed).

Regular exercise and a high-fiber diet can help maintain thyroid function and prevent constipation.

Expected results

Thyroid hormone replacement therapy generally maintains normal thyroid hormone levels unless treatment is interrupted or discontinued. In 2004, a study showed that treating hypothyroidism reduces risk of cardiac disease, particularly from atherosclerosis, or hardened arteries from plaque buildup.

Prevention

Primary hypothyroidism can't be prevented, but routine screening of adults can detect the disease in its early stages and prevent complications.Nina Astikahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-31901339211389801362014-01-27T06:37:00.002-08:002014-01-27T06:37:29.813-08:00Ignatia

Ignatia

Ignatia is a homeopathic remedy that is derived from the bean of a small tree that is native to the Philippine Islands and China. The tree belongs to the Loganiaceae family, and has long, twining, smooth branches.

On the branches grows a fruit that is the size and shape of a pear. Inside the fruit are almond-shaped seeds, or beans, that have a fine, downy covering and are blackish gray or clear brown in color.

The Latin name is Ignatius amara, amara being the Latin work for bitter. The bean was named after St. Ignatius Loyola, a Spanish Jesuit who was responsible for bringing the beans to Europe from the Philippines in the seventeenth century.

As a result, the beans are often called St. Ignatius beans. The missionaries were introduced to the beans by the locals, who wore the beans as amulets to prevent disease. The bean was then used as a treatment for gout, epilepsy, cholera, and asthma.

The beans contain a substantial amount of strychnine, a bitter substance that is often used in rat poison. Strychnine is fatal to humans if taken in large doses. Small doses cause headaches, loss of appetite, cramps, muscle twitching, trembling, frightening dreams, cold sweat, nervous laughter, and giddiness.

General use

Ignatia is one of the best remedies for conditions brought about by emotional upset such as grief, shock, jealousy, fear, anger, depression, embarrassment, fright, or ridicule. Homeopaths frequently recommend ignatia when the patient is suffering from romantic disappointment or the loss of a spouse, relative, friend, or pet. The remedy helps the patient bear the grief and suffering common to emotional upsets.

Suppression of the emotions is the general cause of ignatia complaints. Men and women of all ages may benefit from Ignatia when they are grieving, but Ignatia is particularly well suited for sensitive, delicate women and children. It is recommended for children who develop ailments after being punished, teenagers who are suffering from a lost love, women who have had a miscarriage, and elderly folk who grieve silently.

Ignatia is a good remedy for children who suffer from extreme trembling after a fright. Ignatia is frequently prescribed in cases of physical or sexual abuse. Women who suffer from nervousness, confusion, or forgetfulness during their menstrual cycles may also benefit from Ignatia.

Persons who require the interaction of Ignatia are idealistic, introspective, moody, quarrelsome, sensitive to pain, timid, easily startled, weepy, and depressed. As a result of their grief they become fearful, apprehensive, and antisocial. They dislike consolation and desire to be alone.

When in the company of others they are secretive and try to hold in their emotions, although they sigh frequently and loudly. When alone, they are prone to frequent bouts of sobbing alternating with nervous laughter. They are conscientious about performing tasks correctly.

Ignatia is a remedy of contradictions. It is used to treat symptoms that are often paradoxical and erratic. For example, symptoms of nausea are relieved by eating, a sore throat is better from swallowing solids, and simple foods are harder to digest than heavier foods.

Symptoms may be relieved after passing a hard stool. Lying on the painful side may make the symptoms better. Eating causes the patient to have more hunger. She may crave sour or hard to digest foods. She may also want to remain uncovered when cold. The patient dislikes fresh air and is sensitive to coffee and tobacco.

General symptoms are aggravated by cold air, emotional excitement, mental exertion, sweets, and consolation. They are worse in the morning, evening, night, and before and during menstruation. Symptoms may appear at regular intervals, such as headaches that occur every seven days. Symptoms are improved by warmth and eating.

Ignatia is also used as a remedy for headaches, sore throat, trembling, nervousness, insomnia, heart palpitations, gas, indigestion, weakness, and weeping. Other conditions include irritable bowel syndrome, painful hemorrhoids, or a dry, tickling cough.

The cough is a dry, irritating cough that is often accompanied by a stitching pain in the chest. Suppression of the cough is helpful. The patient is made worse by coughing or lying in bed, and the cough is worse in the evening. Ignatia is often used in the treatment of whooping cough or croup.

The fever is often accompanied by extreme thirst and chills. The patient feels better when uncovered, and is worse in the afternoon.

Headaches typical of Ignatia start gradually and stop suddenly. The pain is gathered in the forehead. The patient may complain of a sensation as if a nail were being driven through her head. Headaches are often caused by emotional upset and are worse in a smoky room.

A sore throat accompanied by stitching pains and a sensation as if there were a lump in the throat is often present as a result of suppressed emotions. The throat is worse in the evening and is better from swallowing.

When indigestion is present, the patient may feel as though her stomach were empty. She may suffer from sour-tasting belches that ameliorate her symptoms.

Preparations

Ignatia is prepared by grinding the bean into a powder and steeping the powder in alcohol. The mixture is strained and diluted until it becomes a non-toxic substance. It is then succussed to create the final preparation.

During an emotional crisis, take a single dose of 30X or 30C. If the symptoms are unchanged after eight hours, try another remedy. If the dose helps, repeat the dose only when the symptoms worsen. Do not take more than two times a day for three days.

Precautions

If symptoms do not improve after the recommended time period, consult your homeopath or health-care practitioner.

Do not exceed the recommended dose.

Ignatia may cause insomnia and should be taken in the morning.

Side effects

The only side effects are individual aggravations that may occur.

Interactions

When taking any homeopathic remedy, do not use peppermint products, coffee, or alcohol. These products may cause the remedy to be ineffective.Nina Astikahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-40737274147206006352014-01-27T06:32:00.001-08:002014-01-27T06:32:22.251-08:00Iceland Moss

Iceland Moss

Iceland moss (Cetraria islandica) is a lichen (a moss-like plant) that grows on the ground in mountains, forests, and arctic areas. In addition to Iceland, the lichen is found in Scandinavia, Great Britain, North America, Russia, and other areas in the Northern Hemisphere. Iceland moss also grows in Antarctica.

The plant's thallus (shoot) curls from 1–4 in (2.5–10 cm) tall. The dried thallus is used as an herbal remedy. Iceland moss is also known as Iceland lichen, cetraria, fucus, muscus, and eryrngo-leaved (spiny-leaf) liverwort.

General use

Iceland moss is rich in calcium, iodine, potassium, phosphorous, and vitamins. The lichen is a bitter-tasting plant that is said to smell like seaweed when it is wet. Despite these unappetizing characteristics, Iceland moss has long been used in Scandinavia and Europe as a food source and a remedy for numerous conditions.

Historic uses of Iceland moss

People in countries including Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Russia have used Iceland moss for food and medicine. When used for nourishment, the Iceland moss was ground into flour, which was used to bake bread. Boiling the plant was said to remove the bitter taste, so the plant was boiled and made into a jelly. The lichen became part of a gelled dessert with ingredients that could include chocolate, almonds, or lemon.

In addition, Iceland moss was boiled in milk, a beverage served as a remedy for such conditions as malnutrition. The milk-and-lichen beverage was served to sick people, frail children, and the aged. It was also used for serious conditions when the person was vomiting.

Iceland moss also had numerous folk medicine uses. The lichen was a folk remedy for tuberculosis, lung disease, chest ailments, and problems with the kidney and bladder. Iceland moss was also used to treat wounds that did not heal, diarrhea, problems with lactation, fevers, and gastritis.

Furthermore, people in Norway ate Iceland moss during a seven-year famine that started in 1807. The Russians found another use for the lichen during World War II, when they prepared a version of molasses with Iceland moss.

Contemporary uses of Iceland moss

The acids in Iceland moss have an antibiotic effect. It is a mild antimicrobial and a demulcent—a remedy that soothes irritated or inflamed mucous membranes. The lichen is used to treat inflammation of the mouth and pharynx, and for treatment of the common cold, fever, dry cough, and bronchitis. It is also used for people who have a tendency toward infection. Furthermore, the bitter herb is a remedy for digestive complaints, loss of appetite, and gastroenteritis. Iceland moss boiled in milk is still used as a tonic beverage for people recovering from illnesses. In addition, the lichen has been used to treat diabetes.

Preparations

In Europe, Iceland moss cough drops are sold in pharmacies. The lichen is also sold in other forms for a range of conditions. In the United States, Iceland moss is generally found in powdered form and is usually consumed as a tea. It can also be used as a gargle to soothe a sore throat.

Iceland moss tea is made by pouring 1 cup of boiling water over 1–2 tsp of powdered Iceland moss. The mixture is covered and steeped for 10–15 minutes. Sweetener can be added to the tea, or the herb can be mixed with cocoa or chocolate. The average daily dosage of Iceland moss is 1–3 tsp.

An Iceland moss decoction can be made by putting 2 tsp of shredded lichen in 2 cups of cold water. The mixture is simmered for 10 minutes. It is then strained to squeeze out the juice. One cup of the decoction is consumed in the morning and another at night. Iceland moss can also be taken as a tincture.

In addition, Iceland moss can be used topically for skin rashes and fungus.

Precautions

Iceland moss is safe when taken in proper dosages. However, Iceland moss is not regulated by the FDA. Before beginning herbal treatment, people should consult a physician, health practitioner, or herbalist to discuss potential cautions.

Powdered Iceland moss must be soaked in lye for 24 hours or filtered through ash in order to properly extract the lichen acids. One study found that poorly prepared Iceland moss may contain toxic levels of lead. A person should talk to an experienced herbalist or other health practitioner to determine a proper source for Iceland moss, and should not attempt to prepare it themselves.

In rare cases, external use of Iceland moss has caused sensitivity reactions.

Side effects

Side effects include the rare sensitivity reaction, and the risk of lead poisoning in poorly prepared Iceland moss. In excessive doses or with prolonged use, Iceland moss may cause gastric irritation and liver problems.

Interactions

There are no known interactions with standard pharmaceuticals associated with use of Iceland moss.Nina Astikahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-67617460115950454482014-01-27T06:26:00.002-08:002014-01-27T06:26:37.582-08:00High-fiber Diet

High-fiber Diet

Fiber is the material that gives plants texture and support. Dietary fiber is found in many plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and whole grains. Although fiber is primarily made up of carbohydrates, it does not have a lot of calories and usually is not broken down by the body for energy. Fiber is sometimes called roughage.

There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fiber, as the name implies, does not dissolve in water because it contains high amounts of cellulose. Insoluble fiber is found in grain brans, fruit pulp, and vegetable peels or skins. Soluble fiber is the type of fiber that dissolves in water. It can be found in a variety of such fruits, grains, and vegetables as apples, oatmeal and oat bran, rye flour and dried beans.

Although the two types of fiber share some common characteristics such as being partially digested in the stomach and intestines and being low in calories, each type has its own specific health benefits. Insoluble fiber speeds up the movement of foods through the digestive system and adds bulk to the stools; it helps to treat constipation or diarrhea and prevents colon cancer.

On the other hand, only soluble fiber can lower blood cholesterol levels. This type of fiber works by attaching itself to the cholesterol so that it can be eliminated from the body. This process prevents cholesterol from recirculating and being reabsorbed into the bloodstream.

Origins

High-fiber diet therapy is actually a return to nature and the plant-based diets used by our ancestors since the beginning of time. In fact, our ancestors consumed large quantities of fiber-containing foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grain products every day.

As technology advanced, however, people began to turn away from these unprocessed healthful foods and began eating more highly processed and fat-laden foods. As a result, the incidence of coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cancers has steadily risen.

Naturopathic physicians, who practice natural healing methods, have long advocated high-fiber diets as a major preventive and therapeutic treatment for these and other diseases. Extensive medical research has now confirmed that a high-fiber diet prevents or treats a wide variety of diseases ranging from constipation to heart disease and cancer.

Benefits

A high-fiber diet helps prevent or treat the following health conditions:

High blood cholesterol levels. Fiber effectively lowers blood cholesterol levels. It appears that soluble fiber binds to the cholesterol molecule and moves it through the digestive tract so that it can be excreted from the body. This mechanism prevents cholesterol from being reabsorbed into the bloodstream. In 2003, research confirmed the long-term effects of high-fiber diets on lowering bad cholesterol in people with Type II diabetes.

Constipation. A high-fiber diet is a useful non-drug treatment for constipation. Fiber in the diet adds more bulk to the stools, making them softer. Fiber also shortens the length of time that foods remain in the digestive tract. It is important, however, for people increasing their fiber intake to drink more water as well, in order to get the benefit of using dietary fiber to relieve constipation.

Hemorrhoids. Fiber in the diet adds more bulk and softens the stool, thus reducing the pain and bleeding associated with hemorrhoids.

Diabetes. A common problem for diabetics is the rapid rise of insulin levels following meals. Soluble fiber in the diet delays the emptying of the stomach contents into the intestines. This delay helps to slow the rise of blood sugar levels following a meal and thus gives diabetics greater control over their condition.

Obesity. Dietary fiber makes a person feel full more rapidly. It can thus help a person lose weight by making the appetite easier to control.

Colon and colorectal cancer. Insoluble fiber in the diet speeds up the movement of the stools through the gastrointestinal tract. The faster that food and its byproducts travel through the digestive tract, the less time there is for potential cancer-causing substances to work on the food. Diets that are high in insoluble fiber help to prevent the accumulation of toxic substances that cause cancer of the colon.

Breast cancer. A high dietary consumption of fats is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Because fiber reduces fat absorption in the digestive tract, it may prevent breast cancer. In 2003, a study confirmed these findings and showed that women who consumed more fiber and vitamin E also had a lower risk of developing benign breast disease, a condition that can lead to breast cancer.

Prostate cancer. Though research is still relatively new, Dr. Dean Ornish presented new data in April 2002 in a study that showed how a high-fiber vegan diet could slow or even stop prostate cancer for men in early stages of the disease. Men who submitted to an extremely lowfat vegan diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and soy products instead of dairy, and who gave up alcohol and agreed to exercise three hours a week, relax and meditate one hour a day showed improvements in markers for prostate cancer indicators. Patients should not try this regimen unless they first discuss it with their doctors. In addition, it should complement other physician–ordered treatments.

Description

The American Dietetic Association recommends eating 25–35 g of fiber daily. A person can meet this fiber requirement by consuming two to three servings of fruits and three to five servings of vegetables every day.

To increase fiber intake, a person should eat more of the following high-fiber foods: whole grains, beans, fruits (preferably with skins on), roots and leafy vegetables, broccoli or carrots. As an added bonus, he or she will also receive other health benefits provided by the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and cancer-fighting phytochemicals in these foods.

Preparations

For the greatest benefit to health, people should have both soluble and insoluble fiber in their diet, preferably in a 50:50 ratio. The following foods are good sources of insoluble fiber:

wheat bran

whole wheat products

cereals made from bran or shredded wheat

crunchy vegetables

barley

grains

whole-wheat pasta

rye flour

Good sources of soluble fiber include:

oats

oat bran

oatmeal

apples

citrus fruits

strawberries

dried beans

barley

rye flour

potatoes

raw cabbage

pasta

Precautions

High-fiber therapy must be part of a balanced diet that includes adequate water intake and also provides the proper amounts of essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium, iron and zinc.

Side effects

Some side effects such as loose bowel movements, excessive gas, or occasional stomach pain have been reported from high-fiber diets. However, a 2002 report told of a study that followed more than 1,000 women on varying amounts of fiber intake. Those with higher dietary fiber consumption did not report expected symptoms of bloating, gas and stomach upset, so most people can enjoy the benefits of fiber with minimal side effects.

Research and general acceptance

As a result of the large volume of scientific evidence supporting the use of fiber in disease prevention and treatment, high-fiber diet treatments have been accepted and advocated by practitioners of alternative and conventional medicine alike.

High-fiber diets have been endorsed by the American Heart Association, the American Dietetic Association, the National Cancer Institute, the National Research Council, and the United States Department of Health and Human Services.Nina Astikahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-25652651099826900882014-01-27T06:04:00.000-08:002014-01-27T06:04:00.391-08:00High Sensitivity C-reactive Protein Test

High Sensitivity C-reactive Protein Test

The high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) test is a blood assay used to estimate an individual's risk for heart disease and stroke. The test also measures the presence of inflammation or infection.

In the late twentieth century, the primary methods of measuring a person's risk of heart disease included traditional factors such as age, family history of heart disease or stroke, past heart disease, smoking, obesity, and tests that measured lipids in the bloodstream, including low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Low-density lipoproteins ("bad" cholesterol) were previously considered the gold standard in risk factor prediction.

In the 1990s and early twenty-first century, several new tests came into widespread use. These tests are considered better predictors of heart disease risk. They include blood tests to measure the levels of homocysteine, lipoprotein(a), fibrinogen, and highly sensitive C-reactive protein. They are called emerging or nontraditional risk factors.

Benefits

Knowing one's highly sensitive C-reactive protein levels can help a person manage and lower his or her risk for heart disease. Factors that lower highly sensitive CRP levels include weight loss, regular exercise, a healthy diet, and smoking cessation. Medicines may also be needed.

Medications include a class of drugs called statins, with brand names such as Lipitor, Zocor, Crestor, and Pravachol. Other interventions may include Zetia, a cholesterol absorption inhibitor, and a class of drugs called thiazoladinediones, such as the diabetes brandname medications Avandia and Actos.

According to the American Heart Association, the three risk levels associated with high sensitivity CRP levels are:

Low risk: under 1 milligram per liter of blood.

Average risk: 1 to 3 milligrams per liter of blood.

High risk: More than 3 milligrams per liter of blood.

Description

C-reactive protein is produced by the liver and is not normally found in the blood in high amounts. It is rapidly produced following an injury, bacterial or fungal infection, or inflammation. It disappears quickly once the injury, illness, or inflammation heals or resolves. High CRP levels following surgery or an injury are a good indication that an infection is present.

Until early in this century, the blood test used to detect CRP levels could only measure them down to 3 milligrams per liter of blood or higher. Improvements in technology have permitted more precise measurements of CRP levels ranging from less than 0.3 milligrams to 3 milligrams per liter of blood. The more precise measurement is called the high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) test.

While levels under 3 milligrams per liter of blood do not necessarily indicate the presence of infection, they do indicate the presence of an inflammatory reaction. Researchers found that these lower amounts of CRP in the body are extremely useful in predicting coronary heart disease (CHD). However, since CRP levels vary on different days, at least two separate measurements are needed to adequately determine a person's CHD risk level.

To take the high sensitivity CRP test, a healthcare worker draws blood from a vein, into a tube. In the laboratory, the tube of blood spins at high speed within a machine called a centrifuge. The blood cells sink to the bottom and the liquid stays on the top.

This straw-colored liquid on the top is the plasma. To measure the high sensitivity CRP, a person's plasma is combined with other substances. From the resulting reaction, the amount of CRP in the plasma is determined.

A study released in 2003 by the College of American Pathologists found varying outcomes when it compared results from five different methods in identifying hsCRP. A 2001 study by several university medical departments found that six out of nine hsCRP testing methods did not produce results as accurate as the manufacturers claimed. In 2003 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that it would attempt to address these issues.

Preparations

Unlike some blood tests that require fasting, the high sensitivity C-reactive protein test can be done either before or after eating. No other preparations are needed.

Each high sensitivity CRP test requires a 5-milliliter blood sample. A healthcare worker usually ties a tight band (tourniquet) on the person's upper arm. The blood is drawn from a vein in the arm, usually at the inside of the elbow or on the back of the hand.

The needle insertion site is cleaned with antiseptic. A small needle is inserted through the skin and into the vein, allowing the blood sample to flow into a collection tube or syringe. Once the blood is collected, the needle is removed from the puncture site. Collecting the blood sample takes several minutes or less.

Precautions

The primary risk to the patient is a mild stinging or burning sensation during the drawing of blood, with minor swelling or bruising afterward. Some patients may feel faint or lightheaded when blood is drawn.

Side effects

There are generally no side effects associated with the test. Any weakness, fainting, sweating, or other unusual reaction should be immediately reported.

Research and General Acceptance

Several large-scale scientific studies have shown that high sensitivity C-reactive protein levels are a strong predictor of future heart attacks and strokes among apparently healthy men and women.

Research has also shown that hsCRP test will play an important role in preventing heart disease, according to an article in the March 2001 issue of Circulation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Heart Association, recommend limited use of hsCRP testing for assessing heart disease risk.

The two groups recommend the test only when a physician is undecided about a course of treatment for a patient who is considered at intermediate risk for CHD. According to an article in the February 2003 issue of the Harvard Health Letter,a growing number of physicians believe everyone should be tested, and this test may eventually supplant cholesterol testing as a predictor of CHD.

 Training and certification

Nurses are usually the health care professionals that administer high sensitivity CRP tests. Nurses can also help educate patients regarding the role that a proper diet and regular exercise can play in reducing the risk of CHD. However, only a physician can recommend specific treatment and prescribe needed medication.Nina Astikahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-58561560718359464812014-01-27T05:51:00.001-08:002014-01-27T05:51:15.636-08:00Hodgkin's Disease

Hodgkin's Disease

Hodgkin's disease, also called Hodgkin's lymphoma, is a type of cancer involving tissues of the lymphatic system, or lymph nodes. Its cause is unknown, although some interaction between individual genetic makeup, family history, environmental exposures, and infectious agents is suspected.

Hodgkin's lymphoma can occur at any age, although the majority of these lymphomas occur in people aged 15–34, and over the age of 60. Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system. Depending on the specific type, a lymphoma can have any or all of the characteristics of cancer: rapid multiplication of cells, abnormal cell types, loss of normal arrangement of cells with respect to one another, and invasive ability.

Causes and symptoms

Hodgkin's lymphoma usually begins in a lymph node. The node enlarges and—similar to enlarged lymph nodes due to infectious causes—may or may not cause any pain. Hodgkin's lymphoma progresses in a fairly predictable way, traveling from one group of lymph nodes to another unless it is treated. More advanced cases of Hodgkin's involve the spleen, liver, and bone marrow.

Hodgkin's lymphoma usually begins in a lymph node. The node enlarges and—similar to enlarged lymph nodes due to infectious causes—may or may not cause any pain. Hodgkin's lymphoma progresses in a fairly predictable way, traveling from one group of lymph nodes to another unless it is treated. More advanced cases of Hodgkin's involve the spleen, liver, and bone marrow.

The features and prognosis of patients with Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) differ significantly. However, research in 2001 found that among patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Hodgkin's disease appears very similar to HIV-related non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. NHL occurs much more often in patients with HIV, but in recent years, a small but significant increase in Hodgkin's disease has been seen in HIV-infected patients.

Constitutional symptoms—symptoms that affect the whole body—are common. They include fever, weight loss, heavy sweating at night, and itching. Some patients note pain after drinking alcoholic beverages.

As the lymph nodes swell, they may push against nearby structures, resulting in other local symptoms. These symptoms include pain from pressure on nerve roots as well as loss of function of specific muscle groups served by the compressed nerves.

Kidney failure may result from compression of the ureters, the tubes which carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. The face, neck, or arms may swell due to pressure slowing the flow in veins that should drain blood from those regions (superior vena cava syndrome). Pressure on the spinal cord can result in leg paralysis.

Compression of the trachea and/or bronchi (airways) can cause wheezing and shortness of breath. Masses in the liver can cause the accumulation of certain chemicals in the blood, resulting in jaundice—a yellowish discoloration of the skin and the whites of the eyes.

As Hodgkin's lymphoma progresses, a patient's immune system becomes less and less effective at fighting infection. Thus, patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma become increasingly more susceptible to both common infections caused by bacteria and unusual (opportunistic) infections caused by viruses, fungi, and protozoa.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of Hodgkin's lymphoma requires the removal of a sample of a suspicious lymph node (biopsy) and careful examination of the tissue under a microscope. In Hodgkin's lymphoma, certain characteristic cells—Reed-Sternberg cells—must be present in order to confirm the diagnosis.

These cells usually contain two or more nuclei—oval centrally-located structures within cells that house their genetic material. In addition to the identification of these Reed-Sternberg cells, other cells in the affected tissue sample are examined. The characteristics of these other cells help to classify the specific subtype of Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Once Hodgkin's disease has been diagnosed, staging is the next important step. Staging involves computed tomography (CT) scans of the abdomen, chest, and pelvis, to identify areas of lymph node involvement. In rare cases, a patient must undergo abdominal surgery so that lymph nodes in the abdominal area can be biopsied (staging laparotomy).

Some patients have their spleens removed during this surgery, both to help with staging and to remove a focus of the disease. Bone marrow biopsy is also required unless there is obvious evidence of vital organ involvement. Some physicians also order a lymphangiogram—a radiograph of the lymphatic vessels.

Staging is important because it helps to determine what kind of treatment a patient should receive. On one hand, it is important to understand the stage of the disease so that the treatment chosen is sufficiently strong to provide the patient with a cure.

On the other hand, all the available treatments have serious side effects, so staging allows the patient to have the type of treatment necessary to achieve a cure, and to minimize the severity of short and long-term side effects from which the patient may suffer.

Treatment

Hodgkin's disease is a life-threatening disease. A correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment with surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy are critical to controlling the illness.

Acupuncture, hypnotherapy, and guided imagery may be useful tools in treating pain symptoms associated with Hodgkin's. Acupuncture involves the placement of a series of thin needles into the skin at targeted locations on the body known as acupoints in order to harmonize the energy flow within the human body.

In guided imagery, the patient creates pleasant and comfortable mental images that promote relaxation and improve a patient's ability to cope with discomfort and pain symptoms. Other guided imagery techniques involve creating a visual mental image of the pain. Once the pain can be visualized, the patient can adjust the image to make it more pleasing and thus more manageable.

A number of herbal remedies are also available to lessen pain symptoms and promote relaxation and healing. However, individuals should consult with their healthcare professionals before taking them. Depending on the preparation and the type of herb, these remedies may interact with or enhance the effects of other prescribed medications.

Allopathic treatment

Treatment of Hodgkin's lymphoma has become increasingly effective over the years. The type of treatment used for Hodgkin's depends on the information obtained by staging, and may include chemotherapy (treatment with a combination of drugs), and/or radiotherapy (treatment with radiation to kill cancer cells).

Both chemotherapy and radiation therapy have unfortunate side effects. Chemotherapy can result in nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and increased susceptibility to infection. Radiation therapy can cause sore throat, difficulty in swallowing, diarrhea, and growth abnormalities in children.

Both forms of treatment, especially in combination, can result in sterility (the permanent inability to have offspring), as well as heart and lung damage. A 2003 study showed a link between radiation therapy for Hodgkin's disease and increased risk for later breast cancer. However, adding chemotherapy to the regimen decreased the chance for breast cancer, perhaps by inducing premature menopause.

Expected results

Hodgkin's is one of the most curable forms of cancer. Current treatments are quite effective, especially with early diagnosis. Children have a particularly high rate of cure from the disease, with about 75% still living cancerfree 20 years after their original diagnosis.

Adults with the most severe form of the disease have about a 50% cure rate. In 2003, new research noted that even after complete remission, some patients showed signs of thyroid dysfunction, most likely from the immune problems caused by Hodgkin's disease. The researchers recommended thyroid examinations every year during follow-up of the disease.

Prevention

While Hodgkin's disease cannot be prevented, researchers continue to study risk factors for the disease. In 2003, a study showed a possible link between exposure to the measles virus around the time of pregnancy or birth. As research continues, these and other discoveries may help people control certain risk factors for Hodgkin's disease and other cancers.Nina Astikahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-60456084625717096992014-01-26T10:18:00.003-08:002014-01-26T10:18:55.912-08:00Hives

Hives

Hives are an allergic skin reaction causing localized redness, swelling, and itching.

Hives are a reaction of the body's immune system that causes areas of the skin to swell, itch, and become reddened. (The affected areas are called wheals.) When the reaction is limited to small areas of the skin, it is called urticaria. Involvement of larger areas, such as whole sections of a limb, is called angioedema.

Causes and symptoms

Causes

Hives are an allergic reaction. The body's immune system is normally responsible for protection from foreign invaders. When it becomes sensitized to normally harmless substances, the resulting reaction is called an allergy. An attack of hives is set off when such a substance, called an allergen, is ingested, inhaled, or otherwise contacted.

It interacts with immune cells called mast cells, which reside in the skin, airways, and digestive system. When mast cells encounter an allergen, they release histamine and other chemicals, both locally and into the bloodstream.

These chemicals cause blood vessels to become more porous, allowing fluid to accumulate in tissue and leading to the swollen and reddish appearance of hives. Some of the chemicals released sensitize pain-related nerve endings, causing the affected area to become itchy and sensitive.

A wide variety of substances may cause hives in sensitive people. Common culprits include:

prescription and nonprescription drugs (Aspirin and penicillin are the two most commonly known causes of allergic reactions in adults.)

nuts, especially peanuts, walnuts, and Brazil nuts

fish, mollusks, and shellfish

eggs

wheat

milk

strawberries

food additives and preservatives

influenza vaccines

tetanus toxoid vaccine

gamma globulin

bee, wasp, and hornet stings

bites of mosquitoes, fleas, and scabies.

In addition, hives may also result from the body's response to certain physical conditions, such as emotional stress, rubbing, cold wind, heat contact (prickly heat rash), wearing tight clothing, or exercise after a heavy meal.

Symptoms

Urticaria is characterized by redness, swelling, and itching of small areas of the skin. These patches usually grow and recede in less than a day, but may be replaced by others in other locations. Angioedema is characterized by more diffuse swelling. Swelling of the airways may cause wheezing and respiratory distress. In severe cases, airway obstruction may occur.

Diagnosis

Hives are easily diagnosed by visual inspection. The cause of hives is usually apparent, but may require a careful medical history in some cases.

Treatment

Home remedies

To deal with the symptoms of hives, an oatmeal bath may help to relieve itching. Chickweed (Stellaria media), applied as a poultice (crushed or chopped herbs applied directly to the skin) or added to bath water, may also help relieve itching.

Nutritional therapy

Naturopaths or nutritionists will try to determine what allergic substance is causing the reaction and help the patient eliminate or minimize its effects. They may also recommend vitamin C, vitamin B12, and quercetin (a flavonoid) supplements to help control acute or chronic hives.

 Homeopathic therapy

The following homeopathic remedies have been used to relieve itching, redness or swelling associated with hives:

Urtica urens

Apis (Apis mellifica)

Sulfur

Allopathic treatment

Mild cases of hives are treated with antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl). More severe cases may require such oral corticosteroids prednisone. Topical corticosteroids are not effective. In 2002, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the allergy drug Claritin for over-the-counter use for patients with urticaria. The drug comes in tablet and syrup form and carries little risk.

Its release for over-the-counter use was delayed until the company that manufactures the drug could add instructions for patients about self-diagnosis of hives. They cautioned it should be used only for recurrent hives that had already been diagnosed by a physician, not for acute or severe urticaria. Airway swelling may require emergency injection of epinephrine (adrenaline).

Expected results

Most cases of hives clear up within one to seven days without treatment, provided the cause (allergen) is found and avoided.

Prevention

Preventing hives depends on avoiding the allergen causing them. Analysis of new items in the diet or new drugs taken may reveal the likely source of the reaction. Chronic hives may be aggravated by stress, caffeine, alcohol, or tobacco; avoiding these may reduce the frequency of reactions.Nina Astikahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-12516385419967951662014-01-26T07:23:00.002-08:002014-01-26T07:23:49.459-08:00Holistic Dentistry

Holistic Dentistry

Holistic dentistry, also referred to as biologic dentistry, is an alternative approach that focuses on the use of non-toxic restorative materials for dental work, and emphasizes the unrecognized impact that dental toxins and dental infections may have on a person's overall health.

While traditional dentistry focuses only on the areas above the neck, holistic dentistry looks at the patient as a whole system and how the mouth relates to the rest of the body.

Origins

Applying a biological concept to the practice of dentistry began in the late 1800s, when the National Dental Association recognized the harmful effects of mercury (amalgam) fillings, and mandated that members of the association not use these on their patients.

As of 1997, this warning has been recognized and acted upon by several foreign countries that have either banned the use of mercury in fillings or are in the process of doing so. Supporters of holistic dentistry state that mercury in amalgam fillings causes ill effects when placed as an implant in the body.

Further beginnings of holistic dentistry are linked to a 1925 article by the dentist Weston A. Price (1870–1948). A former director of research for the American Dental Association, Price claimed in an article for the Journal of the American Medical Association that such degenerative diseases as heart troubles, kidney and bladder disorders, arthritis, rheumatism, mental illness, lung problems, and several kinds of bacterial infections arise from root canal therapy, or endodontics.

To come to this conclusion, Price conducted research that involved implanting teeth from the root canals of individuals with symptoms of severe heart problems and kidney disease under the skin of healthy rabbits.

These same conditions arose in the rabbits, and within three days they died. Price then implanted the same tooth in another rabbit and found a similar response, but he also found that implanting a normal extracted tooth did not affect the rabbits.

Price's root canal research became known as the "focal infection" theory, and because of its popularity, led to the extraction of millions of endodontically treated teeth. Further research conducted during the 1930s ridiculed Price's theory by calling it invalid, ending the once-recommended extractions.

Price also maintained that sugar causes not only tooth decay, but is responsible for physical, mental, moral, and social decay. This judgment came about as he and anthropologist Francis Pottenger observed primitive areas throughout the world whose natives did not have cavities.

Although concluding that the lack of sugar in their diets led to good oral health, critics have since pointed out that Price overlooked the fact that malnourished people do not typically get many dental cavities.

Support of Price's theories continued, especially from a dentist named Melvin Page. Page coined the phrase "balancing body chemistry" and considered tooth decay an "outstanding example of systemic chemical imbalances."

In an attempt to aid these problems, Page marketed a mineral supplement with claims that widespread mineral deficiencies were an underlying cause of several health conditions, including goiter, heart trouble, tuberculosis, and diabetes.

He also claimed that drinking cow's milk was unnatural and the underlying cause of colds, sinus infections, colitis, and cancer. There is no research supporting Price's statements, and his mineral supplement was never supported by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The origins of holistic dentistry remain with Price's manuscripts and photographs at the Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation in La Mesa, California. Founded in 1965, the Foundation promotes nutrition, megavitamin therapy, homeopathy, and chelation therapy.

Since the late 1800s, supporters of holistic dentistry continue to state their concerns regarding several procedures and recommendations of conventional dentistry including the use of fluoride in drinking water and in teeth cleansers.

Benefits

Holistic dentistry is said to be an emerging new field of probiotic dental medicine—a type of medicine that supports the life process. Those who practice this form of biologic dentistry claim that it is aesthetic, relatively nontoxic, and individually biocompatible, or life supporting. A holistic dentist uses physiologic and electronic methods to locate areas of chronic disease that are difficult to locate by current standard methods.

The benefits of holistic dentistry are said to be the result of its incorporation of hypnosis, homeopathy, aromatherapy, nutrition, and herbology.

Hypnosis

When hypnosis is used, patients are able to relax their bodies and minds by concentrating on suggestions of relaxation. The patient is fully aware of what is happening during their treatment and no drugs are used. Many holistic dentists employ specialist hypnotherapists to provide treatment that is highly effective and cannot cause any harm or produce any side effects.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy is used by holistic dentists as a natural approach to their practice. The therapy is a safe and natural alternative that is nonaddictive and effective with both adults and children.

Homeopathic remedies are used to improve the psychological or emotional condition of patients without the drugging effects of conventional tranquilizers. The three main remedies considered by holistic dentists include: aconite (foxglove); gelsemium (yellow jasmine); and argentum nitricum (silver nitrate).

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy uses the pure oil essences from plants and flowers that act as hormone-like stimulants to improve a patient's health balance. Used because they are natural and gentle, oils like lavender, bergamot, sandalwood, and basil are beneficial in their power to soothe, relax, and calm. Some holistic dentists use these oils to make their offices more inviting to the patient.

Nutrition

Holistic dentists believe that stress and tension are often linked to diet. Dietary excesses or deficiencies increase the body's needs for essential vitamins and minerals, and the stress and tension accelerate any fears or phobias of the patient.

Botanical medicine and herbal medicine

Holistic dentistry may use herbs to promote relaxation. The sedative properties of chamomile, limeflower, vervain, rosemary, and valerian are relied upon in place of conventional drugs.

Holistic dentists may incorporate acupuncture and physical therapy into their use of clinical dentistry. The more modern sciences of neural therapy, hematology, immunology, and electroacupuncture may also be incorporated into a holistic dental practice.

Description

Biological dentistry's main concern is the toxicity of metals and their release from fillings and replacement appliances (such as metal partials and crowns that have nickel) used in dentistry.

According to supporters of holistic dentistry, the metal ions separate from their original structures to diffuse, migrate to, and become absorbed in the tissues of the body, affecting the overall integrity of the immune system. An additional biological concern is "oral galvanism," or the direct electrical currents generated by separated metals throughout fluids and tissues in the body.

Hidden or residual infection, or the abnormal changes in the soft connective tissue containing dental material that cannot be processed, is believed to cause local and general defenses that put the body in a continuous state of active conflict, often leading to chronic disease.

According to those who practice holistic dentistry, there may be several major types of dental problems that can cause illness or dysfunction in the body, including:

silver (amalgam) fillings that typically contain 50% mercury silver

root canals

cavitations, or neuralgia-inducing cavitational osteonecrosis (NICO), a term coined by the oral pathologist J.E. Bouguot in the 1980s

electro-oral galvanism from dissimilar metals

temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ), a painful condition of the jaw and its supporting muscles

The main goals of a holistic dentist include identifying areas that need treatment and providing treatment to patients that will not create stress. Holistic dentists work in conjunction with other health care providers to investigate whether a hidden infection of dental origin exists, and whether it may be the source of or contributing factor to overall health problems.

A biological approach to dentistry ensures the use of treatment and therapies that cause the least disturbance to the immune system. In order to determine the appropriate method of treatment, a holistic dentist must thoroughly review the patient's medical and dental background.

Preparations

While the method of biological dentistry varies for each holistic dentist, the keys to preparing their patients remain education and communication. Treatment is individualized.

A typical initial visit consists of an interview process, examination and x rays. Pictures of the patient's mouth are often collected with state-of-the-art equipment that uses film providing 50% less radiation than standard systems. The second meeting is typically called a "Review of Findings" appointment that educates the patient about the mouth and proactive treatment choices.

Precautions

Although proponents of holistic dentistry continue to increase, so do critics of their alternative methods. Believers in biologic dentistry claim that root canal-treated teeth cause NICO and other chronic systemic diseases and require removal of all these teeth and the healthy teeth surrounding them. Critics state that these extreme measures are bizarre and dangerous.

According to a 1994 article in Milwaukee Magazine, a group of local patients filed suit against several holistic practitioners who had removed several of their perfectly healthy teeth after guaranteeing improvement of their diseases. These patients experienced no relief from their ongoing health problems after the extractions.

Side effects

Certain side effects have been reported as a result of treatments used by holistic dentists. Patients who were treated with auriculotherapy, or acupuncture of the ear, have experienced complications from unsterile needles.

When correcting a "bad bite," holistic dentists often place a plastic appliance called a mandibular orthopedic repositioning appliance (MORA) between the teeth. The long-term use of MORAs has been reported to cause the patient's teeth to move out of proper alignment, leading to the need for orthodontics or facial reconstructive surgery to correct the deformity.

With amalgam fillings being one of the main concerns of holistic dentists, many have turned to using nontoxic composite materials, but these too have come under scrutiny. The plastics used in the composites have been linked to leaching compounds that may be dangerous to health.

Research and general acceptance

While dentistry has been reportedly undergoing a quiet revolution with the emergence of holistic dentists, their complementary methods remain under criticism. The nutritional supplements they prescribe to "balance the body chemistry" and the methods holistic dentists use to reach their recommended treatment continually attract negative comments.

Hair analysis, computerized dietary analysis, or blood chemistry screening tests are used by some practitioners as a basis for recommending supplements. Critics state that hair analysis is not a reliable tool for measuring the body's nutritional state, and computer analysis, while useful for determining the composition of a person's diet, is being used by dentists who may not be qualified to perform dietary counseling.

Blood chemistry screenings are processed in laboratories, but while the results may indicate a "normal" reading, holistic dentists use a narrower range to read the results, indicating to patients that their bodies are out of balance and need treatment.

Amalgam (mercury) fillings have been an issue of research for both the traditional and holistic dentist. While holistic supporters ban the use of amalgram, scientific testing has shown that the amount of mercury absorbed from fillings is only a small fraction of the average daily intake from food.

The U.S. Public Health Service concluded in 1992 that it was inappropriate to recommend restricting the use of dental amalgam. In 2002, a report said that a U.S. representative in California introduced a bill in Congress that would prevent dentists from using amalgam fillings nationwide by the year 2006 because of their mercury content.

The American Dental Association opposes banning amalgam and says that it does not add to mercury levels in the brain. Results from two trials being conducted by the National Institutes of Health on amalgams will not be released until about 2005.

Although supportive research is limited regarding the alternative methods used by holistic dentists, advocates of the complementary treatment continue to grow. With the formation of the Holistic Dental Association in 1978, a shift to treating the entire patient's health needs is emerging from dentists, dental hygienists, and health care practitioners from all fields who endorse these ideas.

Many of the medical services provided by holistic dentists are paid for by health care insurance in the United States (excluding HMOs and Medicare). Insurance typically pays for "usual and customary" treatments, such as laboratory tests, doctor visits, medical treatment, and x rays, but it will not cover "experimental drugs."

Training and certification

Holistic dentists are those who have been trained as an authorized practitioner of dentistry through a school of medicine acquiring a degree as a Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.). Their focus is one that combines conventional teachings with new, complementary methods to treat their patients' health needs.Nina Astikahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-69655406125050726612014-01-26T06:28:00.000-08:002014-01-26T06:28:04.648-08:00Holistic Medicine

Holistic Medicine

Holistic medicine is a term used to describe therapies that attempt to treat the patient as a whole person. That is, instead of treating an illness, as in orthodox allopathy, holistic medicine looks at an individual's overall physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional well-being before recommending treatment.

A practitioner with a holistic approach treats the symptoms of illness as well as looking for the underlying cause of the illness. Holistic medicine also attempts to prevent illness by placing a greater emphasis on optimizing health.

The body's systems are seen as interdependent parts of the person's whole being. The body's natural state is one of health, and an illness or disease is an imbalance in the body's systems. Holistic therapies tend to emphasize proper nutrition and avoidance of substances—such as chemicals—that pollute the body. Their techniques are noninvasive.

Some of the world's health systems that are holistic in nature include naturopathic medicine, homeopathy, and traditional Chinese medicine. Many alternative or natural therapies have a holistic approach, although that is not always the case. The term complementary medicine is used to refer to the use of both allopathic and holistic treatments. It is more often used in Great Britain but is gaining acceptance in the United States.

There are no limits to the range of diseases and disorders that can be treated in a holistic way, as the principle of holistic healing is to balance the body, mind, spirit, and emotions so that the person's whole being functions smoothly.

When an individual seeks holistic treatment for a particular illness or condition, other health problems improve without direct treatment due to improvement in the performance of the immune system, which is one of the goals of holistic medicine.

Origins

The concept of holistic medicine is not new. In the 4th century BC, Socrates warned that treating only one part of the body would not have good results. Hippocrates considered that many factors contribute to the health or otherwise of a human being, including weather, nutrition, emotional factors. In our time, a host of different sources of pollution can interfere with health.

And of course, holistic medicine existed even before older Greece in some ancient healing traditions, such as those from India and China, which date back over 5,000 years. However, the term "holistic" only became part of everyday language in the 1970s, when Westerners began seeking an alternative to allopathic medicine.

Interestingly, it was only at the beginning of the twentieth century that the principles of holistic medicine fell out of favor in Western societies, with the advent of major advances in what we now call allopathic medicine.

Paradoxically, many discoveries of the twentieth century have only served to confirm many natural medicine theories. In many cases, researchers have set out to debunk holistic medicine, only to find that their research confirms it, as has been the case, for example, with many herbal remedies.

Benefits

Many people are now turning to holistic medicine, often when suffering from chronic ailments that have not been successfully treated by allopathic means. Although many wonderful advances and discoveries have been made in modern medicine, surgery and drugs alone have a very poor record for producing optimal health because they are designed to attack illness. Holistic medicine is particularly helpful in treating chronic illnesses and maintaining health through proper nutrition and stress management.

Description

There are a number of therapies that come under the umbrella of holistic medicine. They all use basically the same principles, promoting not only physical health, but also mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Most emphasize quality nutrition.

Refined foods typically eaten in modern America contain chemical additives and preservatives, are high in fat, cholesterol, and sugars, and promote disease. Alternative nutritionists counter refined foods by recommending whole foods whenever possible and minimizing the amount of meat—especially red meat—that is consumed. Many alternative therapies promote vegetarianism as a method of detoxification.

The aim of holistic medicine is to bring all areas of an individual's life, and most particularly the energy flowing through the body, back into harmony. Ultimately, of course, only the patient can be responsible for this, for no practitioner can make the necessary adjustments to diet and lifestyle to achieve health. The practice of holistic medicine does not rule out the practice of allopathic medicine; the two can complement each other.

A properly balanced holistic health regimen, which takes into consideration all aspects of human health and includes noninvasive and nonpharmaceutical healing methods, can often completely eradicate even acute health conditions safely.

If a patient is being treated with allopathic medicine, holistic therapies may at least support the body during treatment and alleviate the symptoms that often come with drug treatments and surgery. In addition, holistic therapies focus on the underlying source of the illness, to prevent recurrence.

Here are some of the major holistic therapies:

herbal medicine

homeopathy

naturopathic medicine

traditional Chinese medicine

Ayurvedic medicine

nutritional therapies

chiropractic

stress reduction

psychotherapy

massage.

Because holistic medicine aims to treat the whole person, holistic practitioners sometimes may advise treatment from more than one type of practitioner. This precaution ensures that all aspects of health are addressed. Some practitioners also specialize in more than one therapy and so may be able to offer more comprehensive assistance.

Preparations

To choose a holistic practitioner, a person should conscious the following questions:

How did you hear of this therapist? A personal referral can sometimes be more reliable than a professional one. What do other professionals say about this therapist? What qualifications, board certification, or affiliations does this practitioner have?

How do you feel personally about this practitioner? Do you feel comfortable in his/her office and with his/her staff? Is your sense of well-being increased? Are you kept waiting for appointments?

Do you have confidence in this practitioner, and does he/she respect you as a person? Does he/she show an interest in your family, lifestyle, and diet? Are various treatment options explained to you?

Is your personal dignity respected?

Do you feel that this practitioner is sensitive to your feelings and fears regarding treatment?

Is this practitioner a good advertisement for his/her profession? Signs of stress or ill health may mean that you would be better off choosing another practitioner.

Do you feel that you are rushed into decisions, or do you feel that you are allowed time to make an informed choice regarding treatment?

Are future health goals outlined for you? And do you feel that the practitioner is taking your progress seriously?

Do you feel unconditionally accepted by this practitioner?

Would you send your loved ones to this practitioner?

If you answered yes to all the above, then you have found a suitable practitioner. The cost of treatment by a holistic therapist varies widely depending on the level of qualification and the discipline, so it is best to discuss how much treatment can be expected to cost with a practitioner before beginning a course of therapy. Some forms of holistic treatment may be covered by health insurance.

Precautions

Many people who try holistic therapies focus on one area of their health only, often detoxification and nutrition. However, practitioners stress that it is only when all areas of a person's potential well-being are tackled that total health and happiness can be achieved. They stress that the spiritual and emotional health contribute just as much as physical and mental health to a person's overall state of well-being.

When seeking treatment from a holistic practitioner, it is important to ensure that they are properly qualified. Credentials and reputation should always be checked. In addition, it is important that allopathic physicians and alternative physicians communicate with me another about a patient's care.

Side effects

One of the main advantages of holistic therapies is that they have few side effects when used correctly. If a reputable practitioner is chosen and guidelines are adhered to, the worst that typically happens is that when lifestyle is changed, and fresh nutrients are provided, the body begins to eliminate toxins that may have accumulated in the cells over a lifetime.

Often holistic therapy results in what is known in alternative medicine circles as a "healing crisis." This comes about when the cells eliminate poisons into the blood stream all at the same time, throwing the system into a state of toxic overload until it can clear the "backlog." Symptoms such as nausea, headaches, or sensitivities to noise and other stimulations may be experienced.

The answer to most patients who are otherwise healthy patients is often just to lie quietly in a darkened room and take herbal teas. However, in the case of someone who has a serious illness, such as arthritis, colitis, diabetes, or cancer, it is strongly advised that they seek the help of a qualified practitioner. Therapists can help patients achieve detoxification in a way that causes the least stress to their bodies.

 Research and general acceptance

Traditionally, holistic medicine, in all its different forms, has been regarded with mistrust and skepticism on the part of the allopathic medical profession. This situation is gradually changing. As of the year 2004, many insurance companies will provide for some form of alternative, or complementary treatment.

In addition, many allopathic physicians, recognizing the role alternative medicine can play in overall health and well being, are actually referring patients to reputable practitioners, particularly chiropractors and relaxation therapists, for help with a varied range of complaints.

Training and certification

Holistic or alternative medicine practitioners are usually affiliated with an organization in their field. Training varies widely with the category, and ranges from no qualifications at all—experience only—to holding a Ph.D. from an accredited university. Again, credentials and memberships should be checked by prospective patients.

An excellent source for qualified practitioners is the American Board of Holistic Medicine (AHBM), which was incorporated in 1996. Also, the American Holistic Medicine Association has a comprehensive list of practitioners in all types of therapies across the United States, which they call "the holistic doctor finder." However, these groups stress that it is the responsibility of the patient to check each practitioner's credentials prior to treatment.

The ABHM has established the core curriculum upon which board certification for holistic medicine will be based. It includes the following twelve categories:

Body

Physical and environmental health

nutritional medicine

exercise medicine

environmental medicine

Mind

Mental and emotional health

behavioral medicine

Spirit

Spiritual health

spiritual attunement

social health

The six specialized areas:

biomolecular diagnosis and therapy

botanical medicine

energy medicine

ethnomedicine—including traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, and Native American medicine

homeopathy

manual medicine

Founded in 1978 for the purpose of uniting practitioners of holistic medicine, membership of the AHMA is open to licensed medical doctors (MDs) and doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) from every specialty, and to medical students studying for those degrees.

Associate membership is open to health care practitioners who are certified, registered or licensed in the state in which they practice. The mission of the AHMA is to support practitioners in their personal and professional development as healers, and to educate mainstream physicians about holistic medicine.Nina Astikahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-55956032331485608682014-01-26T02:35:00.003-08:002014-01-26T02:35:53.795-08:00Homeopathy

Homeopathy

Homeopathy, or homeopathic medicine, is a holistic system of treatment that originated in the late eighteenth century. The name homeopathy is derived from two Greek words that mean "like disease."

The system is based on the idea that substances that produce symptoms of sickness in healthy people will have a curative effect when given in very dilute quantities to sick people who exhibit those same symptoms.

Homeopathic remedies are believed to stimulate the body's own healing processes. Homeopaths use the term "allopathy," or "different disease," to describe the use of drugs used in conventional medicine to oppose or counteract the symptom being treated.

Origins

Homeopathy was founded by the German physician Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843), who was much disturbed by the medical system of his time, believing that its cures were crude and some of its strong drugs and treatments did more harm than good to patients. Hahnemann performed experiments on himself using Peruvian bark, which contains quinine, a malaria remedy.

He concluded that in a healthy person, quinine creates the same symptoms as malaria, including fevers and chills, which is the reason why it is effective as a remedy. He then began to analyze the remedies available in nature by what he called provings.

Provings of homeopathic remedies are still compiled by dosing healthy adults with various substances and documenting the results, in terms of the dose needed to produce the symptoms and the length of the dose's effectiveness. The provings are collected in large homeopathic references called materia medica or materials of medicine.

Hahnemann formulated these principles of homeopathy:

Law of Similars (like cures like)

Law of the Infinitesimal Dose (The more diluted a remedy is, the more potent it is.)

Illness is specific to the individual.

Hahnemann's Law of Similars was based on thinking that dated back to Hippocrates in the fourth century B.C. It is the same thinking that provided the basis for the vaccines discovered by Edward Jenner and Louis Pasteur.

These vaccines provoke a reaction in the individual that protects against the actual disease. Allergy treatments work the same way. By exposing a person to minute quantities of the allergen, the person's tolerance levels are elevated.

The Law of the Infinitesimal Dose has always caused controversy among those outside the field of homeopathy. Hahnemann contended that as he diluted his remedies with water and alcohol and succussed, or shook, them, the remedies actually worked more effectively. In fact, diluted homeopathic remedies may have no chemical trace of the original substance.

Practitioners believe that the electromagnetic energy of the original substance is retained in the dilution, but the toxic side effects of the remedy are not. It is this electrochemical "message" that stimulates the body to heal itself.

Homeopathic practitioners believe that illness is specific to an individual. In other words, two people with severe headaches may not receive the same remedies. The practitioner will ask the patient questions about lifestyle, dietary habits, and personality traits, as well as specific questions about the nature of the headache and when it occurs. This information gathering is called profiling or case-taking.

In the early 1900s, homeopathy was popular in America, with over 15 percent of all doctors being homeopaths. There were 22 major homeopathic medical schools, including Boston University and the University of Michigan.

However, with the formation of the American Medical Association, which restricted and closed down alternative practices, homeopathy declined for half a century. When the 1960s revived back-to-nature trends and distrust of artificial drugs and treatments, homeopathy began to grow again dramatically through the next decades.

In 1993, The New England Journal of Medicine reported that 2.5 million Americans used homeopathic remedies and 800,000 patients visited homeopaths in 1990, and homeopathy has continued to grow. Homeopathy is much more popular in Europe than in the United States.

French pharmacies are required to make homeopathic remedies available along with conventional medications. Homeopathic hospitals and clinics are part of the national health system in Britain. Homeopathy is also practiced in India and Israel, among other countries.

Benefits

Homeopathic physicians seek to cure their patients on the physical, mental and emotional levels, and each treatment is tailored to a patient's individual needs. Homeopathy is generally a safe treatment, as it uses medicines in extremely diluted quantities, and there are usually minimal side effects.

Its nontoxicity makes some consider it a good choice for the treatment of children. Another benefit of homeopathy is the cost of treatments; homeopathic remedies are inexpensive, often a fraction of the cost of conventional drugs.

Homeopathic treatment has been shown to be effective in treating many conditions. Colds and flu may be effectively treated with aconite and bryonia. Influenza sufferers in a double-blind study found that they were twice as likely to recover in 48 hours when they took homeopathic remedies.

Studies have been published in British medical journals confirming the efficacy of homeopathic treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. Homeopathic remedies are considered effective in treating infections, circulatory problems, respiratory problems, heart disease, depression and nervous disorders, migraine headaches, allergies, arthritis, and diabetes.

Homeopathy is a treatment to explore for acute and chronic illnesses, particularly if these are found in the early stages and where there is not severe damage. Homeopathy can be used to assist the healing process after surgery or chemotherapy.

Description

A visit to a homeopath is usually a different experience from a visit to a regular physician. Surveys have shown that homeopathic doctors spend much more time during initial consultations than conventional doctors spend.

This is because a homeopath does a thorough case-taking to get a complete picture of a person's general health and lifestyle, as well as particular symptoms, on the physical, mental and emotional levels. Some symptoms can be so subtle that the patient is not always completely aware of them, and the doctor must spend time getting to know the patient.

The initial visit often includes a long questionnaire about a patient's medical and family history, and then a long interview with the doctor, who prompts the patient with many questions. Sometimes a homeopathic doctor will use lab tests to establish a patient's general level of health. The initial interview usually lasts between one and two hours.

The purpose of homeopathy is the restoration of the body to homeostasis, or healthy balance, which is its natural state. The symptoms of a disease are regarded as the body's own defensive attempts to correct its imbalance, rather than as enemies to be defeated.

Because a homeopath regards symptoms as positive evidence of the body's inner intelligence, he or she will prescribe a remedy designed to stimulate this internal curative process, rather than suppress the symptoms.

In homeopathy, the curative process extends beyond the relief of immediate symptoms of illness. Healing may come in many stages, as the practitioner treats layers of symptoms that are remnants of traumas or chronic disease in the patient's past.

The stages are related to Hering's Laws of Cure, named for Constantine Hering, the father of homeopathy in America. Hering believed that healing starts from the deepest parts of the body to the extremities, and from the upper parts of the body to the lower parts.

Hering's Laws also state that homeopaths should treat disease symptoms in reverse chronological order, from the most recent to the oldest, restoring health in stages. Sometimes, the patient may feel worse before feeling better. This temporary worsening is called a healing crisis.

When prescribing a remedy, homeopaths will match a patient's symptoms with the proper remedy in a repertory or materia medica that has been compiled throughout the history of homeopathy. Classical homeopaths prescribe only one remedy at a time. However, it is becoming more common, especially in Europe, to use combination formulas of several remedies for the treatment of some combinations of symptoms.

The cost of homeopathic care can vary. The cost of visits will be comparable to conventional medicine, with initial visits ranging from $50 to $300. Non-M.D. homeopaths can charge from $50 to $250. Follow-up visits are less, at about $35 to $100.

Homeopathic medicine is significantly cheaper than pharmaceuticals, and most remedies cost between $2 and $10. Some doctors provide remedies without charge. Homeopaths rarely use lab tests, which reduces the cost of treatment further.

In general, homeopathy is much more economical than conventional medicine. In 1991, the French government did a study on the cost of homeopathic medicine, and found that it costs half as much to treat patients, considering all treatment costs involved.

When homeopaths are licensed professionals, most insurance companies will pay for their fees. Consumers should consult their insurance policies to determine individual regulations. Insurance usually will not cover homeopathic medicine, because it is sold over the counter.

Precautions

Although homeopathic remedies sometimes use substances that are toxic, they are diluted and prescribed in non toxic doses. Remedies should be prescribed by a homeopathic practitioner. Those preparing to take homeopathic remedies should also avoid taking antidotes, which are substances that homeopathic doctors believe cancel the effects of their remedies.

These substances include alcohol, coffee, prescription drugs, peppermint (in toothpaste and mouthwash), camphor (in salves and lotions), and very spicy foods. Homeopathic medicine should also be handled with care, and should not be touched with the hands or fingers, which may contaminate it.

Side effects

A homeopathic aggravation sometimes occurs during initial treatment with homeopathic remedies. This means that symptoms can temporarily worsen during the process of healing. Although this is usually mild, the aggravation can sometimes be severe. Homeopaths see aggravation as a positive sign that the remedy is a good match for the patient's symptoms.

The healing crisis, which happens when the patient is undergoing treatment for layers of symptoms, may also cause the patient to feel worse before feeling better. Some patients can experience emotional disturbances like weeping or depression, if suppressed emotional problems led to the illness in the first place.

Research and general acceptance

Since the early 1900s, when the American Medical Association and pharmacists waged a battle against it, homeopathy has been neglected and sometimes ridiculed by mainstream medicine. Aside from politics, part of the reason for this hostility is that there are some aspects of homeopathy that have not been completely explained scientifically.

For instance, homeopaths have found that the more they dilute and succuss a remedy, the greater effect it seems to have on the body. Some homeopathic remedies are so diluted that not even a single molecule of the active agent remains in a solution, yet it still works; studies have demonstrated this paradox, yet can't explain it.

Also, homeopathy puts an emphasis on analyzing symptoms and then applying remedies to these symptoms, rather than working by classifying diseases. Thus, some people with the same disease may require different homeopathic medicines and treatments.

Furthermore, conventional medicine strives to find out how medicines work in the body before they use them; homeopathy is less concerned with the intricate biochemistry involved than with whether a remedy ultimately works and heals holistically.

For all these reasons, conventional medicine claims that homeopathy is not scientific, but homeopaths are quick to reply that homeopathy has been scientifically developed and studied for centuries, with much documentation and success.

There continue to be many studies that affirm the effectiveness of homeopathic treatments. Among the most celebrated, the British Medical Journal in 1991 published a large analysis of homeopathic treatments that were given over the course of 25 years.

This project involved more than 100 studies of patients with problems ranging from vascular diseases, respiratory problems, infections, stomach problems, allergies, recovery from surgeries, arthritis, trauma, psychological problems, diabetes, and others.

The study found improvement with homeopathic treatment in most categories of problems, and concluded that the evidence was "sufficient for establishing homeopathy as a regular treatment for certain indications."

For example, a study in early 2002 was reported on in a pediatric journal that showed symptom improvement for children with uncomplicated acute otitis media (ear infection) who received individualized homeopathic remedies. Although the authors concluded that more research was needed, results were positive enough to justify a larger study.

Training and certification

The Council on Homeopathic Education is the only organization that accredits training programs in classical homeopathy. To date, it has accredited five institutions: Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences in Seattle; Ontario College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto; Hahnemann Medical Clinic in Albany, California; the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, and the International Foundation for Homeopathy, also in Seattle. Other well-known training programs include the Pacific Academy of Homeopathic Medicine in Berkeley, California, and the New England School of Homeopathy in Amherst, Massachusetts.

There are several organizations that certify homeopathic practitioners:

The National Center for Homeopathy is the largest homeopathic organization, with more than 7,000 members. It also runs the Council on Homeopathic Education, and provides a listing of all its members and their credentials.

The American Institute of Homeopathy is the oldest national medical body. It provides a list of D.Ht.s (Diplomates in Homeopathy) certified by the American Board of Homeotherapeutics.

The Council for Homeopathic Certification was created in 1992 to establish a certification exam and a code of ethics.

The Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians offers a certification based on a competency exam, the "Diplomate in the Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians" (D.H.A.N.P.).

The North American Society of Homeopaths certifies non-physician homeopaths.

Nina Astikahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-18062293079464578192014-01-26T02:04:00.001-08:002014-01-26T02:06:04.263-08:00Acute Homeopathic Prescribing

Acute Homeopathic Prescribing

Acute homeopathic prescribing is that part of homeopathy that treats illness of abrupt onset requiring immediate attention. In homeopathic medicine, acute refers primarily to the speed of onset and selflimiting character of the disorder rather than its seriousness.

Colds, influenza, sore throats, insect stings, cuts, bruises, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, muscle aches, and short-term insomnia are all examples of conditions that are treated by acute prescribing. The remedies given in acute homeopathic prescribing are intended to stimulate the body's internal ability to heal itself; they do not kill germs or suppress symptoms.

Acute prescribing can be done—within limits—by patients at home, as well as by homeopathic practitioners. Study courses, self-treatment guides, and homeopathic home medicine kits are now available by mail order from homeopathic pharmacies and educational services.

Homeopathy is a gentle, painless, holistic system of healing developed during the 1790s by Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician. Experimenting on himself with the anti-malarial drug quinine, Hahnemann noticed that large doses of the medicine actually caused malaria-like symptoms, while smaller doses cured the symptoms.

From this, he advanced his concept of Similia similibus curentur, or "let like be cured with like." Hahnemann then developed an extensive system of medicine based on this concept. He named it homeopathy, from the Greek words homoios (the same) and pathos (suffering).

Homeopathic remedies are almost always made from natural materials—plant, animal, or mineral substances—that have been treated to form mother tinctures or nonsoluble powders. Liquid extracts are then potentized, or increased in power, by a series of dilutions and succussions, or shakings.

It is thought that succussion is necessary to transfer the energy of the natural substance to the solution. In addition, the potency of the remedy is regarded as increasing with each dilution.

After the tincture has been diluted to the prescribed potency, the resulting solution is added to a bottle of sucrose/lactose tablets, which are stored in a cool, dark place. If the remedy is not soluble in water, it is ground to a fine powder and triturated with powdered lactose to achieve the desired potency.

Proponents of homeopathy over the years have included Louisa May Alcott, Charles Dickens, Benjamin Disraeli, Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, William James, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Pope Pius X, John D. Rockefeller, Harriet Beecher Stowe, William Thackeray, Daniel Webster, and W. B. Yeats. England's royal family has employed homeopathic practitioners since the 1830s.

Benefits

Homeopathic physicians seek to cure their patients on physical, mental, and emotional levels, and each treatment is tailored to a patient's individual needs. Homeopathy is generally a safe treatment, as it uses medicines in extremely diluted quantities, and there are usually minimal side effects.

Its nontoxicity makes it a good choice for the treatment of children. Another benefit of homeopathy is the cost of treatments; homeopathic remedies are inexpensive, often a fraction of the cost of conventional drugs.

Acute homeopathic prescribing is thought to benefit a wide range of ailments. These include altitude sickness, Bell's palsy, the common cold, allergies, coughing, dengue fever, dysentery, earaches, migraine headaches, fever, food poisoning, grief, influenza, motion sickness, shock, sore throat, surgical complications, and reactions to vaccinations and drug therapy.

Acute remedies may also be prescribed for treat insect stings, animal bites, and problems related to poison oak and poison ivy. Homeopathy may be further employed in treating injuries including black eyes, burns, bruises, concussions, cuts, damaged tendons and ligaments, dislocations, fractures, herniated discs, nosebleeds, puncture wounds, sprains, and strains.

Description

Homeopathic prescribing differs in general from allopathic medicine in its tailoring of remedies to the patient's overall personality type and totality of symptoms, rather than to the disease.

Whereas a conventional physician would prescribe the same medication or treatment regimen to all patients with the common cold, for example, a homeopathic practitioner would ask detailed questions about each patient's symptoms and the modalities, or factors, that make them better or worse. As a result, the homeopath might prescribe six different remedies for six different patients with the same illness.

In acute prescribing homeopathy, consultations are more brief compared to constitutional homeopathic prescribing. A typical patient might spend just 10–15 minutes with the practitioner, compared to more than an hour for constitutional prescribing.

 Homeopathic classification of symptoms

Homeopathic practitioners use the word symptom in a more inclusive fashion than traditional medicine. In homeopathy, symptoms include any change that the patient experiences during the illness, including changes in emotional or mental patterns.

Homeopaths classify symptoms according to a hierarchy of four categories for purposes of acute prescribing:

Peculiar symptoms. These are symptoms unique to the individual that do not occur in most persons with the acute disease. Homeopaths make note of peculiar symptoms because they often help to determine the remedy.

Mental and emotional symptoms. These are important general symptoms that inform the homeopath about the patient's total experience of the disorder.

Other general symptoms. These are physical symptoms felt throughout the patient's body, such as tiredness, changes in appetite, or restlessness.

Particular symptoms. Particular symptoms are localized in the body; they include such symptoms as nausea, skin rashes, headache, etc.

During homeopathic case-taking, the practitioner will evaluate the intensity of the patient's symptoms, assess their depth within the patient's body, note any peculiar symptoms, evaluate the modalities of each symptom, and make a list of key symptoms to guide the selection of the proper medicine.

Homeopathic remedies

There are several hundred homeopathic remedies. Homeopathic medicines are usually formulated from diluted or triturated natural substances, including plants, minerals, or even venom from snakes or stinging insects.

Some remedies may be given in a spray, ointment, or cream, but the most common forms of administration are liquid dilutions and two sizes of pellets, or cylindrical tablets (for triturated remedies). A dose consists of one drop of liquid; 10–20 small pellets; or 1–3 large pellets.

Since the remedies are so dilute, the exact size of the dose is not of primary importance. The frequency of dosing is considered critical, however; patients are advised not to take further doses until the first has completed its effect.

Homeopathic remedies can be kept indefinitely with proper handling. Proper handling includes storing the remedies in the original bottles and discarding them if they become contaminated by sunlight or other intense light; temperatures over 100°F (37.8°C); vapors from camphor, mothballs, or perfume; or from other homeopathic remedies being opened in the same room at the same time.

Preparations

Case-taking

The first step in acute prescribing is a lengthy interview with the patient, known as case-taking. In addition to noting the character, location, and severity of the patient's symptoms, the homeopath will ask about their modalities.

The modalities are the circumstances or factors (e.g., weather, time of day, body position, behavior or activity, etc.) that make the symptoms either better or worse. Case-taking can be done by the patient or a family member as well as by a homeopath.

Selection and administration of a remedy

The choice of a specific remedy is guided by the patient's total symptom profile rather than by the illness. Homeopathic remedies are prescribed according to the law of similars, which holds that a substance that produces specific symptoms in healthy people cures those symptoms in sick people when given in highly diluted forms.

For example, a patient with influenza who is irritable, headachy, and suffering from joint or muscle pains is likely to be given bryonia (wild hops), because this plant extract would cause this symptom cluster in a healthy individual.

Patients are instructed to avoid touching homeopathic medicines with their fingers. The dose can be poured onto a piece of white paper or the bottle's cap and tipped directly into the mouth. Homeopathic remedies are not taken with water; patients should not eat or drink anything for 15–20 minutes before or after taking the dose.

Precautions

Homeopathic acute prescribing is not recommended for the treatment of chronic conditions requiring constitutional prescribing, for severe infections requiring antibiotic treatment, or for conditions requiring major surgery. It is also not recommended for the treatment of mental health problems.

Persons who are treating themselves with homeopathic remedies should follow professional guidelines regarding the limitations of home treatment. Most homeopathic home treatment guides include necessary information regarding symptoms and disorders that require professional attention.

Homeopathic remedies may lose their potency if used at the same time as other products. Some homeopathic practitioners recommend the avoidance of mint and mentholated products (toothpastes, candies, chewing gum, mouth rinses), as well as camphor and camphorated products (including eucalyptus and Tiger Balm), patchouli and other essential oils, moth balls, strong perfumes, aftershaves, scented soaps, stress, x rays, coffee, nicotine, recreational drugs (marijuana) and certain therapeutic drugs (most notably cortisone and prednisone) during treatment. Patients are also advised to avoid electric blankets and dental work, as these are thought to adversely affect homeopathic therapy. Homeopathic remedies should never be placed near magnets.

Practitioners caution that high-potency preparations should be used only under the supervision of a homeopathic practitioner.

Side effects

Homeopathic medicines are so diluted that sometimes no trace of the original substance can be detected. These medicines are therefore considered non-toxic and generally free of harmful side effects. There may, however, be individual reactions to homeopathic medicine.

An intensified healing response may occur as treatment begins, which causes symptoms to worsen, but the phenomenon is temporary. In some patients, old symptoms may re-appear from past conditions from which recovery was not complete. Such phenomena are taken as positive indications that the healing process has commenced.

Research and general acceptance

As Samuel Hahnemann's healing system grew in popularity during the 1800s, it quickly attracted vehement opposition from the medical and apothecary professions. Since the early 1900s, when the American Medical Association and pharmacists waged a battle against it, homeopathy has been neglected and sometimes ridiculed by mainstream medicine.

Aside from politics, part of the reason for this hostility is that there are some aspects of homeopathy which have not been completely explained scientifically. For instance, homeopaths have found that the more they dilute and succuss a remedy, the greater effect it seems to have on the body. Some homeopathic remedies are so diluted that not even a single molecule of the active agent remains in a solution, yet homeopaths maintain it still works.

Also, homeopathy puts an emphasis on analyzing symptoms and then applying remedies to these symptoms, rather than working by classifying diseases. Thus, some people with the same disease may require different homeopathic medicines and treatments.

Furthermore, conventional medicine strive to find out how physicians work in the body before they use them; homeopathy is less concerned with the intricate biochemistry involved than with whether a remedy ultimately works and heals holistically.

For all these reasons, conventional medicine claims that homeopathy is not scientific, while homeopaths are quick to reply that homeopathy has been scientifically developed and studied for centuries with much documentation and success.

There continue to be many studies on the effectiveness of homeopathic treatments. Among the most celebrated, the British Medical Journal in 1991 published a large analysis of homeopathic treatments that were given over the course of 25 years.

This project involved more than 100 studies of patients with problems ranging from vascular diseases, respiratory problems, infections, stomach problems, allergies, recovery from surgeries, arthritis, trauma, psychological problems, diabetes, and others.

The study found improvement with homeopathic treatment in most categories of problems, and concluded that the evidence was "sufficient for establishing homeopathy as a regular treatment for certain indications."

A 2002 pediatric journal article reported on a study that showed some individualized homeopathic remedies eased the symptoms of uncomplicated acute otitis media (ear infections) in children. While the authors admitted more research was needed, they said the positive results justified further study on homeopathic remedies for childhood ear infections.

In the United Kingdom and other countries where homeopathy is especially popular, some medical doctors incorporate aspects of acute prescribing homeopathy into their practices. Countries in which homeopathy is popular include France, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Brazil, and Argentina. Large homeopathic hospitals exist in London and Glasgow, and homeopathic medical centers can be found in India and South America.

Training and certification

It takes three to four years of training to become a qualified homeopath. Naturopathic physicians study homeopathy during their four-year medical school programs, and other practitioners may study homeopathy in post-graduate courses. The Council on Homeopathic Education is the only organization that accredits training programs in classical homeopathy.

To date, it has accredited five institutions: Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences in Seattle, Washington; Ontario College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto; Hahnemann Medical Clinic in Albany, California; the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon; and the International Foundation for Homeopathy, also in Seattle. Other well-known training programs include the Pacific Academy of Homeopathic Medicine in Berkeley, California, and the New England School of Homeopathy in Amherst, Massachusetts.

There are several organizations that certify homeopathic practitioners:

The National Center for Homeopathy is the largest homeopathic organization, with over 7,000 members. It also runs the Council on Homeopathic Education, and provides a listing of all its members and their credentials.

The American Institute of Homeopathy is the oldest national medical body. It provides a list of D.Ht.s (Diplomates in Homeopathy) certified by the American Board of Homeotherapeutics.

The Council for Homeopathic Certification was created in 1992 to establish a certification exam and a code of ethics. It confers upon qualified practitioners a C.C.H. (Certification in Classical Homeopathy).

The Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians offers a certification based on a competency exam, the "Diplomate in the Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians" (D.H.A.N.P.).

The North American Society of Homeopaths certifies non-physician homeopaths.

Nina Astikahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-23695577392039176672014-01-26T00:57:00.001-08:002014-01-26T02:07:27.939-08:00Constitutional Homeopathic Prescribing

Constitutional Homeopathic Prescribing

Constitutional homeopathic prescribing, also called classical prescribing, is a holistic system of medicine that has been practiced for more than 200 years. Unlike acute homeopathic prescribing, constitutional prescribing refers to the selection and administration of homeopathic preparations over a period of time for treatment related to what practitioners call miasmic disorders, those caused by an inherited predisposition to a disease.

The term miasm comes from a Greek word meaning stain or pollution. As in acute prescribing, constitutional prescribing is holistic in that it is intended to treat the patient on the emotional and spiritual levels of his or her being as well as the physical. Constitutional prescribing is also aimed at eventual cure of the patient, not just suppression or relief of immediate symptoms.

Homeopathy was developed during the 1790s by Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician. Experimenting on himself with the anti-malarial drug quinine, Hahnemann noticed that large doses of the medicine actually caused malaria-like symptoms, while smaller doses cured the symptoms.

From this, he advanced his concept of Similia similibus curentur, or "let like be cured with like." Hahnemann then developed an extensive system of medicine based on this concept. He named it homeopathy, from the Greek words homoios (the same) and pathos (suffering).

There are several hundred homeopathic remedies. They are almost always made from natural materials— plant, animal, or mineral substances—that have been treated to form mother tinctures or nonsoluble powders.

Liquid extracts are then potentized, or increased in power, by a series of dilutions and succussions, or shakings. It is thought that succussion is necessary to transfer the energy of the natural substance to the solution. In addition, the potency of the remedy is regarded as increasing with each dilution.

After the tincture has been diluted to the prescribed potency, the resulting solution is added to a bottle of sucrose/lactose tablets, which are stored in a cool, dark place. If the remedy is not soluble in water, it is ground to a fine powder and triturated with powdered lactose to achieve the desired potency.

Proponents of homeopathy over the years have included Louisa May Alcott, Charles Dickens, Benjamin Disraeli, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, William James, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Pope Pius X, John D. Rockefeller, Harriet Beecher Stowe, William Thackeray, Daniel Webster, and W. B. Yeats. England's royal family has employed homeopathic practitioners since the 1830s.

 Benefits

Homeopathic physicians seek to cure their patients on physical, mental, and emotional levels, and each treatment is tailored to a patient's individual needs. Homeopathy is generally a safe treatment, as it uses medicines in extremely diluted quantities, and there are usually minimal side effects.

Its nontoxicity makes some consider it a good choice for the treatment of children. Another benefit of homeopathy is the cost of treatments; homeopathic remedies are inexpensive, often a fraction of the cost of conventional drugs.

Classical homeopathy has been used to treat a wide range of diseases and conditions, most of which tend to be long-term. These include: alcoholism, allergies, anxiety, arthritis, asthma, bladder conditions, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, drug dependencies, gastrointestinal problems, Gulf War sickness, headache, hearing problems, herpes, hypersensitivity, immune disorders, insomnia, joint problems, kidney conditions, liver problems, Lyme disease, lower back problems, malaria, menopause, menstrual problems, migraine, multiple sclerosis, paralysis, phobias, shingles, sinus problems, skin disorders, repetitive stress injury, rheumatism, vertigo, vision problems, and yeast infections.

Description

Constitutional prescribing is based on the patient's symptom profile and specific aspects of homeopathic theory.

Homeopathic classification of symptoms

Homeopathic practitioners use the word symptom in a more inclusive fashion than traditional medicine. In homeopathy, symptoms include any change that the patient experiences during the illness, including changes in emotional or mental patterns.

Homeopaths classify symptoms according to a hierarchy of four categories:

Peculiar symptoms. These are symptoms unique to the individual that do not occur in most persons. Homeopaths make note of peculiar symptoms because they often help to determine the remedy.

Mental and emotional symptoms. These are important general symptoms that inform the homeopath about the patient's total experience of the disorder.

Other general symptoms. These are physical symptoms felt throughout the patient's body, such as tiredness, changes in appetite, or restlessness.

Particular symptoms. Particular symptoms are localized in the body; they include such symptoms as nausea, skin rashes, or headaches.

Miasms

Homeopaths regard the patient's symptom profile as a systemic manifestation of an underlying chronic disorder called a miasm. Miasms are serious disturbances of what homeopaths call the patient's vital force that are inherited from parents at the time of conception.

Hahnemann believed that the parents' basic lifestyle, their emotional condition and habitual diet, and even the atmospheric conditions at the time of conception would affect the number and severity of miasms passed on to the child.

Hahnemann himself distinguished three miasms: the psoric, which he considered the most universal source of chronic disease in humans; the syphilitic; and the sycotic, which he attributed to gonorrhea. Later homeopaths identified two additional miasms, the cancernic and the tuberculinic. The remaining major source of miasms is allopathic medicine.

It is thought that specific allopathic treatments—particularly smallpox vaccinations, cortisone preparations, major tranquilizers, and antibiotics—can produce additional layers of miasms in the patient's constitution. Constitutional prescribing evaluates the person's current state or miasmic picture, and selects a remedy intended to correct or balance that state.

The homeopath may prescribe a different remedy for each miasmic layer over time, but gives only one remedy at a time directed at the person's current state. The basic principle governing the prescription of each successive remedy is the law of similars, or "like cures like."

Hering's laws of cure

The homeopathic laws of cure were outlined by Constantine Hering, a student of Hahnemann who came to the United States in the 1830s. Hering enunciated three laws or principles of the patterns of healing that are used by homeopaths to evaluate the effectiveness of specific remedies and the overall progress of constitutional prescribing:

Healing progresses from the deepest parts of the organism to the external parts. Homeopaths consider the person's mental and emotional dimensions, together with the brain, heart, and other vital organs, as a person's deepest parts. The skin, hands, and feet are considered the external parts.

Symptoms appear or disappear in the reverse of their chronological order of appearance. In terms of constitutional treatment, this law means that miasms acquired later in life will resolve before earlier ones.

Healing proceeds from the upper to the lower parts of the body.

Healing crises

Homeopaths use Hering's laws to explain the appearance of so-called healing crises, or aggravations, in the course of homeopathic treatment. It is not unusual for patients to experience temporary worsening of certain symptoms after taking their first doses of homeopathic treatment. For example, a person might notice that arthritic pains in the shoulders are better but that the hands feel worse.

Hering's third law would indicate that the remedy is working because the symptoms are moving downward in the body. In constitutional prescribing, a remedy that removes one of the patient's miasmic layers will then allow the symptoms of an older miasm to emerge. Thus the patient may find that a physical disease is followed by a different set of physical problems or by emotional symptoms.

Preparations

The most important aspects of preparation for constitutional prescribing are the taking of a complete patient history and careful patient education.

Case-taking

Homeopathic case-taking for constitutional prescribing is similar to that for acute prescribing, but more in-depth. The initial interview generally takes one to two hours. The practitioner is concerned with recording the totality of the patient's symptoms and the modalities that influence their severity.

Also included are general characteristics about the patient and his or her lifestyle choices. For example, a practitioner might ask the patient if he or she likes being outside or is generally hot or cold. There is also an emphasis on the patient's lifetime medical history, particularly records of allopathic treatments.

Patient education

Homeopaths regard patients as equal partners in the process of recovery. They will take the time to explain the theories underlying constitutional prescribing to the patient as well as taking the history.

Patient education is especially important in constitutional prescribing in order to emphasize the need for patience with the slowness of results and length of treatment, and to minimize the possibility of self-treatment with allopathic drugs if the patient has a healing crisis.

Homeopathic remedies

In constitutional prescribing, one dose of the selected remedy is given. Patients then wait two to six weeks before following up with the homeopath, while the body begins the healing process. At the follow-up visit, the remedy may be repeated, or a different remedy prescribed.

The preparation, selection, administration, and storage of remedies for constitutional prescribing are the same as for acute prescribing. These procedures are described more fully in the article on acute prescribing.

 Precautions

Constitutional homeopathic prescribing is not appropriate for diseases or health crises requiring emergency treatment, whether medical, surgical, or psychiatric. In addition, constitutional prescribing should not be self-administered.

Although home treatment kits of homeopathic remedies are available for acute self-limited disorders, the knowledge of homeopathic theory and practice required for constitutional evaluation is beyond the scope of most patients.

Patients are instructed to avoid touching homeopathic medicines with their fingers. The dose can be poured onto a piece of white paper or the bottle's cap and tipped directly into the mouth. Homeopathic remedies are not taken with water; patients should not eat or drink anything for 15–20 minutes before or after taking the dose.

Homeopathic remedies may lose their potency if used at the same time as other products. Some homeopathic practitioners recommend the avoidance of mint and mentholated products (toothpastes, candies, chewing gum, mouth rinses), as well as camphor and camphorated products (including eucalyptus and Tiger Balm), patchouli and other essential oils, moth balls, strong perfumes, aftershaves, scented soaps, stress, x rays, coffee, nicotine, recreational drugs (marijuana) and certain therapeutic drugs (most notably cortisone and prednisone) during treatment.

Patients are also advised to avoid electric blankets and dental work, as these are thought to adversely affect homeopathic therapy. Homeopathic remedies should never be placed near magnets.

 Side effects

Homeopathic medicines are so diluted that sometimes no trace of the original substance can be detected. These medicines are therefore considered non-toxic and generally free of harmful side effects.

The primary risks to the patient from constitutional homeopathic treatment are the symptoms of the healing crisis and individual reactions to homeopathic medicine. The complexity of constitutional prescribing requires homeopaths to have detailed knowledge of the materia medica and the repertories, and to take careful and extensive case notes.

An intensified healing response may occur as treatment begins, which causes symptoms to worsen, but the phenomenon is temporary. In some patients, old symptoms may re-appear from past conditions from which recovery was not complete. Such phenomena are taken as positive indications that the healing process has commenced.

 Research and general acceptance

As Samuel Hahnemann's healing system grew in popularity during the 1800s, it quickly attracted vehement opposition from the medical and apothecary professions. Since the early 1900s, when the American Medical Association and pharmacists waged a battle against it, homeopathy has been neglected and sometimes ridiculed by mainstream medicine.

Aside from politics, part of the reason for this oppostion is that there are some aspects of homeopathy which have not been completely explained scientifically. For instance, homeopaths have found that the more they dilute and succuss a remedy, the greater effect it seems to have on the body. Some homeopathic remedies are so diluted that not even a single molecule of the active agent remains in a solution, yet homeopaths maintain that it still works.

Also, homeopathy puts an emphasis on analyzing symptoms and then applying remedies to these symptoms, rather than working by classifying diseases. Thus some people with the same disease may require different homeopathic medicines and treatments.

Furthermore, conventional medicine strives to find out how medicines work in the body before they use them; homeopathy is less concerned with the intricate biochemistry involved than with whether a remedy ultimately works and heals holistically.

For all these reasons, conventional medicine claims that homeopathy is not scientific, while homeopaths are quick to reply that homeopathy has been scientifically developed and studied for centuries, with much documentation and success.

There continue to be many studies on the effectiveness of homeopathic treatments. Among the most celebrated, the British Medical Journal in 1991 published a large analysis of homeopathic treatments that were given over the course of 25 years.

This project involved more than 100 studies of patients with problems ranging from vascular diseases, respiratory problems, infections, stomach problems, allergies, recovery from surgeries, arthritis, trauma, psychological problems, diabetes, and others.

The study found improvement with homeopathic treatment in most categories of problems, and concluded that the evidence was "sufficient for establishing homeopathy as a regular treatment for certain indications."

In early 2002, a study in England sought to prove homeopathy's effect on treating chronic fatigue syndrome. Homeopathic consultations with patients took place monthly and the homeopaths in the study were allowed to choose any remedies they deemed appropriate and changed them as needed.

Patients who received homeopathic treatments reported feeling more rested, less tired, and fitter than those in the placebo control group. Overall, nearly two-thirds of chronic fatigue patients reported some improvement.

In the United Kingdom and other countries where homeopathy is especially popular, some medical doctors incorporate aspects of acute prescribing homeopathy into their practices. Countries in which homeopathy is popular include France, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Brazil, and Argentina. Large homeopathic hospitals exist in London and Glasgow, and homeopathic medical centers can be found in India and South America.

Training and certification

It takes three to four years of training to become a qualified homeopath. Naturopathic physicians study homeopathy during their four-year medical school programs, and other practitioners may study homeopathy in post-graduate courses. The Council on Homeopathic Education is the only organization that accredits training programs in classical homeopathy.

As of 2004, it has accredited five institutions: Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences in Seattle,Washington; Ontario College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto; Hahnemann Medical Clinic in Albany, California; the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon; and the International Foundation for Homeopathy, also in Seattle. Other well-known training programs include the Pacific Academy of Homeopathic Medicine in Berkeley, California, and the New England School of Homeopathy in Amherst, Massachusetts.

There are several organizations that certify homeopathic practitioners:

The National Center for Homeopathy is the largest homeopathic organization, with over 7,000 members. It also runs the Council on Homeopathic Education, and provides a listing of all its members and their credentials.

The American Institute of Homeopathy is the oldest national medical body. It provides a list of D.Ht.s (Diplomates in Homeopathy) certified by the American Board of Homeotherapeutics.

The Council for Homeopathic Certification was created in 1992 to establish a certification exam and a code of ethics. It confers upon qualified practitioners a C.C.H. (Certification in Classical Homeopathy).

The Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians offers a certification based on a competency exam, the "Diplomate in the Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians" (D.H.A.N.P.).

The North American Society of Homeopaths certifies non-physician homeopaths.

Nina Astikahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-36436267142104702832014-01-09T06:44:00.001-08:002014-01-09T06:44:05.852-08:00Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle is a large, volubilate shrub of the genus Lonicera. There are over 300 species of honeysuckle in the Caprifoliaceae family, found from Asia to North America. The shrub reaches heights of 20–30 ft (6–9 m), with thin, hairy branches. It has ovoid leaves that range 1.2–3.2 in (3–8 cm) long by 0.6–1.6 in (1.5–4.0 cm) wide. The plant flowers in late spring or early summer, depending on the species.

Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) blooms in the spring from April to May, with fragrant white flowers touched with a shade of purple that fade to yellow as they mature. The species of honeysuckle that is found in North America, the United Kingdom, and western Asia, Lonicera caprifolium, flowers in June.

Generally, honeysuckle flowers are 1.2–1.6 in (3–4) cm long, with an inner tube of approximately the same length. All varieties of honeysuckle are famous for this tube, which is extracted and sucked for its sweet nectar.

The shrub also produces a black berry. Despite the sweetness of its fragrance and nectar, the medicinal parts of the plant are bitter, due to the saponin in its stem, the 8% tannin in the leaves and the 1% insitol in its flowers.

General use

Japanese honeysuckle (L. japonica, also called Japanese jin yin hua, which means gold and silver flower) and common honeysuckle (L. caprifolium, also called Italian honeysuckle, Dutch honeysuckle, and woodbine) are both widely used for their medicinal qualities.

Although the Chinese most commonly use the bud of the flower in their medical practice, in other countries it is mostly the flowers and leaves that are used for their healing properties. Japanese honeysuckle works well as a detoxifier, and is best used for acute infections and inflammations.

As an alterative, which cleanses and purifies the blood, and an antipyretic, which reduces fever with its cooling properties, Japanese honeysuckle is best used for such ailments as sore throats, swollen eyes, headaches, etc.

 Acute infections and inflammations

Japanese honeysuckle is most useful in treating acute illnesses, infections and inflammations. At the onset of a cold, honeysuckle should be taken in combination with chrysanthemum flowers. Several popular Chinese formulas, such as yin chaio and ganmaoling, contain this herbal combination.

Because it is a natural antibiotic, honeysuckle can also be used to treat infections caused by staphylococcal or streptococcal bacteria. Honeysuckle should be used for acute conditions, and is not meant to be used in the treatment of chronic illnesses.

 Skin infections

Honeysuckle works well against internal infections, and it can also be used externally for skin irritation and infections. Honeysuckle has been found useful in alleviating rashes ranging from skin diseases to poison oak.

For these types of skin ailments, honeysuckle is best used as a poultice. For cuts and abrasions that may become infected, a honeysuckle infusion can be applied externally. It is in treating skin infections that the stems of honeysuckle are used.

 Circulatory system

John Gerard, a master herbalist of the sixteenth century, said that honeysuckle's "floures, be steeped in oile, and set in the Sun, are good to annoint the body that is bennumed, and growne very cold." Indeed, L. caprifolium as a fixed oil is good for the circulatory system.

When it is heated and smoothed onto the skin, it has been shown to have a vasodilatory effect, causing the blood to flow into the dermis, which is the thick layer of skin beneath the epidermis.

Asthma and coughs

L. caprifolium can be used for asthma on account of its antispasmodic properties. An herbal infusion of the leaves is the best method for treating asthma. A decoction of honeysuckle flowers can be used for coughs.

Other uses

The seeds of L. caprifolium can be used as a diuretic. L. villosa, also known as American honeysuckle, has been used as a kidney stimulant. L. japonica has been used to treat dysentery, and diarrhea.

 Preparations

Three teaspoons of the leaf infusion can be taken three times a day. For skin irritation, honeysuckle should be made into an infusion or poultice and applied externally to the skin. When honeysuckle is compounded in capsule form, 10–17 g can be taken daily.

Precautions

Although honeysuckle poultices are used for skin irritations, there have been cases of contact dermititis reported from pulling up Japanese honeysuckle. A patient that had come into contact with L. japonica reported developing a line of itchy blisters.

People often taste honeysuckle tubes for their nectar; however, several cases of plant poisoning have been reported in children. The symptoms include gastrointestinal discomfort and muscle cramps.

Side effects

There are no known side effects from using honeysuckle.

Interactions

No known adverse drug interactions have been reported with honeysuckle.Nina Astikahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-28513716572771651812014-01-09T06:33:00.000-08:002014-01-09T06:34:38.121-08:00Hops

Hops

Hops come from the large perennial vine Humulus lupulus. This plant is native to North America and Europe, but is cultivated in many other places. The vine grows to a height of 25 ft (8 m). It has heart-shaped dark green leaves and yellowish green flowers. Each plant produces either male or female flowers. Only the female flowers, called strobiles, are used medicinally. Strobiles are picked in autumn and either used fresh or dried.

General use

Hops have been cultivated to be used in the brewing of beer since at least A. D. 1000, but they also have a mixed history of use in healing. Ancient Hebrews used hops to help ward off plague. In North America, several Native American tribes independently discovered the healing properties of hops and used them as a sedative and sleep aid, to relieve toothache, and to improve digestion.

By the end of the 1800s, hops were being routinely used in mainstream medicine in the United States as a sedative and digestive tonic. Although hops were sometimes used as a sleep aid in Europe, until relatively recently their major use in Europe was in the brewing of beer, to which they add a bitter flavor and act as a preservative.

Today European herbalists are much more enthusiastic about the healing properties of hops. They are used in three ways: as a sedative, to aid digestion, and as an antibiotic.

Hops' best known medicinal function is as a mild sedative and sleep aid. For centuries pillows filled with hops have been prescribed for people who have difficulty falling asleep. Hops extracts taken orally are also said to promote sleep.

Hops are chemically complex and contain many different compounds. Scientists have separated out several components that are sedative in nature, although it is not clear whether hops contain enough of these compounds to actually make a person sleepy.

Studies are ongoing, but the German Federal Health Agency's Commission E, established in 1978 to independently review and evaluate scientific literature and case studies pertaining to herb and plant medications, has approved hops for sleep problems, restlessness, and anxiety. Hops belongs to the same family of herbs as marijuana, and some people claim it produces a mild, relaxed, euphoric feeling when smoked. There is no scientific evidence for this claim.

The second major use of hops is as an aid to digestion. It has been used for centuries in both traditional Chinese medicine and Native American healing to stimulate the appetite, ease digestion, and aid in relieving colic. It is believed that hops stimulates the secretions of the stomach.

The German E Commission has also concluded that hops may act as a digestive aid. Scientists have isolated another extract from the plant that in the laboratory inhibits spasms in the digestive tract and other smooth muscle. Follow-up studies in people have not yet been done.

Chinese healers use hops to treat tuberculosis and as an antibiotic. Test-tube studies show that the bitter acids in hops inhibit the growth of certain bacteria and fungi, including the common bacteria Staphylococcis aureus (responsible for staph infections) and Bacillus subtilis; but do not inhibit Escherichia coli, a bacterium that causes digestive upsets.

This antibacterial action may account for the preservative effect of hops in brewed beer. A 1999 study also showed that some compounds isolated from hops were effective in test-tube studies in reducing the proliferation of certain types of human breast and ovarian cancer cells. As of 2002, hops extract is being studied as a possible cancer chemopreventive.

There has been much debate in the healing community about whether hops contain a compound related to or easily converted into estrogen, the main female hormone. Some herbalists believe that the presence of an estrogenic compound accounts for the dampening of male sexual arousal and the control of sexual nervous tension ascribed to fresh hops.

Other herbalists disagree, maintaining that those effects are related only to the relaxing or sedative properties of hops. In 2002, however, a team of British researchers reported on the activity of a phytoestrogen that was recently discovered in the female flowers of hops plants. The compound, known as 8-prenylnaringenin, appears to be stronger than previously identified phytoestrogens.

In addition to their uses in healing, hops are used as an ingredient in perfume and occasionally as a tobacco or food flavoring. Their main food use and commercial value is in beer.

Preparations

Fresh and dried hops have different properties and are used to treat different symptoms. Fresh or newly dried hops, usually dampened with glycerin to reduce the rustling noise, are used in sleep pillows to help ease a restless or anxious person into sleep.

As the hops age, they change in chemical composition. For this reason, the hops in pillows should be changed every few months. Fresh hops can also be made into a tea that is taken to combat insomnia. The tea is made by steeping about two teaspoons of fresh hops in one cup (250 ml) of boiling water for five minutes.

Dried hops change in composition when exposed to light, heat, or moisture. They should be stored in a container that excludes moisture and light, and should be kept at room temperature. Dried hops are used to treat digestive and other complaints. They can be prepared in a myriad of different ways. As a tincture, about 1/2 tsp (2 ml) can be taken three times a day.

Capsules are available commercially to take before meals to aid digestion. Dry extract or powder can be added to boiling water to make a tea. Compresses are made by soaking a pad in the infusion or diluted tincture. An essential oil is produced by steam distillation. Hops are also used in combination with other herbs in commercially available remedies.

Precautions

Hops are not recommended for people suffering from depression. Their sedative action may accentuate depressive symptoms in these people. Some herbalists recommend that pregnant women and those with estrogen sensitive breast cancer avoid hops because of the possibility that they contain an estrogenic compound. Hops are included on the United States Food and Drug Administration's list of foods "Generally Recognized As Safe" (GRAS).

Side effects

There are no known side effects if hops are used in the recommended dosages. Some people who pick fresh hops may develop a skin rash (contact dermatitis).

Interactions

There has been little scientific study of the interaction of hops and pharmaceuticals. As noted above, however, people who are depressed or who are taking medications for depression should consult a doctor before using hops.Nina Astikahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-69609550157684735712014-01-09T05:19:00.002-08:002014-01-09T06:25:59.958-08:00Horehound

Horehound

Horehound (Marrubium vulgare L.), commonly known as white horehound, is a European native of the Lamiaciae or mint family. Other names for this ancient remedy include houndsbane, marrubium, eye of the star, seed of Horus, marvel, bulls' blood, and houndsbane. Horehound is a hardy perennial that has naturalized throughout North America; it may be found in sunny, wayside places, thriving even in poor, dry soil.

The common name horehound comes from the Old English words har and hune, meaning downy plant. This descriptive name refers to the white hairs that give this herb its distinctive hoary appearance. Another suggested derivation is from the name of the Egyptian god of sky and light, Horus.

Horehound is one of the oldest known cough remedies. It was one of the herbs in the medicine chests of the Egyptian pharaohs. In Roman times, Caesar's antidote for poison included horehound. The generic name is believed to be derived from the Hebrew word marrob, meaning bitter juice.

Horehound is one of the bitter herbs used in the Jewish Passover rites. Throughout its long history, white horehound has been valued not only as a folk remedy for coughs and congested lungs, but also as a magic herb for protection against the spells attributed to witches.

Black horehound (Ballota nigra), also known as black stinking horehound, is the smelly relative of white horehound. It belongs to the same family of plants as white horehound and is credited with some of the same medicinal applications. Both black and white horehound have been used to treat the bites of snakes and mad dogs, to rid the system of intestinal worms, and as antidotes to vegetable poisons.

Black horehound is considered to be especially useful in quelling the nausea associated with motion sickness, or to stop the vomiting brought on by nervous tension. It also acts as an emmenagogue, restoring a healthy balance to the menstrual cycle.

White horehound is a bushy plant that grows nearly 2 ft (61 cm) tall from a short, stout, and woody root. The small oval leaves are bitter to the taste, with a musky aroma. They are wrinkled and dark green on top, and pale with downy white hairs on the underside.

The leaves are opposite and deeply veined, growing on hairy, square, branching stems also covered with downy white hairs. The lower leaves of white horehound have long stalks, while the upper leaves are smaller and stalkless. The small white flowers form dense whorls at the leaf axils, blooming in the second year of growth from June to August.

Flowers are tubular with two lips. Four small shiny dark brown seeds are carried in each nutlet after flowering. Horehound seeds have tiny barbs to attach to animal fur and clothing, while horehound blossoms attract bees to the garden.

General use

White horehound is best known as a time-honored cough remedy, found in syrup, candy and tea preparations. The aerial parts of the plant are used medicinally. The active ingredients include sesquiterpene bitters, marrubin, volatile oil, tannins, flavonoids, and mucilage. White horehound is antiseptic. An infusion used as a wash, or a preparation of horehound salve is useful to disinfect wounds.

A cold infusion of white horehound acts as a bitter digestive tonic and will stimulate the flow of bile from the gall bladder. It is diuretic and may also relieve flatulence and stimulate appetite. White horehound stimulates discharge of bronchial mucus, loosening and expelling phlegm.

It is beneficial in the treatment of croup, bronchitis, and whooping cough, and has been used in the past in the treatment of tuberculosis, once known as consumption. White horehound is also said to normalize cardiac arrhythmias. A warm infusion is diaphoretic, meaning that it will promote sweating. It has been used to break fevers and to treat jaundice and typhoid fever.

The finely chopped leaves, mixed with honey and chewed slowly, will ease a sore throat and relieve hoarseness. The herb was also used following childbirth to promote expulsion of the placenta. White horehound combines well with other herbs in medicinal infusions, including elecampane (Inula helenium L.) and licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra).

Many of the time-tested traditional uses for this safe herbal remedy have not been clinically proven. White horehound has been approved for treatment of bronchial problems and as an appetite stimulant by the German E Commission—an advisory group on herbal medicines in that country.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), however, has declared horehound ineffective for its traditional medicinal use as a sore throat remedy, while approving it as a safe food additive.

It is possible, however, that horehound may prove to be useful in herbal treatments for inflammation. In 2002, French researchers reported isolating new glycoside compounds in horehound, one of which has anti-inflammatory activity.

In addition, a group of American researchers studying traditional Mexican herbal remedies for headache, asthma, arthritis, fever, and menstrual cramps found that horehound has a high antioxidant content that may explain its inclusion in folk remedies for these conditions.

Preparations

Tincture: Combine 4 oz of finely-cut fresh horehound leaf (or 2 oz of dry powdered 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.

Cover and store 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 10–15 drops of the tincture in water, up to three times a day.

Infusion: Place 2 oz of fresh horehound leaves in a warmed glass container. Bring 2.5 cups of fresh, nonchlorinated water to the boiling point and add it to the herbs. Cover. Infuse the tea for about ten minutes. Strain and sweeten to taste. Drink warm or cold, depending on the intended results. The prepared tea will store for about two days in the refrigerator. Drink three cups a day.

Syrup: Using fresh leaves, prepare a strong infusion of horehound using twice the amount of fresh herb. Combine the infusion with a 50/50 mixture of honey and brown sugar. Use 24 oz of sweetener for each 2.5 cups of the herbal infusion.

Heat the mixture in a glass or enamel pot and stir frequently as the mixture thickens. Cool and pour into clearly-labeled glass bottles. Refrigerate for storage. One teaspoonful of syrup may be taken three times a day, or every two hours if needed in acute illness.

Precautions

Pregnant women should not self-medicate with horehound herbal preparations. Lactating women should also consult with a qualified herbalist before using the herb internally. Infants and children under two years of age should not be given horehound.

Do not use horehound medicinally if there is chronic disease of the gastrointestinal tract, such as ulcers, esophageal reflux, colitis, or diverticulosis. Large doses of horehound may have a purgative action. Very large doses may cause irregular heartbeat.

Side effects

When horehound is taken internally, it may interfere with the absorption of iron and other minerals.

Interactions

No interactions have been reported as of 2002 between horehound and standard pharmaceutical preparations. However, some anesthesiologists recommend that patients scheduled for any surgery requiring total anesthesia should discontinue all herbal preparations for 1–2 weeks before the operation. The reason for this precaution is that some herbal preparations appear to interfere with the action of inhaled anesthetics.Nina Astikahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3094380228914492491.post-38936944228257215302014-01-09T04:55:00.002-08:002014-01-09T04:57:32.979-08:00Horse Chestnut

Horse Chestnut

The European horse chestnut, Aesculus hippocastanum, is the horse chestnut most frequently used in herbal medicine. It is a member of the Hippocastanaceae family. Horse chestnuts are in an entirely different botanical family from the well-known sweet chestnut tree, Castanea vesca. Horse chestnuts exist in nature as both a tree and a shrub, and are found in all temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and North America.

There are 15 recognized species of horse chestnut. The European horse chestnut is believed to have originated in the Balkan region of eastern Europe but is now grown in every country in the Northern Hemisphere.

The name Aesculus is actually a misnomer, coming originally from the word esca, meaning food. It was applied by ancient peoples to a certain species of oak; somehow the name was transferred over the years to the horse chestnut.

The name hippocastanum is thought to refer to the horse chestnut's ability to heal horses and cattle of respiratory illnesses. Another possibility may be that it is named for the small horseshoe-like markings that are present on the branches of the horse chestnut tree.

Horse chestnut trees grow in nearly any soil but seem to prefer a sandy loam. They grow very rapidly into tall straight trees that can reach heights of over 100 ft (approximately 30 m) tall, with widely spreading branches.

The bark is grayish-green or grayish-brown in color, and the tree limbs are thick and have corky, elongated, wart-like eruptions that appear from a distance like ribbing. The interior of horse chestnut bark is pinkish-brown, with fine lines running its length. It is odorless and its taste is very bitter and astringent.

The characteristic horseshoe markings found on the branches are actually the scars from where leaves previously grew. Horse chestnut wood is seldom if ever used for lumber due to its soft and spongy character.

Large leaf and flower buds are clearly visible even during winter months but are encased in a scaly, resinous protective covering that prevents damage from frost or damp. This thick sticky coating melts with the beginning of warm weather in spring, and flowers and leaves appear with remarkable rapidity, usually within three to four weeks.

The leaves are dark green, rough in texture, and large, with minutely serrated edges. Horse chestnut leaves can be nearly 1 ft (0.3 m) in length. They somewhat resemble a hand with five to nine leaf sections emerging from a palm-like base to form the finger-like projections.

European horse chestnuts produce clusters of white flowers with a pale scarlet tinge at the throat or yellow mottling. American horse chestnut flowers can be white, pale pink, or yellow, depending upon the species. All types of horse chestnut trees, with their graceful wide limbs and showy flowers, are grown for their ornamental beauty.

The fruit of the horse chestnut is a dark brown smooth-surfaced nut approximately 2 in (5 cm) in diameter. It has a polished appearance except for the rounded dull tan-colored scar on the side that was attached to the seed vessel. Horse chestnuts are encased in a light green spine-covered coating that divides into three parts and drops away prior to the nut dropping from the tree.

Horse chestnut nuts contain mostly carbohydrates which are generally indigestible until boiled. They also contain saponins, tannin, flavones, two glycosides, aesculin and fraxin, some crude protein, a fatty oil, ash and water.

Horse chestnuts native to North America are called buckeyes because of their large seeds which resembling the eye of a buck, or male deer.

American horse chestnuts are divided into four types:

Ohio buckeye, or Aesculus glabra, is a medium-sized tree which grows from the southern United States to the prairies of western Canada. It is the state tree of Ohio, hence the state's nickname of the Buckeye State.

Yellow buckeye, Aesculus octandra, or Aesculus flava, is a tree which grows to heights of 40 ft (12 m) or more. It is fairly common across the central portion of the United States. Its leaves are somewhat smoother than those of other horse chestnuts.

Red buckeye, or Aesculus pavia, is a shrub or small tree that generally is found in the southern United States. In early summer it develops brilliantly scarlet flowers in large clusters, and has dense foliage. The tree species of red buckeye grows to heights of between 15–20 ft (5–7 m) tall.

California buckeye, or Aesculus californica, is a horse chestnut tree found all along the Pacific coast.

General use

Horse chestnuts have been used as fodder for feeding farm animals, and some Native American peoples have included them in their diet. However, the outer covering of the horse chestnut nut is toxic, and the nut itself has to be boiled prior to being eaten safely. Its wood, which is too soft for furniture-making or construction, is used in building crates and other packing cases.

Both the bark and the fruit from horse chestnut trees are used medicinally to strengthen and tone the circulatory system, especially the venous system. It is used both internally and externally to treat varicose veins, phlebitis, and hemorrhoids.

Horse chestnut preparations are particularly effective in treating varicose ulcers. Due to its ability to improve circulation, it is also helpful for the relief of leg cramps. Its bark also has narcotic and fever-reducing properties.

A compound known as aescin, which is present in the horse chestnut fruit, is now often added to external creams and preparations used for the treatment of varicose veins, varicose ulcers, bruises, and sports injuries.

Horse chestnut preparations using the seed, bark, twigs, and leaves are all utilized in traditional Chinese medicine. Chinese herbalists consider horse chestnut to be a part of treatment not only for circulatory problems, but use it as an astringent, as a diuretic, for reduction of edema or swelling, to reduce inflammation, as an expectorant in respiratory problems, and to fight viruses.

Preparations

Horse chestnut bark is removed in the spring in strips 4 or 5 in (10–13 cm) long, about 1 in (2.5 cm) thick and broad. The fruit of the horse chestnut is gathered in the autumn, when they fall from the tree. Both the bark and the fruit are dried in sunlight or with artificial heat, and are either kept whole or ground to a powder for storage.

A decoction made of 1 or 2 tsp of the dried, pulverized bark or fruit left to simmer for 15 minutes in 1 cup of water can be either taken internally three times a day or used externally as a lotion. Horse chestnut preparations are also available as tinctures, extracts, capsules, and external ointments and lotions.

Precautions

The outer husks of the horse chestnut fruit are poisonous. There are also reported cases of poisoning from eating raw horse chestnuts.

Side effects

There have been reported cases of gastrointestinal irritation, nausea, and vomiting from taking large doses of horse chestnut. There are also rare reports of rash and itching, and even rarer cases of kidney problems.Nina Astikahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com