Get A Hysterectomy Consultation

Get a Hysterectomy Consultation

The need to speak with a gynecological surgeon about a hysterectomy may be obvious if a woman has a thorough annual physical. No matter their health status, though, women must take the initiative in reproductive health care to ensure that they receive timely and effective answers and diagnoses. Having an annual check-up is the first step toward having access to a medical consultation if the need arises.

Instructions

Understand Get a Hysterctomy Consultation

1. Establish a relationship with a primary care physician. Waiting lists for primary care doctors and specialists can be long. Do not wait until there is a specific need to find a doctor with whom you feel comfortable.

2. Understand the need for hysterectomy to solve diseases of the reproductive system. Hysterectomy is often the only solution for cancer of the reproductive organs. For diseases like endometriosis, it is one of several remedies available.

3. Familiarize yourself with symptoms which may indicate the need to ask for a hysterectomy consultation. It is important for all women to recognize the warning signs of reproductive disease.

4. Investigate the different types of hysterectomy procedures available to treat your problem. Once you have a hysterectomy consultation, it is important to be able to choose wisely amongst the appropriate therapies.

5. Ask your primary care physician to get a consultation appointment for you. Most insurance companies require your personal physician to recommend a consultation. Similarly, many surgeons will not accept a patient who is not referred to them.

6. Contact your insurance provider for the proper procedure to follow in getting your consultation. As with any insurance benefit, there are steps which must be taken to ensure that the appointment qualifies for payment.

7. Insist upon further consultations if you feel uncomfortable with the advice or with the surgeon from your first appointment.

8. Talk to providers of hysterectomy alternatives if you are not ready to commit to the side effects of a surgical procedure.

9. Realize that in some cases, a hysterectomy is the best and perhaps the only treatment for your disease. A diagnosis of cancer leaves little room or time for further consultation or alternative therapies.

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Treatments For Psychogenic Erectile Dysfunction

Psychogenic erectile dysfunction (PED) is differentiated from other erectile dysfunction because patients exhibit psychosocial inhibitions to sex, rather than organic inhibitions from medical conditions. Though oral treatments, injections and suppositories meet with some success, men who combine these with sexual therapy have the fullest recovery.

Treatments promise more intimacy for men with PED

Oral Treatment

Pills help nearly one third of patients

Tadalefil, vardenafil and sildanefil are available as prescription pills, targeting enzymes in penile tissue. When these enzymes (PDE5s) are blocked, aroused men find it easier to achieve erection. Most pills last for only four hours and they cannot be used with nitrate medication. According to Banner and Anderson's 2007 work in Vol. 4 of the Journal of Sexual Medicine, 29 percent of men responded to this method alone.

Intracavernosal Injection Treatment

Injections improve confidence

Self-injection of Prostoglandin E1 is a more invasive, but more physiologically successful, treatment. The trained patient uses a syringe to inject his penis with the serum, producing erection within minutes. Unlike other methods, men do not have to feel aroused for injections to work. Patients often use injections for enhancing confidence before transitioning to other methods. According to Devici et al in the Journal of Urology for May 2008, self-injecting patients were 100 percent successful at achieving erections.

Suppository Treatment

Your doctor can introduce you to MUSE

MUSE suppositories deliver the same chemicals as injection, an alternative for patients uncomfortable with syringes. After urinating, the patient slips a pellet into his urethral opening with an applicator, achieving erection within 10 minutes. Side effects include pain, burning and partner discomfort. According to Nathan and Gorman (2005), 43 percent of PED patients respond to MUSE.

Sexual Therapy Treatment

Therapy can teach intimacy

Guided sexual therapy confronts patients' psychological barriers to erection, probing into relationship satisfaction, sexual history and fantasy. Authors suggest therapy is as effective as oral treatment.

Homeopathic Treatment

Acupuncture helps with some PED

Although urban lore suggests homeopathic extracts are successful at curing PED, clinical trials show they are no more effective than sugar-pill placebos (Resource 1). But a study in October 2003 by Engelhardt et al in the International Journal of Impotency Research suggests focused acupuncture produces erections in 20 percent of patients (Resource 2).

Integrated Treatment

Integrated treatment improves desire and performance

By and large, the most effective method of treating PED is through an integrated approach (IA) including psychosexual therapy and PDE5 blockers; around 66 percent of patients resume normal sex lives. Though injection produces erections more often, IA improves both arousal and performance and can lead to full recovery.

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Myths & Misconceptions Of Drinking Alcoholic Beverages

Over the years many falsehoods about alcohol consumption have been invented and spread. Here are 10 myths and the actual truths behind them.

Types of Alcohol

Myth: Blending liquor with a diet mixer won't get you drunk.

According to a study conducted by Dr. Chris Rayner from the Royal Adelaide Hospital in Australia, diet drinks actually get you more drunk. This is because caloric load determines how quickly the stomach will empty, and how quickly the alcohol will reach your bloodstream. In Rayner's study, diet drinks emptied from the stomach faster than regular drinks.

Myth: You get drunk faster with hard liquor than with a beer or wine cooler.

Alcohol is alcohol. Your blood alcohol content determines how drunk you are, not what type or flavor of alcohol you chose.

Being Drunk

Myth: Everyone acts the same when they're drunk.

Actually there are many factors that affect how your body reacts to alcohol. These factors include weight, age, gender and genetics. The amount of food and alcohol consumed that day must also be taken into consideration.

Myth: Alcohol makes sex better.

Alcohol lowers your inhibitions and can make you feel more comfortable having sex with someone. However, it does not improve your performance in any way.

Binge Drinking

Myth: It's OK if I drink as much as I want tonight because I haven't had alcohol all week.

This is called "saving up" drinks. However, drinking heavily over a short period of time can lead to alcohol poising, unsafe sex and other accidents.

Myth: Eating bread while you drink helps to soak up the alcohol in your stomach so you can drink more.

No matter what you eat, all alcohol eventually reaches the bloodstream. Food slows down the effect of being drunk but it does not prevent it, and the full force of what you drank will become apparent in time.

Sobering Up

Myth: Having cornflakes with beer instead of milk is a good cure for a hangover.

Having more alcohol in your body may help reduce symptoms of a hangover at first because your body is processing the new alcohol rather than the old. But keep in mind, all alcohol has to be processed eventually. This means the hangover doesn't actually go away.

Myth: A cold shower and a cup of coffee sobers you right up.

Again, all alcohol has to be processed. Only time can make you sober.

Health Effects

Myth: Beer can't permanently damage you.

Large amounts of alcohol can do damage to your heart, liver, stomach and other critical organs. Alcohol can also cause you to lose years from your life.

Myth: The worst thing that can result from drinking is having your stomach pumped.

Excessive alcohol can lead to alcohol poisoning, which causes death. Heavy drinking can also cause vomiting, and if you are unconscious you can die from choking on what comes up from your stomach. Drinking excessively and frequently may lead to an addiction, which may result in long-term consequences.

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Losing Weight After Giving Birth

Losing Weight After Giving Birth

Many women are ecstatic after giving birth, but this joy can sometimes fade after they look in the mirror. Most women experience some leftover weight from their pregnancy and worry about take it off. Though dieting and an exercise regimen are important, it is also important to stay healthy. Following a few simple steps will ensure that you take off that extra baby fat in a safe and healthy way.

Instructions

Losing Weight After Birth

1. Ensure that you are eating a well-balanced diet after having your child. Don't begin a weight-loss program until about three months after having a child. This will give your menstrual cycle time to normalize. A

2. Start with an exercise regime, but do not overexert yourself. If you were not exercising during your pregnancy, then it is especially important to start slowly. Start by walking around your neighborhood, and you can even take your newborn with you. This will prime your body for a more rigorous routine once your body has fully healed.

3. Eat several healthy, but small, meals every day. This will keep your metabolism primed and your energy up. This is especially important if you are breastfeeding.

4. Fatty and highly processed foods should be avoided. Eating whole grains, low-fat dairy products, fruits and vegetables will help you lose weight.

5. Do not get discouraged if other mothers seem to lose their baby weight quicker.

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Bill Medicare For Home Health Services

Home health care agencies provide a variety of services for those whose needs have been documented by a doctor. To receive payment for these services, home health care agencies must submit billing and medical service paperwork to Medicare.

Instructions

1. Hire a home health care agency that has been approved by Medicare. Home health care agencies not approved by the Medicare program are not eligible to receive payment for services.

2. Review the types of care Medicare will pay for. Skilled nursing (registered nurse provides care), physical rehabilitation, speech language pathology, medical equipment and assistance from a home health aide (person without RN credentials) are services covered under Medicare. However, there are restrictions in the number of hours per week these services will be available to you. You may also have to pay a copay of 20 percent for medical equipment or additional services.

3. Review all billing paperwork provided by the home health care agency before it submits the paperwork to Medicare. It is your legal right to review this paperwork.

4. Pay the remainder of the costs for home health care services out of pocket or apply for Medicaid. To qualify for Medicaid, you must meet low-income standards or show extreme need. Medicaid programs vary from state to state. Contact your state's Medicaid program for more information.

5. File a Notice of Medicare Claim Determination if you are unsure about whether the costs of certain home health services or equipment will be paid through the Medicare program. A decision will be made by a committee and sent to you. You can appeal the decision if you choose. Contact your state's medical health counseling program for additional information.

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Understand Chinese Foot Reflexology

Chinese foot reflexology is part of the greater Chinese therapeutic system of acupressure which involves stimulating acu points on the human body in order to promote the flow of healing energy called chi. The feet contain areas and points that correspond to certain organs and bodily systems, and those areas are massaged in order to reduce pain or relieve symptoms of health disorders. For example, a study published in the journal "Applied Nursing Research" in November 2003, found that foot reflexology was able to provide immediate relief of pain to patients suffering from metastatic cancer. To properly understand Chinese reflexology, you need to experience it for yourself by visiting a practitioner or learning the basics on your own.

Instructions

1. Buy a foot reflexology chart at a Chinese herb shop, chiropractic supply store or online. You can also find reflexology charts inside of massage books, especially those that focus on acupressure or pressure points in general.

2. Using your fingers, slowly massage the soles of your feet as well as the heels, balls and the areas around your toes. When you feel a tender spot where there is tight or tense muscle tissue, stop and apply direct pressure.

3. Use the reflexology chart to see which area of the body, or what organ, the tender area or point corresponds to. Pay close attention to the corresponding area of the body as you gently, but firmly, massage the tissue in the foot.

4. Use Chinese reflexology on the tender points daily until all tenderness and tightness in the tissue is gone. Monitor closely the effect that has on the condition or area that may be related.

5. Continue to use the reflexology chart to locate areas that correspond to health conditions you have. As you learn by experience, your understanding of Chinese foot reflexology will deepen.

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Get Rid Of Sunburned Skin

There is no quick cure for sunburn but you can aid the healing process.

Sunburn is the result of skin damage from too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, usually from the sun's rays or artificial sunlamps. Symptoms include red, swollen and painful skin that is warm to the touch. Sometimes blisters develop and affected skin may start to peel after several days. Though the symptoms of sunburn are usually temporary and fade on their own over the course of several days, once skin sunburn occurs, there is no "quick-fix" cure. However, correct first aid will reduce the discomfort and promote healing.

Instructions

1. Move to a shaded area, preferably indoors, as soon as you notice you are suffering from sunburn, as further sun exposure will only worsen your condition.

2. Take a cool bath or shower immediately to cool down the affected area.

3. Soak a flannel or towel in cool water and apply as a cold compress to burnt skin.

4. Apply a pure aloe vera gel to the affected area to soothe and hydrate the skin.

5. Cover any blisters with gauze to protect them from bursting and increasing the risk of infection.

6. Continue to apply pure aloe vera gel to the affected area as the damaged layer of skin peels.

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Radiation & Hodgkins Disease

Hodgkin's disease is a rare type of lymphoma or cancer that affects the lymphatic system, the part of the body that plays a large part in immune system functioning. Approximately 11.4 percent of all lymphomas are Hodgkin's disease, according to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Significance

Radiation is usually not the only treatment used for Hodgkin's disease, according to the University of Florida Shands Cancer Center. More often, radiation is used in conjunction with chemotherapy, especially when Hodgkin's disease is diagnosed in an early stage.

Function

Radiation uses beams of high-powered energy to target and destroy the cancerous cells and tumors found in Hodgkin's disease patients.

Time Frame

Radiation treatment for Hodgkin's disease typically takes place five days per week for three to five weeks, reports the University of Florida Shands Cancer Center.

Side Effects and Risks

The most common side effects of radiation for Hodgkin's disease include diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, increased defecation or urination, fatigue, decreases in red or white blood cells and hypothyroidism. Additionally, a National Cancer Institute study published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" in 2003 showed a link between radiation for Hodgkin's disease and the development of breast cancer in female patients later in life.

Considerations

Although radiation therapy may be an effective treatment for Hodgkin's disease, a study conducted at the Netherlands Cancer Institute and published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" in 2003 showed that there were no benefits to radiation used to prevent recurrences of Hodgkin's disease in patients already in remission after chemotherapy.

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Reasons For Excessive Yawning

Yawning is generally a sign of drowsiness.

Yawning is an involuntary action that causes a person to open his mouth while taking a deep breath. Most people yawn when they are tired or drowsy. Excessive yawning, even when a person is tired, occurs at an expected rate, and may be a symptom of a more serious medical condition.

Fatigue and Drowsiness

Fatigue and drowsiness are the most common causes of excessive yawning. Although failure to get enough sleep during the night is the main reason for feeling tired during the day, there are a number of medical conditions that may cause sleep deprivation, explain experts at Wellsphere. Urinary tract infections, anemia, allergies and thyroid problems can produce fatigue, and result in excessive yawning.

Vasovagal Reaction

One of the symptoms of vasovagal reaction is excessive yawning, based on information from the University of Maryland Medical Center. Vasovagal reaction, a condition that results in fainting episodes, is an involuntary nervous system reflex that slows down the heart, causing it to pump less blood. At the same time the heart slows down, the blood vessels in the legs widen, causing the blood circulating in the body to go to the leg. With the brain deprived of oxygen, a person with vasovagal reaction faints. Lying down and elevating the legs may prevent fainting, but medical treatment is required if a medical condition is causing the vasovagal reaction.

Epilepsy

Excessive yawning can be a sign of epilepsy, according to WrongDiagnosis.com. Epilepsy, most notably marked by seizures, is a neurological disorder that affects about three million Americans as of 2010. During a seizure, the nerves in the brain communicate abnormally, and the electrical signals from one group of nerve cells inundate other nerve cells in the brain. There is no cure for epilepsy, but there are treatments to manage the seizures.

Migraines

Excessive yawning can be a sign that person will experience a migraine headache within one or two days. Migraine headaches are a chronic condition that cause a large amount of pain that may last for days, based on information from the MayoClinic.com. When a person experiences a migraine, she may feel nauseous and very sensitive to light and sound. There is currently no cure for migraine headaches, but there are prescription medications and home remedies that ease the symptoms.

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Symptoms Of An Ms Attack

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a neurological disease that involves the body attacking the myelin sheaths around the nerves. It usually involves attacks where the myelin sheath attack occurs, along with periods of remission where no new attacks occur.

Significance

The symptoms of an MS attack indicate disease progression. If the patient is taking medication to control the disease, it may be a sign the medication is no longer working or that the disease is progressing.

Features

Symptoms of an MS attack vary widely from person to person but involve the disease's damage of the nerve's myelin sheath and correlating nerve irritation and damage. The most common symptoms of MS are neurological pain, numbness, tingling or paralysis on one or more body parts. Eyesight, hearing and swallowing are sometimes affected.

Time Frame

MS attacks occur when new symptoms appear or old symptoms reappear for longer than 24 hours. These attacks have to be at least a month apart to be a new attack and not just part of the previous attack.

Considerations

The same symptoms can appear during every attack, or new symptoms may appear every time. MS is unpredictable, and it varies from patient to patient whether the attacks are similar symptoms to previous attacks or proceeds to new ones every time. It's probable that attacks will be a combination of old and new symptoms.

Identification

The only way to confirm that new symptoms are indeed a new attack is to have an MRI scan with gadolinium enhancement. New or active lesions appear bright on enhanced scans, whereas old lesions are not.

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Recover From A Myectomy

A myectomy is a major heart surgery as a portion of your septum will be shaved off and your breast bone will be broken. Be prepared to take plenty of time to recover. Following your surgeon's instructions and taking it easy is important.

Instructions

1. Walk as much as possible, but don't push it. You will be encouraged to walk more than five times each day. Start out going short distances and then gradually increase your distance. Once your distance has increased and you can walk for longer periods, you can shorten the number of walks you take daily.

2. Wash using anti-bacterial soap. This will help prevent infection in your incision area. Make sure to not use very hot water the first few times you shower, as it can make you lightheaded and increase your risk of fainting.

3. Blow into your inspirometer several times a day. This will help keep your lungs clear from fluid. Coughing is tough after a myectomy, but it will help keep your lungs clear. Blowing into the inspirometer is a key component in recovery and may help prevent a lung infection.

4. Avoid sleeping on your left side if possible. It will be uncomfortable to sleep on the side your heart is located, so it's best to avoid doing that. Many people prefer to prop up with several pillows surrounding them and many even sleep on the couch for the first few weeks of recovery.

5. Restrictions will include no driving, no work for about eight weeks, no riding in the car where airbags could deploy and no lifting over ten pounds the first several weeks after surgery. Make sure to follow all of your restrictions even though it may be tempting to not wait the designated number of weeks. Following these restrictions allows you to rest and rest is very important to your recovery.

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Drug Treatments For Dementia

Dementia, also called senility, is an age-related disorder that affects the brain. It affects the person's ability to act and react, do daily activities and process information. As a result, several alterations to personality is observed among dementia patients. Today there are drug treatments for dementia that help control the progression of the disease.

Dementia Treatment

Treatments available for dementia do not help in completely eliminating the factors that cause damage to the sufferer's cognitive functions. They help to manage its troublesome symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, mood disorder, disorders of the neurovegetative and aggression, patients are put under drug medications.

Drug Treatment

To prevent the symptoms of dementia from affecting daily functions, patients needed to take a combination of drugs.

Antipsychotics

Neuroleptics and tranquilizers are used to manage the personality disorders caused by dementia. It provides relief to patients' restlessness, aggression and psychiatric symptoms.

Antidepressants

Dementia patients usually exhibit symptoms of depression. In this regard, taking antidepressants helps manage mood disorders by promoting or stimulating normal neurotransmitter functions.

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines are a common anti-anxiety drug that may be taken by dementia patients. Along with other anti-anxiety drugs, they keep the patients sedated to manage the disease's troublesome behaviors.

Hypnotics

Hypnotics are used to help dementia sufferers with their sleeping problems, helping them to sleep through the night.

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Make An Olive Oil Night Cream For Oily Skin

Make an Olive Oil Night Cream for Oily Skin

Many women with oily skin fear that putting any kind of creams on their face will encourage breakouts. However, the right night cream can benefit your skin and give moisture without causing acne. There's no need to spend money on expensive night creams with ingredients you can't pronounce. This homemade night cream won't break the bank and works just as well as higher end brands. With a few pointers and homemade ingredients, you can whip up an effective night cream for oily skin, in your kitchen.

Instructions

1. Melt the beeswax and olive oil in a double boiler, using a whisk to stir it well. This ensures that no lumps remain in your finished mixture.

2. Set the olive oil and beeswax mixture aside for 5 to 10 minutes to return it to room temperature.

3. Whisk in the vinegar and the water. Vinegar helps eliminate excess oil and restores the skin's natural pH balance.

4. Whisk until no lumps remain and pour the mixture into an empty container with a lid. You may want to use a plastic container that won't break and spill the mixture if you drop it.

5. Allow the mixture to cool in the refrigerator for an hour so that it can solidify. If the mixture is still runny, applying it to the face can be messy.

6. Use the night cream as you might use any consumer brand night cream. This mixture will keep in the refrigerator for up to four weeks.

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Extract Eucalyptus Oil

The Eucalyptus genus is native to Australia and comprises more than 600 species. These trees are used primarily for their wood and may also provide other products including the oil, which has a variety of industrial and pharmaceutical purposes. Most species of eucalyptus trees produce some essential oil, but only about 20 have commercially viable concentrations of oil in their leaves. Eucalyptus oil is extracted through an industrial process that uses a specific type of distillation.

Instructions

1. Load about 8 tons of fresh, uncompressed eucalyptus leaves in a large vat with a series of steam pipes that run along its bottom. Secure the lid tightly to the vat with locking clamps.

2. Turn the boiler on and begin feeding steam through the pipes at the bottom of the vat. This will cause steam to pass through the leaves which will vaporize the essential oils in the leaves. This vaporization process requires 3 to 4 hours and will leave a black liquor which will drain through a hole in the bottom of the vat.

3. Collect the eucalyptus vapor through outlets at the top of the vat. The vapor will collect in a central pipe that is surrounded by pipes that contain cold water. The water circulates through this condenser and cools the vapor back to a liquid state.

4. Drain the condensed distillate into a collection vessel. The distillate contains a water and oil component which will eventually separate. The oil may then be skimmed of the surface. Pour the oil into drums for further refinement.

5. Rectify the unrefined eucalyptus oil. This is a more specific type of distillation which includes the use of chemical reagents which remove the impurities in the eucalyptus oil.

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Lose Butt Fat

It’s great to have some booty in the back, but if you’re feeling a bit too bootylicious, there are some things you can do to get your derrière into tiptop shape.

Instructions

1. Do not diet, but do eat a healthy diet. A vegan diet with very limited processed foods will keep fat stores in check and maintain overall health. Read Eat 2 Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman to learn more about eating a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables.

2. Perform some form of cardiovascular exercise for overall fitness. Move your body for at least 30 minutes a day. Run, walk, swim, dance or do whatever you enjoy, but get your heart pumping and work up a sweat.

3. Weight train. Weight training will help you to build muscle and increase endurance and will alter your body composition, improving your muscle: fat ratio. This will help you lose butt fat.

4. Spot train your butt. While you cannot burn fat in just one place, you can work on specific muscle groups to tone and define them. Donkey kicks, leg lifts and squats are a few examples of exercises that will challenge the muscle groups in your derriere.

5. Make staircases and hills your friend. Hiking and stair climbing will help raise your butt profile.

6. Love yourself and love your body as it is. While it is fine to endeavor to improve yourself, keep things in perspective. Focus on all the great things your body allows you to do and celebrate its amazing abilities, rather than finding ways to criticize it.

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Internal Lupus Signs And Symptoms

Lupus is a chronic disease caused by the body's immune system attacking tissues and organs, resulting in inflammation. Nearly every organ and tissue of the body can be affected by lupus, including the skin, bones and circulatory and digestive systems. The symptoms of lupus may be temporary or permanent and depend on the type of lupus and the severity of the condition.

Joint Pain

According to the Mayo Clinic, lupus may attack the joints of the knees, hip, spine and wrists and cause pain, stiffness and swelling.

Mouth Sores

Lupus may cause the development of painful lesions or sores inside the mouth and on the tongue, insides of the cheeks and throat.

Kidney Damage

Lupus can attack the kidneys, which causes symptoms such as chest pain, nausea, vomiting, weight gain and itching all over the body.

Neurological

The central nervous system may be attacked by lupus, resulting in symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, loss of memory, personality changes and seizures.

Vascular Disease

Problems with internal bleeding, inflammation of the veins, blood clots and anemia are symptoms of lupus attacking the blood cells.

Avascular Necrosis

Avascular necrosis is the death of bone tissue due to the loss of blood supply and, according to the Mayo Clinic, may be a direct result of lupus or caused by the steroid treatments used for lupus.

Pregnancy Complications

Women with lupus are at an increased risk of developing toxemia, having a miscarriage, premature delivery or a low birth weight baby.

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Cfr Regulations For Assisted Living

The Code of Federal Regulations for assisted living is an extensive set of guidelines covering every aspect of skilled nursing and nursing facilities. It was implemented to protect facilities and their patients and to establish a strict framework of care.

Skilled Nursing Facility Structure

Verbiage regarding a medical facility is somewhat complex, but federal regulations require a strict chain-of-command. Each medical institution is permitted only one additional skilled nursing facility, and all facilities require administrators and medical directors to be held accountable by institutional management. In addition, facilities are required to be financially integrated with the medical institution as an additional checks-and-balance measure.

Facility Requirements

Facilities are required to notify the patient in writing of any physical changes or billing issues. A patient cannot be transferred to another facility unless significant reason is documented, and a facility is only permitted to charge additional fees for miscellaneous items requested by the patient. Routine nursing services and personal hygiene products paid under medicare or medicaid cannot be billed to the patient.

Patient Rights

Patients have the right to view their personal medical records within 24 hours of requesting them, the right to legal counsel and the right to full disclosure of courses of medical treatment. Patients also have the right to refuse any treatment and are not required to undergo any experimental treatment without written consent. Facilities must keep updated legal contacts for patients at all times.

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What Causes Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a dangerous form of cancer that forms in the pancreas. Because pancreatic cancer usually does not present any obvious symptoms until the condition is advanced, treatment is often difficult. However, there are several known causes and risk factors associated with the condition.

Age

Pancreatic cancer is much more common in people above 60, with the majority of patients being diagnosed in their 70s or 80s.

Ethnicity

People of African descent are statistically more likely to have pancreatic cancer.

Smoking

Smokers are more likely than non-smokers to get pancreatic cancer.

Weight and diet

Overweight individuals are more likely than people of a normal weight to have pancreatic cancer. Current research into cancer also indicates that a diet high in red meat may also be a contributing factor.

Genetics

People with a history of pancreatic cancer are more likely to get the condition. However, 90 to 95 percent of people with a family history of pancreatic cancer never get it.

Pancreatitis

Chronic sufferers of pancreatitis, which is the inflammation of the pancreas, are more at risk of pancreatic cancer. People with a family history of pancreatitis are also at risk.

Tags: more likely, pancreatic cancer, pancreatic cancer, family history, have pancreatic, have pancreatic cancer

Hormonal Imbalance Remedies

Hormonal imbalances can occur throughout your life, beginning in your teenage years. Treatments for hormonal imbalance remedies include herbal remedies, homeopathy and Ayurveda. Learning about the products is important, as are understanding the ingredients, the side effects and the possibilities for different long-term outcomes.

Menopause

Ayurveda herbs for hormonal imbalances include ashok, lodhra and shatavari. The purpose is to bring a balance to one's kinetic, thermal and potential energies. Other herbal solutions include damiana, oat, raspberry leaf and wild yam.

Andropause

For male hormonal imbalances, Ayurveda offers four substantial herbs: shilajit, ashwagandha, saffron and kaunch beetj. The same herbs women use for hormone imbalances can be used by men, such as wild yam, black cohosh, damiana, oat and raspberry leaf.

Menstruation

The most commonly prescribed homeopathic remedies for hormone imbalances due to premenstrual syndrome and difficult menstruation are cocculus, caulophyllum, helonias dioica and potentialla anserine. For nervousness, impatience and depression, use cimicifuga and hypericum perforatum.

Postpartum Depression

Homeopathy offers remedies for the hormonal imbalances that occur with pregnancy and birth. Some suggested remedies include chamomilla, cocculus indicus, sulphur and nux vomica. Herbal solutions include chaste tea berry and evening primrose oil.

Dietary Considerations

You will need to adjust your diet. Increasing omega fats, calcium, magnesium and potassium through supplementation and food choices is vital.

Cautions

Before taking any remedy, make sure that you do not have any known allergies to the herbals. Homeopathic remedies do not have any known contraindications. For any plan you undertake, make sure you are fully informed about it and stick to it.

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Prevent Littering

Litter not only looks bad, but it also washes into gutters and ends up in streams and rivers to clog and pollute our water supplies and ultimately work against a cleaner environment. Litter can be insidious. However, you can do a number of things to stop littering and help others to understand how they are contributing to the litter build-up.

Instructions

1. Keep a litterbag in your vehicle at all times. Put all your trash in it, including gum, food and paper.

2. Pick up litter when you see it thrown carelessly on the ground. Be careful about picking up sharp objects with your bare hands to avoid infection.

3. Talk to your friends and family when you see them litter. Help them to understand the ramifications of their actions. Take the opportunity to educate them about how their actions ultimately affect the environment.

4. Join an organization such as Keep America Beautiful or Adopt a Road that picks up litter in a group, lobbies for trash receptacles and provides education to the public. Find a local Adopt-A-Road program through your state's environment departments.

5. Encourage a group that you belong to already to get involved in an anti-litter campaign.

6. Carry a portable ashtray with a cover if you are a smoker. Cigarette butts do not decompose and are difficult to clean up.

7. Report littering to the proper authorities when you see it. Call your town or city government to find out who enforces littering ordinances. A special division may enforce littering on a large scale, while the police handle other infractions.

Tags: their actions

Lifestyle Lift Dangers

Lifestyle Lift claims to be a safe alternative to traditional facelifts.

A Lifestyle Lift is a non-invasive cosmetic procedure to lift and tighten the skin of the face and neck by pulling the skin back and tucking it behind the ears. While the Lifestyle Lift is less expensive, it does not last as long as a traditional facelift and the patient may not receive the results expected. It does claim to provide a safer procedure with faster healing time, but with any surgical procedures there are some dangers.

Bruising and Swelling

Bruising and swelling is typical after undergoing the Lifestyle Lift procedure. Generally, it is temporary as the healing time for patients is estimated at one week. However, other problems may arise such as temporary facial distortion due to prolonged swelling. If this occurs or if there is any swelling beyond the normal amount expected, discuss this issue with the Lifestyle Lift staff or surgeon immediately because this may indicate more serious complications such as infection.

Bleeding

Excessive bleeding is a risk associated with any surgical procedure. Lifestyle Lift patients are asked to stop using any blood-thinning medications such as aspirin to reduce bleeding complications. The after-care instructions must be followed after the procedure to reduce the bleeding danger. The Lifestyle Lift procedure uses local anesthesia which eliminates any dangers associated with the use of general anesthesia or sedation.

Infection

Pain is a common and expected side effect of the Lifestyle Lift procedure, but there is less pain than with the more invasive facelift procedures. If the pain worsens or progresses beyond the ache of normal healing, this may indicate an infection. Other signs of infection include elevated temperature and any discoloration of the treated area that does appear to be the normal bruising expected while healing. Contact the doctor immediately if you think your symptoms indicate an infection.

Nerve Damage

Damage to nerves during surgery is rare, but occasionally the surgeon accidentally cuts nerves during the procedure. Serious complications associated with this are extremely rare with mild cases occurring occasionally. Numbness and tingling are symptoms of nerve damage, but they can also be a sign of normal healing. If these symptoms increase or are bothersome, contact your physician immediately.

Tags: Lifestyle Lift, associated with, Lifestyle Lift procedure, Lift procedure, healing time, indicate infection

The Effects Of Mosquitoes On Humans

About the Effects of Mosquitoes on Humans

For most people in the United States and Europe, mosquitoes leave only itchy red bumps. However, in the rest of the world, mosquitoes can cause serious illness or death.

Only the female mosquito ingests blood, as she needs protein and iron to produce eggs. When a mosquito bites, she injects saliva and anti-coagulants into the wound. It is through these substances that a virus or parasite can be transmitted to a human or animal.

Significance

Mosquitoes transmit diseases to over 700 million people per year. In most developed countries, diseases are very limited and deaths are comparatively rare, but in Africa, South and Central America, Mexico and Asia, millions of infections and deaths result from mosquito-borne diseases.

History

Mosquitoes' role in spreading disease was first understood around the turn of the 20th century. In 1898, British physician Sir Ronald Ross, then working in Calcutta, proved that mosquitoes were transmitting malaria. Prior to this, Carlos Finlay of Cuba had suggested the same about yellow fever, as had Josiah Nott and Patrick Manson about the parasite filariasis. Ross's and Finlay's protocols were implemented with significant success by Walter Reed and the U.S. Army Medical Board during construction of the Panama Canal.

Effects

Malaria--this disease is caused by a protozoa parasite. Symptoms include fever, chills, headache, joint pain, vomiting and convulsions. Each year, 515 million people are infected with malaria, and 1 to 3 million people, mostly children, die from the disease annually.

Yellow fever--caused by a virus in mosquito saliva. Symptoms are fever, headache, chills, nausea, vomiting and bleeding into the skin. Severe cases cause internal hemorrhaging, coma and death. Annually, there are 200,000 infections and 30,000 deaths.

Encephalitis/West Nile--at least six types of encephalitis diseases are transmitted by mosquitoes. Symptoms for all of these include headache, fever, sensitivity to light, weakness and seizures. Fatalities are not uncommon.

Dengue fever--caused by one of four viruses present in mosquito saliva. Symptoms include headache, joint and muscle pain, fever, severe dizziness, bleeding from the mucous membranes, and bloody vomit/diarrhea. There are an estimated 50 million cases per year, with a fatality rate of 2.5 percent, or an estimated 125,000 deaths.

Epidemic polyarthritis/Ross River virus--is endemic to Australia and Papua New Guinea. While symptoms can persist for up to 6 months, only 400 people per year are infected, and the virus is rarely fatal. Symptoms include fever, headache, joint pain and rash.

Filariasis-- is a parasite endemic to Asia, Africa, Central and South America. The parasite lodges in the lymphatic system and causes thickening of the surrounding skin and tissues, known as elephantiasis. This generally affects the lower extremities, including the genitals. Worldwide, 120 million people are currently infected.

Geography

Most of the mosquito-borne diseases are now endemic to South and Central America, parts of Asia and Africa. Some of the encephalitis viruses, like West Nile, Japanese encephalitis and Western and Eastern equine encephalitis, do cause infections in the United States, Japan and Europe.

Prevention/Solution

There are a number of different ways to minimize the effects of mosquito-borne diseases. Most of them can be treated with antibiotics and antivirals; there is even a vaccine for yellow fever. Developed countries spray for mosquitoes and regularly check levels of animal mortality, as most of these diseases can also be transmitted to animals through mosquito bites. In developing countries, mosquito nets are a common and economical solution. Preventing bites prevents disease. There are also organizations that work to get vaccinations to the impoverished and medicine to those who are already sick.

Tags: million people, headache joint, mosquito-borne diseases, Symptoms include, Asia Africa

Massage The Ball Of The Foot

The balls of your feet sustain your weight while standing, walking, and running. You can massage this area to relieve the tension all these activities cause while restoring blood circulation. Here a few suggestions to massage the ball of the foot.

Instructions

1. Ask the recipient to sit or lie in a comfortable position. Make sure that his feet are clean and dry. Briskly stroke each foot to warm them and bring blood to the surface. Apply medium pressure and rub the entire foot in one direction from the ankle to the toes. Follow a continuous rhythm.

2. Use your thumb to apply pressure around the ball of the foot. Move over and around the ball of the foot in a circular motion. Alternate thumbs as they tire.

3. Place both sets of thumbs on the sole and slowly move one above the other until you move from the heel to the base of the toes.

4. Knead the sole of your foot, gently rotating your knuckles in large, movements. Press your fist into the sole of the foot repeatedly.

5. Walk your fingers horizontally across the foot. Press thumbs or other fingers in one spot and hold for a moment, and then move to another spot. Cover the entire foot with this technique.

Tags: ball foot, around ball, around ball foot, entire foot

Third Molar Extraction & Transmucosal Pain Relief

Dental examinations often reveal the need for extraction.

Sometimes, tooth pain is too much to bear. When your third molar is involved, extraction is often the best medicine. That cure can come with its own painful problems that require a special kind of pain relief.

The Eve of Evolution

Evolution's physical changes granted humans the smarts to leave the trees and make cars and computers. However, these gifts have not come without cost. As the skull rearranges to make room for mightier minds, wisdom teeth have become crowded and often erupt in painful ways.

The Wisdom of Extraction

If you are one of the unfortunates who has had a wisdom tooth decide to come in at an unusual angle, or force itself out at the expense of your other teeth, you know the pain they can bring. If you chose to have the offending molar removed, you would be in good company. Because of its high success rate, wisdom tooth removal is the most common oral surgery performed.

Taming the Pain

After any surgery, pain is inevitable. In the inhospitable realm of the mouth, germs flourish, slowing healing and prolonging the pain. "Transmucosal medical delivery" is a mouthful, even for the medically inclined. It simply means injecting a drug into the gums. This method imparts many benefits, such as instant pain relief and lower drug toxicity.

Tags: wisdom tooth

Aqua Chi Vs Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy and Aqua Chi are both known ways to combat cancer in the body. One uses water and electricity, while the other introduces chemicals into the body in hopes of retarding the growth of cancer cells. While this may not directly cure the cancer itself, they are supposedly quite capable of at least allowing for relief of the symptoms and lengthening the lifespan of the patients involved. However, each treatment is different, not only in its method but also in effectiveness and acceptance by the general public.

History

Aqua Chi is based on the work of Dr. Albert Abrams who is best known for his 1919 work, "Human Energy." He posited cells having a specific frequency. This applies to all cells: animal, vegetable, mineral and of course disease. According to his research, the addition of an electrical current keyed to the specific frequency of the disease cell will cause the disease cell to disintegrate, thus curing the patient of her malady. His theories are the basis of Radionics. The American Cancer Society readily accepts the idea of magnetic/electrical action in the body; see Electrocardiogram (heart monitor) or TENS (electric nerve stimulators). Unfortunately, this does not make the use of electrical stimulation a viable treatment for disease/cancer.

Chemotherapy on the other hand did not appear until the 1940s, nor was it originally intended for medical use. Chemo, as it is often called, came into being from chemical warfare. Medical testing on soldiers following exposure to mustard gas showed a retardation of the growth of rapid growth cells such as white blood cells. Through further research, they realized this reaction could be caused intentionally through injection of the chemical and modern chemotherapy began.

Mechanism

The Aqua Chi is a foot bath system where you soak your feet in water with a set of metal rings and electrical current. Right off the bat, this seems rather dangerous. After all, water and electricity equals death by electrocution. This is not the case. The electrical current in the Aqua Chi is feed into a module made up of a plastic holder and metal rings which you set in the water to create the ionic reaction. According to their literature, the Aqua Chi provides a charge that is then transferred to the cells of the body promoting health.

While the Aqua Chi works from the outside in, chemotherapy is ingested and the medication then works its way through the body to the cells it is meant to effect. Unfortunately, chemo has the unfortunate side effect of attacking cells for which it was not meant as well.

Side Effects

According to the available information, the Aqua Chi has no side effects. It works with what is considered to be a completely natural process and can only help. Chemotherapy has a number of well documented side effects, not limited to, hair loss, fatigue and gastrointestinal issues. Chemotherapy is perhaps why many people think of the cancer patient automatically as a bald person or someone who must wear a wig.

Public Acceptance

It is true chemotherapy is a wide spread and accepted practice; however, Aqua Chi opens up an alternative to chemo, which is considered dangerous and invasive. It is important to recognize that chemo is actually less invasive than other cancer treatments such as radiation or surgery. The modern medical establishment does not recognize the type of therapy Aqua Chi purports to use. In fact, they are quick to denounce such methods as quack science. As a result, the overwhelming reaction toward this method it is a last port in a storm. In order to avoid the costly and sometimes permanent effects of modern cancer treatment, people willingly turn to the Aqua Chi and other contraptions like it to provide relief.

Overall

From the information currently available, the Aqua Chi does not claim to cure cancer as some of its predecessors did. Therefore, while it is possible the Aqua Chi is a viable treatment, it would probably be best to use it under the care of a physician. At least that way, if things do not work out, you can quickly switch over to chemotherapy, which may have its problems, but it also has a proven track record.

Tags: electrical current, cure cancer, disease cell, metal rings, side effects, specific frequency

Things You Can Eat On The Southbeach Diet

South Beach is a strip of Art Deco hotels and sand populated by camera-ready bodies on display all day. The name stands for glamour, youth and extreme fitness. South Beach's image drives the popularity of the eponymous diet that can peel away early pounds but is not a balanced model for a nutritious, healthy eating plan. According to Columbia University's Health Services, the South Beach Diet is low in calcium and restricts fiber, vitamins, potassium, magnesium and iron.

Phase One -- What to Eat

The first phase of the South Beach diet is the game-changer. In just two weeks, you are supposed to kick your carb habit and begin some serious weight loss. You're allowed to eat proteins like meats, seafood, and eggs. Cheese, nuts, salads and foods with unsaturated fats are OK. Eat as much as you like of specified vegetables like asparagus, bean sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, radishes and spinach. Vegetables considered too high in sugars for the diet include artichokes, carrots, corn, lima beans, potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes and yams.

Phase One -- What Not to Eat

The Mayo Clinic says the diet allows cantaloupe but discourages other, sweeter fruits like blueberries, figs, grapes, kumquats, pears, pineapples and prunes. You also can't eat bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, baked goods, or drink alcohol. In phase one, you get only 10 percent of daily calories from carbohydrates. Most nutritionists recommend that 45 to 65 percent of daily calories come from carbs for a normal, healthy diet. According to the Virginia Cooperative Extension, phase one of the South Beach diet does not provide adequate nutrition for children, teens and pregnant or nursing women.

Phase Two

Phase two lasts until you reach your desired weight. You may add a few carbohydrates, sparingly, to the diet. Your carbohydrate intake can hit as much as 27 percent of daily calories. You can now reintroduce foods such as whole grain breads, popcorn, high-fiber cereals, brown rice and peas. Apples, blueberries, grapefruit, kiwis, strawberries, 1 percent or soy milk, low-fat yogurt, red wine and a little chocolate are OK too.

Phase Three

Phase three is the rest of your life. You are supposed to maintain a low-carbohydrate diet plan, or jump back to phase one if you put on pounds. For permanent maintenance, the South Beach Diet demands carbs should account for 28 percent of your daily calories. That means you can increase the amount of food permitted in phase two but only if you keep the weight off.

Typical Phase One Day

Here's what the Mayo Clinic says your daily meals might look like on the first two weeks of the South Beach diet. Breakfast is a cup of coffee or tea, or a glass of tomato juice, veggie quiche with spinach, cheese, and more fresh vegetables. Lunch could be grilled chicken on romaine lettuce with balsamic vinaigrette, with iced tea or diet soda. Dinner can be broiled fish, grilled vegetables and a salad. You may eat certain desserts like an espresso custard, and snack on humus and celery, mixed nuts, turkey roll-ups and some cheeses.

Tags: South Beach, daily calories, percent daily, percent daily calories, South Beach diet, Beach diet, Clinic says

Infant Autism Symptoms

Autism is a complicated issue for which only an intense clinical assessment can lead to an accurate diagnosis. Since the first concerns usually come from the parents, it is necessary to pay close attention to your baby's movements and behavior as he grows and develops. Talk to your child's pediatrician if your baby seems to be developing more slowly than other infants your child's same age. While the average age for diagnosing autism is usually around three-years-old, parents often begin to notice that something might be wrong before a baby is 18-months-old. If left untreated, autism can affect a child's language skills, social interactions and ability to learn.

Common Symptoms

Research shows that children who have autism often begin to display different patterns of behavior within their first year. Babies with autism often do not make eye contact with others, even when a parent or other caregiver is directly interacting with them. Many autistic children have a tendency to withdraw into their own world, showing little if any interest in those around them. Exhibiting repetitive movements can be another sign of autism, in addition to being uncoordinated or displaying violent outbursts. While it may not be possible to confirm a diagnosis of autism in infancy, paying attention to these first signs and initiating early interventions may affect later development in a positive manner.

Developmental Symptoms

If your baby is not smiling by the age of six months, there might be a need for your child to be evaluated more carefully by his pediatrician, as smiling is a normal stage of development for babies. Another sign that there may be a problem is if you are unable to soothe and comfort your child by picking him up. At about the age of six months, your baby should begin laughing and making babbling noises in his first efforts to communicate. Failing to follow objects with his eyes, stiffening his muscles when you pick him up, and not developing simple language skills by the age of two can be other signs that a child might be autistic. Further screening may be required if your child behaves as if he is unaware of the other people around him as he gets older.

Less Obvious Symptoms

Some studies have suggested that children diagnosed with autism may have a smaller than average head size at birth. These children then experience a period of rapid growth at which time their head circumference measures normal size by the age of 14 months. However, this has not been proven to be the case for all children with autism.

Recognizing the Signs

Even doctors admit that it is not always easy to identify the signs that a child has autism even though in most cases, the disorder is probably present from birth. Many of the symptoms do not become obvious until a baby grows and develops past infancy. Many children with autism also have other learning disabilities for which some of their patterns of behavior may be attributed to these developmental delays. Then again, autism can be overlooked in children with average or above average cognitive abilities. Odd behaviors in these children are often dismissed as being related to their age.

Causes

There has been much speculation by the scientific community as to the causes of autism in children. While many medical researchers believe that some sort of damage to the brain before birth may be the cause, this theory has not been proven. Other theories suggest that genetic factors, metabolic disorders, viral infection, perinatal anoxia or immune deficiencies may be at work. But to date this only explains why some children with autism may have other medical conditions or learning disabilities.

What the Experts Say

While the parents of children eventually diagnosed with autism often have no concerns about a baby's early behavior, pediatricians say that more frequently parents report being worried about developmental delays. The problem is that for those children with autism who display normal learning abilities, other problems with development may not be recognized until later. This is especially true for parents who might not have older children or who do not find themselves in situations where they can compare their baby's development to that of other children the same age. If you are concerned about your baby's development, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides online information about a child's normal growth and any delays that could be a sign of autism (see Resources). Still another problem related to autism is that while some autistic babies may be undemanding and rarely cry, other babies can be difficult to calm and can display behaviors, such as rocking or banging their head. Another interesting factor is that even though some autistic children seem oblivious to what is happening around them, at the same time a shiny object may fascinate them. However, child development experts advise parents that normal babies can display these same behaviors. For these reasons, an assessment and diagnosis of autism should involve a team of different professionals, including a pediatrician, child psychologist, speech therapist, social worker and sometimes a child psychiatrist, community health nurse and social worker.

Tags: with autism, children with, your baby, your child, children with autism, autism often, around them

Remove Genital Warts Naturally

Genital warts can be a very embarrassing experience. For this reason, most people refrain from visiting the drug stores for ointments and other treatments. Thankfully, there are some home remedies that are effective in removing genital warts naturally.

Instructions

1. Soak a piece of cotton in apple cider vinegar before bedtime. Apply this to the warts and hold in place with skin tape or a band-aid. Remove in the morning, and wash the affected area. Continue this method until the warts are gone, which may take up to 4 weeks.

2. Apply castor oil to help remove genital warts. Massage into warts with a cotton ball three times a day until warts are gone, which may also take up to 4 weeks.

3. The juice from an aloe vera plant can reduce discomfort from the warts, and help dissolve them. Squeeze the juice from the plant directly on the affected area two or three times a day.

4. Take two to four garlic capsules a day to help rid your body of and prevent genital warts. Garlic is a natural killer for various impurities in the body, and is effective against the virus that causes the warts.

Tags: affected area, genital warts, gone which, juice from, take weeks, three times, until warts

Special Skills For Being A Chiropractor

A chiropractor is a practitioner who treats patients' ailments or pains in the back or shoulders. This is done by performing several techniques and movements on the spinal cord or shoulders, so the ailing body parts are pushed back into their proper places. The chiropractor must be trained and educated to complete this job, along with gain and perfect specific chiropractor skills.

Knowledge of the Spine

A chiropractor works to heal a patient's problems with the muscles or bones. While some chiropractors treat general bones and muscles, others focus primarily with the human spine according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is because spine misalignment can interfere with the nervous system and be the result of diminished health. These specialized chiropractors must be able to define the problems with the patient's spine and manipulate it in ways that relieve the pain.

Ability to Move Bones

Another skill that chiropractors should have that could be considered special is the ability to move bones as part of the treatment process. Once the troubling bone or ailment has been identified, the chiropractor must have the ability to push the bone back into its proper place, so it does not cause any internal damage or pain for the patient. This technique is common and requires strength and finesse. The chiropractor must also perform this technique in a manner that does not cause pain or frighten the patient.

Using Additional Procedures

Although a chiropractor often heals patients by physically moving or pushing bones or muscles back into place, a special skill is being able to recognize when other procedures may be beneficial. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, chiropractors also use heat, light, massages, electrical currents, acupuncture and water to heal the ailments and pains the patient has. Other healing techniques include braces, shoe inserts, tape of various kinds and straps to hold a muscle or bone in place.

X-ray Readings

Another important skill a chiropractor must have is the ability to read and understand X-ray scans that show a patient's spine or bones. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, this skill is an important part of a chiropractor's job. A patient may suffer from a misalignment or misplaced bone that the chiropractor may not be able to locate through the simple touch. After doing an X-ray scan, the chiropractor must be able to identify the misaligned bone or problems with the spine, so he can begin treatment.

Tags: chiropractor must, back into, Bureau Labor, Bureau Labor Statistics, Labor Statistics

Maximize The Longevity Of An Artificial Hip

Maximize the Longevity of an Artificial Hip

Hip replacements have transformed the lives of countless sufferers disabled by the pain and restriction of a damaged hip joint. An artificial hip replacement allows a person to resume an active, rewarding lifestyle. However, certain precautions need to be taken in order to ensure that your hip replacement has a long life. Read this article for helpful tips on maximize the longevity of your artificial hip!

Instructions

1. Keep Your Weight in Check -- Carrying excess weight around puts increased stress on an artificial hip. Over time, this added stress can cause early loosening or premature wear of an artificial hip prosthesis and significantly reduce its longevity. Hip replacements last longest in people of normal body weight! Keeping your weight in check will help your artificial hip last as long as possible!

2. Avoid High-Impact Exercise -- High-impact exercises, including running, jumping, and competitive sports, should be avoided by individuals with artificial hip replacements. High impact activities place a tremendous amount of stress on an artificial hip and can significantly shorten the life of an artificial hip replacement. To reduce artificial hip joint wear, perform only low-impact exercises.

3. Keep Your Leg Muscles Strong -- Strong leg muscles help support and stabilize an artificial hip replacement. Every time you take a step, your leg muscles contract and shoulder a large portion of your body's weight; your hips and knees shoulder the rest. The stronger your leg muscles, the less strain placed on your artificial hip! And this helps to your artificial hip last longer.

Tags: your artificial, artificial replacement, artificial last, body weight, Keep Your, Longevity Artificial

Brain Tumor Vision Symptoms

When a person is diagnosed with a brain tumor, several factors must be taken into consideration. One is trying to ensure that the portion of the brain that deciphers visual impulses is not damaged. To diagnose a brain tumor, a doctor will use an imaging test such as a CT scan and an MRI, along with a biopsy of the material from the tumor itself if such a biopsy can be safely obtained. In some cases, a determination as to whether or not a tumor is cancerous is made after it is removed.

Identification

A brain tumor is a collection of cells that have grown at an abnormal pace. In some cases, these tumors originate in the brain itself and are called primary brain tumors. Tumors that originated from some other part of the body are called metastatic brain tumors. A brain tumor filled with cancerous cells is called malignant, while non-cancerous tumors are called benign. Many of the preliminary symptoms associated with the creation of a tumor are the same regardless of whether the tumor is malignant or benign. It is when a malignant tumor starts to spread cancerous cells to other parts of the brain and the body that the differences begin to appear.

Effects

The effect of a brain tumor, malignant or benign, on vision is normally a slowly developing set of symptoms. The person may experience recurring bouts of double vision or blurred vision, and as the symptoms get more advanced, these vision problems may be accompanied by a painful headache. This change in vision due to a brain tumor is due to the pressure that the growing tumor is putting on the various parts of the brain. If a tumor is developing away from the vision center of the brain, then there may be no vision symptoms at all. Tumors that develop near the vision center of the brain can create very uncomfortable vision symptoms.

Loss of Peripheral Vision

One of the more potentially dangerous vision symptoms of a brain tumor is the loss of peripheral vision, which is located on the very outer edges of the vision field, and it is responsible for a person's ability to see danger coming from one side or the other. In some cases, a brain tumor may be growing in an area that causes that field of vision to get smaller, and this causes the eventual loss of peripheral vision.

Prevention/Solution

The most common method of treating a brain tumor is to have it surgically removed. Once the tumor is removed, it is possible to regain much of the vision that was lost. However, in some cases, factors such as peripheral vision may never completely return. Doctors will often recommend ongoing physical, occupational and cognitive therapy to help survivors of brain tumors regain as much of their vision as possible, and learn to adapt to living without the vision they have permanently lost.

Considerations

The Mayo Clinic suggests that the damage done to the nerves associated with vision due to a brain tumor can be permanent. If a tumor resides in the visual cortex, the portion of the brain that processes visual stimulus, then the process of removing that tumor may leave permanent vision problems. The tumor itself could also create permanent vision problems simply by creating pressure in that part of the brain and killing brain cells.

Tags: brain tumor, brain tumor, some cases, brain tumors, peripheral vision

Make Your Own Moon Cycle Planner

A complete moon cycle spans 28 days.

A full moon cycle is completed in 28 days. Correlated to this is a woman's menstrual cycle, lasting an average of 28 days, as well. When pagan spirituality shifted to Christian religious beliefs, society no longer regulated the days, weeks and months in a year by the lunar calendar. In turn, many women lost the connection that they have with their own bodies and with the moon. Charting your own "moon cycle" by returning to the lunar fertility calendar is one way to revive that connection.

Instructions

1. Understand the lunar fertility cycle. Each month, the moon progresses from a new moon to a waxing moon, then to a full moon, and lastly to a waning moon, returning once again to a waxing moon to repeat the cycle. According to a theory by Czech psychiatrist Dr. Eugene Jonas, the lunar fertility cycle shows that a woman can, in fact, be fertile at the time of her period if the moon is in the same phase as it was when she was born.

2. Using a lunar calendar, mark the first day of your menstrual period.

3. The next month, again mark the day that you first begin to bleed.

4. Count the amount of days between when you started menstruating the first month and when you started menstruating the second month. This gives you a general idea of how long your menstrual cycle lasts.

5. Count back 14 days from the start of your period and note the date. This is the day of ovulation, the release of typically one egg at a time from the ovary. You are most fertile during this time.

6. Determine the lunar phase under which you were born: Look at an old calendar or use the website http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/vphase.html to find out. Some mystics agree with Dr. Jonas and continue to believe that it is possible to ovulate during this day of the month, as well.

7. Continue to track the beginning of your periods for at least four months. At this point, you will likely know how regular or irregular your cycles are, and in turn more easily determine your most fertile time or times of the month.

Tags: lunar fertility, during this, fertile time, fertility cycle, full moon, lunar calendar

Detect And Deal With A Pinworm Infection

Pinworm micrograph

Pinworm infection is very common and does not usually cause serious complications. Symptoms of infection are vague and not always easy to identify as related to the presence of pinworms. Once diagnosed, treatment is relatively simple and painless; however, reinfection can be a problem due to the pinworm eggs, which remain viable in the home environment for weeks under the proper conditions.

Instructions

Detection and Treatment

1. Recognize that pinworm infections are extremely common and not isolated to people with poor hygiene or dirty habits. Pinworms are parasitic roundworms spread when humans consume pinworm eggs, which hatch in the intestinal tract; the worms have the appearance of thin white threads.

2. Investigate any nighttime itching in the anal area. At night, the female worm travels from the intestines to the rectal area to lay her eggs. It is this process which triggers itching around the anus, the main outward sign of infection.

3. Attempt to detect the worms directly by observing your fecal matter to check for their presence. If a child is affected, parents may also check the child's anal area during the night to look for worms or place a piece of cellophane tape across the anus at bedtime (this can trap eggs, providing evidence of pinworm infection).

4. See your doctor to have the tape checked for the presence of pinworm eggs to confirm an infection. Your physician can then prescribe the most effective treatment for your situation.

5. Ask about treating the entire family (if there are multiple members in the household) in order to prevent reinfection. Treatment involves two doses of anti-parasite medicine, administered two weeks apart.

6. Wash all linens and undergarments daily during treatment. Affected persons should not share wash cloths with other family members and should use one cloth to wash their rectal area and a different cloth to wash the rest of the body.

7. Check locations where many children congregate, such as day care centers, if reinfection becomes an ongoing problem. Humans carry pinworms, but animals do not, so there is no need to have the family pet treated.

Tags: pinworm eggs, anal area, cloth wash, eggs which, pinworm eggs which

Treatments For Obesity

Obesity refers to excessive weight and accumulation of body fat. By definition, a person is considered to be obese if his body mass index (BMI) is higher than 30 kg/m2. BMI is defined as weight divided by height squared.

Obesity leads to serious health consequences and an increased risk of many diseases, including diabetes, heart diseases and cancer. Treatment of obesity will help to bring down the risk of these diseases.

Significance

The main objective of obesity treatment is to bring down a person's weight to a healthier level. For many people, it is sufficient to reduce weight by 5 to 10 percent. For instance, if you weight 300 lbs., it may be sufficient to lose 15 to 30 lbs. Studies show that a weight reduction of 10 percent will reduce the risk of heart diseases by 30 percent. For patients with diabetes, losing 20 percent of their weight or more may lead to remission.

Types

The most common treatment for obesity is through lifestyle modification--changes in diet and increased physical activity. The objective of diet change is to lower the total calorie intake. Your healthcare provider can help you to estimate the goal for calorie restriction. A diet containing a lot of whole grains, fruit and vegetables, and low in fat, protein and sugar will help you to lose weight.

Regular exercise not only helps to bring the weight down, but also reduces fat in your body. It is recommended that you engage in moderate physical activity (i.e. walking, jogging, biking) for at least 30 minutes every day.

For very obese people, medical interventions may be necessary. The medical interventions for obesity range from anti-obesity drugs such as Metformin, Orlistat, Rimonabant, Sibutramine and Byetta, to bariatric surgery. There are several bariatric surgery techniques, including adjustable gastric banding, vertical banded gastroplasty and gastric bypass surgery.

Effects

Normal adults require 2,000 to 2,500 calories a day for regular activities. It is estimated that cutting 250 calories from your daily diet will help you lose 2 to 3 lbs. every month.

Bariatric surgery is considered to be the most effective method for obesity treatment. Gastric bypass surgery has been shown to reduce up to 40 percent of the weight prior to the surgery. The effects of the surgery on the patient's weight can last up to 10 to 20 years. Furthermore, the effects of the surgery on diabetes and hypertension can be observed as early as 2 weeks after the surgery.

Considerations

Consult your doctors for prescription drugs for obesity only if other weight loss techniques fail. You should also learn about the side effects weight-loss drugs. For instance, Sibutramine can lead to hypertension and constipation, and can cause headaches and insomnia. Orlistat may increase the frequency of bowel movements. The effects of weight-loss medication on weight tend to reach a plateau at 6 months.

Expert Insight

Bariatric surgery is currently only recommended for extremely obese people (i.e. people with BMI higher than 40). Bariatric surgery also has many potential complications, with 1 in every 1,000 lap band surgeries resulting in death.

Tags: will help, Bariatric surgery, bring down, bypass surgery, effects surgery

Make Sea Salt

Sea Salt

Make your own salt from the sea! This is very easy to do and makes a special inexpensive gift or a nice memory of your vacation.

Instructions

1. Gather the ocean water in your large container or jar. The more water you get, the more salt you'll make. Try to get at least a quart of water. Obviously, you'll want to gather clean water, so be aware of your environment and the reports on the condition of the water.

2. Strain the water through a cheese cloth into your pot. You can usually find cheese cloth in the cooking utensils section of your grocery store or at a specialty cooking store like Sur La Table.

3. Boil the water in a pot on the stove for several hours. This will take quite a bit of time depending on how much water you have.

4. Remove the pot from heat when there is still a very small amount of water left in the pot. You don't want to scorch your pot or the salt, but you want to get rid of as much water as possible.

5. Scrape all the salt crystals from the pot into a small bowl or plate. Leave the salt out over night to dry. Viola! Enjoy your home made sea salt with your favorite dish.

Tags: cheese cloth, much water, your salt