Gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach lining. This inflammation causes the lining to develop sores, which may possibly develop into painful peptic ulcers. The onset of gastritis happens suddenly in some cases and, in others, it comes on gradually. Here are a few symptoms of gastritis.
Instructions
Identify Symptoms of Gastritis
1. Bubbling stomach. If you notice an on-going problem with stomach upset accompanied with pain, you may want to keep track if your problem is food related or possibly gastritis.
2. Frequent indigestion problems. Everyone at some time or another has a bout with indigestion; however, if you are noticing that you are constantly taking indigestion medications without any major relief your problem is possibly serious.
3. Decreased appetite. Eating less due to chronic stomach upset, pain and nausea is another symptom of gastritis.
4. Stabbing pain. A description of gastritis pain is one that seems to go right through your body from front to back. The pain starts in the upper left part of your body and radiates through your back.
5. Vomiting up unusual substance. Vomiting up a substance that is clear, green, yellow, streaked with blood or all blood is a sign of a severe stomach inflammation that needs immediate medical attention.
6. Learn uncommon gastritis symptoms. Some less common symptoms of gastritis are sweating with a fast heartbeat, shortness of breath, chest pain. Other less common symptoms are bloody bowel movements, or very foul smelling bowel movements.
Tags: bowel movements, common symptoms, Identify Symptoms, Identify Symptoms Gastritis, less common, less common symptoms
Mantle cell lymphoma is a relatively rare form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that affects primarily older men. It's very difficult to treat and can affect numerous parts of the body including bone marrow, lymph nodes, the spleen and even the G.I. tract. It is an aggressive form of lymphoma, which means that it progresses quickly. There is no known cure, however, there are several treatment options for those diagnosed with the disease.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a common treatment for mantle cell lymphoma. It is administered by means of injection into the veins or through an IV drip. The treatment is given in several sessions of which constitute a cycle. The typical chemotherapy prescription for this type of cancer is called CHOP, which uses four different drugs. Should a patient not respond to treatment, a more rigorous chemotherapy will be used, though not everyone can handle this as the side effects are miserable.
Biological Therapy
Biological therapy is also sometimes used for mantle cell lymphoma and many other types of lymphoma. This treatment method involves injecting monoclonal antibodies into your body, a molecular agent which actively go after cancer cells and destroys them.
Bone Marrow Transplant
Sometimes a bone marrow transplant may be needed in the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma. This is usually discussed as an option after chemotherapy. However, since most people that develop this disease are older, they are often not capable of having the transplant.
Radiation Therapy
It is rare to see radiation used as a treatment option for mantle cell lymphoma but it is required occasionally. Usually, those diagnosed with this disease are further along and have it throughout numerous parts of their body. However, should the diagnosis come earlier and the disease be localized, radiation can be used following chemotherapy for good measure.
Medications
Newer medications are now making the rounds in the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma. Most of these drugs are tested in clinical trials, but don't let that fool you. It is out of these trials that the newest treatments are produced. One particular medication currently being looked at is called bortezomib, which works as a proteasome in the body, which can get rid of bad cell proteins often found in cancer cells.
Tags: cell lymphoma, mantle cell, mantle cell lymphoma, treatment mantle, treatment mantle cell, cancer cells, diagnosed with
A bursa is a small sack that is situated between a bone and a tendon to prevent friction when the two parts are moved. Repetitive motions such as waking, climbing stairs and cycling wear down the bursa over time. The bursa can become inflamed and swollen, creating a condition called bursitis. Constant pressure on the bursa, such as sleeping on a hard surface in the same position night after night can aggravate the bursa as well. Sitting on a hard chair for a considerable amount of time also will increase the unnatural pressure on the bursa, creating hip bursitis. Tight tendons can cause additional trauma to the bursa. Regular stretching before and after activities can help to prevent bursitis. Trauma from a fall or accident that puts pressure on the joint can damage the bursa and cause bursitis. If left untreated, scar tissue builds up on the bursa, creating chronic bursitis that can be very difficult to treat.
Symptoms
Symptoms of bursitis include constant pain and stiffness in the hip area when moving. The pain remains consistent even when resting. Stiffness results when the bursa is left immobile for long periods. When pain occurs on the outside of the hip and thigh, it could be a result of trochanteric bursitis, a common hip ailment. The pain is noticed more when pressure is put on the area and when exerting pressure to stand from a sitting position. Pain is noticeable when walking up stairs and while sleeping. Trochanteric bursitis often occurs following surgery around the hip area or from the use of prosthetic devices. Spinal arthritis and scoliosis often are precursors to this type of bursitis.
Treatment
The hip joint that has been traumatized should be immobilized so healing can take place. A brace that keeps the joint stiff and prevents the tendon from moving over the bone and rubbing the bursa is the best treatment following an accident. Lying on a soft mattress or one filled with memory foam or latex can relieve the pressure on the hips while the bursa heals. With the body weight evenly distributed, the hip can relax and not have to bear the full weight while sleeping. Topical creams that have menthol in them can help to relieve the inflammation and reduce the pain level. Anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen or methyl sulfonyl methane (MSM), can help to heal the inflammation before it becomes chronic. Cortisone relieves inflammation but can ultimately weaken the tendons and cause more bursitis attacks. Ultrasound and massage can help to break down the scar tissue once the initial trauma has healed. Strenuous exercise should be avoided because it can damage the bursa even more.
Tags: area when, bursa creating, damage bursa, pressure bursa, scar tissue, tendons cause
Once an individual has received a metastasized cancer of the brain diagnosis, his mind fills with heartrending questions. How did this happen? Can it be cured? What will it be like? Is death imminent? How much time is left? Unfortunately, for people diagnosed withmetastasized cancer of the brain the answer is grim. The prognosis for these individuals is very poor.
Facts
One hundred thousand Americans receive a diagnosis of metastasized cancer of the brain every year, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Metastasized cancer of the brain occurs in anywhere from 10 to 30 percent of all individuals diagnosed with a primary cancer. Cancer that has metastasized to the brain accounts for 25 percent of all metastatic cancers. Metastasized brain cancer occurs more often in adults diagnosed with cancer than it occurs in children stricken by cancer.
Cause
Metastatic cancers are secondary cancers. They are the result of a primary cancer spreading. Primary cancer cells work their way into the bloodstream and are carried to other parts of the body and deposited. They will then multiply, resulting in a secondary cancer site. Cancer can also metastasize through the lymphatic system. The prognosis for metastatic cancer varies according to the type and stage of the primary cancer, the location of the secondary cancer and the overall health of the individual.
Symptoms
Early symptoms of metastasized cancer of the brain may be vague symptoms like lethargy, malaise, headache, fever, weakness and vomiting. Other symptoms that are more indicative of metastasized cancer of the brain are a decrease in coordination, speech difficulties or noticeable changes in vision. He may experience emotional instability, lapses in judgment or a change in personality. More severe symptoms include strange sensations in the body (electric shocks, tingling), noticeable differences in the size of his pupils when compared to each other and seizures that are not related to epilepsy.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Computerized tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, cerebral angiography, biopsies and lumbar punctures are all diagnostic tools used in diagnosing metastatic brain tumors. Because there is no cure, treatments focus on the relief of symptoms to improve the quality of remaining life. Corticosteroids and osmotic diuretics will reduce brain swelling. Radiation therapy and narcotics reduce pain associated with metastatic brain tumors.
Prognosis
The prognosis for individuals diagnosed with metastasized cancer of the brain is very poor. As the cancer spreads throughout the brain, it destroys any brain cells in its path. Death typically occurs within two years. The stage of the primary cancer, location of the metastatic tumor, number of cancerous brain lesions and the overall health of the individual are all factors in determining how long the person may live after a diagnosis of metastasized cancer of the brain.
Tags: cancer brain, diagnosed with, metastasized cancer, metastasized cancer brain, metastasized cancer brain, primary cancer, brain tumors
Body wraps are most often advertised as a method for losing fat inches on your body. What many people are unaware of is that body wraps are also an excellent method for detoxifying skin by drawing toxins and pollutants out of the body through the skin. Body wraps also improve circulation, which helps to improve your body's ability to internally flush out toxins as well.
How a Body Wrap Works
During a body wrap procedure, a practitioner places a detoxifying agent directly on the skin. These agents might consist of a number of different natural and herbal compounds that are known for their cleansing and detoxifying properties. Most of these detoxifying agents are clay- or mud-based with beneficial herbs and minerals added to the base.
The practitioner will spread a thin coating of a detoxifying clay or mud over your skin. Next, bandages will be wrapped firmly around the skin from your feet upwards. Some body wrap specialists recommend using two layers of bandages on the skin though one layer is sufficient if that is all that is available. (See references below.)
Once wrapped, you will need to stay warm for about 45 minutes to an hour so that the detoxifying agent can work effectively. Putting a sauna suit on over the wrap or covering up with a blanket will work well for this. When the body wrap is finished, the mud or clay is rinsed away and the body wrap is complete.
Detoxifying Agents Used in Body Wraps
Body wraps use many different natural and herbal compounds. In order for the body wrap to successfully remove toxins from the body, make sure the wrap used is made from these detoxifying compounds.
Popular choices for detoxifying agents found in body wraps include seaweed gel, botanical moor mud, French green clay, Moroccan red clay, green tea, lemon oil, grapefruit oil, blue-green Spirulina algae and dried hibiscus.
Things to Consider
After just one detoxifying body wrap you will feel a difference in your skin and notice that it looks healthier. However, to truly detoxify using a body wrap, expect to have at least five to 10 detoxifying wraps before you see major results and get the full benefits that a detoxifying body wrap offers.
Tags: body wrap, body wrap, Body wraps, detoxifying agent, detoxifying agents
Monosodium glutamate, or MSG, is the sodium salt of the chemical glutamic acid. It is used to enhance the flavor of food. Monosodium glutamate is commonly found in commercially prepared seasonings, salad dressings and in prepared boxed meals like macaroni and cheese, hamburger skillet casseroles and rice mixes, as well as in Chinese food.
Common Side Effects
MSG is a common food additive found in many commercially prepared foodstuffs in the United States. It is considered to be "generally recognized as safe" by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration despite numerous health concerns.
MSG causes a variety of side effects that can vary from individual to individual. The most common side effects of monosodium glutamate consumption include a burning sensation of the arms, face or chest; numbness that radiates from the neck to the arms; tingling or warmth in the face, arms or neck; pressure in the face; headaches; chest pains; nausea; heart palpitations; sleepiness; difficulty breathing; and general weakness. Breathing difficulties may be worse in asthmatic individuals.
The MSG Symptom Complex
Because symptoms rooting from MSG use are so common, the MSG symptom complex, which some may know as the "Chinese Food Syndrome," is a list of the most highly occurring symptoms brought on by the consumption of monosodium glutamate. Because Chinese food is an extremely common source of monosodium glutamate, it is common for those who indulge in too much shrimp lo mein or sweet-and-sour pork to experience these symptoms soon after consuming these foods.
The MSG symptom complex, which includes many of the common MSG side effects, also can cause headaches, palpitations, flushing, sweating, sour stomach, weakness, numbness around the mouth and chest pain.
Serious Side Effects
Especially in asthmatics, MSG can cause severe breathing difficulties. In some cases, breathing can become extremely labored and may require medical attention. A study by Johns Hopkins University suggests that monosodium glutamate can induce asthma in some individuals as well. Other studies show that MSG can cause damage to brain cells and the central nervous system. Some studies suggest it has direct correlations with Alzheimer's disease.
In rare instances, some individuals can be so sensitive to monosodium glutamate that they may have trouble speaking and could become temporarily paralyzed around the mouth. This should be noted as an MSG allergy, and those who suffer such a condition should be extremely careful not to consume MSG.
Excitotoxins
Monosodium glutamate belongs to a class of chemicals called excitotoxins. Excitotoxins are substances believed to cause brain damage and damage to the central nervous system.
Excitotoxins tend to affect the hypothalmus portion of the brain, which controls important bodily functions such as growth, sleep patterns, puberty and even appetite. Some studies suggest that MSG inhibits the normal function of the hypothalmus, which can cause long-term negative effects such as obesity, sleep disturbances and reproductive issues.
Do You Really Need MSG?
While many popular snack foods such as flavored chips, dips, crackers and even ramen noodles contain MSG, there are alternatives that may be safer for consumption without having to sacrifice taste or flavor. Be sure to check food labels to see if the product you wish to consume contains MSG. Popular snack foods like regular potato chips and Cheez-It crackers are MSG-free.
Since monosodium glutamate has been identified for its toxic effects, many Chinese restaurants now boast MSG-free products. If you enjoy Chinese food but aren't sure if your favorite restaurant adds MSG to its recipes, ask before ordering.
Tags: monosodium glutamate, around mouth, central nervous, central nervous system, Chinese food
Atherosclerosis is a condition characterized by the buildup of fat, calcium and other substances in and on the walls of arteries in the body. When these substances accumulate, they form a hardened material called plaque, which can partially or completely block off an artery and eventually lead to heart attack or stroke. There are several medical and surgical methods available to eliminate or reduce atherosclerotic plaques once they form.
Medication Options
According to the Mayo Clinic, you may be able to reverse the buildup of plaque in your arteries through aggressive reduction of your LDL ("bad") cholesterol. You may be able to add to this effect by raising your levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol. There are several classes of medication available to help you achieve these aims.
Statins work by preventing cholesterol production in your liver. Although their main benefit is lowering your LDL cholesterol, they also moderately raise your HDL cholesterol and lower harmful fatty triglycerides. Common examples include rosuvastatin calcium (Crestor), atorvastatin (Lipitor) and simvastatin (Zocor). Fibrates are helpful in lower your triglycerides and raising your HDL cholesterol. Common examples include gemfibrozil (Lopid) and clofibrate (Atromid-S). To gain benefits from lowered LDL cholesterol, your doctor may prescribe a fibrate in combination with a statin products.
Selective cholesterol absorption inhibitors prevent absorption of cholesterol in your intestines. They may also have some positive effect in raising your HDL levels and lowering your triglycerides. The main example in this category is ezetimibe (Zetia). Resins (bile acid sequestrants) lower your blood cholesterol by diverting it toward the production of digestive bile in your liver. Options here include cholestyramine (Questran, Prevalite) and colestipol (Colestid). Nicotinic acid (niacin) is a form of vitamin B that lowers your LDL and triglyceride levels and raises your HDL. Your doctor may recommend a prescription form of this compound, but you should not use nonprescription niacin supplements, which are not fully regulated for potency or effectiveness. Consult your doctor about any medication he may prescribe.
Surgical Options
You may also eliminate or reduce the effects of plaque through surgery. In an angioplasty, a surgeon will insert a thin tube called a catheter into your narrowed artery, then pass a deflated balloon through the catheter's interior. The balloon is then inflated, forcing plaque against the walls of your artery and increasing or restoring your blood flow. This passage is typically kept open with an artificial mesh placed inside your artery. In an endarterectomy, fatty plaque is surgically scraped from your artery's inner surface.
Chelation Therapy
Some alternative health practitioners promote the use of chelation therapy to reverse the effects of atherosclerosis. This technique, which is a standard treatment in cases of heavy metal poisoning, uses intravenous chemicals that bind to harmful substances and allow them to be excreted in urine. In cases of atherosclerosis, chelation is theoretically effective because of its ability to bind to calcium, a component of arterial plaque. Be aware that the American Heart Association cites lack of evidence for this theory, and does not support chelation as an atherosclerosis treatment.
Tags: your cholesterol, raising your, your artery, cholesterol your, Common examples, Common examples include, effect raising
Wasp stings are unpleasant enough that most people try to avoid these insects if possible. If a wasp stings you, take immediate steps to minimize the acute pain that will undoubtedly begin. There are effective ways to stop wasp sting pain. Swelling usually causes some residual pain, so take steps to reduce the swelling that will accompany a wasp sting as well.
Instructions
1. Examine the sting area immediately to see if the stinger is still in the skin. If you see a stinger, use the side of a metal spoon or credit card to scrape the sting area lightly to get the stinger out of the skin. Never pull the stinger straight out. Doing this may increase the amount of venom released into the skin.
2. Wrap several ice cubes into the washcloth and apply ice to the sting area. Leave the ice on the sting for ten minutes and then remove it for ten minutes. Repeat the icing process several more times to keep the swelling minimized.
3. Make a mixture of garden soil and water to create mud. Apply the mud directly to the sting area to soothe the sting and reduce the pain. Leave the mud on the sting until it dries and reapply fresh, wet mud if necessary.
4. Dilute two parts vinegar with two parts cool water. Soak the sting area in the diluted vinegar to stop the wasp sting pain.
5. Squirt a small dollop of toothpaste onto the sting area and spread it around generously. The toothpaste will relieve the pain and reduce swelling.
Tags: sting area, wasp sting, Leave sting, reduce swelling, sting pain, stop wasp
Breast implant surgery is a cosmetic procedure that many women undergo who aren't satisfied with the size of their breasts. While there are a number of different types of implants (saline and silicone implants are most common), and a number of different places that incisions can be made (via the armpit or under the fold of the breast, for instance) the purpose of the surgeries are all the same. One of the notable side effects of breast augmentation surgery, though, is that it could affect how a woman breast-feeds--or even if she can breast-feed.
Possibility
Most of the time it is still possible for a woman who has undergone breast augmentation surgery to breast-feed if she has children later. This is especially true if her incision was beneath the fold of her breast or in her armpit, since neither of those incisions would interfere with the mammary gland, which produces breast milk.
According to Babycenter.com, women who had implants due to underdeveloped, or hypoplastic, breasts sometimes have trouble producing enough milk, so they might need to supplement their baby's diet with formula to ensure proper nutrition.
Risk
There is a breast augmentation procedure that may inhibit a woman from breastfeeding. Commonly called a "smile" procedure, this surgery involves making a small incision around the areola--the darker area around the nipple--in the shape of a smile, and the implant is put in that way. This type of procedure runs the risk of cutting or damaging the sensitive nerves in the nipple and of damaging the actual gland in the breast where milk is produced.
Nerves
The nerves in the nipple can become either more or less sensitive after a breast implant operation. This is the main problem with breast-feeding after augmentation surgery. The sensitivity in the nipple is what triggers the milk duct, and if the breast can't feel the baby suckling at the nipple, then there won't be any milk released.
If the nerves are intact, though, and the breast is producing milk normally, then there's usually no reason a woman can't breast-feed. Enhanced nipple sensitivity from implants is also possible, though, which could make breast-feeding and engorgement decidedly uncomfortable for some women.
Silicone and Breast Milk
According to BabyCenter.com, there is no evidence that silicone from a breast implant can leak into the mother's breast milk during breast-feeding. However, even if the implant could, in theory, leak into and contaminate the breast milk, it likely wouldn't harm the baby. The silicone used in breast implants is similar to the material used to help treat a baby's stomach gas.
Benefits
Breast-feeding a baby has a number of benefits, according to CareFair.com. A mother's natural breast milk has more health benefits than baby formula, for instance. Additionally, the mother can share her immune system antibodies with her baby, helping to prevent the child from getting sick. Even women who've had breast implants should keep this in mind if they have children after the procedure.
Tags: breast milk, augmentation surgery, breast augmentation, breast augmentation surgery, breast implant
Use the concentration grid layout to improve concentration.
Improving the functioning of the mind can help make learning and using new information easier and more efficient. Concentration is vital to the learning process for young children. The MedlinePlus website reports that up to 5 percent of the children in America are suffering from some form of attention deficit disorder, or ADD. The concentration grid exercise may help these children.
Types of Concentration
Psychologist Robert Nideffer created a unique way to think of concentration. He proposed four different types of concentration. Broad-external concentration focuses outwardly on a wide field of interest. For example, watching a football game in a stadium and surveying the entire field would be broad eternal attention. Narrow-eternal attention focuses on a single detail that has importance at the moment. Broad-internal attention refers to comparing old situations with current situations--e.g., if you are having a fight with a friend and try to remember old fights with him. Narrow-internal attention focuses on one aspect of your internal self, such as your heartbeat.
Concentration Aspects
There are also four different aspects, according to The Extra Gear website: selective attention, maintaining focus, situational awareness and the capacity to shift attention. These aspects of concentration are shared by all the types suggested by Nideffer. Selective attention is the concentrating on one detail at a time. Maintaining focus helps guarantee that you will receive all the details necessary from your selective attention. Situational awareness is a "broadening of the beam" of your focus, meaning you pay attention to all stimuli around you to decide where to focus your attention next. Shifting attention refers to focusing your attention on something new.
Importance of Concentration
All types and aspects of concentration are equally important. For example, if you are at a party, you could use your broad-external attention to assess the situation and decide on who looks more promising as a conversation partner. You can then access your narrow-external attention to focus on that person and his conversation as well as his body language. Your broad-internal attention can be used to search for a suitable conversation topic; once that has been found, your narrow-internal attention can find different areas of the topic to discuss. Poor concentration in any of these areas will create a poor conversation and ruin a potential friendship.
Concentration Grid Exercise
Fill a 10-by-10 square grid with the numbers 0 through 99. Place these numbers randomly in the grid. Hand them out to your students. Each student will need a pencil or pen to do this exercise. Give them one minute to cross out as many of the numbers as they can in a specific order. For example, they can go from 0 to 99 or from 99 to 0. They can also concentrate specifically on eliminating numbers that end in a 0 or only variables of four. Add challenge to the game by adding music, loud noises and other distractions.
Use
Concentration grids can help improve many aspects of concentration. For example, players will have to use their broad-external attention to survey the whole card for numbers and their narrow-external to find the specific number they need. Players will also use their broad-internal and narrow-internal attention to remember the orders the numbers must be placed. Many sports use this game to improve concentration, such as swimming.
Tags: aspects concentration, attention focuses, attention refers, broad-external attention, four different
While there is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis, there are several treatment options available to help reduce symptoms.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of fat humans get through the diet they consume. They can help to reduce the inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis.
Swimming
Swimming is the best form of aerobic exercise for people with rheumatoid arthritis because it provides a cardiovascular exercise while keeping strain off the joints.
Coffee and Tobacco
Coffee and tobacco have been linked to a higher risk of rheumatoid arthritis, so limit or eliminate using them.
Hot and Cold Compresses
Cold compresses can reduce inflammation and hot compresses can help to relax the muscles around joints and stimulate blood flow.
Magnets
Magnets in the form of jewelry, disks or pads are believed by some to reduce pain. While it is unknown if they reduce the pain of rheumatoid arthritis, it might be worth trying. These can be found at natural food stores.
Meditation
Meditation is a relaxing therapy that can help to reduce stress and pain.
Tags: rheumatoid arthritis, help reduce, reduce inflammation, reduce pain
Head and neck injuries can become complicated because they protect the brain and control the spine. The most common type of trauma to the brain is a concussion. A concussion is when the brain is shaken, which can be a result of whiplash that may affect the neck and head in a sudden rapid motion. Head injuries are classified as either a closed head injury, which is a hard blow to the head from an object but the skull is not broken. An open head injury is when the skull is broken by an object, and the skull enters the brain. An open head injury may occur during a car accident in which the person goes through the windshield or a gunshot wound to the head.
Facts
A head injury is considered to be any trauma to the head, and a neck injury is trauma to the neck. Whiplash from a car accident is the most common cause of a neck injury. Head and neck injuries make up 5 to 10 percent of all trauma injuries. The understanding of the connection between the neck and the spine as well as the connection between the head and the brain is vital in a diagnoses and the creation of a therapeutic strategy.
Types
Neck injuries are most commonly caused by an accident. Whiplash is the sudden jerk of the head that causes a neck sprain. A sprain in the neck caused by whiplash is when the ligaments that connect the spine are torn or stretched. A concussion is a common type of head injury. Epidural hematoma is a head injury that is usually seen in patients with a head trauma. Subdural hematoma occurs when there is a tear in the vein that bridges the cerebral cortex and the draining venous sinus. Cerebral contusion is most commonly seen in children; it is the bruising of the brain tissue.
Identification
Pain and stiffness in the neck is the most common way to identify a neck injury. Symptoms from whiplash can take up to a few hours to develop. In certain cases, there are not any symptoms in a head injury. In most head trauma cases, the symptoms include unconsciousness, disorientation, drowsiness, confusion, personality change, nausea, headache, vomiting as well as a seizure or a coma. A patient may also appear to be conscious and may begin to deteriorate later.
Time Frame
Trauma to the head or neck can be severe and even life threatening. Close observation is required for all head and neck injury patients immediately after the incident. Patients with head trauma should return to the doctor after 12 hours of being released to evaluate if there will be a persistent problem. In head trauma for a concussion, it is important to reexamine the extent of the damage frequently. It can take only 15 minutes to distinguish between a grade one or grade two concussion.
Warning
There is no minor concussion; a concussion that goes unexamined has a higher risk of developing post-concussion syndrome, suffering from second impact syndrome or other severe neurological difficulties. If you have suffered from head or neck trauma, do not take aspirin, ibuprofen, Tylenol or any medication to treat a headache before consulting with your doctor. Neck and head injuries are considered a medical emergency and should be taken seriously. Some head and neck injuries may not have any symptoms, such as internal bleeding in the brain. It is important to also seek medical attention if you do not experience any symptoms of head or neck trauma.
Tags: head injury, head neck, head trauma, neck injury, most common
Hypoglycemia is a term used to describe low blood sugar, also called glucose. Hypoglycemia is caused from a high production of insulin in the body and is the direct opposite of diabetes. Symptoms of hypoglycemia include sweating, trembling, hunger, dizziness, mood swings and mental fogginess. Individuals with hypoglycemia should eat a diet of foods that digest slowly, such as whole grains, and avoid foods that digest rapidly, such as refined sugar.
Basic Omelet
The best way to combat hypoglycemia is to start off with a good breakfast. Avoid processed cereals and breakfast foods that are full of refined sugar and flours that digest quickly. Instead, eat whole grains, low-fat dairy products and eggs.
Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 tablespoons 2% or skim milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
salt and pepper, to taste
fillings such as mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, cheese or bacon
Directions:
Crack the eggs into a glass mixing bowl. Add milk and beat until evenly combined and pale yellow in color. Set egg mixture aside. Heat a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add butter or margarine and allow it to melt. Meanwhile, whisk egg mixture constantly, using an electric mixer if possible, beating as much air as possible into the eggs. Pour egg mixture onto the hot skillet and let cook for a minute or two, until the bottom starts to set. Once the bottom starts to firm, use a spatula to push one edge into the center of the pan while tilting the pan to let the remaining liquid flow under it. Repeat with all other edges, until no liquid remains. Season with salt and pepper and gently flip over. Add fillings and continue to cook until egg is well done. Then lift one side of the egg with your spatula and fold it across and over so the edges line up evenly. Cook for another 30 seconds, but do not allow edges to brown and burn. Gently transfer to a plate, season with salt and pepper again, and enjoy.
Pepita Chicken Salad
For lunch, eat a large, leafy green salad with lean protein and nuts or seeds to help keep a stable blood-sugar level. Avoid sugary soft drinks, breads made with white flours and other sugary snacks. Snack on raw vegetables or nuts in between meals instead.
Ingredients:
3 cups of leafy greens such as baby spinach or lettuce
2 cups of raw vegetables such as cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots
1 cup of cooked grilled chicken
1 avocado, sliced
1/4 cup pumpkin (pepita) seeds or sliced almonds
low fat, sugar-free dressing of choice
Directions:
Combine all ingredients together and serve. You can also put this salad into a whole-wheat tortilla and enjoy it as a wrap.
Hearty Pasta
Good nutrition must continue through dinner. Avoid convenience foods and frozen dinners at supper. For a quick and healthy meal, eat pasta with lean meat and vegetables.
Ingredients:
1 cup cooked whole-wheat pasta
1 cup steamed vegetables such as zucchini and squash
2 large or 4 small meat balls
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Combine pasta, vegetables and meatballs together. Top with cheese and enjoy.
Tags: foods that, salt pepper, that digest, bottom starts, butter margarine, Directions Combine
Lung cancer causes the most deaths due to cancer in Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Non-small cell cancer is the most common type of cancer of the lung and grows more slowly than other lung cancers. The prognosis of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer depends on the stage of the cancer and the locations of where it has spread.
Types
Adenocarcinomas grow in the outer parts of the lung. Squamous cell carcinomas grow on or near the bronchial tubes. Large cell carcinomas grow anywhere in the lung and are more likely to metastasize.
Causes
According to the Mayo Clinic, more than 90 percent of non-small cell lung cancers are caused by smoking tobacco.
Risk factors
People who are exposed to secondhand smoke, air pollution, asbestos and arsenic in drinking water are more likely to develop non-small cell lung cancer.
Symptoms
Symptoms of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer include chronic coughs, coughing up blood, trouble breathing, chest pain, bone and lymph node pain, weight loss and lumps in the breast.
Metastasis
Metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer occurs when cancerous cells implant in other parts of the body, commonly affecting nearby lymph nodes, the breast and liver and can complicate treatment.
Treatments
Treatments for mestastatic non-small cell lung cancer are more complex and may require combinations of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation to kill cancerous cells.
Prognosis
According to the National Library of Medicine, survival rates 5 years after treatment are 50 percent for patients with stage I and II non-small cell lung cancer, less than 20 percent for stage III cancers and less than 5 percent for stage IV cancers.
Muscular endurance plays a role in everyday activity. It allows you to perform repeated movements without getting tired and enables you to hold or carry objects for long periods of time.
Definition
Muscular endurance is the ability of to perform a series of repetitions at submaximal (below maximum) strength.
Benefits
Endurance prevents fatigue and exhaustion from physical work, and allows you to perform and enjoy various sports and activities.
Slow-Twitch Fibers
Slow-twitch muscle fibers are small muscle fibers that are suited for muscular endurance--performing repetitive motions with low levels of force--whereas fast-twitch muscle fibers are ideal for muscular strength. Slow-twitch fibers will adapt over time to endurance activities, making your muscles more efficient.
Endurance Assessment
Assessment of muscular endurance can be performed using a number of methods. One involves callisthenic exercises such as push-ups and curl-ups to determine muscular endurance capabilities and pinpoint areas for improvement. A personal trainer will be able to help assess your endurance.
Building Endurance
Follow a specific weight-training program to develop muscular endurance. Campus Health Services at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill recommends training several times a week, performing one to two sets of repetitions. Use controlled full range of motion, and try to do at least one exercise per muscle group.
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the genetic building-block that all life-forms are built upon. With the advent of DNA testing, DNA has been used to identify, classify and diagnose. The practical applications of DNA testing is ever-growing and is used across a wide variety of scientific and non-scientific fields.
Paternity
DNA tests are commonly used to establish paternity in cases where a man denies or questions being the father. Less commonly, tests are given to women to establish maternity.
Criminal Investigations
DNA is used by police and other law enforcement agencies to match suspects to evidence and to identify victims.
Anthropology
In the field of anthropology, DNA testing is used to establish links between groups and civilizations, and to identify the time period a specimen may have come from.
Paleontology
DNA tests of bones and fossils confirm the legitimacy of artifacts, dates them and assists in classifying and naming species of dinosaur.
Archeology
Archeologists use DNA to date items such as manuscripts, pottery and even soil samples.
Diagnostics
DNA testing is an integral part of genetic therapy. A common use for DNA testing is to test parents or fetuses for genetic conditions or birth defects.
Ligaments are strong, flexible fibers of tissue that connect to bones. They become inflamed typically as a result of recent injury, such as a tearing of the ligament caused by a sprain. When this occurs, the tissue around the affected ligament becomes red, swollen, painful and difficult to move. Fortunately, because injuries like these are common, treatments are both abundant and straightforward.
Treatment
For mild injuries where a ligament is injured but not torn or severed, treatment can be self-administered. Be sure to allow your foot rest and do not attempt to physically exert an inflamed ligament. When lying down, elevate your foot above the level of your body. Apply an ice pack or bag of frozen vegetable to the affected area to bring down the swelling. Additionally, freezing a bottle three-quarters of the way full of water and rolling it along the contours of your foot will help dull the pain. Be sure to place a paper towel or thin sheet of fabric around your foot when applying ice to prevent frost burn. If it hurts to move your foot, wrap it in athletic tape to keep it immobile.
There are several over-the-counter and prescription medications available that reduce swelling in injured ligaments. For mild cases, Tylenol can dull pain and Ibuprofen can be used to keep inflammation minimal. Seek a doctor's advice before taking higher level painkillers, especially if the ligament is in any way torn or pain does not abate with conventional medication.
If a ligament is severely injured, sprained or torn in any way, consult a doctor or therapist immediately. Surgery may be required to rebuild or replace broken tissue. A cast will likely be required to keep the foot immobile for an extended period of time. Additionally, a doctor may prescribe physical therapy to combat atrophy that occurs as a natural result of injuries like severely inflamed foot ligaments.
Prevention
Protect foot ligaments before they become injured or inflamed. Wear shoes at all times when running or playing sports. Be sure that your footgear is the proper size for your feet and maintains functional padding in the soles, ridges and heels. Do not ignore discomfort in any portion of your foot, especially if it persists longer than a few minutes. Under no circumstances should you continue to run or apply unnecessary pressure to your feet if they are injured. This can cause further, sometimes permanent damage to ligaments.
Tags: your foot, dull pain, foot ligaments, injuries like, your feet
Craniosacral massage therapy is a holistic therapy that involves detecting the cranial rhythm, which is similar to the pulse in the body's blood vessels. A massage therapist then makes slight pressure adjustments using the fingers to balance the fluid in the head, neck and back.
History
Modern craniosacral massage physiology practices were created by osteopathic specialist John E. Upledger in the 1970s.
Session Length
Craniosacral massage therapy appointments are commonly booked in 30- or 60-minute sessions.
Procedure
Craniosacral massage therapy is performed with the client lying fully clothed on a massage table.
During the session, the craniosacral massage therapist will detect imbalances or blockages in the client's cerebrospinal fluid. The massage therapist will then apply light pressure to the client's head, neck and lower back to rebalance fluid levels and cranial rhythm.
Uses
Craniosacral massage therapy is used to help treat people who suffer from migraines, arthritis, allergies, back pain, neck pain and jaw problems. This therapy may also promote states of deep relaxation.
Warning
According to InteliHealth, people who have suffered recent head trauma should refrain from receiving craniosacral massage therapy.
Ketones are a byproduct of incomplete fat metabolism. A ketone blood test is necessary if you are diabetic and have symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis, which include nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. The following steps describe the procedure for the ketone urine test, using test strips.
Instructions
1. Read the instructions that accompany the testing strips and follow the manufacturer's directions. The strips are chemically treated and change colors when dipped in the urine.
2. Use a clean container to collect your urine sample. Testing for ketones in the urine doesn't have to be done using sterile techniques, but do try to keep the sample as clean as possible. Avoid contaminating the urine with pubic hair, menstrual blood or stool.
3. Remove one of the strips from the bottle, dip it into the urine sample and remove it immediately. Tap the excess urine off, keep the test strip horizontal and wait about 15 seconds for the results.
4. Compare the color of the strip after it reacts with the urine with the color chart on the side of the bottle. This test is less precise than a blood test, but is usually safe for someone who is on a low carbohydrate or high protein diet and is concerned that they may not be getting enough carbohydrates. The test is also useful for a pregnant woman who has developed a temporary form of gestational diabetes and must monitor her urine periodically for ketones.
5. Follow your physician's instructions regarding the results of your test.
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the connective tissue that holds the arches of the feet in place. This can cause severe pain in the heels. To help your doctor diagnose plantar fasciitis, you should give her a complete medical history and specific descriptions of your symptoms.
Instructions
Review Your Lifestyle
1. Consider your job. Tell your doctor if your job requires you to stand or walk for long periods of time. Staying on your feet for hours can cause the plantar fascia to swell and cause plantar fasciitis.
2. Step on the scale. Write down your current weight as well as what your weights has been in the past. Gaining weight can cause or aggravate plantar fasciitis, so it can help your doctor diagnose plantar fasciitis.
3. Take a close look at your favorite pair of shoes. Your favorite pair of comfortable shoes may have lost the ability to properly support your feet. Clue your doctor in on what type of shoes you wear to aid with his diagnosis.
4. Check out your stride. Taking overly long strides when you walk or run can stretch the plantar fascia tissue further than it is meant to stretch and cause inflammation.
5. Think about your work out routine. Plantar fasciitis can be caused by overly tight calf muscles. Proper stretching before and after exercise can loosen these muscles and relieve stress from your arches.
Keep Track of Your Symptoms
6. Keep a foot pain journal to help your doctor diagnose the cause of your pain.
7. Write down the times when your feet hurt the most. Plantar fasciitis often causes the most pain upon rising in the morning.
8. Note whether or not your feet hurt more when you climb stairs. Pain when climbing is another sign of plantar fasciitis.
9. Keep track of pain in your heels when you stand on your toes. Standing on your toes stretches the plantar fascia and can be a symptom of plantar fasciitis.
10. Pay attention to tingling or numbness that accompanies your foot pain. Numbness and tingling may indicate tarsal tunnel syndrome, which is a pinching of the tibial nerve in the leg.
Get a Medical Check-Up
11. Ask your doctor to rule out problems like arthritis. The symptoms of arthritis and plantar fasciitis are quite similar, but treatments can vary greatly.
12. Request X-rays of your feet to rule out bone fractures. Your heel pain may be caused by small pieces of bone out of place in your foot. X-rays will distinguish this from plantar fasciitis.
Tags: your doctor, your feet, plantar fasciitis, doctor diagnose, help your
A burn can be very uncomfortable. However, some burns can be treated by yourself if they are minor burns. Reading this article will teach you care for minor burns at home.
Instructions
1. Run cool water over a burn. Cool water is good for more than just drinking. When you have a burn, run cool water (not cold) over the area of the burn or soak it in cool water for about 5 or 10 minutes. When you run cold water over a burn, it helps to reduce pain and swelling by drawing the heat away from the area of skin affected by the burn. If you have questions of require assistance in treating your burn, you should call 911 and seek advice from trained professionals.
2. Apply antibiotics and take pain relievers if necessary. After treating the burned area with cold water you should either apply Aloe Vera or an antibiotic ointment (either over the counter or prescription if you have it) and cover the burn with clean, dry gauze wrapping. Applying antibiotics and fresh wrapping to the burn after you have treated it with cold water helps to reduce any pain or infection that may come after the burn. If you have unbearable pain after a burn, take Tylenol to help you alleviate the pain.
3. Be aware of things you shouldn't do after a burn. Some people, after they have been burned, are often in a fit of panic and hurt and do the first thing that comes to mind. Sometimes, doing what comes to mind isn't exactly the best thing to do. You should always treat a burn with cool water first and avoid doing these things directly after a burn: do not burst any blisters that may form (this can cause infection), do not apply antibiotics of mayonnaise directly after a burn (this traps the heat inside the burn) and do not apply ice to a burn at all (this may cause frostbite). Remember, you should never try to treat severe burns on your own; therefore, you have to use your best judgment in deciding whether or not to alert emergency services regarding your burn.
Tags: after burn, cool water, cold water, burn have, burn this, burn with
A variety of spinal disorders cause neck pain, which may be degenerative or derive from an injury. Many can be treated with cervical traction. Sometimes, herniated discs can be successfully treated with cervical traction. Cervical spine traction provides a constant or intermittent and non-painful force to stretch muscles and ligaments while increasing the space between vertebrae. The goal is to relieve the pain caused by the pinched nerves and possibly increase the range of motion.
History of Cervical Traction
Cervical traction devices have been used for decades to help treat and prevent neck pain. Traction is thought to date back to ancient Egyptians, who used traction to treat dislocations and other painful neck problems. It was not until the 1930s that cervical traction started to be offered in clinical settings.
Duration and Frequency
There are different levels of stretching that are applied in cervical traction, such as a mild to maximal stretch. These help the therapist determine the amount of cervical traction that is right for the patient. Depending on the severity of symptoms, the duration and frequency of cervical traction may be adjusted in order to improve results. Normally, cervical traction is planned frequently during early treatment for cervical spine pain and may be reduce as pain subsides. Traction may eventually be discontinued if neck pain does not recur or worsen. Traction devices can be used at home or in a medical professional office. Cervical traction in an office setting is often done in 15-minute intervals in order to maximize results. Spinal traction creates an upward force as a device is attached to the skull while the body is held in place.
Patient Education
The patient lies down so that the body remains relaxed while cervical traction is started. A chiropractor or other specialist will go over specific steps to take when using a traction device, including positioning and the tolerance level to traction. The patient lies down on his back and is able to control the amount of stretching in the cervical spine, which often helps avoid pain. The patient lies down so that the body remains relaxed while cervical traction is started.
Types of Cervical Traction
There are several types of cervical traction, including manual traction, which is when a patient lies down and the therapist uses her hands to apply support and stretching. This is a gentle method that is stable and controlled by the practitioner. There is also mechanical traction which is used with a head halter that often goes over the door. The therapist will often teach the patient set it up and use the system safely. In other units, the patient lays his head in the mechanism and operates a pump to create the traction.
Evaluation before Traction
Prior to considering cervical traction, most doctors will see if physical therapy and medication will help. Cervical spine traction is a minimally invasive treatment option for neck pain. It is important to be evaluated prior to starting cervical traction in order to know whether it is a good treatment option. The correct and consistent use of a cervical traction device is important to its success in reducing pain.
Enemas are given to children whose bowels are blocked, or impacted. They make it easier for your child to have a bowel movement, breaking down the impaction, allowing the built-up fecal matter to pass through his system more easily. If you notice his underpants are soiled or feel a lump in his lower abdomen, chances are an enema may be necessary. However, it is important to give the enema correctly and in the right dose to avoid serious health complications.
Instructions
1. Choose the enema. There are two types of enemas which are safe for use on children: mineral oil and normal saline enemas; if choosing normal saline, you must make it at home.
Mineral oil enemas can be purchased without a prescription from your local drugstore, as can Fleet's phosphate enemas. Fleet's state on the package that they are saline, however if choosing this for your child, it is imperative for you to use the correct dosage. Using too much or giving more than one a day can be dangerous for your child.
Both mineral oil and Fleet's enemas are pre-packaged, disposable enemas, and the dosage, which is listed on the package, is set according to your child's age and weight.
2. Make a normal saline enema. If you choose to use a normal saline enema, you need to make it yourself. Simply add 2 level tsp. of table salt into a quart of lukewarm distilled water. The dosage for these enemas is as follows: ages two to six--6 oz.; six to 12--12 oz.; 13 to adult--16 oz.
3. Prepare your child. Before administering the enema, give your child one to two glasses of water. The enema may cause dehydration from loss of bodily fluids, and drinking water beforehand can prevent this.
4. Position your child. The best position for your child to be in when getting an enema is on her stomach with her knees pulled into her chest. This allows the fluid from the enema to flow easier as it descends into her colon. It also helps relieve pressure that builds up in her rectum while the fluid from the enema begins to fill her colon.
5. Give the enema. If using a disposable enema, lubricate the tip and gently insert into his rectum. As you do so, tell your child to push as though he is having a bowel movement; this helps make the insertion easier. If the fluid does not flow right back out when begin squeezing the bottle, you know the tip is inserted far enough.
If giving a home made enema, place the correct amount of solution in the bag and lubricate the tube before inserting it. Raise the bag two feet above your child's rectum, allowing the fluid to drain gradually through the force of gravity; this process usually takes five to 10 minutes.
6. Make him wait. Upon completion of the enema, it is common for your child to feel a strong urge to release its contents. However, for the enema to be effective, he needs to wait between five and 15 minutes before using the bathroom. To help him, hold his cheeks together while he remains on his stomach with his knees pulled in. Tell him to take deep breaths which will help him relax and reduce the urge to have a bowel movement right away.
Tags: your child, normal saline, bowel movement, five minutes, fluid from, fluid from enema
Thymoma is rare type of cancer that has formed in the thymus, an organ located in the chest behind the sternum that produces lymphocytes for the immune system to fight disease.
Background
Thymoma grows slowly and is often contained within the thymus. However, if the thymoma grows into other chest organs like the heart or the lungs, as it has in some instances, then it is deemed invasive thymoma.
The more malignant thymic carcinoma occurs when the cells cease to resemble thymic cells and quickly spread to other parts of the body. This type of thymoma is rare and treatment proves incredibly tough.
Causes
Thymoma occurs when the epithelial cells that make up the tissue of the thymus organ become malignant. If the lymphocytes (the other cell present in the thymus) become cancerous, it is then lymphoma.
It is unknown what the specific causes of thymoma are, but it tends to occur in the middle-aged. Thymic carcinoma, however, can occur in people of any age.
Thymoma is often associated with the disease myasthenia gravis, which involves a weakening of the muscles. Doctors tend to diagnose thymoma while investigating other diseases, usually while conducting chest X-rays.
Effects
Many thymoma patients show no symptoms, and those that do tend to display symptoms associated with other chest diseases such as coughing, shortness of breath and chest pains.
Because thymoma affects an organ instrumental to the immune system, the body tends to be stricken with other diseases. In addition to myasthenia gravis, patients might also develop pure red cell aplasia (reduced red blood cell production) lupus, polymyositis, Sjogren's syndrome, hypogammaglobulinemia and even rheumatoid arthritis.
Treatment
If the thymoma is noninvasive (contained entirely within the thymus), it can be removed by surgery or, in rare cases, radiation therapy. Radiotherapy is an option if surgery is considered dangerous to the patient or when surgery has not removed all the cancer, as thymomas are particularly susceptible to radiation.
Invasive thymoma requires surgery and often radiation therapy even if the cancer seems to have been entirely removed. In advanced stages where the cancer is inoperable, radiation therapy remains an effective option in a majority of cases.
Thymic carcinoma can require surgery, radiation therapy and even the use of corticosteroids, drugs that employ hormones.
Chemotherapy has also been used to treat thymoma when the cancer has spread throughout the body, and often works best when patients take multiple drug treatments.
Prevention
Thymoma's rarity also means that only minimal research has been devoted to it. Thus, it is not known how one can specifically prevent thymoma outside of traditional cancer prevention strategies such as diet and exercise.
Tags: radiation therapy, associated with, immune system, myasthenia gravis, occurs when, other chest, other diseases
Essential oils are created by distilling and pressing plant materials to produce a concentrated oil that retains the aroma and characteristics of the original plant. Essential oil extracts can be harvested from all parts of a plant and each plant produces the desired reduction based on its inherent properties.
Types
With some plants, the essential oil distillation may come solely from the roots of the plant and for other plants it may come from the stems. Some essential oil extracts use the entire plant. Since plant bodies retain aroma and oils in different ways and in different parts of their structure, how each is pressed is specific to producing the right combination. Many seeds have oily properties and the flowers, stalks and roots are often sources of aroma. Some plants, like mints and lavenders, have strongly perfumed leaves.
Steam Distillation
Steam distillation, sometimes known as steam stripping, is the most common form of essential oil manufacturing. In this process the plant material is steamed in a still so the volatile elements vaporize and condense along with the water being used. This process purifies the mixture and produces a quality oil. This purification process can also remove undesirable scents and flavors. More than 3,000 plants are suitable for essential oil production but reducing plant material in this way is expensive. According to A World of Aromatherapy.com, it takes 8 million jasmine flowers to produce two pounds of jasmine essential oil.
Pressing
Distillation processes also include pressing, or maceration, in which a part of a plant (such as a seed or rind) is crushed and the juices from the crushing process are harvested. Additional separation also occurs, for example oil and water separate as they settle. The pressing process for essential oil tries to capture the flavor and odor of the plant so that the oil can be used in perfumes. The plants selected for the creation of essential oils are volatile oils rather than fixed triglyceride oils.
Enfleurage Pomade
Enfleurage pomade is a process used to extract flower oils. In this process an odorless (solid at room temperature) fat is used as a base. The base is heated and the flower petals and parts are mixed with the oil to infuse the oil. During this process of infusion the flower parts may be replaced many times to create the degree of infusion that is required. Sometimes this is further reduced by using ethyl alcohol to produce a enfleurage pomade absolute.
Benefits
Essential oils are used in many ways, including as a base ingredient in perfumes, as a food additive to enhance or give certain flavors, and in the manufacture of incense. Essential oils are incorporated into candles, spray scents, soaps, deodorizers and mood modification systems being used in some hotels and other large service businesses. Aromatherapy uses essential oils to promote and improve health. Other traditional medicinal practices use essential oils as part of treatments. Essential oils can be made at home through small stills designed to extract these fine oils.
Tags: Essential oils, this process, being used, essential oils, Meaning Essential
According to doctors of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), your tongue can tell a lot about your health. Practitioners typically observe the shape, color, coating and any cracks or spots on the patient's tongue. You should not attempt to self-diagnose your health based on your tongue and should seek a professional's opinion. It should be noted that a normal tongue is a pinkish color and has a thin white coating that is uniform.
Thrush
Thrush, also known as Candida or yeast infection, is a common cause of a white tongue.
Qi/Blood Deficiency
A pale, white tongue can indicate that a person has a Qi or blood deficiency. In TCM, white is the color of metal and refers to the lungs and colon. This person is probably low on energy.
Leukoplakia
Leukoplakia can occur on the tongue as well as other areas of the mouth and are white patches that may appear "hairy." Leukoplakia may clear up on its own and, in rare cases, may lead to cancer. Leukoplakia is common in smokers.
Organ Health and Function
Each area of the tongue refers to a specific organ, and a white patch in an area may suggest dysfunction in that organ.
Stomach
White fur resembling cottage cheese refers to heat in the stomach.
Phlegm
A thick, white coating on the tongue signifies retention of phlegm and fluid within the body.
Tags: tongue should, white coating, white tongue, your health, your tongue
Reye's Syndrome is a disease that affects mostly children and teenagers, and involves the liver, brain, kidneys and heart. While the definite cause of Reye's Syndrome is currently unknown, it typically occurs following a viral infection or illness, such as chicken pox and flu. For this reason, parents are advised not to give their children aspirin, as studies have linked the prevalence of the condition to drugs containing salicylate.Risks of contracting Reye's Syndrome increase with the above-mentioned chicken pox and flu, as well as other respiratory infections. Parents should know enough to be able to recognize the signs or symptoms of Reye's Syndrome in order to initiate prompt treatment and to prevent complications such as pneumonia, respiratory seizures, heart problems, and even brain damage, coma and death.
Instructions
1. Carefully watch your children when they are suffering from flu or chicken pox and never, under any circumstances, give them aspirin during such episodes. Actually, it is best to treat children and teens suffering from viral illnesses with ibuprofen or acetaminophen such as Tylenol for fevers, aches and pains. One of the most common signs of Reye's Syndrome is drowsiness and lethargy in children that seems unrelated to simply lack of sleep or not feeling well.
2. Watch your child for episodes of vomiting. These episodes may produce mild or volatile bouts of nausea and vomiting that are often accompanied by confusion and the above-mentioned lethargy.
3. Pay close attention to your child or teen and watch for signs of behavior changes. While we are all aware that most children and teens may grow cranky or irritable with they are ill, these personality or behavior changes may seem unwarranted and extreme. Sometimes, children or teens also suffer from delirium with or without the presence of fever.
4. Observe your child or teen for signs of seizures in the arms, legs, or torso. These seizures may appear mild and last only seconds, to those that may last several minutes. Consult your physician if you see any signs of seizure activity in your child.
5. Listen to your child speak and watch for signs of slurring, speech problems, or difficulty communicating. In addition, some children and teens afflicted with Reye's Syndrome also complain of seeing double.
Tags: Reye Syndrome, your child, children teens, behavior changes, child teen, suffering from
The discipline is called crystallography, but the beautiful shapes and colors have been prized by collectors for centuries. Crystals are minerals with repeated and organized structure that are classified according to color, symmetry and shape. Some shapes are familiar, such as cubes and rectangles, but geologists organize crystals by the symmetry of their axes in order to classify unfamiliar shapes that are difficult to describe without a picture.
An Introduction to Axes
Three axes, all perpendicular, all the same length.
A cube has three axes, all perpendicular to each other and all the same length. A rectangle, on the other hand, is defined by three axes, all perpendicular, but only two are the same length. If this is a little difficult to visualize, the best descriptions and drawings of three-dimensional shapes are found in geometry books.
Isometric
Salt is an example of an isometric crystal.
Isometric crystals are cube-shaped and are the most symmetrical of the six crystal types, making them easy to identify. However, a cube-shaped crystal may be modified and still be considered cube-shaped. For example, a cube whose corners are all neatly shaved off is still a cube.
Hexagonal
Two hexagonal crystals
Hexagonal crystals are longer than they are wide and have six sides all the same length. Sapphire is a hexagonal crystal. Hexagonal crystals are also easy to recognize and among the most prized for pendants and decorating chandeliers.
Tetragonal
Tetragonal crystals are shaped like a three-dimensional rectangle. They have three axes, all perpendicular, but only two are of equal length. Apophyllite is an example of a tetragonal crystal.
Ortorhombic
Orthorhombic crystals look like a rectangle at first glance, but are different. They have three axes, all perpendicular, but all different lengths. Golden Topaz is an example of an orthorhombic crystal. Although its internal structure is orthorhombic, most jewelry made of Golden Topaz would be difficult to identify as such once it's cut into the familiar shapes of most rings and pendants.
Monoclinic and Triclinic Crystals
Monoclinic and triclinic crystals are the most difficult to describe by shape and axes, but examples are Gypsum and Orthoclase respectively. While many crystalline minerals are valued for their beauty and usefulness in jewelry-making, gypsum (hydrated calcium sulfate) is used mostly for making plaster and drywall.
Tags: axes perpendicular, same length, three axes perpendicular, axes perpendicular only, difficult describe, Golden Topaz, have three
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, which consists of the brain, the spinal cord and the optic nerves. Multiple sclerosis affects women twice as often as men, and the exact cause is unknown. MS is usually diagnosed in early adulthood, and most cases are diagnosed between ages 20 and 50. However, MS can also occur in adolescence or even early childhood, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. There are treatments available, but there is no cure for MS.
The Facts
In people who have multiple sclerosis, the immune system attacks the nerve cells or neurons, in the brain and/or spinal cord. Neurons consist of a cell body, which receives impulses from other neurons and that produces impulses, and an axon, which is attached to the cell body and which carries the impulses to other neurons. All of the nervous tissue in the body, including the brain and spinal cord, functions through this communication between neurons.
Many neurons have multiple layers of a protein and lipid substance surrounding their axons---this substance is called myelin. The neurons that have myelin are referred to as "myelinated" neurons, and the myelin that surrounds their axons is called a myelin sheath. The myelin sheath protects the axon. The immune system of a person who has MS attacks the myelin sheaths, producing scars or plaques, which are also called scleroses. The destruction of myelin interferes with, and can eventually destroy, the neuron's ability to send signals to other neurons. The scar tissue is permanent, and damaged neurons cannot be repaired. When an area of the brain, spinal cord or optic nerves is filled with neurons that are not able to communicate well with other neurons, that part of the brain or spinal cord cannot function properly.
The symptoms of MS vary from person to person and depend on many factors, including which areas of the central nervous system are damaged by the disease. Some common symptoms are vision problems, weakness, fatigue and numbness or tingling sensations in various parts of the body, which are called paresthesias.
Pain
According to the National MultipleSclerosis Society, about 55 percent of MS sufferers report "clinically significant" pain at some point during the disease process, and pain with MS is about twice as common in women as in men. Pain can be acute or chronic, and can be neuropathic---which means it is caused by malfunctioning neurons---or have another cause.
Trigeminal neuralgia is one type of acute neuropathic pain. It is named for the trigeminal nerve, which is responsible for sensation in the face. Trigeminal neuralgia pain is a sharp, stabbing pain to the side of the face that is the result of damage to the trigeminal nerve, and it can be quite severe. Sometimes trigeminal neuralgia is one of the first symptoms of MS. Because it is in the side of the face, trigeminal neuralgia is sometimes mistaken for tooth pain.
L'Hermitte's sign (pronounced "lair-meet") is a brief, sudden sensation of electric shock, buzzing or pain that travels down the body as a result of bending the neck forward. It is a type of paresthesia, or abnormal sensation. It can be associated with a number of disorders, including cervical spondylosis, arthritis, tumors or pernicious anemia. In MS it is a result of damage to the cervical spine, which is the neck region of the spine, and is classified as neuropathic pain. About two-thirds of MS sufferers experience L'Hermitte's sign at some time.
MS sufferers can also experience tingling, burning, aching or "girdling" which is a sometimes painful band-like pressure around the body. Physicians call these symptoms "dysesthesias," which means an unpleasant abnormal sensation. These dysesthesias are neuropathic, and can either be acute or chronic in MS sufferers. Although not common, sometimes neuropathic pain can accompany optic neuritis, causing pain when the eye is moved according to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Scotland.
Some pain associated with MS is not neuropathic. Examples include pain resulting from muscle spasticity, or back pain associated with the immobility some MS sufferers experience. Although this pain is just as real and important as neuropathic pain, the treatment is different.
Treatments
While there is no cure for MS, there are treatments available. Some treatments can alter the course of the disease or slow its progression. Other treatments can ease the symptoms of MS, including neuropathic pain.
Neuropathic pain does not respond well to medications that are used to treat other types of pain, such as pain resulting from an injury, so doctors must take a different approach when treating it. Trigeminal neuralgia is often treated with anticonvulsant medications such as carbamazepine (Tegretol®) or phenytoin (Dilantin®). For L'Hermitte's sign, doctors may prescribe an anticonvulsant drug or soft-collar support for the neck if this symptom is severe enough to interfere with daily life. Dysethesias such as burning, aching or girdling are often treated with the anticonvulsant gabapentin (Neurontin®) or the antidepressant amitriptyline. The antidepressant duloxetine hydrochloride (Cymbalta®), although not specifically for MS, has been approved for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy and therefore may help with neuropathic pain in MS sufferers. Antidepressants help ease neuropathic pain by changing the way the brain responds to the pain signals coming from the damaged nerve cells. The drug pregabalin (Lyrica®), which the FDA approved in 2004 for treating neuropathic pain associated with diabetes and fibromyalgia, can also help some MS sufferers who experience neuropathic pain. Dysesthesias are also sometimes treated by non-chemical means, such as wearing a pressure stocking or using a warm compress on the affected area. Acetaminophen (Tylenol®) also sometimes eases the pain of dysesthesias, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Non-neuropathic pain in MS responds to different treatments. Pain from muscle spasticity can be treated with baclofen (Lioresal®) or tizanidine (Zanaflex®), anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, or stretching exercises. Back pain caused by immobility can be treated with ultrasound, physical therapy or heat.
Considerations
While some symptoms of MS, such as weakness or difficulty walking, can be obvious, pain is an invisible symptom. A person who suffers from chronic, debilitating pain can look "just fine" to others but feel terrible and have problems functioning. It is important for MS sufferers who experience pain to communicate with their loved ones about how they are feeling, so that they may offer support. Chronic pain can also interfere with an MS sufferer's ability to work or perform other activities, and can cause great emotional distress. Some MS sufferers find that it helps to talk about it; your local chapter of The National Multiple Sclerosis Society can tell you about support groups in your area.
It is very important to tell your physician about any symptoms you are experiencing, including pain. Physicians have a variety of options for helping you with pain, and asking for help is not "whining" or a sign of weakness. If a treatment your physician has prescribed for your pain is not working, tell her so she can try something else. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society also recommends multidisciplinary pain clinics for MS sufferers who experience chronic pain; these clinics can offer a variety of treatments such as medications, physical therapy, counseling, and alternative treatments.
Warning
A change in symptoms or the appearance of new symptoms in MS sufferers can sometimes indicate a change in the course of the disease or an adverse reaction to medications. Contact your physician if your symptoms change.
A flair up of the sinuses can leave you feeling awful. The symptoms associated with sinusitis vary from blockage in the nostrils to pressure felt around the eyes, face and head. Although sinusitis can make you miserable, there are some natural ways to treat it that involve aromatherapy and other holistic techniques.
Aromatherapy
The essential oils suggested for treating sinus problems include eucalyptus, peppermint and bergamont. Eucalyptus oil has anti-inflammatory properties. It purifies the air by destroying bacteria and germs. This oil is an essential for physical health and environmental. Peppermint oil contains a significant amount of menthol that clears the respiratory tract. This element makes peppermint oil an effective relief for sinusitis and nasal congestion. Certain components of bergamont essential oil neutralize germs, virus and fungi, making it another defense against sinusitis.
Add several drops of any three of these essential oils to a bowl of hot water and inhale for up to 10 minutes. A World of Aromatherapy recommends not using this method if you suffer from asthma.
You can create an oil mixture using a few drops of an essential oil with a carrier oil such as jojoba. Massage the oil around the base of your head. Then start your massage from the inside of the eyebrows and move the massage toward the temples.
Another technique, using the eucalyptus essential oil, is to create a steam facial. Fill a medium- to large-size bowl with steaming hot water with four to six drops of eucalyptus essential oil. Place a towel over the head like a tent. Place your face over the bowl and inhale the steam. The towel should help prevent much of the steam from escaping. Inhale for five to 10 minutes.
Holistic
A holistic approach to treat sinus problems can provide a clear solution. New Medicine and Alternative Health Journal provide a method that involves pouring warm, salt water solution through your nose for a nasal cleanse. You'll need salt, 7 oz water and a Neti pot. Pour 7 oz warm water into a neti pot or use a small watering pot with a tapered spout. Add a pinch of salt or just enough salt until the water tastes like tears. While standing over a sink, tilt your head to one side until your ear is parallel to the floor. Begin pouring the salt-water solution into the upper nostril and allow it to drain through the lower nostril. Then repeat the same steps pouring the solution through the other nostril. Do this two to three times daily. New Medicine suggests using the nasal cleanse four times a day when you're experiencing bouts of sinusitis.
If you suffer from frequent or chronic sinusitis, see a doctor.
Tags: essential oils, eucalyptus essential, nasal cleanse, salt water, sinus problems, solution through, suffer from