Picking the right orthodontist is important because the process of orthodontic work can be painful and drawn out over a long period of time. Trusting your orthodontist is integral to making it a pleasant experience, and a few easy steps can help you pick the right orthodontist.
Instructions
1. Ask around to get a feel for who others in your area approve of. Ask how your friends and acquaintances feel about their orthodontists' practices, offices and manner with patients and employees.
2. Look for great teeth and consider visiting the orthodontists responsible for them. Like someone who seeks out a fresh haircut according to others' styles, do the same with teeth. If you admire someone's newly revealed smile, inquire about her orthodontist.
3. Go in for a consultation with an orthodontist. An important step in picking the right orthodontist is actually sitting in the chair and having the doctor assess your needs. If you feel comfortable with the doctor and at ease with his recommendations for treatment, consider working with him in the long term.
4. Get recommendations from your dentist. Dentists will often gladly refer patients to the orthodontists they trust and whose work they admire. Because both professionals depend on each other for referrals, dentists are likely to be picky in deciding which orthodontist to endorse.
5. Consider cost and insurance policies. One of the most practical and straightforward ways to choose an orthodontist is to find out which ones accept your insurance and how much the procedures they plan to do will cost in the long run. Orthodontists should be willing to discuss various treatment options to find out what is most cost effective for individual patients.
Tags: right orthodontist, orthodontist important, Pick Orthodontist
Waking up with bad morning breath, also called halitosis, may cause you to be embarrassed and make you avoid contact with your partner, kids and coworkers until you can get rid of the odor. Bad breath in the mornings may be a result of what you did (or did not do) the night before, and you can do things to remedy the situation. According to the National Library of Medicine and Drugs.com, home remedies for bad morning breath include changing personal habits and improving dental hygiene.
Gargling
Gargling with half a teaspoon of salt mixed with a glass of water after you wake up can kill bacteria that cause bad breath.
Cleaning
Brushing your teeth with a baking soda paste or any toothpaste as soon as you get up can reduce bad breath.
Tea
Drinking hot peppermint or lemon tea can get rid of bacteria in your mouth and freshen your breath.
Hydration
Drinking water when you first get up can rinse leftover odors from last night's food from your mouth.
Mints
If you do not have time to drink tea or brush your teeth, sucking on a sugar-free mint can provide fast relief from bad morning breath.
Parsley
Chewing on fresh parsley can reduce symptoms of bad breath in the morning or after an aromatic meal containing onions or garlic.
There are many times that a person must change his sleep pattern. Whether it be for a new job, daylight savings time or returning from vacation, changing a sleep pattern can be challenging. This is because the body becomes used to starting a day at a certain time as well as ending it. Here are a few helpful hints to make the process of changing a sleep cycle easier.
Instructions
1. Avoid food for 12 to 16 hours before you want to wake up. A study done by Harvard Medical School found that food is the key to changing a sleep cycle. When you wake up, eat a good meal to signal to your body that the day is beginning.
2. Remove distractions from your bedroom. Lights, cell phones and computers are just a few things that may distract you from sleeping. Your room should be distraction-free so you can relax and slumber.
3. Fall asleep 15 minutes earlier every night. Instead of diving in, take the time to adjust to going to bed earlier. At the same time, wake up 15 minutes earlier. Your body will be more receptive to adjustment.
4. Maintain a bed time. If you go to sleep at the same time and wake up at the same time every day, your body will become immune to the change.
5. Darken your room. Make it completely dark when you fall asleep so when you wake up the light signals to your body that the new day is beginning.
Tags: changing sleep, same time, body that, body that beginning, body will
Nursing homes are supposed to be a safe place for seniors to live while receiving medical care and assistance with daily activities. Unfortunately, elder abuse does sometimes occur in these types of facilities. The effect of this abuse can be serious in terms of the mental and physical health of the victim as well as the consequences to their families and the legal penalties faced by the caregiver if they are found guilty of abuse
Effects On Victims
Elder abuse can come in several forms, including physical, mental, sexual, financial abuse and neglect. Some signs of physical and sexual abuse are unexplained bruising, broken bones and bloody clothes. Neglect can lead to bedsores, infection and illness. Financial abuse is usually apparent by unexplained withdrawals from the senior's checking account. Mental consequences can range from withdrawal and isolation to mood swings and other personality changes.
Effects On Victim's Families
Family members of the abused will likely struggle to cope with feelings of guilt, anger and shock once they find out that their loved one is a victim of elder abuse. They may also face financial hardships related to transferring the senior from one facility to another or into their home, paying for medical treatment for the senior as a result of the abuse and possible legal costs if they choose to file suit against the abuser and/or the nursing home facility.
Effects On Nursing Home Facilities And Workers Accused Of Abuse
In some states, doctors, nurses, social workers, and other professionals are required by law to report all suspected cases of elder abuse. False accusations of abuse can be detrimental both to the facility in terms of reputation and to the accused in terms of possible legal action. Nursing home workers found guilty of elder abuse face suspension of their professional licenses in addition to legal fees and possible jail time.
Office ergonomic safety is so important in the workplace that it is covered under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Ergonomic safety involves designing the workplace and equipment to fit the individual worker. There is no set correct posture or arrangement of your workstation. However, there are basic ergonomic guidelines that you can learn about and follow to protect yourself against workplace injury while performing computer tasks.
Ergonomic Furniture Set Up
Effective ergonomic furniture (chair, desk and workstation) is adjustable to suit your individual needs. Maintaining good posture is essential. Ergonomically speaking, your chair should be set at the height and distance at which you can comfortably reach your desk items. Your spine should be erect. Buy a lumbar support cushion if needed. Your feet should rest flat on the floor; if not, you need a footrest. Your desk needs to be adjustable for a comfortable monitor shelf and keyboard tray.
Ergonomic Computer Station Set Up
Keyboards, pointing devices, monitors and work surfaces play a key role in office ergonomic safety. When keyboards are placed either too high or too low, injury can result. Develop a neutral body position. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), this involves maintaining a straight and level wrist posture. Good wrist positioning involves not having the wrists bend down or up nor turn to either side. Use a wrist pad or ergonomic keyboard. Lowering or elevating your keyboard may help. For good ergonomics, your elbows should hang comfortably at your body's side while at the same height as your keyboard. Make slight adjustments in your chair, keyboard tray and desk to accommodate this.
Ergonomic pointing devices need to be sized and shaped according to your suitability in order to avoid discomfort and posture disorders. Set up a mouse ergonomic tray next to the keyboard tray, or use a touch pad pointing device instead of a mouse.
Monitors need to be at a distance and height that is comfortable for you. Your monitor should align with your desk, keyboard and chair for optimum results. Your monitor should be at or just below eye level, according to OSHA. Make certain it is least 20 inches away from your eyes. The print should not strain your eyes. Your head and torso should be straight, according to Safecomputing.com.
Phone ergonomics involve using a speaker phone or a hands-free headset if you use the phone frequently during your work. Place the phone within safe reaching distance to avoid straining your arm, shoulder or neck when you reach for it.
Workplace Set Up
Office ergonomic safety involving the workstation environment involves three areas of concern for the user, according to Safecomputingtips.com. The three areas are lighting, glare and ventilation.
Workplaces should be designed to reduce glare from overhead lighting, windows and desk lamps. Office supply companies, such as Office Depot, sell anti-glare monitor screens. The illumination level on your monitor is important as well as the positioning of your monitor. Your monitor should be at or just below eye level, according to OSHA.
Ventilation ergonomics involve placing your desk away from air conditioning vents, avoiding any drafts. The air in your workplace area should be well circulated. The air's relative humidity should be between 30 and 60 percent. Also, be certain that your computer is not emitting air ventilation diffuser pollutants such as chemicals, volatile organic compounds or ozone particles. Place new computers in a well ventilated area to "air out" prior to using them.
Tags: ergonomic safety, keyboard tray, monitor should, Your monitor should, according OSHA, away from, below level
After having shoulder surgery, it is important to begin building the muscles and tendons in the muscle to ensure that your shoulder will return to functioning as well as it did before your injury. There are various shoulder exercises that can be performed to complete this task, whether you are seeing a physical therapist or have received instructions from your doctor to exercise at home. These exercises fall into three general categories.
Range of Motion Exercises
Range of motion exercises basically deal with how the joint functions in its normal paths of movement. These exercises are done to help the joint move without the pain or stiffness that comes after surgery. When beginning these exercises, your physical therapist may move your shoulder for you (also called passive therapy), your physical therapist may assist you in moving your shoulder or you may be instructed to move your shoulder yourself.
Electrical Stimulation
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, or TENS, is a type of physical therapy that uses electrical stimulation to treat pain. A device that emits electrodes is attached to the shoulder and can be used at home as well as at the physical therapist's office.
Cyrotherapy and Other Therapies
Cyrotherapy, or cold therapy, is when something cold, such as ice, is applied to a stretched or torn muscle to alleviate the pain associated with the injury. Other forms of therapy include iontophoresis, or the injection of medicine through the skin via electric charge, and phonophoresis, or the administration of medicine through ultrasound.
Tags: physical therapist, your shoulder, medicine through, move your, move your shoulder, your physical
A holistic dentist renders drug-free dental treatment utilizing natural, non-toxic materials. This approach to dentistry incorporates the health of the entire body in the course of treatment in the belief that all health problems are interrelated. Holistic dental practitioners will often work in conjunction with a patient's physician (see Resources).
Restorative Materials
The effect of toxic metals, such as mercury in amalgam restorations (silver fillings), is one area of concern addressed by the holistic dentist by replacing amalgam fillings with non-toxic composite fillings (tooth color fillings).
Anesthetics
Holistic dentists utilize hypnosis in place of chemical anesthetics (drugs) to treat patients who are fully awake and aware of the procedures being performed, but not cognizant of the sensation of pain or discomfort.
Stress
Holistic dentists incorporate the tranquilizing effects of homeopathic remedies as part of their treatment, including the use of foxglove and gelsemium, to relieve stress without the use of drugs found in prescription medications (tranquilizers).
Balance
Used by holistic dentists and other healthcare professionals, aromatherapy utilizes the inhalation of plant oils, such as sandalwood and basil, to create a natural hormonal balance that benefits overall health and has a soothing effect on patients.
Diet and Nutrition
Holistic dentists educate patients about the harmful effects on general health resulting from inadequate nutrition and an unhealthy diet, including the dietary link to dental caries (cavities) and the development of periodontal disease.
Obesity is on the rise all over the world, with the estimated number of overweight Americans increasing regularly. Many people struggle with their weight and are unsuccessful attempting to lose weight through diet and exercise. This makes obesity surgery a viable alternative for a number of people; however, this surgery does have complications.
Pulmonary embolism
A pulmonary embolism is a blockage of the pulmonary artery. This is the leading cause of death in patients of obesity surgery. Pulmonary embolism occurs in about 1% to 2% of obesity surgery. About a third of those who suffer from pulmonary embolism die as a result. Despite new methods used during surgery to prevent pulmonary embolism, the incidence of this complication remains constant.
Gastrointestinal leakages
Gastrointestinal leakage is another complication that can result from obesity surgery. The incidence of occurrence is similar to pulmonary embolism: about 1% to 2% of patients experience this problem. The danger with gastrointestinal leaks is that they are sometimes not detected early. When that happens the leaks may cause infections in the abdomen, which requires additional surgery to repair the leaks and clear the infection. This risk increases with additional surgery, meaning that patients who experience leakages are even more likely to develop them after a second operation.
Wound infections
Incision site infections are even more common. Up to 3% of patients may be affected. These infections can be caused by the pressure put on the wound by the heavy weight of the patient. To avoid this, doctors have to close the cuts and incisions with heavy absorbable or nonabsorbable sutures.
Vomiting
Vomiting is a common complication associated with restrictive gastric surgery. Sometimes this is caused by difficulty digesting certain foods after surgery. Gastric surgery alters the digestive process, so patients need to pay close attention to what they eat and when in order to maximize proper absorption of nutrients from food. Vomiting can be caused by staple line disruption or leaks. When vomiting continues, an endoscopy might be required to rule out gastrointestinal blockages.
Late disruptions
Late disruptions occur when there is a breakdown of the partition made by the stapling of the stomach or the intestine. This usually results in the patient regaining weight after the operation. When this happens, the surgery must be performed again, which increases the risk of complications. The incidence of staple disruption ranges from 2% to 23% according to various clinical reports.
Tags: obesity surgery, additional surgery, even more, Late disruptions, patients experience, pulmonary embolism
Before over-the-counter head lice treatments were available, there were only old wives' remedies to rely on. Some of these, such as shaving the head, are now considered unnecessary and extreme, while others, such as applying kerosene to the hair, are extremely dangerous. One homespun remedy that has endured over the ages is that lice and their eggs can be smothered by use of oil treatments.
Old Wives' Cures
There are any number of home remedies using oil-based products that purport to kill lice. Some of these include olive or cooking oil, mayonnaise, petroleum jelly, and margarine--sometimes even peanut butter. There are also herbal oils that purport to kill lice, such as rosemary and tea tree oils. Home remedies using these methods involve drenching the hair in the oil-based product, covering it with a shower cap or wrapping the head in plastic wrap used to prevent food spoilage and leaving the oil on overnight.
Will oil treatments work? Experts at the Harvard School of Public Health doubt it. The theory in using oils is that the lice will be "smothered." However, oil treatments are backed by anecdotal evidence, not scientific studies. Lice don't "smother" easily and can survive under water for more than 15 hours. Using oil-based treatments probably won't kill lice or their eggs, but they do make manual lice and nit removal using a fine-toothed comb easier, as they coat the hair shaft and make it more slippery.
If you're treating a child for head lice, these home remedies can be very unpleasant. A quicker resolution to treating head lice is to follow the advice of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which advocates use of an over-the-counter chemical treatment, such as a shampoo or rinse that contains pyrethrin or permethrin. Common brands are Nix and Rid. These treatments are only dangerous when directions are not followed exactly.
What Works Better
Over-the-counter lice treatments are approved by the AAP, Mayo Clinic and Centers for Disease Control as the most effective first-line treatment for head lice. When used appropriately, these pose no dangers to children over the age of two (the Mayo Clinic recommends wet-combing for toddlers and infants). These treatments require re-application after seven to 10 days to kill any remaining lice. Additionally, combing out nits using a nit comb is required to ensure that the product works successfully.
Over-the-counter treatments fail when directions are not followed exactly. Some people may not comb out nits, use enough of the product for it to be effective, or fail to complete a second treatment. In rare cases, lice can be resistant to over-the-counter treatments, in which case a doctor may prescribe a stronger topical medication. However, because these can have adverse side-effects, they may not be appropriate for children or women who are pregnant or breast-feeding.
Traditional treatment using over-the-counter measures also may fail because a person becomes re-infested from the same source. A child may get a new case of head lice if a playmate's lice have not been treated. Also, head lice can survive for up to two days without a human host. Laundering clothing, towels, bedding, and clothing in hot water and drying them on hot air reduces the risk of reinfestation. Anything that cannot be laundered can be stored in plastic containers for two weeks or thrown away. Grooming aids, such as combs and brushes, should be disinfected in hot water.
Follow-Up
After using an over-the-counter treatment, most nits (louse eggs) won't hatch, and removal using a nit comb is usually for aesthetic purposes. But if you're using an old wives' oil treatment, you'll need to remove all live lice and their nits mechanically every day for at least two weeks or until you see no more nits or live lice. The hair should be damp to make sure that live lice attach to the comb more easily and aren't accidentally airborne when flicked off the comb. Applying a conditioner also helps slow lice down and makes them easier to capture with a comb.
Tags: head lice, kill lice, lice their, live lice, directions followed, directions followed exactly
A drinking water supply comes from one of two sources. Urban areas usually get drinking water from surface water such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs or streams. In this case, it is necessary to consider the land area over which the water flows. For this reason, community water suppliers are required to provide consumers with a report each year describing the source of the drinking water, any contaminants found in the water, as well as how the water is treated. Surface water is usually pumped to storage reservoirs where it is treated to make it safe for drinking. The water is first filtered to isolate harmful bacteria and remove sludge and other residual matter and contaminants. Once the pH is adjusted as needed, chemicals are added to disinfect the water and kill bacteria and viruses. Many community water suppliers also chlorinate and fluoridate the water before distributing it to homes through pipelines. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the standards for the safety and quality of local drinking water supplies (see Resources).
Ground Water
People who live in rural areas typically get drinking water pumped to the surface from a well. While most public water systems in this country get drinking water from surface water sources, there are still many rural communities that rely on ground water for a clean supply of drinking water. Just like for surface sources of drinking water, any above ground industries, agricultural activities, hazardous waste disposal or other environmental conditions have the potential to affect the quality of ground water. Even though ground water for drinking is not regulated by the EPA, the agency does make certain recommendations. Water pumped from underground wells generally contains fewer organic materials than surface water, and therefore, requires less treatment. Ground water is filtered naturally as it passes through several layers of the earth on its course underground. However, people who get their drinking water from private wells should have the water chlorinated at least annually. This disinfects the water and kills coliform bacteria. The pH of well water should be routinely tested, as a low pH increases the risk of lead and other harmful metals dissolving in the water. Certain types of bacteria also thrive in water with a low pH. Well water may need to be treated if the pH level is too acidic.
Hydrologic Cycle
Both ground water and surface water initially come from precipitation in the form of rain or snow. It helps to understand that there is a limited amount of water on the planet, and that water is used over and over again. This hydrologic cycle represents the continuous movement of water evaporated from the oceans into the air. The sun heats the sources of surface water, causing the water to evaporate. Once the water vapor rises into the earth's atmosphere, it cools and condenses into liquid droplets. These droplets continue to combine with each other until they get too heavy. The water then falls back to the earth in the form of precipitation, seeping into rock and soil, replenishing the lakes, streams and rivers, which eventually flow back into the oceans where the process begins once more.
Tags: drinking water, drinking water from, surface water, water from, community water, community water suppliers, drinking water
Chinese skullcap is an herb used in traditional Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of allergies, liver disease, diabetes and epilepsy. Studies have shown that it reduces hypertension (high blood pressure) in animals and may do the same for humans.
Types
There are two types of skullcap that should not be confused with each other. The first is American skullcap which is used as a relaxant herb for those suffering from anxiety. The other is Chinese skullcap which is used mainly as an anti-inflammatory herb.
Identification
Chinese skullcap comes from the mint family. It is green, leafy and can have flowers on a single stem in the colors of blue and purple. The root of the herb is what is used in Chinese medicinal practices.
Features
Chinese skullcap has multiple benefits as an herbal medicine. It has anti-inflammatory properties as well as anti-fungal and antiviral effects. These key properties make it useful in treating hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, infections and allergies.
Studies
Several studies have been done on the use of Chinese skullcap as a medicinal treatment. These studies were performed in test tubes, animals and currently on cancer patients. In test tubes and animals it was found that Chinese skullcap reduced hypertension. The studies on the helpfulness of Chinese skullcap in cancer patients is ongoing.
Warnings
Pregnant women or women who are breastfeeding should not use Chinese skullcap. Always speak to your doctor before taking an herbal supplement or using herbs as alternative medicine. Chinese skullcap may interact with other drugs, especially sedatives, because of the sedative properties it contains.
Tags: Chinese skullcap, blood pressure, cancer patients, Chinese skullcap, herbal medicine, high blood, hypertension high
Anaplastic Cancer, commonly referred to as thyroid cancer, is cancer of the thyroid gland. The thyroid glad is located in the neck, directly behind the Adam's apple. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 1,630 deaths will occur in 2009 from thyroid cancer.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of thyroid cancer typically consists of imaging, blood cultures, and a tissue biopsy.
Treatment Options
Treatment of thyroid cancer generally includes surgical removal of the thyroid gland. Additionally, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and iodine therapy may be used to treat anaplastic cancer.
Iodine Therapy
Iodine therapy is typically used to destroy cancer cells within the thyroid gland. Normally, the thyroid gland attracts and soaks up all the iodine within the human body, making iodine radiation therapy a preferred method of treatment.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is typically used in conjunction with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). Chemotherapy generally helps slow the growth of new cancer cells, but does not kill cancer cells.
External Beam Radiation Therapy
EBRT is used to kill cancer cells using a high-energy beam to directly destroy new cancer cells growing within the thyroid gland.
Tags: cancer cells, thyroid gland, thyroid cancer, radiation therapy, within thyroid gland
Vertigo is a medical condition that causes you to feel off balance, dizzy, nauseous and like you are spinning. This condition can be treated with massage therapy by a licensed massage therapist. Depending on how severe the vertigo is, it may also be necessary to take medication. Before starting any kind of massage or physical therapy, speak with your doctor.
Instructions
1. Find the Bai Hui point on the center of the head. This point is on the back of the head, on the apex between the ears. When looking at the back of the head, the thumbs should rest in the center with the forefingers being at the tips of each ear. Press lightly in a downward and outward motion with the thumbs. The Bai Hui point is the main point for headaches, dizziness, hypertension, eye pain, irritability and more.
2. Place forefingers on the Qiao Yin point which is located behind the ear at the center point of the curve in the ear lobe. Massage this point with the forefinger in a slow circular motion, pressing gently for one to two minutes. Massaging this point will help relieve ear pain, neck pain and stiffness, headache and tinnitus which all contribute to vertigo symptoms of dizziness and nausea.
3. Locate the Feng Chi point with thumbs. This point is at the base of the hair line on either side of the neck. Place thumb pads on the soft spot on either side of the center muscle with hands wrapping the head above the ears. Rub the thumbs with gentle pressure for one to three minutes slowly. Massage at this point will help relieve neck pain and stiffness, hypertension, numbness, back pain and shoulder pain. Neck pain and stiffness contribute to symptoms of vertigo.
4. Massage the Xin Shu point located on the upper back. Find this point by counting the vertebra down from the base of the neck. Count five vertebra down and find the soft muscle between the spine and the shoulder blades. Thumb pads should be flat on this spot with the palms of the hands resting just beneath the should blades. Using the thumbs, massage this point gently for one to three minutes in a slow up and outward motion. Massage therapy on this point of the back helps blood flow, nourish the heart and helps relieve anxiety, agitation, irritability and palpitations.
5. Move to the foot area to massage the next point of the body to treat the symptoms of vertigo. This point is called the Tai Xi point and can be found by wrapping the hand on top of the foot with the thumb between the Achille's tendon and the inner ankle bone. Massage this point for one to three minutes with gentle pressure and a circular thumb motion. This will help treat the dizziness, tinnitus, insomnia and headache associated with vertigo.
Tags: pain stiffness, this point, this point, three minutes, will help
Saccharin is often used as an artificial sweetening agent found in dietetic food products and drinks. Some toiletries also contain saccharin. Workplaces, particularly industries and facilities involved either in the manufacture of saccharin and its salts or dealing with its usage, are potential areas of saccharin exposure. Unites States has produced saccharin and its sodium and potassium salts commercially for more than 80 years. Despite removal of saccharin from the list of cancer-causing chemicals by the National Toxicology Program Board of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, concerns abound the safety of saccharin.
Cancer
In a report dated October 24, 1997 by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) to the National Toxicology Program Board, CSPI recommended inclusion of saccharin in the "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen" list. Carcinogens are cancer-causing substances. CSPI supported its recommendation with a number of studies that demonstrated saccharin causing cancer in rats and mice. In mice, saccharin led to urinary bladder and other cancers including vascular and lung cancer; saccharin resulted in an increased incidence of uterine cancer in female mice.
Many case-control studies associated human intake of artificial sweeteners with increased incidence of cancers in the bladder. Case-control studies are studies that compare people with a specific disease with a set of people that do not have the disease. The CSPI report says it is "highly imprudent" to remove saccharin from the list; it would place more than a million people including children and fetuses consuming saccharin, at risk. The report continues to explain that removal from the list also discourages further studies on potential risks of saccharin. However, saccharin was removed from the list as a carcinogenic hazard on the grounds of insufficient data to support that it can cause cancer in humans.
Increase in Insulin
According to the November 2008 issue of Appetite research journal, saccharin can increase insulin concentration in blood. Increase in insulin can lead to weight gain, according to the Mayo Clinic website. This is because the higher the insulin, the higher the glucose that goes into body cells. The glucose that remains after cell activity gets stored as fat, which increases the likelihood of weight gain.
Allergies
According to MedicineNet, saccharin could trigger allergic reactions in people consuming the sweetener. Headache, difficulty breathing, diarrhea and skin eruption are some possible allergic reactions. This is because saccharin belongs to the class of sulfonamides compounds, which can trigger allergic reactions in people intolerant of sulfa drugs.
Other Health Risks
Saccharin in infant formulas can cause irritability and render muscle dysfunction. Consumption of saccharin by pregnant women, babies and children is discouraged due to these potential health risks, according to MedicineNet.
Tags: from list, allergic reactions, allergic reactions people, glucose that, increased incidence, more than, National Toxicology
Whenever you rapidly increase your altitude, whether in a car, on a trail or while mountain climbing, you run the risk of getting altitude sickness. There are three types of altitude sickness, listed in order of increasing severity: acute mountain sickness (AMS), which is a physical intolerance to current altitude; high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), which involves fluid accumulation in the lungs; and high altitude cerebral edema (HACE), a swelling of the brain.
Instructions
1. Treat AMS by resting and hydrating well (5 liters of fluid per day, or rehydrating salts or diluted sports drinks). Administer aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen to treat headaches. Also, don't ascend until symptoms disappear, and descend if symptoms do not improve in 24 to 48 hours, especially if symptoms take a turn for the worse.
2. Treat HAPE by immediately descending 2,000 feet to 4,000 feet, preferably while the victim can still travel under his or her own power. There is no substitute for descent. Also, keep victims warm, as they are vulnerable to hypothermia, and use oxygen, if available, using a snugly fitting face mask at a rate of 2 liters per minute for at least 15 minutes. Radio for help if possible, as HAPE is life-threatening.
3. Treat HACE by descending at least 2,000 feet to 4,000 feet (the more, the better). Again, there is no substitute for descent. Then, radio for help if possible, as HACE is life-threatening.
Tags: Altitude Illness, altitude sickness, feet feet, help possible, high altitude, life-threatening Treat
Twenty percent of males over 50 years of age suffer from prostate problems---enlargement, infection, pain, difficulty in urinating or irritation. Doctor-prescribed medicines and in extreme cases surgical procedures can successfully cure prostate problems. However there are quite a few natural remedies for prostate infections that are equally effective as well.
Pumpkin Seeds and Spinach Juice
Take 50 g of powdered pumpkin seeds, either with water or as a food seasoning per day. Pumpkin seeds are rich in unsaturated fatty acids that promote health of prostate glands, thereby reducing infection. One of the most vital natural remedies for a prostate infection is spinach juice. Have 200 ml of spinach juice, combined with 300 ml of carrot juice for about three weeks for relief from prostate gland infection.
Red Clover and Saw Palmetto
You could have half a glass of juice from ground saw palmetto to get relief from your prostate gland infection. Rich in beta sisterol, this will aid in curing of enlarged prostate glands and urinary tract complaints. Another natural cure for prostate gland complaints involves the red clover herb. You could steep 1 to 2 tsp. of dried red clover in 8 oz. of hot water for half an hour. Drink two to three cups of this concoction every day for curing enlarged and infected prostate glands.
Basil and Warm Water
The herb basil is another effective prostate infection home remedy. You could mix of a teaspoon of juice from basil leaves with a tablespoon of yogurt or half a tablespoon of honey daily to get relief from prostate gland infections. Try to avoid any kind of food or drink for half an hour before and after this remedy. Warm water enemas and hot water hip baths are beneficial for prostate gland infections too. These help purge the body of toxic substances, improve blood circulation and reduce inflammation.
General Measures
Stay away from any alcoholic and caffeine product, be it coffee, chocolate, carbonated soft drinks, tea or hard drinks to avoid worsening of bladder functions. Urinary problems can be heightened with cold remedies like decongestants and antihistamines, so try to avoid taking them if you have a prostate infection. Stay away from spicy foods and control tension and mental strain. Make urinating before bedtime a regular habit.
Tags: prostate gland, from prostate, prostate glands, prostate infection, relief from, away from
Seroquel is a drug used for insomnia. It is mainly prescribed by psychiatrists for patients who struggle with insomnia and depression. Seroquel is a mild sedative, and tolerance is quickly obtained. As Seroquel tolerance increases, patients increase their dose until tolerance to that dose is obtained. As with other drugs, tolerance becomes so high that physical and mental dependency occurs, and most decide to cease use of the drug. Abrupt disuse of Seroquel can result in withdrawals and severed insomnia side effects, so tapering is a preferred method to limit the amount of withdrawal symptoms.
Instructions
1. Evaluate your tolerance and create a taper schedule. Some patients have extremely high daily dosages of 300 mg or more of Seroquel to sleep. If you decide to taper within a month, then the milligram cut every week will be much higher as will withdrawal symptoms.
2. Decide how often you will cut your dose. If you have a 300 mg tolerance, then you may want to cut 50 mg of usage from day one to day seven. As you work through the week, you should cut your dosage within the week until you only need 250 mg to sleep by the end of the week.
3. Use a razor to cut pills into limited doses. Before taking Seroquel to sleep, cut pills in half or in quarters instead of taking a full dose. For instance, if you decide to taper using 10 mg less every night, cut the pills into sections that are approximately 10 mg less before ingesting them.
4. Use herbal teas or stress relief remedies to cope with the side effects. Herbal remedies help reduce the level of insomnia and side effects of Seroquel. Kava root and valerian root tea are two herbal remedies used to help sleep.
5. Use support resources for relapse help. Many people relapse when trying to taper off of a physically addictive drug. Drug abuse resources help keep you on track. Exercise also helps with moods and depression. Additionally, activities like biking, running and walking help to tire the body and increase health.
Tags: side effects, decide taper, insomnia side, insomnia side effects, pills into, Seroquel sleep, withdrawal symptoms
Millions of Americans are affected by various mental health disorders. While home treatment may work for certain mild disorders, a psychiatrist or psychologist should diagnose and treat moderate to severe symptoms. For people who require medicinal treatment and the opinion of a medical professional, you must visit a psychiatrist. A psychiatrist may also give you behavior modification techniques to help you deal with your condition, in addition to identifying and talking you through your most immediate problems.
Depression Treatment
Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders. Symptoms of depression include intense sadness, hopelessness, anxiety, guilt and apathetic tendencies. Depending on the intensity of depression, a psychiatrist may or may not administer medication. In all cases, your psychiatrist will try to understand and get you to articulate the major components of your depression. You may discuss your concerns, fears and overall perception of yourself and others. Understanding your experiences and family history will help a psychiatrist determine whether your depression is hereditary, a result of chemical imbalances, due to external factors or some combination of these.
For people with more severe depression, a psychiatrist may prescribe medication to help control the condition. Common medications include classes of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (e.g. Zoloft or Celexa) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors. These medications work by regulating brain chemistry so that certain neurotransmitters related to mood are released in greater or smaller amounts. Medications take three to four weeks before they produce noticeable improvements. Psychiatrists will often begin at a base therapeutic dose and then increase the dose over time until an effective maximum dose is achieved.
Most antidepressants are taken daily. Since side effects can range in severity, people often try a variety of medications before finding the one that's best for them.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Treatment
Anxiety disorders are a broad class of mental health problem defined by cases where increased levels of anxiety interfere with patients' lives. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a sub-class of anxiety disorder in which patients are plagued by continuous obsessive thoughts over cleanliness, health, weight or any other situation. OCD often manifests itself through repeated actions used to ward off the fear such as repetitive hand washing or doctor visits.
Stress management and behavior modification techniques are effective steps that a psychiatrist may take to improve the immediate symptoms of your OCD or anxiety conditions. With behavior modification, your psychiatrist will give you steps to take whenever you feel the urge to engage in repetitive behavior. A simple delay of hand washing or checking medical symptoms online can lead to an overall decrease in repetitive frequency.
In more severe cases of OCD, a psychiatrist may prescribe SSRIs or anti-anxiety medications like Valium or Ativan to help patients manage some of the severe OCD symptoms. However, because some medications can cause dependence, medication must be used only according to your doctor's recommendations.
A psychiatrist will not use medication as the sole treatment technique. Analysis and self-exploration to get to the root of the obsessive behavior can help many patients understand and begin to control the condition.
Bipolar Disorder Treatment
Formerly known as "manic depression," bipolar disorder is a very serious condition that often takes persistent treatment. Because bipolar disorder is characterized by alternating moments of severe depression and uncontrollable high-energy or irritable "manic" symptoms, treatment must attack both ends of the spectrum at once. Bipolar disorder is rarely treated only with analytic, psychosocial or behavior techniques. A psychiatrist will prescribe a class of medications known as "mood stabilizers" to help control both depression and manic aspects of bipolar disorder at once. Common mood stabilizers include lithium and divalproex.
Because various people respond to mood stabilizers differently, certain medications may treat one end of the bipolar spectrum but not the other. In addition, severe or intolerable side effects may require dose and medication adjustment. Thus, medication therapy for bipolar disorder often takes time to get just right.
Dihydrocodeine is a pain reliever often used as a course of treatment for moderate pain and swelling. It contains caffeine and aspirin as well as a substance that has opiate-like properties. As with a number of prescription medications, there is the potential, according to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), for a person using dihydrocodeine to experience some side effects. These side effects may come about from both long-term and short-term use.
Digestive Issues
This family of side effects may manifest as nausea or upset stomach, constipation and sometimes vomiting. Some people may also suffer from some abdominal cramping, but this would be due to the issues of the stomach and not necessarily the medication itself.
Dizziness
Since dihydrocodeine has opiate-like qualities, some people taking this medication may begin to suffer from episodes of either dizziness or lightheadedness. This will typically subside as the body adjusts to the drug.
Tremors
Another side effect that has been seen from dihydrocodeine use is that of tremors, or involuntary shaking. This may be isolated to a certain area of the body or may move throughout a person.
Mood Swings
Though relatively rare, a person taking dihydrocodeine for the management of pain may begin to suffer from mood swings. These would be seen as extreme shifts in mood (going from happy to angry on a dime) or even a heightened level of irritability.
Heartburn
On occasion, someone taking dihydrocodeine may suffer from episodes of heartburn. These episodes aren't always related to meals and may manifest from simply taking the medication.
Irregular Heartbeat
Some people have been known to experience a change in their heart rate. This would be seen as either an irregular heartbeat or an uneven heartbeat. It may also be felt as an almost racing or pounding pulse.
Dependency
Due to its opiate-like qualities, dihydrocodeine may bring about some level of dependency (or even addiction) from long-term use. But, much like mood swings, this side effect is considered rare.
Tags: suffer from, begin suffer, begin suffer from, from episodes, opiate-like qualities, side effect, side effects
Torrents are computer files available for others to download.
The term "Torrent" has three possible meanings. However all three are part of the BitTorrent file sharing system. BitTorrent is a protocol created in 2001 by Bram Cohen. It differs from other file sharing systems by defining each file in blocks. This enables a file to be copied from several different sources simultaneously.
Torrent File
The torrent file is often referred to a a torrent. This is a script that starts the file sharing process. The owner of a file creates a torrent file containing the name of the file, its size and number of blocks. The file also contains the address of a torrent tracker. The tracker keeps a register of the available sources of a file. At the point of creation there is only one source. The originator of the file also needs to list the torrent file with a torrent directory site. This enables anyone in the world to find the file. The torrent file has a ".torrent" file extension.
Torrent Client
Once the file owner has uploaded the torrent file to a listing service, he then needs to open the torrent file in his torrent client. The torrent client is often called a "torrent," or a "torrent downloader," or a "torrent program." The client detects that the program is available in its entirely on the computer and then contacts the tracker to notify it of the availability and location of the file. Anyone discovering the file in the listing service downloads the torrent file and opens it in his torrent client. The client contacts the tracker to find the location of the file, connects to the source and starts downloading the file.
Torrent
The true meaning of the term "torrent" is the downloadable file itself. If a file is available in the BitTorrent system, it is a torrent. Each copy of the file in the process of being transferred is called a "seed." The owners of copies of the file are called "seeders." When the first block of a torrent has been downloaded onto another computer, that client contacts the tracker to register as a "peer" for that torrent. A "peer" is the holder of a partial copy of a torrent. The completed blocks on the peer's computer can then be accessed by others.
Philosophy
The principle behind BitTorrent is that anyone anywhere in the world can be both the client and server of files and make them available to copy. The more copies there are in the system, the easier a torrent is to download.
Warts are ugly growths on the skin that can cause pain and embarrassment, depending upon where they are located. Caused by a common virus, warts can appear anywhere on the body and are often difficult to remove without medical assistance. While some people are immune to the wart virus, most people will experience these nuisances at some point in their lives.
Significance
Warts are bumps on the skin caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). While warts can grow on all areas of the body, they are commonly seen on feet and hands. Warts can be spread if an uninfected person touches an infected person's wart or uses an item that an infected person has touched.
Types
Common warts typically grow on toes, knees and fingers. They are rounded, rough warts and contain black "seeds" produced by the blood vessels feeding the warts. Plantar warts grow on the soles of the feet and may cause pain when walking. A group of plantar warts are called mosaic warts. Although plantar warts may initially look like common warts, they often become flat due to the stress put on them by walking. Warts around finger or toe nails are called periungul warts, while genital warts occur around the anus and genitals. Filiform warts, "witch" warts, grow on long stems and are frequently seen on the face. Flat warts can also grow on the face and are likely to occur in groups. These warts can develop anywhere on the body and it is thought that razor blade irritation can contribute to the formation of these warts on the face.
Features
Some warts may only be bothersome because their appearance embarrasses you, but other may hurt and even bleed when bumped. Warts can eventually disappear without treatment, although this is less likely to occur in adults. Doctors treat warts in several ways, the most common method being freezing. When a wart is frozen, liquid nitrogen is applied to the surface, which gradually erodes the wart. Freezing usually requires multiple treatments. The chemical cantharidin may also be used by your doctor. A few hours after application, you'll see the wart begin to blister and may experience some pain. The wart is then covered with a bandage and the dead skin is later removed by your doctor. This method does not always work with stubborn warts. Laser treatments for warts are used for warts that do not resolve using other methods. Cutting and burning the wart are other removal methods, although less drastic methods are usually tried first.
Considerations
If your wart is not painful or bleeding, there are a number of remedies you can try at home to banish the wart. Salicylic acid, found in drugstore wart removers, is applied every day for several weeks and works to remove the wart layer by layer. This method is not effective for all warts. Covering the wart with duct tape is another wart removal method you can try at home. After the wart is soaked in water, the top layer is removed with an emery board or pumice stone and covered with duct tape. The process is repeated nightly until the wart disappears. Other home remedies include applying such substances as banana skins, raw meat, lemon slices, vitamin E or aloe vera to the wart. While most of these remedies will do no harm, it is not known if they actually have an effect on the wart or if the wart disappears on its own.
Warning
Genital warts should be evaluated and treated by a doctor. These warts are contagious and can be passed to sexual partners. Genital warts are usually treated by freezing. If genital warts are untreated, they can turn into abnormal cells, which have the potential to develop into cancer in some cases.
Computerized patient billing systems in the health care sector have many advantages and are preferable to manual patient billing system particularly in notifying you about your outstanding payments and the status of accounts. They also enable you to process your hospital bills, such as nursing, medications, lab testing and laundry, with ease. However, there are also some disadvantages to changing over to a computerized system.
Efficient and Effective Data Modification
Computerized patient billing systems allow for effective management of the patient's payment schedules. They store particulars about the patient's payment pattern in such a way that the records can easily be modified. When the patient clears the bill, the accounting records are automatically updated so that account balances will always be kept up-to-date.
High Speed and Mobility of Reporting
Reports on the patient's receipts and disbursements can easily be generated through the computerized patient billing system. Database management systems have report-generating applications that can be used to give a report of a patient's bills. The helps you to monitor your payment pattern, such as with the aged debtor's analysis, which shows overdue accounts.
Sharing of Data
Computerized patient billing systems allow health care management to share the patient's billing account with other persons in the system provided they have a right to access the data. Also, two or more departments within the facility can easily consult with each other with regard to the patient's billing account. The data is instantly available even to the patient's insurer in different locations at the same time.
Reduced Paperwork
The computerized patient billing system minimizes paperwork. All the data regarding the payment record is entered into the computer instead of recorded on a sheet of paper which can then be filed. Later, various bills and reports can then be easily generated through the computer. Since the patient's record of payments is stored in the database, the data cannot be easily destroyed.
Minimized Errors
Computerized patient billing systems increase accuracy because they leave less room for errors. With the computer systems performing calculations regarding the patient's bills, errors are minimized except perhaps when you make a mistake of keying in data wrongly, or you enter figures in the wrong fields.
Low Number of Patients
Not all health service providers may see the benefit of introducing computerized patient billing systems. Small health centers which are rarely faced with the problems of patient billing due to the low numbers of patients that visit them may not feel the need to computerize their patient billing systems.
High Initial Cost
When introducing the computerized patient billing system, you may incur high initial costs of buying computer systems and installing them. Aside from that, you will have to purchase patient billing system software. There will also be regular software updates which may vary in cost from package to package.
Special Trainings for Personnel
Changing to computerized patient billing systems from manual patient billing systems may not be easy. To ensure it is implemented properly, training of the personnel within the hospital on handle and use the patient billing software may require extra time and commitment as well as an additional cost of hiring trainers.
Although the early stages of throat cancer begin on the vocal chords, the disease can eventually spread to the larynx, tongue and tonsils. Throat cancer has a high recovery rate if the symptoms are detected early.
Cigarettes remain a leading cause of throat cancer.
Identification
The most common early symptom of throat cancer may be seemingly benign but noticeable nonetheless, such as a persistent hoarse voice or a sore throat.
Painful Symptoms
Throat cancer can lead to such painful symptoms and conditions as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath or difficulty swallowing.
Warning Sign
One should never dismiss an occurrence of coughing up blood. This serious symptom can serve as a red flag for such life-threatening conditions as throat cancer.
Change in Appearance
An altered appearance may begin to take place when throat cancer is present, the most visible symptom being unintentional weight loss. You may also notice enlarged lymph nodes or overall swelling in the neck.
Prevention/Solution
If you experience any of these symptoms it is imperative that you cease use of cigarettes and other tobacco products to help aid in your recovery.
The human body is a complex system of balance and counter-balance. Pain is a warning sign that something is wrong. The body corrects itself to avoid constant pain. In the process, it can create new problems such as trigger points. Scar tissue shortens the muscles and fascia, which can lead to immobility and pain syndromes.
Instructions
1. Create a medical history of injuries and illnesses. Share this with your massage therapist to begin a course of treatment. Scar tissue shortens muscle tissue, which shows up as immobility, irritability and pain syndrome. Trigger points can be embedded in or around this scar tissue.
2. Treatment begins with a relaxing massage so general tension won't read as trigger points. The therapist then palpates the muscles for primary trigger points.
3. Deactivate the primary trigger point with pressure massage. External scar tissue trigger points are hard inflexible lumps in the muscle tissue that are painful to the touch. The fascia sometimes twists across the muscle which can be felt by sensitive fingers.
4. Test your range of motion for internal scar tissue around joints, such as rotator cuff. Scar tissue breaks down muscle integrity, creates tears in the fascia and compounds the problem by growing under stress. This causes the limitation in range of motion.
5. Research your personal history to determine what activity began the trauma cycle.
Since November 1997, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has stated that evidence exists to support the benefits of acupuncture in low back pain. Patients with ruptured disc pain may seek out acupuncture to improve quality of life.
What Are Discs?
Discs are flexible, jelly-like matter found between the vertebrae or backbones, serving as the shock absorber of your spine. With age, they become prone to wear and tear.
Symptoms
Ruptured or slipped disc results from discs' outer covering wearing out. A disc pressing against a nerve causes sharp, shooting pain from the lower back through the buttocks and legs (sciatica). Disc problems may cause numbness, tingling and weakness in the legs, reports Chris Woolston on AHealthyMe.com.
Acupuncture Treatment
Acupuncture doesn't correct ruptured discs, but as a conservative non-surgical treatment, it helps patients manage pain and maintain movement.
Acupuncture Benefits
According to the Mayo Clinic, the acupuncture's pain-relieving benefits may come from the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, and because of the gate control theory of pain, which proposes that pain can be blocked in the nervous system by the sensations of the needles on the skin.
Considerations
An acupuncture program's goal is to restore normalcy to the body's energy balance by utilizing a combination of "acupoints," reports drkalyani.com. The use of needle is just one of the means of acupuncture treatment.
Viral gastroenteritis is also known as the stomach flu. However, it's not actually a type of influenza but rather a virus that attacks the intestines. It can make you feel very sick within days after being infected. Most people recover from it fine but it can be more harmful to babies and the elderly. Here's recognize it.
Instructions
1. Know the symptoms. They include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting, muscle aches or headaches, and a low grade fever.
2. Understand the causes. Viral gastroenteritis is spread through contaminated food or water or sharing utensils with an infected person. You can also get sick from shellfish, particularly raw or undercooked oysters.
3. Know when to get medical help. Contact your physician if you haven't been able to keep liquids down for 24 hours, you have been vomiting for more than two days, you are vomiting blood, you are dehydrated, you have bloody stools or if you have a fever above 104 degrees.
Wrinkles affect us all at one point or another in our lives. Any frequent movement of skin over a period of years can cause wrinkles to form. The mere act of smiling or squinting your eyes in the sunlight is enough to produce wrinkles. As skin ages and collagen production goes down, skin can't hold its shape as well as it used to, and the resultant sagging also leads to wrinkles. Fortunately, there are plenty of home remedies that can be used to treat and prevent wrinkles, and you can start using some of these home remedies to treat your wrinkles today.
Instructions
1. Drink eight full glasses of water each day. This will keep your skin hydrated, which will gently plump up existing wrinkles and discourage new ones from forming.
2. Wear sunglasses whenever you go out in the sun. This will keep you from squinting, which will prevent the fine lines around your eyes from turning into deep wrinkles.
3. Avoid using facial products containing alcohol. Alcohol is drying and can cause wrinkles to form. Use products containing water or witch hazel instead.
4. Use facial creams containing light, natural oils, such as evening primrose oil or avocado oil. These will absorb into your skin easily and plump up existing wrinkles.
5. Apply moisturizer as soon as you wash your face or shower. This will lock the water from washing into your face, keeping your face hydrated and smoothing out wrinkles.
6. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 whenever you go outside. Prolonged exposure to sunlight can toughen and age skin, leading to wrinkles. Sunscreen helps block these damaging effects.
7. Use a skin-tightening mask to treat your wrinkles. Facial masks containing mineral clay and witch hazel shrink pores and tighten skin to naturally reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Leave the mask on for no more than half an hour, to avoid drying out your skin, then wash it off with warm water.
Tags: This will, your face, your skin, cause wrinkles, cause wrinkles form, existing wrinkles, home remedies
Viewing fall colors is best in certain areas of Colorado.
With its vast expanses of prairie and sweeping views of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado is one of the highlights of the Western United States. Like with other areas of the country, the state has its spots where the fall colors shine the best of all. Some parts of Colorado will be strong early in the fall, while late fall will change the color patterns across the state.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Located 1 1/2 hours northwest of Denver outside the city of Estes Park, this park features sweeping vistas in the lower sections and strong colors in the upper elevations. The best way to view these colors is Trail Ridge Road (U.S. 34), which goes from Estes Park southwest to the resort community of Winter Park. Elevations on Trail Ridge exceed 12,000 feet, so some of the highest elevations may have snowfall even though it is late September or early October.
Front Range
The front range of the Rocky Mountains, especially in the area around Denver and Boulder, affords you a chance to see vibrant colors without going too far outside the central part of the state. Some of the canyon areas northwest of Boulder, including Chautauqua Park and Eldorado Canyon State Park, are popular with locals and tourists, so you should feel right at home. Most areas on the western edge of Denver and Boulder afford dramatic views of the Rockies front range, which include fall foliage of different colors.
Pikes Peak and Colorado Springs
Just like Denver, the front range of the Rockies can be seen from all areas of Colorado Springs, and the early fall period affords you a chance to see foliage of different colors. The 100-mile trek west and north from Colorado Springs via U.S. 24 features colorful foliage all the way from Colorado Springs to Buena Vista, but there are several vantage points in between where you can stop and watch the fall colors without going along the entire highway.
Peak to Peak Highway
This road, which features sections of Colorado highways 7, 72 and 119, travels between Estes Park and the Black Hawk/Central City area west of Denver. With elevations reaching as high as 14,000 feet, you can see trees and foliage all around that contain hues of orange, red and yellow at the appropriate times of year. The road ends in the Black Hawk area, which has been restored from its Old West background via casino gambling. Instead of mines and a gold rush, gamblers can mine for gold at glittery casinos following color tours.
Maroon Bells
Located less than hour southeast of Glenwood Springs via Interstate 70 and Colorado 82 and 13, Maroon Bells is part of the Maroon Lake Park area. The lake sits in a bowl with mountains all around and foliage on the lower part of the hills. This area is particularly popular with photographers who love to shoot pictures between sunrise and the noon hour. Photos of this area are appealing to look at because of the water reflection and the high hills of western Colorado.
Tags: Colorado Springs, Estes Park, fall colors, front range, affords chance, areas Colorado, Black Hawk
The narrow passage of the spine is what connects our brain to the other parts of our body. The nerves that connect our bodies to our brain travel through the neck. Injuries to neck nerves can cause more than just problems in the neck--they can cause pain or sensations anywhere in the body.
Burners
A burner is an injury to nerves in the neck, usually a result from trauma during sports. Burners are also called stingers because the pain sensation they cause is described as a burning or stinging sensation. Burners will usually heal on their own, although you might need physical therapy to strengthen the muscles around the nerve and prevent re-injury.
Body Pain
All of the nerves in the body are connected to nerves in the neck, which send pain and other impulses to the brain. These nerves are called peripheral nerves. Sometimes, an injury to a nerve in the neck will cause pain in other parts of the body, including the hands, feet and back. For example, an injury to the neck that affects the base of the peripheral nerve that runs down the arm can cause numbness and tingling in the fingers or the entire hand, even though the hand itself is not injured.
Pinched Nerves
Nerves in the neck can be pinched by the cervical vertebrae, which are the bones of the spine that protect the nerves. Most often, this is caused by arthritis or some form of damage to the discs that cushion the vertebrae. This can lead to severe neck pain, or may cause pain in other parts of the body.
Whiplash
Whiplash occurs when the neck muscles are rapidly stretched beyond their normal limits. Whiplash often occurs as the result of a traffic accident. People who suffer from whiplash may notice dizziness up to several days after the injury because of damage to the nerves in the neck. Neck nerves damaged by whiplash may also cause pain or a tingling sensation in other parts of the body.
Vagus Nerves
The vagus nerves are the longest nerves in the body and control the digestive tract and other bodily functions. When a vagus nerve is injured or damaged, it can result in dizziness, nausea and vomiting. The vagus nerves also appear to be tied to seizure activity and can be artificially stimulated to help prevent seizures or to provide relief for other conditions.
Tags: cause pain, other parts, other parts body, parts body, pain other, cause pain other
Poor circulation in the hands and feet can be the result of atherosclerosis, diabetes or other conditions. It can result in uncomfortable feelings of coldness, pain or numbness. The color of the extremities can change to pale or even a bluish shade and can result in hair loss on the extremities or reduced pulses. Here are some steps you can take at home to improve circulation in your extremities.
Instructions
1. Move your extremities. Often, when circulation to the extremities is poor, the resulting pain or coldness tempts sufferers to rest. However, moving the extremities will help direct blood back to them and will help create small new blood vessels to add additional routes of blood flow.
2. Rest when needed. Exercise is important, but when exercise becomes painful, it is time to rest. However, get moving again once the pain has subsided. Walking is a great activity, but even if you are relaxing at home, you can flex your calf muscles, raise and lower your arms or flex and point your toes.
3. Change your diet for the better. If you have diabetes, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis or any lifestyle-related condition, it can contribute to poor circulation in your extremities. Changing to a healthful diet, such as a vegan diet, that is heavy in fruits and vegetables will benefit your overall health as well as improve circulation in your extremities.
4. Watch those toes! If you have poor circulation from diabetes or neuropathy that causes reduced sensation in your feet, take extra precautions to avoid injury. Decreased circulation makes injuries higher risk for infection.
5. If you smoke, you should stop. Smoking will reduce circulation in your extremities by causing the arteries to constrict every time you take a puff. Smoking will prevent enough blood from making it to your extremities and will reduce the oxygen content of the blood that does make it. Quitting smoking is the most important thing a smoker can do to improve circulation in the extremities.
Tags: circulation your, your extremities, circulation your extremities, circulation extremities, extremities will, However moving, improve circulation
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) can make it difficult to manage day-to-day activities, and often results in stress, anxiety and even muscle aches and pains. You can use essential oils to treat PMS symptoms and help bring your body into balance. Essential oils have been used in Ayurvedic medicine and as part of aromatherapy treatments for hundreds of years, and there are several unique oils that can help reduce the symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome. Here are some simple and effective techniques for treating PMS with essential oils.
Instructions
1. Soothe the senses with Narcissus oil. A few drops on an absorbent pad or tissue can be used as an inhalant to calm and soothe the senses.
2. Relieve tired and achy muscles with a self-massage. Combine 10 drops of bergamot oil with 1 to 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil for a stress-relieving massage oil. This can be applied to the legs, arms and abdomen to soothe and reduce muscle fatigue.
3. Reduce stress with a bergamot and geranium blend. Combine a few drops of bergamot and geranium oil in the vial and use this as an inhalant to combat PMS-related stress.
4. Increase your energy with a grapefruit and bergamot blend. Equal drops of grapefruit and bergamot oil on an absorbent pad or in a vial can provide you with an instant energy boost. This is especially helpful when you are feeling depressed or listless or are experiencing a bout of fatigue.
5. Prevent a crying spell or emotional outburst with Rose Bulgar. Combine equal drops of Rose Bulgar, nutmeg and geranium oil into a vial, or add them to an absorbent pad to create an inhalant that soothes and calms the emotions.
6. Reduce irritation and stress with geranium and chamomile oils. Combine equal parts geranium oil, chamomile oil and your vegetable-oil base to create a soothing massage oil. This potent combination can be particularly effective for reducing irritation and stress associated with PMS.
Cerebral palsy, or CP, is caused when the brain's motor control areas are damaged in some way during critical stages of development. This can occur before, during or even in the first few months after birth. Because CP affects the motor center of the brain, motor control and movement become difficult. This may not be detected during the first few years of life, as the signs are not obvious when an infant is learning to move. Cerebral palsy is characterized by uncontrolled movements, spasms and problems with muscle tone. Because the motor cortex is rather complex, CP affects each child differently. Some might have minor neck and facial tics. Some may straighten limbs suddenly, taking several moments to relax again. Others may have so little muscle tone in their legs that they cannot stand, or even sit upright without assistance. CP may cause anything from minor motor control problems to total dependence on others for all of their care.
Associated Complications
When an infant develops cerebral palsy, other areas of the brain apart from the motor cortex may also be damaged. Many children with CP have learning disabilities, seizures and visual problems because of this. Even children with damage that is confined to the brain's motor centers may have other complications resulting from poor muscle control or problems with tone. For example, orthopedic problems commonly occur with Cerebral Palsy, such as tendon shortening. Contractures, or fixed positions of the extremities, are high on the list of orthopedic complications. Postural control may also be an issue. Therefore, scoliosis is common in children and adults with more profound CP.
Permanent, But Not Degenerative
Once you have CP, you will always have CP. However, after the initial damage to the brain occurs, it does not spread to other areas. Unlike other neurological disorders, symptoms will generally not get worse over time. As soon as a child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy, he should begin therapy in order to improve his ability to function in all kinds of activities for the rest of his life. While the brain itself will not heal, a person with CP can learn to compensate for their decreased motor control. A child who is mildly affected can learn to walk again with or without devices like crutches. A person with profound CP can be positioned in a custom wheelchair to allow him or her to eat at a table. Cerebral palsy can be a debilitating disease. However, the way CP effects a person can be improved with education and therapy.
Tags: motor control, brain motor, Cerebral palsy, brain motor control, cerebral palsy, children with
Aspirin is a derivative of salicylic acid, a chemical found in the white willow plant. Used by generations of people before modern medicine, white willow bark was known to reduce fever and swelling. Scientists worked for many years to reproduce the same kind of properties in a synthetic drug. In the early twentieth century, research laboratories began manufacturing aspirin (generically known as acetylsalicylic acid), and widespread consumer distribution began.
Benefits of Aspirin
The benefits of taking aspirin reach beyond its pain-killing abilities. A low, daily dose of aspirin acts as a blood thinner when it reduces the production of thromboxane, the agent that makes platelets stick together. Because of this action, aspirin reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke. Aspirin is also used in rheumatoid arthritis and gout cases because of the drug's anti-inflammatory properties. Before non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were developed, aspirin was used to treat fever, especially in children. In most cases, aspirin is taken to reduce pain.
Prostaglandin Production
Aspirin works because it inhibits the production of prostaglandins. The human body contains many different kinds of prostaglandins--each one is used in a different way and in a different area. Prostaglandins are unsaturated, fatty acids secreted by various cells used in the immune response, which is stimulated by the central nervous system. Prostaglandins cause pain and inflammation in and around injuries and wounds. When secreted by the hypothalamus, prostaglandins increase body temperature, causing fever. These are normal responses produced by the body to promote healing and immunity.
Side Effects of Prostaglandins
Although the body is working to keep itself healthy by producing prostaglandins, the resulting symptoms are uncomfortable. Aspirin inhibits prostaglandin production by restraining actions of the COX-2 enzyme. Without this enzyme, prostaglandins cannot be produced. This stops pain, fever and swelling.
Enzymes
Enzymes are proteins that produce chemical reactions within cells. In this capacity, enzymes are called catalysts, because they enable a certain response. In this case, the chemical reaction is the response. COX-2 enzymes work to produce the prostaglandins involved in immunity and trauma response. Taking aspirin inactivates COX-2 enzyme production and without COX-2 enzymes, prostaglandins do not operate in their full capacity.
Negative Effects of Aspirin Use
The downside of using aspirin is that there are prostaglandins produced to protect the stomach. These prostaglandins regulate stomach acid and mucous production, thereby keeping a healthy balance between the two. COX-1 enzymes associated with prostaglandin production in the stomach. When these prostaglandins are suppressed, that healthy balance is thrown off kilter. This is why excessive aspirin use causes irritation of the stomach lining, ulcers and bleeding.