Peptic ulcer

January 13th, 2010

Peptic Ulcers – CAUSE
1. Heredity – Patients with peptic ulcer often have a family history of the disease, this is particularly so with duodenal ulcers which develop below the age of 20 years. The relatives of chronic ulcer patients have three times the expected number of ulcers.
2. Helicobacter pylori – This is the most important etiological factor in peptic ulcer disease, accounting for 90% of duodenal ulcers and 70% of gastric ulcers. By causing gastritis it reduces the resistance of the gastric mucosa to attack be acid and pepsin and a gastric ulcer may result.
3. Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS) – These damage the gastric mucosal barrier and are an important etiological factor in up to 30% of gastric ulcers.
4. Smoking – confers an increased risk of gastric ulcer and to a lesser extent duodenal ulcer.
Peptic Ulcers – SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Abdominal pain – Pain is referred to the epigastrium and is often so sharply localized that the patient can indicate its site with tow or three fingers – the ‘pointing sign’
Hunger pain – Pain occurs intermittently during the day, often when the stomach is empty, so that the patient identifies it as ‘hunger pain’ and obtains relief be eating.
Night pain – Pain wakes the patient from sleep and may be relieved by food, a drink of milk or antacids. This symptoms if found, is virtually pathognomonic of peptic ulcer disease..
Episodic pain/ Periodicity – Characteristically pain occurs in ‘on again/off again’ episodes, lasting one to three times a week at a time, three to four times in a year. In temperate climates seasonal variation may be noted with an increased frequency of symptoms during winter and spring.
Other symptoms -
Waterbarsh
Heartburn
Loss of appetite
Vomiting
Peptic Ulcers – HOW DIAGNOSIS IS DONE?
Endoscopy is the preferred method.
Double contrast barium meal examination may be done.
Peptic Ulcers – COMPLICATIONS
The ulcer may occasionally perforate leading to peritonitis and other complications.

Peptic Ulcers – WHAT TO DIFFERENTIATE FROM?
Occasional dyspepsia (indigestion)
Malignant ulcer/ carcinoma
HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT & Medicines for Peptic Ulcers
Homeopathy offers some very good medicines for peptic ulcer disease. But for a homeopath, the symptoms of the disease are much more important than the ulcer itself. This is because to select the right medicine a homeopaths needs to differentiate between the finer presentations of a disease which, vary from person to person. A homeopath not only tries to heal the ulcer but also tries to remove the general predisposition to acquire it. The homeopath not only tries to find ‘What is wrong?’, but also ‘Why it went wrong?’; ‘Where it started going wrong?’; ‘How it evolved to the current stage?’ etc. To find the answers to all these questions, a homeopath tries to gather as much information as possible regarding the pat and present medical history of the patient, his/her family history, his/her general physical and psychological characteristics etc. This hard work on the part of homeopath not only helps in removing the acute symptoms and the ulcer but also is usually able to remove the tendency for relapse. The ‘on-again/off-again’ nature of the disease is often removed and the general health of the person also improves as a result.
Some of the commonly used medicines for gastritis and duodenal ulcers are argentum-nit, arsenic-alb, atropine, geranium, hydrastis, kali-bichrom, merc-cor, ornithogalum, phosphorus, uranium-nit, terebintha, lycopodium, pulsatilla, graphites, natrum-phos, medorrhinum etc.

Peptic Ulcers – CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT
Drugs which decrease the secretion of acids in stomach are the mainstay of treatment. These include drugs like cimetidine, ranitidine, famotidine, nizatidine, omeprazole (proton-pump inhibitor) etc
Bismuth salts, antibiotics, and metronidazole are given to eradicate Helicobacter pylori
Antacids are prescribed for symptomatic relief.
Surgery is rarely indicated for ulcers resistant to therapy or where there are frequent relapses.
WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? – ACCESSORY MANAGEMENT
Avoid cigarette
Aspirin and Bon-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory drugs should be avoided
Spicy and rich food may aggravate. If so, it should be avoided.
Drink lots of water.
Take frequent small meals instead of two or three big meals

Whiplash injury treatment

December 22nd, 2009

Treatment focuses on alleviating pain and stiffness in the neck, as well as healing the damage to muscles, ligaments and tendons.

Most patients will experience a significant improvement in symptoms after a few days. According to the NHS (National Health Service), UK, in approximately 60% of cases symptoms clear up completely within one to four weeks. Some people still have symptoms several months after the injury occurred; on rare occasions problems may persist for even longer.

The following treatment may help alleviate symptoms:

  • Ice-pack – applying an ice-pack immediately after the injury occurs, or as soon as possible, helps reduce swelling (inflammation). Wrap the ice in a towel or some protective barrier – do not apply ice directly to the skin. An ice-pack session should last from 10 to 30 minutes.
  • Exercise – patients should try to move their necks normally; it is important to do this under the directions of a doctor, physical therapist (UK: physiotherapist) or qualified health care professional. In cases where symptoms are severe, the individual may have to completely rest the neck until the pain allows for movement.
  • When pain levels allow, the patient should exercise the neck gently so that it does not stiffen up. The neck should be moved slowly in each direction, gradually widening the range.

  • Painpainkillers, such as Tylenol (paracetamol) should help reduce whiplash injury pain. Some doctors may advise patients to take painkillers regularly, and not just when the pain is severe. It is important not to exceed the dose.

    NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), such as ibuprofen may help with the swelling (inflammation). Patients with asthma, hypertension (high blood pressure), kidney failure or heart failure should check with their doctors, because in most cases they should not take NSAIDs.

    If pain is more severe the doctor may prescribe codeine, or some other stronger painkiller. Sometimes codeine with Tylenol (parecetamol) are prescribed together.

  • Posture – a qualified health care professional should teach the patient how to maintain an upright good posture, for example, keeping the back straight when walking, standing or sitting, as this can prevent neck pain and stiffness from getting worse. A firm pillow may help maintain good posture while sleeping.
  • Injections – corticosteroid or lidocaine injections may help relieve muscle spasms.
  • Muscle relaxants – these may help ease muscle spasms. As muscle relaxants may cause drowsiness, most doctors advise their patients to take them at bedtime.
  • Physical therapy (UK: physiotherapy) - a physical therapist may use massage and manipulation, as well as recommending neck exercises. The physical therapist may also use ice, heat and/or ultrasound.
  • Osteopathy – in Western Europe osteopathy is commonly used to treat whiplash. Osteopathy uses manipulation to treat back, neck, and sports injuries.
  • Collars – soft foam collars used to be popular for whiplash injury treatment. However, immobilizing the neck for long periods may undermine recovery, because muscle bulk and strength is reduced. If a cervical collar is needed, it should usually be worn for more than three hours at a time. For some patients who keep waking up with whiplash pain, a collar may help get a good night’s sleep.

FDA Warning – ‘All-natural’ sex pill contains Sildenafil Citrate

December 11th, 2009

The US food and drug safety watchdog warned that an over-the-counter men’s sex aid, labeled as all-natural, contains a chemical similar to the active ingredient in Viagra and could be dangerous.

“‘Stiff Nights’, a product marketed as a dietary supplement for sexual enhancement, contains an ingredient that can dangerously lower blood pressure and is illegal,” the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said in a statement.

The FDA began probing Stiff Nights after receiving a customer complaint about the product. The agency did not reveal the nature of the complaint.

The investigation found that rather than being all-natural, Stiff Nights contains sulfoaildenafil, a chemical similar to the ingredient in Viagra.

“Because this product is labeled as an all-natural dietary supplement, consumers may assume it is harmless and poses no health risk,” said Deborah Autor, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Office of Compliance.

“In fact, this product is illegally marketed and can cause serious complications,” she said.

Sulfoaildenafil (Sildenafil?) could interact with prescription drugs known as nitrates and cause dangerously low blood pressure.

Stiff Nights is sold online and at retail stores in bottles or blister packs containing red capsules.

A bottle of 12 Stiff Nights capsules was being offered on Amazon for around $27.

Another website mystiffnights.com, said the product is made with “only the finest herbs and greens.”

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Winter viruses

December 11th, 2009

While it is the elderly who are normally at risk in the winter months, unusually it could be the young this year because of swine flu.

In addition there will be other winter viruses such as colds and coughs, vomiting and diarrhoea putting hospitals under a particularly heavy burden.

The threat of swine flu remains uncertain and while it may have plateaued, there is the threat that it will mutate and return in a third wave.

We need to be prepared because this is the first flu pandemic for 40 years and the H1N1 swine flu virus is the first wholly new flu virus seen in a generation.

While in most people it causes only mild illness, it is worse for the under fives, pregnant women and those with chronic illnesses.

That’s why it is worth having the swine flu vaccine if you are offered it.

The decision on whether to have the seasonal flu vaccine is less clear, though it may be worth considering by the elderly because they have lower immunity and less reserve of strength and energy to fight the illness.

But you can protect yourself against other viruses by regular hand washing.

As the weather gets colder viral illnesses will increase, partly because we huddle together for warmth in crowded offices and buses and trains, encouraging viruses to spread.

The best way to cure a cold or flu is let the immune system take over and in most cases it will take four to seven days and will not require any other treatment.

Sinus infections

December 11th, 2009

When colds and other viruses are going around, the sinuses can get into a lot of trouble. The sinuses normally secrete mucus to help moisten the air you breathe and to trap pollution and particles of dirt. When viruses, allergies or weather changes cause congestion, the sinuses cannot work properly.
The sinus openings become blocked and cannot drain adequately. The normal secretions accumulate, and the bacteria can multiply since the body cannot easily remove them from the plugged nose and sinuses. Then the mucus becomes thicker, and the color turns to yellow or gray—an infection has started.
The infections may cause pain in the cheeks and along the sides of the nose. There is often a fever and pain in the teeth, especially the upper molars.
What can you do to prevent or treat sinus infections? It is useful to open the nasal airways with decongestants such as pseudoephredine. Antihistamines are often used, especially if allergies are involved. You should also raise the humidity in the house and drink plenty of warm liquids to keep the secretions thin and liquid. Salt water nasal sprays and washes are helpful in cleaning the passages too.
Cigarette smoke paralyzes and eventually kills the cilia which sweep the sinuses clear of mucus. This damage from smoking allows the mucus to build up, and the amount of secretions is increased because of the irritants in smoke. Always avoid smoking.
When a bacterial infection develops, you will usually need antibiotics to help clear it up. It may take a prolonged course of antibiotics or a change of antibiotics if there is a slow response. Cortisone nasal sprays may be useful depending on the cause of the sinus infection. Viral infections are the most common cause and, unfortunately, do not respond to antibiotics.

Viruses and humidity

December 11th, 2009

Frequent hand washing, covering your mouth when you cough and avoiding others who are ill – you probably already know the basics of protecting your health during cold and flu season. But you may not be aware of the important role proper humidity in the home and workplace plays in preventing the transmission of viruses.

Having the proper amount of moisture in the air can help slow the transmission of viruses in indoor environments, according to a recent independent study by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. “Several studies have shown that dry air/environments are more conducive to virus transmission,” says Jim Lundgreen, humidification systems engineer with DRI-STEEM, which designs and manufactures humidification systems for commercial, industrial and institutional facilities around the world.

With seasonal flu and H1N1 cases occurring throughout the country, it’s a good time for homeowners and building managers to think about humidification and its affect on the spread of viruses like the flu. Relative humidity is an important issue in industrial applications because it can affect the manufacturing process, and in environments like museums where humidity can affect artifacts. But it’s also an important aspect of maintaining the comfort and healthfulness of an indoor environment for the people who frequent it, whether it’s a home, office building or manufacturing plant.

Multiple variables, including temperature, affect the optimum humidity range. Per the Mount Sinai study, the optimum range appears to be between 40 and 60 percent relative humidity (RH). So how do you improve the RH – and consequently the air quality and healthfulness – in your home or workplace?

Homeowners and building managers can measure indoor humidity by using a simple hygrometer. More sophisticated applications should have humidity levels tested by an air quality professional, such as an HVAC technician. If your RH is less than 40 percent, you should consider adding a humidifier to your home or building. If it’s higher than 60 percent, you might want to consider dehumidifying, as high humidity levels can foster the growth of harmful fungus and mildew.

Arthritis: know more

December 2nd, 2009

Arthritis symptoms of joint pain and stiffness before age 40 can be frightening. There are many treatments, but no definitive cure. However, not all forms of arthritis are lifelong conditions. If you’re age 20 to 40 and have symptoms in the knee, ankle, or foot, take heart. It may be reactive arthritis, which usually clears up within 3 to 12 months.

Reactive arthritis is a systemic inflammatory disorder triggered by an infection, usually of the genitourinary or gastrointestinal tract. When the infection is a sexually transmitted disease, inflammation of the urethra or cervix is one of the symptoms. Pain in the joints of one or both legs and feet occurs in 95% of cases. Eye inflammation occurs in 30% of cases.

The three symptoms of arthritis, eye inflammation, and urethra inflammation together are the classical definition of Reiter’s syndrome. The American College of Rheumatology defines Reiter’s syndrome more generally as an episode of arthritis in the limb(s) lasting for more than one month occurring in association with inflammation of the urethra or cervix. Reactive arthritis includes Reiter’s syndrome and other cases of inflammatory arthritis, triggered by an infection at a distant site.
There is a strong genetic susceptibility: individuals with the HLA B27 gene have a risk of developing reactive arthritis 50 times higher than others.

Mild cases of reactive arthritis often go undiagnosed, according to Reference 1. Severe cases are fairly rare, so the true incidence of reactive arthritis is unknown.

Diarrhea caused by bacterial infection is a common trigger for reactive arthritis. There is no correlation between severity and duration of the diarrhea and the arthritis episodes. The arthritis starts within 4 weeks of acute diarrheal illness.

The treatment includes antibiotics for the triggering infection, physical therapy, and dr*gs to treat the joint symptoms. These include non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, corticosteroids, disease modifying antirheumatic drugs, and anti-TNF alpha therapy. Antibiotics generally have little effect on reactive arthritis once it gets started. Thus researchers believe the inflammatory process is self-perpetuating. Chlamydia-induced reactive arthritis, however, may include a persistent infection which should be treated with antibiotics, according to Reference 2.

HIV infection can also cause reactive arthritis, which has reported in up to 11% of HIV-infected patients.
In this situation, anti-viral drugs are the primary treatment.

Most patients recover fully from reactive arthritis, but a few develop chronic arthritis. Predictors of severe disease include:
1. Arthritis of the hip
2. Lower back stiffness
3. Inflammation of the fingers
4. Onset at age < 16 years.

Nice & Clean Skin

December 2nd, 2009

Truly Clean is More than Skin Deep

By making sure your blood is continuously supplying healthy nutrients to every cell in your body, you can experience radiant, blemish-free skin. This is no easy task in today’s toxic-filled world. But by cleansing these dangerous substances from your body while optimizing your nutrient intake, great skin is still an achievable goal for most.

The good news is that your body is constantly in a cleansing mode and was created with the ability to push out toxins as long as you supply it with the energy to do so.

Eating a healthy diet that is suitable for your nutritional type; focusing on whole, bioavailable organic foods, is your number one strategy for helping your body to detox naturally.

Six Organs That Clean Your Skin From Within

The six organs responsible for providing you with beautiful skin include your:

Liver
Kidneys
Adrenals
Thyroid
Large intestines
Small intestines
Your liver and kidneys are the two organs that filter out impurities on an ongoing basis. If your diet is less than ideal, these two organs can easily become overtaxed.

Sitting on top of your kidneys are your walnut-sized adrenals. Often called the “workhorses” of your body, they make many essential hormones including pregnenolone, DHEA, estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.

Healthy hormones are an essential ingredient when seeking energy and beautiful skin. A well-nourished, energetic thyroid also provides hormones and works closely with your adrenals to create energy.

Dry, flaky, sluggish skin is evidence of a weak thyroid.

Your liver, kidneys, adrenals and thyroid are also dependent on the condition of your small and large intestines. These two organs not only provide nutrients to other organs, but they are also responsible for the removal of waste products from your body. When waste meant for elimination remains in your intestines your skin becomes thick, oily and blemished.

Pure, flawless skin is a reflection of clean intestines.

All of the following items will have a negative effect on your inner organs, and therefore need to be avoided if you want clearer, healthier skin:

Dr*gs and alcohol
Chemicals and heavy metals
Trans fat
Refined, processed table salt
Processed foods
Pasteurized dairy products
Foods that Promote Beautiful Skin

Green foods that promote healthy liver function include chlorella and dark green leafy veggies, such as:

Kale
Spinach
Dandelion greens
Broccoli
Other foods known to contribute to healthy skin include raw and virgin fats and oils. Coconut oil is especially good for your thyroid.

You’ll also want to include plenty of mineral-rich foods (dark green leafy veggies, ocean veggies and seafood) and antioxidant-rich foods (black currants, blueberries) in your diet.

Another group of foods worth mentioning are fermented (or cultured) foods.

Fermented foods help promote the growth of friendly intestinal bacteria and aid in digestion. They also support healthy immune function, including an increase in B vitamins, omega-3, digestive enzymes, lactase and lactic acid, and other immune chemicals that fight off harmful bacteria.

By keeping your insides healthy and clean, your skin will have no choice but follow suit.

That said, I also believe that feeding your skin from the outside with only the best ingredients from nature, can help. This was a major reason for creating my own USDA Certified Organic skin care line.

Again, you’ll want to pay as much attention to the quality and purity of whatever you put on your body as you do with what you put inside it.

Prematurely Aging Skin May Be a Sign of Emotional Stress

In addition to eating a healthy diet, effectively addressing stress is another aspect of maintaining a healthy and youthful-looking face.

Previous research has found that your life experiences, or perhaps more precisely, how you deal with them, have a greater impact on your looks as you age than your genetic makeup.

For example, people who had been through the stress of a divorce looked nearly two years older than their married, single or even widowed twin. Those who used antidepressants also appeared significantly older.

This lends further credence to the emerging and incredibly interesting field of epigenetics, which centers around the notion that environmental factors such as stress and your diet are directly responsible for the expression of your genes.

And it is the expression of your genes — NOT the genes themselves — that dictates whether you will develop certain diseases, and how gracefully you may show your age.

So although you may have a genetic “predisposition” for facial wrinkles, for example, you are not necessarily doomed to develop a face full of wrinkles during middle-age.

According to groundbreaking research by the likes of Bruce Lipton, PhD., a forerunner in the field of epigenetics and The New Biology, your genetic expression is ruled by your mind and your emotions. In other words, being able to maintain a more positive outlook can influence the expression of your genes, and thus directly impact how you age.

Previous research has also determined that stress lessens your skin’s ability to function properly, and that extended exposure to psychological stress can speed up the aging process of your cells and cause them to die at a faster rate than normal.

In a nutshell, having a healthy, youthful appearance on the outside involves both a healthy diet that supports your internal cleansing mechanisms, and effectively addressing your stress levels.

And both of these factors can have a beneficial impact on the expression of your genes.

The sooner you start to make these positive changes — to your stress levels, mental outlook and your diet — the better. Whether you’re young or old, this healthy lifestyle can help maintain a beautiful complexion and keep the signs of aging at bay, or at least slow them down considerably.

Healthy Skin

November 30th, 2009

Bacteria normally found on the skin’s surface may play a key role in preventing inflammation and disease.

A new study shows that bacteria living on the skin’s surface, including staphylococcal types that typically induce inflammation below the skin, actually prevent excessive inflammation after injury to the skin.

“It provides a molecular basis to understand the ‘hygiene hypothesis’ and has uncovered elements of the wound repair response that were previously unknown,” researcher Richard Gallo, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and pediatrics at the University of California, San Diego, says in a news release. “This may help us devise new therapeutic approaches for inflammatory skin diseases.”

The “hygiene hypothesis” emerged in the late 1980s to explain why allergies like hay fever and eczema were less common in children from large families who were exposed to more infectious agents. The theory suggests that a lack of early childhood exposure to infectious agents and microorganisms changes how the immune system reacts to bacterial threats.

In the study, published in Nature Medicine, researchers looked at the role of bacteria found on the surface of the skin in maintaining healthy skin using human and mice cell cultures in the lab.

The results showed activation of a Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) was necessary to stimulate normal inflammation after skin injury.

Researchers also found a previously unknown mechanism by which a product of staphylococci bacteria inhibits skin inflammation. The by-product, known as staphylococcal lipoteichoic acid (LTA), acts on the main type of cells found in the outer layer of the skin called keratinocytes via TLR3.

“Keratinocytes require TLR3 to mount a normal inflammatory response to injury, and this response is kept from becoming too aggressive by staphylococcal LTA,” says Gallo. “To our knowledge, these findings show for the first time that the skin epithelium requires TLR3 for normal inflammation after wounding and that the microflora helps to modulate this response.”

Researchers say the results emphasize the potential benefit of maintaining the balance of bacteria found in healthy skin and the potential negative consequences of altering this balance with the use of topical and systemic antibiotics

Osteoporosis associated with depression

November 30th, 2009

This was revealed by Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers, Prof. Raz Yirmiya, head of the Brain and Behavior Laboratory, and Prof. Itai Bab, head of the Bone Laboratory. They further revealed that the relationship between depression and bone loss is particularly strong among young women.
Osteoporosis is the most widespread degenerative disease in the developed world, afflicting 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men over 50. Sufferers experience decrease in bone density, which often leads to bone fractures. In many cases, these fractures cause severe disability and even death.
Despite the accumulating evidence for a connection between depression and decreased bone density, official authorities, such as the US National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization, have not yet acknowledged depression as a risk factor for osteoporosis, due to the lack of studies in large samples. To remedy this situation, the Hebrew University researchers assembled the data from all studies on the subject conducted to date, and analyzed them using a special statistical approach called meta-analysis.
The results were recently reported in the journal Biological Psychiatry. In the article the Hebrew University scientists assessed data from 23 research projects conducted in eight countries, comparing bone density among 2,327 people suffering from depression against 21,141 non-depressed individuals.
The results, say the researchers, show clearly that depressed individuals have a substantially lower bone density than non-depressed people and that depression is associated with a markedly elevated activity of cells that breakdown bone (osteoclasts).