The Truth On Taking An Aspirin A Day To Prevent Heart Attacks

We've all heard the theory about taking an aspirin a day to keep heart attacks away. Can a little pill that you find on the shelf of every pharmacy or grocery store, taken once a day, really protect you from heart attacks or stroke?

One particular report, published in a British Medical Journal, would like you to believe that. Their report stated that aspirin therapy should be used in cases where patients are at a high risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack or stroke. Ideally we do not want to get to the point where we're considered high risk.

How Does Aspirin Reduce The Risks Of Heart Attack Or Stroke?

Simply put, aspirin will dilate your arteries creating more room within the arteries for your blood to flow. That is medical science's recommendation when you are at a high risk of heart attack or stroke. Dilate arteries and all will be well.

Is It Really That Simple?

Of course I jest, as they do offer more recommendations such as prescription heart medicine, angioplasty or bypass surgery. Anyhow, getting back on topic, aspirin also inhibits the blood clotting process crucial to controlling bleeding. Without this process working, the result can be uncontrollable bleeding that can cause you to bleed to death if you were cut and couldn't get medical attention quickly enough.

Did you know that if you are scheduled for surgery of any kind, the surgeon will not perform the operation if you have been taking aspirins? You would have to stop taking the aspirin and wait until its out of your system before they would operate.

That tells me that dilating the arteries may not be the way to go. What do you think? Personally, I don't think it's worth the risk to take the "aspirin a day" especially since there is a better, more effective way.

In addition, what happens as the plaque in your arteries keeps building up and continues to narrow the openings within your arteries and finally becoming completely blocked/closed. Will the aspirin prevent a heart attack or stroke if the arteries become blocked? You bet it won't.

The Natural Way To Solve The Problem Without The Risk

If the medical profession spent more time and effort on preventing the problem in the first place there would be less people struggling with heart disease. Instead they find ways of treating the symptoms with the use of drugs after the damage has been done.

By using the right nutritional plan, which includes specific vitamins and minerals, the body will not only heal itself, but will prevent any arterial plaque build-up while dissolving any existing plaque that may be in your arteries already.

Staying healthy is easier than you think. Don't eat foods that contain hydrogenated fats (also known as Trans-Fats) as these are manufactured fats. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, doctors warn against eating trans fats because studies show that trans fats raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and put people at risk of heart attacks. Don't be afraid of fats however, as long as they are "good fats."

Take in more protein and Omega-3/Omega-6 fatty acids as these fats are extremely helpful in protecting against sudden heart attack or stroke. In addition, keep an eye on your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and get them down if too high, while raising your HDL (good) cholesterol.

Supplement your healthy eating with the right combination of vitamins, minerals, and glandular concentrates that will "scrub" your arteries clean of deadly plaque. Make sure you get some exercise in there as well. Good health is all about good nutrition... not about drugs or surgery.

Changing Your Life-style Can Lower Blood Pressure

When treating high blood pressure it helps a lot if it is detected in an early phase, because it appears long time before its symptoms and complications do.If it's detected early, much of the damage it does to the organs in the body can be prevented, and lowering blood pressure can be done easier. This is the first step that should be taken in high blood pressure treatment.

Afterwards, when what is called "pre-hypertension" is discovered, several other things should be done in order to lower the blood pressure.For example, patients should change their lifestyle quite often. The doctors recommend this for pre-hypertensive people. They are stating that life-style changes helps lowering blood pressure a lot for them. If your blood pressure reading starts exceeding 140/90 mm Hg, you can treat yourself by changing your lifestyle and taking the prescribed medicines. This, together with quitting smoking and drinking significantly helps lowering blood pressure. People must be made aware of these facts in order to help preventing and/or lowering blood pressure, and to reduce the risks of heart attacks and kidney failures.

As said before the blood pressure reading is very important when trying to prevent hypertension. For example, if you discover that the diastolic pressure is situated somewhere between 85 and 90 mm Hg you must consult a doctor and follow a different treatment, because there have been cases where people with blood pressure of these values suffered from end organ damage, and for some patients aged around 65 years-old the risk of cadiovascular damage increased when their diastolic blood pressure increased.These patients were suffering from diabetes and were smoking. Therefore it is recommended to immediately visit a doctor and lower your blood pressure if the readings indicate such levels.

Besides lifestyle changes of course, proper medication has an important role in lowering blood pressure.Medication should be administered right when high blood pressure is discovered in order for it to have its best effects in lowering blood pressure.If you suffer from high blood pressure and also diabetes there are special drugs that help treating both in the same time. Therefore, the conclusion is that in order to successfully and quickly lower blood pressure it must be discovered and treated while it is still in an early stage.

Periodontal Gum Disease -- Can You Turn It Around?

Can you get the upper hand against bacteria once you’re diagnosed with periodontal gum disease? The answer is yes, if you begin early enough and are diligent. More advanced periodontal gum disease may still be reversed, but it will take some special cleaning provided by your dentist to give you a fighting chance.

Adopting a strenuous daily oral hygiene routine now can go a long way to reversing periodontal gum disease.

1. Brush thoroughly when you get up in the morning and before you go to bed each night. Brushing or at least rinsing with water after meals and snacks will also help remove food and bacteria trapped between teeth, helping in reversing periodontitis.

2. Rinse your mouth with a good antibacterial mouthwash for at least a full thirty seconds twice each day. This will help reach bacteria trapped in pockets below your gum line, aiding in reversing periodontal gum disease.

3. Floss every single day. Pay special attention to flossing just below the gum line for reversing periodontal gum disease.

4. Even better than flossing or rinsing is the use of one of the powerful oral irrigators on the market, which blast food particles out from between your teeth and clean the gumline. High-end irrigators can be purchased with special tips to reach deeply into any pre-existing pockets and clean them out. These special tips are necessary for effective cleaning if your periodontitis has already established itself.

While a conscientious oral hygiene routine can go a long way in aiding the reversal of periodontal gum disease, sometimes the infection is too far advanced, and it is necessary to get professional help.

If the problem is becoming severe, your dentist may see fit to perform a periodontal cleaning. If x-rays show deep pockets of bacteria surrounding any of your teeth below the gum line, your dentist can choose from special procedures known as debridement, scaling or root planing to go in and scrape the bacteria out and make the tooth less hospitable to germs. He may also order a prescription antibacterial mouth wash to be used daily that will also help in reversing periodontal gum disease.

If more is required, he may perform actual periodontal surgery, which involves lifting the flaps of the gum to enable deep cleaning and suturing them back in place. After the procedure, you will have several appointments to check on the success of the cleaning. Still, there's good news for patients that have to suffer through surgery -- a 2001 study found that roughly 50% of patients with moderate to severe periodontal disease showed measurable improvement from surgery, while those trying non-surgical options enjoyed less success.

The important thing is to seek help as soon as you notice any signs of trouble with your gums. The good news is, periodontal gum disease can be reversed if it's caught early enough.

How To Be Your Doctor's Favorite Patient

First of all, let me explain something in case you don’t already know. The more your doctor and his staff like you, the better service you will receive. It’s just a plain fact and human nature. Most doctors are swamped with patients and have to make choices when appointing patients to their schedule. So how do you get the only appointment left on next Tuesday, your day off?

Asking for an appointment: Make or break the relationship. Depending upon how large the practice is, there is probably one person designated to make appointments and is most likely a woman or young adult. This position is one of the lowest paid in the practice, so keep that in mind when talking to them and boost their ego at every chance.

· Don’t tell them you have to get in this week because you are going on a cruise or exotic trip next week and just have to be seen now. This will not induce sympathy with a person financially incapable of affording such luxury. Just say you’re going out of town.

· Don’t tell them it ‘has to be next Tuesday between 2 and 4’. Ask nicely if ‘that time’ is available, but do not insist on it. If you consistently follow the suggestions laid out here, chances are the appointment coordinator will move patients around to accommodate your schedule just because you are the favorite. But it is not a good idea to demand a specific time unless they ask you first. In case you don’t know, the appointment coordinator is taught to run the schedule, and to not let the patients do it for them.

· Keep in mind it is the appointment coordinator’s job to FILL the schedule for the doctor. Most doctors want to see a full schedule for tomorrow when they leave for the day. “Emergency time” is seldom available, unless the practice has a consistent need for it. I know of no doctor that likes to sit around with no patients and therefore no income. Even the most caring of doctors still has their income in mind. After all, they have a staff and bills to pay.

· Which brings up the next point: do not ask the appointment coordinator for a discount or a payment plan. Trust me, they will not have the authority to grant one. In most practices, only the doctor can grant lower fees. Sometimes the office manager can suggest payment plans. However, keep in mind, you will never be the doctor’s favorite patient if you consistently ask for lower fees or special treatment in the payment department. If you truly need help with financing, do it with the greatest tact.

· And please, please if you remember nothing else I’ve said here, remember that your insurance is a contract between you and your insurance company. Your doctor files your insurance for you as a courtesy. It is not a requirement. It is not their duty. It is not their fault if your insurance does not pay, (most times anyway.) You may be responsible for any balances left by your insurance. Just because your insurance does not pay all of your doctor’s charges, does not mean your doctor charges too much. If there is a question about your insurance, offer to call the insurance company yourself. It is so time consuming for the office personnel to do this. Sometimes they will need to, but you’ll gain points with them if you do it yourself.

· And please know your insurance information. If you are going to a medical doctor, have your medical card with you for them to copy. If you are going to a dental office, know the difference between your medical and dental insurance and have the proper card available. Most dental policies are separate from the medical policy. Some vision policies are separate, also. If you work for a large corporation or a large group, such as State or Federal employees, the office will probably know who is your insurance carrier, but have your card available for them for ID numbers, etc., from the card. If you do not know who handles your insurance, contact your Human Resources department for the information before your appointment. Or, if your doctor is referring you to a specialist, you can obtain your insurance information from your regular doctor to take to the specialist’s office. They will love you for this.

· Which brings up the next point: reward any special favors. Bring goodies with you for the doctor and staff. I’ve had patients bring the doctor a bottle of wine and a box of cookies for the staff. Most people are watching their weight, so fresh fruit is nice, too. One patient brought fresh strawberries, another fresh peaches in season. Bake them a cake. Bring a potted plant. Trust me, they’ll love you for it because it so rarely happens. If you do not have a chance to bring them anything, a written card to the doctor and staff with specific comments about how wonderful everyone was, is a great favorite, too. Praise the staff to the doctor if they do a good job and they’ll be your friends forever.

· Do not wear strong perfume. I’m constantly amazed how often patients do this. Remember you are at a doctor’s office. People there are sick, hurting, or have some kind of malady. A vast majority of people gets headache from smelling strong perfume. You are never going to be a favorite patient nor are you going to get the most compassionate service if all the staff can think about is getting your smelly self out of their office as soon as humanly possible. Do you want to be a rush job? What if your doctor is allergic to your perfume? Mine is! And so are members of our staff. It will be noted in your chart because a nurse or assistant that can tolerate your smelly self will be assigned to you while those you make sick will avoid you. The doctor may deliberately anger you just to get rid of you. You will not be treated well and may never know why because it is hard to tell a patient that they stink! Enough said.

· Do not cry. Yeah you’re hurting, or deathly sick, but please try not to cry. Doctors and staff will feel helpless and sad for you, but they’ll also be relieved when you leave. Raw emotion is hard for any human to deal with and doctors and staff are no different.

· Do not whine, or complain about another doctor you’ve already seen. It could be the doctor’s best friend. Or a staff member’s friend. If you’ve been ‘doctor shopping’ and have seen several doctors in a short period of time, don’t tell the new doctor that you’ve seen ‘5 different doctors and can’t find a good one’. You’ll be pegged as a ‘problem patient’ in a heartbeat and won’t be taken as seriously. Be professional when talking about other doctors, not complaining.

· Keep religion and politics out of your conversations in the doctor’s office. Period. Unless you know the affiliation of your doctor and/or staff matches yours from something they’ve said. I’ve seen a Baptist patient bring our Catholic doctor literature that conflicted with his beliefs. It created an uncomfortable situation. And don’t think just because you and everyone you know is fed up with your country’s leaders, your doctor is also. He may be in a different financial situation than you are and has differing opinions.

With a little forethought and tact and lots of kindness, you can be one of your doctor’s favorite patients. Now, to find that perfect doctor...

Asthma Treatment and Medication

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that effects over 30 million Americans alone and researchers estimate that 10 – 15% of the world population suffers from asthma. People with asthma have extra sensitive or hyper-responsive airways. The airways become irritated and narrow and constrict during an asthma attack, causing increased resistance to airflow, and obstructing the flow of the air to and from the lungs.

Most often asthma must be treated with prescription medicine. There are two main types of medicines for the treatment of asthma. Quick relief medicines, also called relievers, give rapid, short-term relief and are taken when asthma symptoms worsen potentially leading to an asthma attacks. The effects of these medicines are felt within minutes. Long-term control medicines, also called preventers, are taken every day, usually over long periods of time, to control chronic symptoms and to prevent asthma attacks. The full effects of these medicines are felt after taking them for a few weeks. People with persistent asthma need long-term control medicines.

Some asthma drugs treat asthma by resembling two of our hormones. These two hormones are adrenaline (epinephrine in the USA) and hydrocortisone (a steroid).

Adrenaline (epinephrine) is pumped into our bloodstream when we have a sudden fright or emergency. It is the quick-acting hormone from the middle of the adrenal glands near our kidneys. It makes your pulse race, your heart thump, and readies your body for emergency action. In asthma, the medicines which resemble adrenaline quickly relieve asthma for a short time.

Hydrocortisone comes from the outer part of our adrenal glands, called the 'cortex'. It is also partly an “emergency hormone” but it works much more slowly, for much longer, and in a completely different way to adrenaline. Medicines which resemble hydrocortisone slowly allow the lining of air tubes in an asthma sufferer to become normal. As a result, your asthma becomes less severe and you are less likely to get asthma attacks. So these steroid medicines are called preventers. There are other asthma 'preventers', but the steroids are the most powerful.

Quick relief medicines are used only when needed. A type of quick relief medicine is a short-acting inhaled bronchodilator. Bronchodilators work by relaxing the muscles that have tightened around the airways. They help open up airways quickly and ease breathing. They are sometimes called "rescue" or "relief" medicines because they can stop an asthma attack very quickly. These medicines act quickly but their effects only last for a short period of time. People with asthma should take quick relief medicines when they first begin to feel asthma symptoms like coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath. Anyone who has asthma should always have one of these inhalers nearby in case of an attack. For severe attacks, your doctor may use steroids to treat the inflammation.

The most effective, long-term control medication for asthma is an inhaled corticosteroid. This medicine reduces the swelling of airways that makes asthma attacks more likely. Inhaled corticosteroids are the preferred treatment for controlling mild, moderate, and severe persistent asthma. They are safe when taken as directed by your doctor. Inhaled medicines go directly into your lungs where they are needed. There are many kinds of inhalers that require different techniques, and it is important to know how to use your inhaler correctly. In some cases, steroid tablets or liquid are used for short times to bring asthma under control. The tablet or liquid form may also be used to control severe asthma.

Many people with asthma need both a short-acting bronchodilator to use when asthma symptoms worsen rapidly and long-term daily asthma control medication to treat the ongoing inflammation. Over time, your doctor may need to make changes in your asthma medication. You may need to increase your dose, lower your dose, or try a combination of medications. Be sure to work with your doctor to find the best treatment for your asthma. The goal is to use the least amount of medicine necessary to control your asthma and to find the right medicine for you.

Overworked Doctors Go Online to Study

The current trend towards distance learning is attracting doctors at an ever-increasing rate as time to study for royal college exams decreases under a heavy NHS Hospital workload. The working hours limit introduced in the European Working Time Directive has meant that hospitals are less keen for doctors to spend time offsite for study leave.

Many doctors would traditionally take a week off to attend an exam revision course but the pace of life for a junior doctor around the time they are preparing for exams is often too hectic. Taking time away from the hospital, even for a short period of study, can become very stressful.

A senior manager of a hospital Academic Centre, said: "There are practical difficulties for many doctors to arrange locum cover when they are away on study leave. Study leave funding is limited and most lecture courses are costly and time consuming. Leaving your study for one week quite close to the exam time can be quite mind-boggling. Better to do a bit each day in the months leading up to the exam.

"Online, self-paced study allows doctors the flexibility to study in short effective bursts. Online courses with interactive content, streaming video lectures, exercises and on-demand help provide students with the study resources when they are ready to learn - not when the teacher is ready to teach. He added, "Online videos go hand in hand with exam quizzes where students can track their score until they attain an ‘exam-ready’ level."

Sabine Guerry, CEO of 123Doc Medical Courses , an online medical revision service reports, “This time last year many doctors were happy to attend an off-site course before the exam. Their study leave money normally covered this and they were expected to gain approval for time off. Now we have well over 2000 junior doctors coming to our site every day looking for better ways to revise for their exams in the small windows of time they have available for study. Demand for in-depth reference material online has meant a huge investment for us in archival content. Over 2000 pages of in-depth study material from the leading medical books and 3 years of medical journals is now online and needs to be constantly updated”.
"In the longer term, the whole of the NHS will see significant cost savings and greater equity of access to exam training for doctors. Doctors will be able to study efficiently for their exams online giving them greater control and flexibility over their study time," Richard Osborn, Knowledge & Library Services Manager, NHS North

Side Effects of Some Drugs that Are Lowering Blood Pressure(part Two)

Alpha blockers —Alpha blockers has a big hand in lowering the blood pressure. A patient may suffer from fast heart rate, dizziness or a drop in blood pressure when stand or walk.

Combined alpha and beta-blockers — lower blood pressure patients experience a drop in blood pressure when they stand up and try to walk.

Central agonists — Alpha methyldopa (Aldomet) may lower your blood pressure when your stand or walk which result in weakness or dizziness in your body. This drug may also cause drowsiness or sluggishness, dryness of the mouth, fever, or anemia. Doctor’s approval is necessary for taking this kind of drug.

Clonidine (Catapres), guanabenz (Wytensin) or guanfacine (Tenex) may produce severe dryness of the mouth, constipation, or drowsiness. Never leave any of this drugs abruptly, it may cause high blood pressure and could be dangerous for you.

Peripheral adrenergic inhibitors — Reserpine may cause a stuffy nose, diarrhea, or heartburn. It can be treated and the drug has not effect so badly. However, the patients of nightmares or insomnia or depression need to take recommendation from their doctors.

Treatment can be done with the side effects arise from Guanadrel (Hylorel) or guanethidine (Ismelin). It causes some diarrhea, which may persist in some people. Never go in sunshine when you feel faint or weakness. It could be dangerous and low your blood pressure to high levels.

Blood vessel dilators — the causes of these drugs are not severely but a lower blood pressure patient has to avoid when he/she feels swelling around the eyes, heart palpitations or aches and pains in the joints. Most of the times these drugs only prescribed by your doctor because Minoxidil (Loniten) is a potent drug that's used only in resistant cases of severe high blood pressure. It may cause fluid retention (marked weight gain) or excessive hair growth. Therefore, whenever you feel any symptoms of this medicine consult your doctor.

Causes of lowering blood pressure are also depends upon the conditions of the nervous system includes bleeding, infections, dehydration, heart disease, adrenal insufficiency, pregnancy, prolonged bed rest, poisoning, toxic shock syndrome, and blood transfusion reactions. In the some cases, it is also examine that when an individual has a truly low blood pressure, they will have a lack of energy and frequent dizziness.

Therefore, don’t take any decision by yourself. Consult your doctor tell them the problems you suffered. Let the doctor to take right decision for your health.

Neck pain or Cervicalgia, and the Migraine Syndrome

“My neck always hurts. Sometimes it kills me so bad, I cannot think and have to go lie down. It all started when I injured my neck years ago. When I get stressed out it is the worst. Well, it doesn’t take much to stress me out nowadays. It’s always the back of my head and neck. I wish I could cut it out. Then maybe I could think and remember better. The last time I had a massage she said my neck and shoulders were the tightest she had seen in months! Nothing seems to help for any length of time. I’m so frustrated!”

This is a very common presentation of the migraine syndrome. Frequently their problems are compounded by overmedication—either by self-medicating or prescription drugs. Often there is a history of injury to the neck, for example, whiplash. Often they have been to the chiropractor and have been told there neck is so far out of alignment that the curve in the neck is reversed. The curve in the neck is straightened or reversed because of painful spasm. The trigeminal nerve (sensation of the face) and the cervical (neck) nerves are adjacent to each other in the brain stem (the base of the brain). What affects one affects the other. Migraineurs who smoke usually will develop neck problems. It is absolutely essential for the migraineur who smokes to abstain! Smoke is a smell. The sensitivity to the smell is the problem! Also secondhand smoke and perfumes are major problems. The patient can develop extreme sensitivity to stress and after years with frequently develop fibromyalgia.

Neck pain can be debilitating and frustrating. The migraine syndrome makes neck pain make sense. No matter what underlying conditions are there, the migraine syndrome can make it worse. This person falls into the migraine syndrome profile. Let me explain what I mean by the migraine syndrome. It is the outward expression of the body’s sensitivity to light, sound, smell, food, and/or stress. Some people are more sensitive than others; therefore, their reactions to different stimuli are greater. This sensitivity can be manifested in the body as migraines, sinus headaches, neck aches, palpitations, irritable bowel syndrome, motion sickness or vertigo, reactive hypoglycemia, temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ), panic attacks, and/or fibromyalgia. Now that’s a mouthful! Understanding what is going on with you is very important in the healing process.

Bird Flu - Prevention and Treatments

Bird flu is turning out to be a terror for Asian countries; the epidemic is growing rapidly which is a matter of concern for the U.S. Government. The recent out break has the potential to become a human flu pandemic.

As per recent updates Bird Flu has taken the lives of almost 50 people in Southeast Asia and resulted in the deaths of millions of poultry. The virus can be a serious threat if it develops the capacity of easy transmission from one person to another.

Bird flu symptoms

Bird flu symptoms are like any other flu's. The symptoms worsen to become a severe respiratory disease that has been fatal in a high percentage of cases.

In February 2005, researchers in Vietnam reported human cases of bird flu in which the virus infected the brain and digestive tract of two children. Both ultimately died after a few days of struggle. Hence, this proves that the bird flu may start like any other flu but more often than not is fatal.

Fortunately, no human cases of bird flu have been seen in the U.S. or North America. Yet as a precaution, the CDC is asking people who have traveled to East Asia to see a doctor if they develop flu-like symptoms. It's important to tell the doctor about having visited these areas so the proper tests can be done. Prevention is better than cure.

Avian Flu Treatment

The current bird flu strain is immune to older flu drugs. However, the drug remains sensitive to the newer flu drugs Tamiflu and Relenza. However, supplies remain short. Unfortunately there's only one plant making Tamiflu - and the U.S. isn't the only country desperately trying to build up a stockpile. Other countries, such as Britain, have also started stockpiling the drug.

Antiviral drugs, some of which can be used for both treatment and prevention, are clinically effective against influenza. But these drugs too have some limitations.

Avian Flu Vaccine

At least four months would be needed to produce a new vaccine, in significant quantities, capable of conferring protection against a new virus subtype. Such a vaccine will not be easy to produce, as the virus kills the chicken eggs usually used to mass-produce flu vaccines. One approach being contemplated is to produce the vaccine from a similar (but not egg-killing) strain isolated from ducks in Singapore in 1997.

Saira Simmons is a well known author who has long been writing articles related to health & fitness. Her articles are well known across the web for being quite informative and according to the changing trend in the pharmacy industry.

Hemorrhoids - Symptoms, Causes and Treatment Options

By hemorrhoids the veins in or around the anus, or in the lower rectum are swollen and often also inflamed. Hemorrhoids inside the rectum are called internal hemorrhoids, and those in the anal area external ones. Studies have shown that 1 out of 3 persons below the age of 50 will suffer from hemorrhoids. 1 out of 2 persons over the age of 50 is affected by this condition.

THE SYMPTOMS OF HEMORRHOIDS

Hemorrhoids give these symptoms:

-Swollen veins in the anal area or inside the rectum.
-Itching.
-Tears in the swollen veins and bleeding from the tears.
-Coagulated blood in the veins making hard lumps.
-The hemorrhoids may lead to permanent lumps, scars or thickened area after the initial healing.

THE PROCESS THAT LEADS TO HEMORRHOIDS

Before hemorrhoids form, there is usually an increased pressure in the veins of the anal area, for example due to over-filled intestines, due to constipation and thereby straining to get hard stool out during toilet visits, or due to frequent diarrhoea.

The veins have valves preventing the blood from flowing backwards. The increased pressure makes the segment of a vain right after a valve to swell up like a balloon.

The blood in the swollen vein segment then coagulates, making a hard lump that clogs the vein, and the clogged vein segment then gets infected and inflamed.

The inflamed hemorrhoids may then tear, so that the content empties and the vein bleeds. After emptying its content, the vein heals, but may develop a residing scar.

Other times the content of the hemorrhoids is dissolved and the vein heals without rupturing, but also now a permanent thickened or hardened vein segment may form.

CAUSES OF HEMORRHOIDS

Since hemorrhoids are caused by conditions making increased pressure in the anal veins, like lazy colon, constipation or diarrhoea, the ultimate cause of hemorrhoids are factors causing these conditions. Such factors are:

-Lack of fibre in the daily diet
-Drinking too less water.
-Consuming too less fat, or the opposite too much fat.
-Lack of daily physical exercise.

Cramping or prolonged tension in the anal sphincter and the muscles around the rectal opening seems to restrict the blood stream from the anal area back towards the heart, and thus also contribute to hemorrhoids. Nervous or psychological processes may cause tension in these muscles.

Hemorrhoids are a very common complication by pregnancy. The hormonal stimulation during pregnancy causes the vessels in the anal area to dilate. The weight of the foetus and the straining during childbirth will further cause a marked pressure increase in the already dilated vessels, with hemorrhoids as a consequence.

Heavy muscular work or heavy lifting can increase the pressure in the anal vessels and contribute to hemorrhoids. Conditions that weaken the tissue in the anal area may also contribute to development of hemorrhoids, for example inflammations, allergies or high age.

HOW CAN YOU CURE HEMORRHOIDS

Sometimes hemorrhoids require surgical or other medical intervention. However, in many cases you can do much yourself to prevent, alleviate or cure the condition. Since cancer or other serious conditions sometimes resemble hemorrhoids or cause hemorrhoids, newly detected hemorrhoids should always be medically investigated.

1. Lifestyle adjustments

Lifestyle measures to prevent or cure an inactive colon, an overfilled colon and constipation, will also help to prevent or cure hemorrhoids. Such measures are:

* A diet with enough fibre, containing whole corn cereals, whole corn bread, vegetables and fruit.
* Using natural oils in the food that gives the intestinal content a soft consistency, like olive oil, sunflower oil, rape oil and soy oil.
* Some daily exercise.
* Drinking enough water.

2. Agents to regulate the digestive function

You can use certain natural products to regulate your digestive functions and this will also help against hemorrhoids:

* Bran added to your diet has high fibre content, and will stimulate the intestines to contract better and pass its content more rapidly.
* Linen seeds will make the stool softer so that it is passed better through the intestines.

3. Topical balms or ointments

You can find topical balms on the market to apply onto the affected area. The balms contain ingredients that penetrate through the skin into the swollen blood vessels and anal muscles, or are transported through the tissue fluids upwards in the intestinal wall. Other ingredients remain on the affected area as a protecting and lubricating sheet. The effects of these ingredients are.

* Alleviating inflammation and itching.
* Stimulating tissue healing.
* Alleviating cramping in the rectal sphincter.
* Dissolving coagulated blood.
* Killing bacteria that cause infection in the affected area.
* Lubricating the rectal opening or the end part of the rectum to make the stool pass more easily.

4. Oral products to treat hemorrhoids

You can also find oral pills or capsules to help against hemorrhoids with the following effects:

* Giving the stool a greater volume so that the intestines manage better to get hold of it and work it through.
* Giving the stool a smoother consistency so that it passes more easily through the intestinal system and rectal opening.
* Alleviating cramping and irregular contractions in intestinal system.
* Stimulating the regular and effective contraction of the intestines.
* Alleviating inflammation and itching.
* Stimulating tissue healing.

5. Enemas

If there is a hard constipation aggravating the hemorrhoids, a small enema can help to empty the colon and the rectum, and also help to cure the hemorrhoids. However, big enemas can increase the intestinal pressure and aggravate the condition.

Chronic Pain: Barriers to Effective Pain Management

Chronic pain affects the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of a patient's life. Daily non-cancer pain in the elderly has been associated with impaired activities of daily living, change in mood, and decreased involvement in social activities. Chronic pain impairs function, can lead to depression, and can even result in suicidal behavior. Chronic pain due to arthritis affects approximately 20 million Americans. This represents almost 50% of all pain sufferers.

What are the barriers to effective pain management?

Barriers to effective pain management are imposed by the health care system, physicians, and by patients themselves.

Patient Barriers:

-Reluctance to report pain to physicians.

-Reluctance to take pain medication

-Lack of education regarding available pain therapies.

-Compromised cognitive function secondary to certain pain medications.

Physician Barriers :

-Inadequate training and knowledge concerning pain management.

-Improper assessment of pain.

-Concern about scrutiny from regulatory agencies.

-Fear of patient addiction.

-Concern regarding analgesic side effects.

-Concern regarding the development of tolerance to analgesics.

Health Care System Barriers :

-Pain management is given a low priority in the system.

-Treatment availability problems exist in the system.

-Treatment access problems exist in the system.

-Inadequate reimbursement for pain management remains a problem.

-The most appropriate treatment may not be reimbursed or it may be too costly for the patient.

Many arthritis sufferers continue to take anti-inflammatory medications that no longer control their symptoms. Physicians, fearful of regulatory investigation, avoid appropriate treatment while switching patients from on ineffective medication to another. Some patients are forced to consider joint replacements prematurely, due to unrelenting, under-treated pain.

Be Careful - Read Everything!

Did you know that there are over 1600 prescription medications. Out of the top 150 medications that are prescribed most often, 8 of them start with the letter Z.

Zanaflex – short term management of spasticity
Zantac – short term treatment of duodenal ulcer
Zelnorm – for women with irritable bowel syndrome
Zestril – a heart medication
Zetia – reduces cholesterol
Zitromax – treatment of infection from pneumonia
Zocur – reduces cholesterol
Zypresza – treatment for schizophrenia

Don’t forget about Xanax (sounds like a Z) – controls anxiety.

How easy would it be to get any of these confused with another? What if you go to your doctor, and he gives you the wrong prescription? You may have a claim against your doctor, but you may not be alive to pursue it.

I wrote another article – The #1 Rule in Boxing – Protect Yourself at All Times. This Rule applies whenever you are dealing with prescription medication. It is very easy for a physician to make a mistake and just as easy for the pharmacy to make a mistake in dispensing the medication.

Make sure you get a copy of your office visit with your physician. Read you’re your prescription form before you leave the doctor’s office. Make a copy of the prescription form and add it to your medical records file. Make sure you read the label on the bottle that the pharmacy gives you.

If you are having any problem after you start taking the medication, call your doctor or go to a hospital immediately – you may have been given the wrong medication.

Keep track of your medications, the name, dosage and how often you take it. An innocent error may cause you your life!

Remember: It's your life – take charge – today!!!

The Story of Oral Chelation Therapy

Chelation therapy has been used to treat heavy metal poisoning since World War II. The term ‘chelate’ was coined by the analytical chemist, G.T. Morgan in 1920. ‘Chelate’ is the Greek word for ‘claw’. Alfred Werner, the son of a factory foreman and the ‘Father of Coordination Chemistry’, was awarded the 1913 Nobel Prize for developing this concept of chelation therapy. In chelation therapy, the ring within the molecule of the chelator captures and firmly binds the metallic ions. Thus chelation therapy treats heavy metal poisoning by forming complexes with the molecules of the heavy metal, which are then excreted in urine. Up to a certain stage, the subsequent fall in the metal stores can help reverse the toxicity.

‘Dimercaprol’, more commonly known as BAL was the first agent used in chelating therapy. During the II World War, biochemists at Oxford University developed BAL as an antidote for the war gas Lewisite. Exposure to Lewisite causes acute arsenical blisters and systemic arsenic poisoning. That is how the first chelating agent, Dimercaprol, came to be known as British Anti-Lewisite (BAL). Soon the effectiveness of Dimercaprol in the chelation therapy of heavy metal poisoning became evident. Peters noted that BAL ointment had proved very successful in cases of industrial arsenical accidents. Injectable forms of BAL were also found to be effective in chelation therapy. By 1947, 32 articles were published or in press on the therapeutic value of BAL. BAL became the chelation therapy of choice in arsenic, antimony, gold, and mercury poisoning.

A study conducted by Denny-Brown and Porter in 1951 found other uses of BAL as a chelating agent. BAL was noted to be an effective in chelation therapy of Wilson’s disease wherein excessive amount of Copper accumulates in the body. BAL chelates copper and removes it from body by excretion. At this time a need for better chelators was felt. BAL was found to be associated with various toxic effects and moreover, chelation therapy with BAL became ineffective in most patients after some time.

In 1956, Walsh first advocated use of Penicillamine, another chelating agent in treatment of Wilson’s disease. Penicillamine was found to be more effective and less toxic. It is now commonly used in treatment of Wilson’s disease.

In the 1950s and 1960s, there was an explosion of publications on the effects of various chelating agents in animals and human beings. Ferdinand Munz had discovered EDTA (ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid), a synthetic amino acid with chelating properties way back in 1938. By 1951, EDTA was widely used in treatment of inorganic lead poisoning and is approved by FDA for the same.

The numerous adverse effects of BAL, and the need to give it intravenously, stimulated further research in this field. It was on the whole found to be inefficient in the chelation therapy of chronic mercury poisoning. Water soluble derivatives of BAL, like Meso-2, 3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) and 2, 3-dimercaptopropane-1-sulfonic acid (DMPS) were developed. They were found to be highly effective in treatment of mercury and lead poisoning.

DMSA and DMPS exhibit very low toxicity and are valuable oral chelating agents. In 1999, Baun opined that, unlike BAL, DMSA can be used in treatment of organic mercury poisoning. Patients with chronic mercury poisoning can now receive oral chelation therapy with DMSA, eliminating the need for a hospital admission. In 2003, Bose-OReilily and other found that oral DMSA was highly effective in treating chronic mercury toxicity among the inhabitants of gold-mining area in Philippines. DMSA was licensed by FDA for treatment of lead poisoning in 1991. Given their proven advantages over BAL, DMSA and DMPS have gained increased acceptance among clinicians. They have improved the management of heavy metal poisoning.

BAL derivatives are not effective in chelating iron. Previously, deferoxamine was the only iron-chelator available which needed to be given as long intravenous infusions. Recently, deferasirox, an oral iron-chelator was developed. Deferasirox is approved for oral chelation therapy for disorders like sickle cell anemia, which are characterized by excess accumulation of iron in body.

Asthma Allergy - Current Medical Treatment

Among all allergic and respiratory-related diseases, asthma allergy makes up the majority. Asthma allergy is perhaps one of the leading causes of respiratory illness among children and young adults although this condition may progress a lifetime.

While it is considered an allergy, asthma is so prevalent (especially among children) that it deserves to be addressed in its own chapter.

Proper care and health maintenance is essential to warding off the debilitating repercussions of exposure to irritants which could trigger all the symptoms underlying such disease.

What exactly is Asthma allergy?

Asthma allergy is a chronic lung disease characterized by difficulty of breathing, wheezing, coughing, and increased mucus production during recurrent attacks. These same symptoms can cause death in some cases depending on the severity of the amount of allergens involved and antihistamine molecules produced by the body enough to block the airways for the transportation of air to the lungs.

Around 7 to 10% of children experience the condition and current statistics shows an increasing number of sufferers. Asthma allergy does not seem to be an inherited disease since a family member, who apparently do not have relatives exhibiting the symptoms of the disease, can be infected anytime should he or she is exposed to environmental factors triggering the onset of the disease.

People with this medical condition have a very sensitive bronchial pathway. Presence of molecules or particles recognized by the body as foreign can set a huge allergic attack characteristic of the condition described above.

From a medical point of view, asthma is a type of allergy. Allergy is defined as a change in the body’s biological activity due to the presence of one or more types of allergens (substance promoting the symptoms of allergy.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, more than 50 million people in America are suffering from allergy and currently 20 million individuals, comprising the wide-range of America’s population experiences the symptoms of asthma.

Causes of Asthma allergies

The causes of asthma allergies are the same as for other allergies we have discussed. Causes can be in the form of dust, certain chemicals, scents, and various odors. Other trigger factors may be in the form of temperature. Cold or hot air can provoke allergic reactions to patients sensitive to them. In any case, allergic reactions are specific to individuals and not all individuals suffering from allergy responds universally to all types allergens.

Particularly interesting clients are the ones allergic to some forms of physical activity like exercise. In the same manner, emotional state is one factor for some individuals in order for the characteristic asthma symptoms to set in.

Among all these influential agents, smoke has been found to occupy the universally recognized trigger attacks for patients with asthma allergy especially for children. At least 8 out of 10 children are more prone to developing asthmatic conditions once exposed to these agents.

Perhaps, as society becomes industrialized and increased fume emissions accelerates, more and more people will develop symptoms characteristic of this disease.

Who Are at Risk?

Statistical data shows that asthma allergy is not a discriminating disease. It affects people of all ages, race, culture, color and gender.

Especially predisposed to developing such illness are people who are exposed to heavy car or industrial emissions and filthy surroundings. 10 to 12% of children averaging 18 years of age are the common target.

Additionally, individuals whose relatives have a history of such illness are more at risk in manifesting such condition in the future.

Latest Diagnostic Device and Treatments

Gone are the days when people die of symptoms and complications involved in asthmatic attacks. Due to the development of studies and research in asthma allergies and other forms of allergies, treatment and varying levels of diagnosis were introduced to properly treat the symptoms typical of asthma allergy.

But basically, one first hand “cure” or initial activity to be done in the management of asthma allergy is to avoid the source of the allergens to which the individual is allergic to.

Are You Helping by Asking, "Did You Take Your Meds?"

Sometimes it’s appropriate and helpful to ask a family member or friend, “Did you take your meds?” My husband, Adrian, for example, is forgetful and wants to be reminded when he needs to take any medication. I probably ask him three or four times a day if he’s taken one of his numerous prescription drugs, and he’s happy to get the extra help.

For those of us who have a mental illness, however, like depression or bipolar disorder, we may not appreciate being asked, “Did you take your meds?” This issue was discussed at a bipolar support group meeting I attended, and most people felt such a question was not helpful, especially since “the meds” are anything but a cure-all for our problems.

There is no guarantee that if you take your Lithium or Depakote or "X" on a regular basis, you will never have another manic or depressive episode. Add to this general problem, the variety of side effects such as weight gain, ringing in the ears, itchy rashes, liver damage, energy depletion, mind numbing, ad infinitum, you'll see that there is no simple plan that will "fix" us.

"Fixing us" is, of course, what our loving family would like to do. In their mind there is a logical correlation between "taking your meds" and leading a peaceful, productive, non-combative life. It is understandable that they fear the phone call telling them we've been arrested or are in the mental ward of a hospital or have had a car accident because in our manic state, we thought we were indestructible. Of course they want us to take our meds! It's their only hope.

One parent I know, who has lived through years of trying to "fix" his daughter with policing so that she would "take her meds," has come to a more peaceful place. "It's her life," he says. "She has to want to get better for herself, not for me. I no longer ask her if she's taking her medication or doing the things she needs to in order to stay healthy. I stay out of it." He added that he is there for his daughter if she needs him and asks for the help, but that's it.

It's hard as a parent to stand back and watch the destructive behavior of our children. I am a parent, and I was a fanatic when I thought anything was threatening my daughter. Fortunately, she didn't inherit my bipolar genes. I didn't have to watch any wild, destructive behavior in her that my parents had to watch in me. For those of us who have a mental illness like depression or bipolar disorder, we need to give our family members some slack. Most of them do mean well when they ask, "Did you take your meds?" But if you're a family member reading this, realize that such a question only frustrates and antagonizes the person suffering from a mental disorder.

If our meds really worked, if they really "fixed us" so that we could lead lives filled with peace, energy, purpose, and a guaranteed good night’s sleep, don't you think we'd be taking them?

The key to being helpful rather than hurtful is to assist your loved one in ways they have asked you to rather than assuming a parental role. “How can I be helpful?” is a better question than “Did you take your meds?”

Is Natural Progesterone the Best Choice for Me?

Is natural progesterone the best choice for my 40 something body? My gynecologist gives me that look whenever I mention using any natural substance, but what is truly best for me? My grandmother followed her gynecologist’s advice to the letter, developed breast cancer & died. So pardon me if I have a few questions.

For those of us who are taking natural hormones, such as bioidentical progesterone, how much do we take? How long do we take it? Will our bodies adjust? Most of us start taking progesterone to balance it out with our high estrogen level., There are so many ingredients in our lotions, makeup, laundry detergent, shampoos & deodorants that cause xenoestrogens (foreign estrogens), not to mention the excess estrogens we are exposed to through pesticides, plastics and meats. These xenoestrogens are causing estrogen dominance in our bodies, which may cause pms, foggy brain, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, breast cysts, testicular cancer, mood swings, etc.

According to Dr John Lee in his book “What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause” One of progesterone’s most important and powerful roles in the body is to balance or oppose estrogen. When our progesterone levels are in balance, excess estrogen is better handled. The fall of progesterone levels at menopause is proportionately much greater than the fall of estrogen levels. Also from his book – The uterus is one of the first organs to manifest symptoms when a woman’s hormones are out of balance. Two of the most common uterine symptoms of premenopause syndrome are an enlarged uterus and uterine fibroids. How many 40 something women do you know with a flat stomach? It might be a nationwide problem, but what is being done to clean up our environment & to help us get these xenoestrogens out of our bodies?

Estrogen dominance affects everyone differently. For me it was breast cysts and uterine fibroids. My doctors, and I have seen many, would ask me if I wanted to keep my uterus. Like its disposable! OF COURSE I WANT TO KEEP IT! I may want more children, & don’t give me that look again! So I began the research. Dr. Lee’s book suggests that, after taking an ultrasound of the fibroids, women with fibroids can take one oz of progesterone cream from days 10, 11 or 12 of the cycle, to days 26 to 30. After 3 months, have another ultrasound done to see the results. If the fibroid has gotten smaller, or at least not gotten any bigger, continue with the progesterone until menopause.

I tried the progesterone, for years, along with reducing xenoestrogens from my environment. The migraines before my periods went away. The breast tenderness before my periods went away. Then THEY RETURNED. I thought I might have exposed myself to more xenoestrogens so I INCREASED MY PROGESTERONE! My symptoms got worse. I then had my hormones checked. My estradiol was low & my progesterone was high. These same symptoms were now caused by Progesterone Dominance! According to Dr. Mercola, progesterone is stored in fat cells for up to 2 years! Is this really the best solution for me to balance my hormones?

In my research I have come across an herb/root grown organically high in the Andean Mountains in Peru that is worth looking into. Its called Maca. It is suppose to adapt to the body’s needs and support menopausal health. It works with the body, the pituitary & hypothalamus, to bring about healthy balanced hormones. Maca is not a hormone, but a food that helps the body balance itself. I would much rather take something natural that helps my body get itself back into balance, than try & guess how much of a particular hormone to take.

The Dangers of Aspirin Use!

For people who use various forms of aspirin, such as BC Powder, Bayer brand, Excedrin, and Advil, they are risking their health for short term pain relief. Yes, you may obtain the illusion of pain relief, but do you know how the various aspirins work against pain? ANSWER: By deadening your nerves! Long term aspirin use is sure to corrode your nerves and entire nervous system leading to certain central nervous system pathologies such as Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease, and even stroke.

Aspirin breaks down or converts into ascetic acid inside the body and eats up red blood cells, just like white distilled vinegar does. Therefore, aspirin use pollutes the blood which is the essence of life. In addition to polluting and eating up the blood, aspirin greatly thins the blood. Many people take aspirin daily as a blood thinner. These people’s arteries are so clogged, rather than cleansing the arteries in order to improve or enhance blood flow, doctors unwisely prescribe aspirin to thin the blood which is very dangerous because lack of blood equals lack of oxygen flow, and lack of oxygen flow to the brain will undoubtedly result in stroke. The herb “gingko biloba” is a much better and safer medicinal and alternative to aspirin as it is a mild blood thinner, but unlike aspirin, it greatly enhances oxygen flow throughout the body.

Aspirin use also causes intestinal and stomach ulcers. Aspirin burns a hole through the lining of the intestines and the stomach causing internal wounds (ulcers) and bleeding. Drinking cabbage juice is the best remedy for this problem. Aloe vera juice will also help to heal ulcers.

Females who take “Midol” drug for menstrual-related pain and cramps would do much better to take the herbs “feverfew”, “cramp bark”, and “black haw.” A liquid calcium “supplement” will greatly reduce menstrual-related pain. Calcium is nature’s nervine and tranquilizer.

Serious suffers of headaches, especially migraines, would do well to use the herbs aspirin was originally made from. Aspirin was originally made from herbs rich in the alkaloid “salicin” which converts into salicyclic acid inside the body, which has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body and thereby neutralizes pain.

Herbs that contain amounts of salicin include “meadowsweet”, “white willow bark”, “red willow bark”, “black willow bark”, “woodruff”, “balm of gilead”, and “wintergreen.”

The herbs “feverfew”, “peppermint”, and “wood betony” should or can be added to the herbs above to create a natural pain relieving tea that can be drunk throughout the day and as much as you like in order to naturally eradicate a headache. Please know that a headache is an “acid” condition and alkaline substances can heal/cure and prevent headaches. Herbs are alkaline substances.

Lastly, long-term aspirin use will greatly pollute and eventually degenerate the liver, a very important cleansing agent and organ. People with red eyes have very toxic livers. Liver toxicity manifests in the white of the eyes. The herbs “milk thistle seed”, “dandelion”, “boldo”, “goldenseal”, “tumeric”, “Oregon grape”, “artichoke”, “blue flag”, “gentian root”, and “barberry” will heal, repair, and cleanse the liver.

Insomnia Medication Side Effects

I seldom have a sleepless night but remember an occasion when I had difficulty falling asleep. Being awake when I should have been asleep was very annoying. Since I work at night, the problem may have been too much sunlight coming in through the window when it was time to go to bed. In the winter time the light isn't bright enough to bother me.

Light influences the production of a hormone that regulates when we get that sleepy feeling. Too much light tends to make us wake up. Unfortunately, light is only one of the factors that influences our ability to fall asleep. Stress, caffeine use and a host of other factors can also contribute to a case of insomnia.

Insomnia can be described as the inability to fall asleep, the inability to stay asleep or waking up too early. There are three categories of insomnia. Chronic insomnia is long term and happens most nights for a month or longer. Two to four weeks of poor sleep constitutes short-term insomnia and the transient form of insomnia lasts but a few nights.

Benzodiazepines could be prescribed to help one fall asleep on a short term basis. Long term use of sleeping pills can become addictive.

Lorazepam is a benzodiazepine used for insomnia and anxiety relief. Lorazepam also goes by the names Lorazepam Intensol, Loraz, Alzapam and Ativan. In Canada you might find the names Nu-Loraz, Novo-Lorazepam or Apo-Lorazepam.

There are a number of side effects that a Lorazepam user might wish to be aware of. Among them are clumsiness, drowsiness and dizziness. Other possible side effects include, decreased sex drive, difficulty urinating, nausea, constipation or diarrhea. There are more potential side effects, ask your pharmacist for more information.

The human body can be viewed as a system made up of other systems. There are a number of systems that work together to make up the miracle of human life. Whenever introducing an external force to one of these systems in the form of a drug, the potential to interfere with or cause problems in other systems always exists. For this reason, you should work closely with your doctor or pharmacist when taking any medication. If you are fortunate to have a doctor who is willing to entertain alternatives, this will broaden the arena of options that are available to you.

Keep in mind that many drugs are synthetic imitations of substances that occur in nature. Sometimes a doctor who is willing to utilize these natural alternatives can be of great benefit.
Consider that this article is for information purposes only. It is not intended to give advice. It is also not intended suggest treatment, diagnosis or prevention of any health condition. Consult your primary care physician for any health related issues you may be facing.

Neuropathy Medication

Neuropathy is disease of the nervous system. One or more nerves of similar length could be damaged, thereby causing severe pain, numbness or tingling sensations.

Medications are available to cure neuropathy, but these take a long time; the time taken depends on the type and intensity of the disease. Taking too many drugs could also cause neuropathy.

Strong medications such as narcotics are mostly used to control severe neuropathy pains, which should be avoided for milder neuropathies. Non-narcotic pain killers are not effective against these neuropathy pains. But over-the-counter analgesics can be used for mild pain. Antidepressants and anticonvulsants can be administered for other type of nerve pains.

But although narcotic pain killers are initially effective, their effect wears off: as time goes by, the dosage of the drug needs to be increased to achieve the same measure of pain relief. Topical anesthetics are said to be effective against these resistant neuropathy pains.

Medications approved by FDA for diabetic neuropathy pain is Duloxetine or Cymbalta. It is a known fact that HIV patients are more at risk of neuropathy. Drugs like didanosine (ddI, Videx), zalcitabine (ddC, Hivid), and stavudine (d4T, Zerit) are prescribed for HIV patients. Taking all these drugs together could also cause neuropathy, so care should be taken to follow the doctor’s prescription strictly.

The effectiveness of neuropathy medication ranges from slight to complete. Strong medication should only be used for severe neuropathy, and taken in moderation to avoid resistance to the drugs. Care should also be taken not to cause neuropathy by overload of drugs.

GERD - The Acid Reflux Disease

The Disease

The term GERD is a acronym for gastroesophageal reflux disease and is a very glorified term for heartburn. Frequent, persistent heartburn is the primary symptom associated with acid reflux disease or GERD. With GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), stomach acid flows back into the esophagus, the tube leading from the throat to the stomach. If you suffer from persistent heartburn two or more days a week, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Though heartburn is the most common of the acid reflux disease symptoms, other signs may also manifest themselves.

For these individuals, acid reflux disease, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), may be at the heart of their burn. Prevacid is a prescription drug that helps GERD-sufferers prevent the acid that causes heartburn pain associated with acid reflux disease.

Pain

Besides the discomfort of heartburn, reflux results in symptoms of oesophageal inflammation, such as odynophagia (pain on swallowing) and dysphagia (difficult swallowing). Remarkably, the frequency of severe heartburn seems to decline with age, possibly due to a decrease in esophageal pain perception and atrophic gastritis. Although elderly patients may have fewer complaints of heartburn, their disease is usually more severe and has more complications. The burning, pressure, or pain of heartburn can last as long as 2 hours and is often worse after eating; and, can include very unpleasant symptoms, such as heartburn, chest pain, trouble swallowing, hoarseness, throat irritation and bad breath. However, some people with GERD may not experience heartburn, but instead feel a pain in the chest, hoarseness, or problems swallowing. The feeling of heartburn my be similar to heart pain, but in actuality a heartburn has nothing whatsoever to do with the heart. Never assume that chest pain is heartburn or ingestion. GERD Symptoms Heartburn is described as a burning pain in the stomach that rises up towards the chest or towards the neck. A positive Bernstein test is considered if the patient experiences heartburn or chest pain. The acid perfusion test may have its utility more in explaining reflux as the cause of atypical chest pain. Potentially dangerous confusion can arise when someone neglects their heart pain believing it to be heartburn.

Gerd

Only 2 to 3 percent of acid reflux events reach the conscious level and are perceived by patients with GERD. Abnormalities that make it dysfunctional promote acid reflux and the constellation of GERD problems. Many people, including pregnant women, suffer from heartburn or acid indigestion caused by GERD. Most cases of acid reflux respond to lifestyle changes and prescription medication. Anyone experiencing heartburn twice a week or more may have GERD. Occasional heartburn is common but does not necessarily mean one has GERD.

Cure for one Illness and Cause of the Other: Drugs you take Damage your Teeth

Every person, regardless of his occupation, social position or gender, can be a connoisseur in a particular sphere of knowledge but is usually ignorant in medicine. We are used to follow our therapist's prescriptions without any hesitation. We've never taken effort to investigate the way this or that medicine works ...But, actually, even if we did, I doubt we'd make head or tale of what is written in thick volumes of medical books. It looks like sometimes it's worth doing...

The recent research in the field of salivary dysfunction field has shown that over 600 medications wide-spread nowadays lead to tooth decay through saliva inhibiting in our mouth. Meanwhile, saliva executes an important function of protecting our mouth from acid that destroys teeth. This acid is produced by bacteria while you eat sugar and it destroys the upper layer of our teeth. Salvia in its turn is rich in calcium and phosphate and flowing in it replaces the layer that has been removed.

Atropine, propanolol, clonidine and drugs similar to them take first place among the medications harmful for our teeth. These medicines either inhibit saliva production or alter its composition that is just as bad. Studies held on rats to see the relationship between cavity incidence, salvia flow and specific drugs, have shown that such drugs as atropine and its similarities, including antihistamines (eg, Benedryl) and some anti-depressants (eg, Elavil, Aventyl) retard the process of salvia secretion. Propanolol, in its turn, alters salviaТs composition causing tooth decay this way. The third drug under investigaton, clonidine, has been proved to prevent saliva producing by rducing neurotransmitters - stimulators of salivary glandsТ work.

This all is sad especially because these drugs are widely used by elderly people, together with those who have heart or hypertention problems. Clonidine, by the way, is used additionally to treat children with attention deficit problem.

Professor Watson calls doctors to reconsiderate using the above mentioned drugs or at least think about the dose reducing. This we, at least, can do if we are not able to fight such disorders as Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune illness and damaged salivary glands, side effect of radiation therapy to the head or neck.

Despite The New Medicare Plan: Is Buying Drugs From Canada Still More Affordable?

One of the biggest changes in the American drug industry is implementing the new medicare system. The recent changes in January 2006, will allow everyone regardless of income, health status and prescription drug use, to have access to prescription drug coverage.

What does this mean for canadian pharmacies online, who have built up a network of clients in our neighbouring nation?

After looking at the medicare plan and analysing what their proposing it still may not be an effective choice for all your prescription drug needs. One of the major factors in the medicare plan is that before you can get the 95% of coverage you must spend a total of $3,600 on prescription meds.

Also if you don’t sign up for the medicare plan before March 15th, you could be looking at spending even more. There are many variables in the cost and coverage as well as convenience. You will have to find a pharmacy that is available in your area, and if you are unable to walk or get around you will have fewer options if the pharmacy is far. The final choice is of course the convenience of what your current coverage plan is against what medicare is offering with their new prescription plan.

Here is a few questions you may want to ask before you go forward with the new medicare plan:

How many prescriptions do I actually require a year and is this going to be the most cost effective way to retain those prescriptions?

If I require more than one prescription a month?

The best way to answer this question is to call your pharmacy and ask them to check and calculate the amount of money that it will actually cost for your prescription drugs.

The ultimate choice will always be the consumer in the end. The Canadian drug industry has always been a great alternative for getting quality prescription drugs. If you are purchasing a prescription over the internet, Canadian or not, please check that they have the following credentials:

- A Licence to administer medication
- A Real pharmacist you can talk to regarding your medications
- They require a prescription from your doctor.

When you are choosing the best prescription drug plan, make sure that you are choosing the best choice for all your prescription needs.

The "Life Force" Has Been Left Out By Modern Medicine

There was a time when being a doctor meant caring for your patient as the human being that they were. With the advent of increasing advances in medical technology doctors have allowed themselves to become seduced by several myths:

1. That the human body can be thought of a simply a machine that needs fixing when it breaks down.

2. That modern technology will eventually be able to fix human bodies in disrepair.

3. That the human being whose body it is is simply a passive and unimportant factor in the process of healing the body.

4. That the idea of there even being "a person" in that body is unscientific nonsense.

Interestingly however it seems that modern medicine has yet to explain an interesting and indisputable fact; the issue of an individual's "will to live".

In other words when an individual receives a poor prognosis one person might choose to accept it as gospel while another might instead choose not to accept it.

In the latter case one often experiences what some might consider unexplained even miraculous healing phenomena. Phenomena that puzzle doctors to no end. Yes puzzle them because the mechanical reductionist approach to healing that many physicians have adopted, pure and simple, leaves out the human being in that body.

Why does it do this? Well because the essence of an individual, what some consider the "life force" itself cannot be reduced to such a limited mechanical model. In this light it is my view that "modern" medicine will never realize its ultimate goal, that of healing others, unless it acknowledges and accepts the true healing element in the bodies they are attempting to heal, the human spirit itself.

It has been my experience that the power of the human spirit is capable of miracles as I described. Such miracles can only come about however if the human being in that body is acknowledged and given priority as the main healing force in that body.

This means that the focus modern medicine has taken must change dramatically. If it doesn't it will continue to alienate this force with technology that is both expensive and dehumanizing. In doing so it will only be undermining itself and its efforts.

Dr. Nick Arrizza is trained in Chemical Engineering, Business Management & Leadership, Medicine and Psychiatry. He is an Energy Psychiatrist, Healer, Key Note Speaker,Editor of a New Ezine Called "Spirituality And Science" (which is requesting high quality article submissions) Author of "Esteem for the Self: A Manual for Personal Transformation" (available in ebook format on his web site), Stress Management Coach, Peak Performance Coach & Energy Medicine Researcher, Specializes in Life and Executive Performance Coaching, is the Developer of a powerful new tool called the Mind Resonance Process(TM) that helps build physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well being by helping to permanently release negative beliefs, emotions, perceptions and memories. He holds live workshops, international telephone coaching sessions and international teleconference workshops on Physical. Emotional, Mental and Spiritual Well Being.

What is a Good Arthritis Medication?

The correct answer the question of what is a good arthritis medication is really dependant on what the specific requirements of your particular condition are. There is not a single medication that can deal with every aspect of arthritis since it is a very wide-ranging condition covering everything from rheumatoid arthritis to gout. There are a variety of medications available for arthritis that can be very effective when used on their own or in conjunction with other drugs and treatments. As well as providing pain relief, some of these drugs have anti-inflammatory properties that can be necessary since the inflammation of the joints can be a very painful problem for arthritis sufferers. Some of these non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen can be bought without prescription but can have a few minor and unpleasant side effects such as problems with the stomach. Although these sedative like effects can and do wear off after a while corticosteroids can be an alternative to the more popular anti-inflammatory drugs.

What is considered a good arthritis medication as far as the alternative medicines and natural cures is rather uncertain due to the fact that they are not always regulated in the same way as pharmaceuticals. However, some evidence suggest that massage, good diet and exercise are generally thought to have a beneficial effect on many patients provided you use a proper system of treatment that is devised by a healthcare professional. If you are not happy with the idea of taking a large amount of medication to ease your arthritis pain then it may be worth looking into this. Glucosamine is a natural substance that is derived from sea fish and crustations that some doctor’s think can aid pain relief. It is actually used in some hospitals and is available in a number of different ways such as powder capsule form and also as a liquid.

If you were wondering what is a good arthritis medication that can really help with pain relief then it is possible that painkilling injections may help. They are injected straight into the site of the pain and can last for a number of weeks. There are many different types of pain medication that are very effective for arthritis sufferers and it is very important to choose the right one for your condition.

The best person to ask what is a good arthritis medication is undoubtedly your doctor or health care specialists. It is not a good idea to try anything new without the proper medical advice and that way you can be sure that you are getting the very best treatment for your condition

The New Medicine of Dr.Ryke Geerd Hamer

Dr.Ryke Geerd Hamer, one time chief internist of the Cancer Clinic of Munich University Hospital met horrific tragedy when in 1978, his 19 year old son Dirk, was shot dead in front of his eyes! Shortly afterwards he developed testicular cancer and wondered why! His exploration brought him to a dramatic conclusion that he called “The Iron Rule of Cancer”!

The “Iron Rule” states that a sudden and unforeseen incident of a highly charged emotional nature leads to cancer. He continues by saying that the cancer can be cured once the emotional conflict is resolved. If it is not changed the patient will die! This he suggests is why so many conventional treatments are unsuccessful.

The same phenomenon occurs in the animal world. A sheep looses its lamb to a predator and goes on to develop teat cancer. The cancer disappears when the ewe falls pregnant once again.

The sudden shock or “Significant Emotional Event” (SEE) leads to what Hamer calls a”Dirk-Hamer-Syndrome” or DHS, which swiftly produces a cancerous growth or equivalent in a bodily organ. Hamer was able to trace this development by using CT scans. With the help of “Computerized Tomography”, Dr. Hamer was able to produce a chart that relates specific emotional traumas with the formation of lesions in the brain that result in cancerous tumors growing in predictable parts of the body. Taking breast cancer as an example, the doctor attributes the emotional cause to a separation issue in the patient’s life. In the case of left-handed woman who develops cancer as a result of a mother-daughter conflict there is likely to be a tumor on the right breast. With right-handed women this would reverse.

The manufacturers of the CT equipment, Siemens, testify that Geerd Hamer used over 6,000 CT scans in his work in developing this extraordinary theory. What he appears to be saying is that the cancer is a symptom of the real illness, which lies painfully embedded in the psyche and in the brain. He appears to have thoroughly researched his explanation to boot!

Hamer criticizes the orthodox medical treatment of cancer by saying that 98% of patients die from the treatment and not the disease. He claims: “Nowadays most people with cancer die from the affects of the medical diagnosis and prognosis. It is the diagnosis and prognosis which produces the supposed metastases.” He maintains there is no such thing as cancer spreading as conventionally supposed. Instead the metastasis is the growth of another cancer caused by yet another Significant Emotional Event. In this case the shock of the medical diagnosis and the physicians negative prognosis for the future development of the disease.

Dr Hamer does not offer solutions how these conflicts are to be resolved, but stresses resolution has to be gentle. Rough analytical abreactive therapies are to be discouraged because they might trigger another cancer causing Significant Emotional Event. However, many gentle therapies such as EFT abound today; they might just play a big part in resolving these cancer producing conflicts in what must be a milestone in Mind-Body Medicine.

The Renewal of Generosity: Illness, Medicine, and How to Live

The Renewal of Generosity: Illness, Medicine, and How to Live.

By Arthur W. Frank. University of Chicago Press, 166 pp., $27.50.

BOTH DOCTORS and patients are demoralized these days, says Arthur Frank, though neither group is aware of what the other is experiencing. Doctors are suffering discouragement and alienation instead of enjoying the hope and human connection that lured them to the profession. Patients feel like specimens and objects instead of human beings. It's a familiar problem, to be sure, and it is also a paradigm for all of the transactions that occur between persons. We are all in need, and we all have something to give. Generosity, says Frank, is the missing currency.

As I read this book, I became increasingly aware that I occupy both positions in Frank's dialectic on generosity. As a board-certified chaplain I stand among the ranks of health-care providers. In the larger society, however, my cerebral palsy places me with those who are systemically designated as receivers of care. Frank is right that the value of care is thought to flow from the top down. Frank's notion that giving and receiving both require a honing of skills resonates with me.

Frank writes about his own illness, and he refuses to assume a position superior to that of his reader. Frank shares generously with the reader, and the natural response to generosity is more generosity.

The Renewal of Generosity reads like a cross between Plato's Symposium and Jesus' wedding feast for the poor and lame. There are dozens of voices at this motley dinner party, and although some of those present are designated as hosts and some as guests (Frank's terms), everyone has something to say.

Frank harmonizes the work of Marcus Aurelius, Emmanuel Levinas and Mikhail Bakhtin. And he names this composite character the Dialogical Stoic. The primary term is stoic, which he wrests from its association with the puritanical asceticism of the West. Here the stoic is someone aware of life's limitations and able to retain choice and personal power in the face of adversity.

Herbal Medicine for Cold and Flu Information

The common cold or flu is one of medicine’s greatest mysteries. While there are plenty of pharmaceutical products offered to help ease the symptoms of these illnesses, our local drug stores still offer us no opportunities to rid ourselves of the ailment itself. The pharmaceutical market offers such products as Vicks and Theraflu, but these products are only designed to make you feel better for the duration of your cold. While you may lose the coughing or running nose symptoms, there is still a sickness tugging at your body.

Herbal medicines for cold and flu ailments do not directly attack the viruses. They exist to help boost your immune system since only your own body can help you fight off these problems. Your immune system is the key to fending off viruses, and keeping it in working order can be key to keeping yourself healthy and well.

In traditional Chinese medicine, astragalus root is often used to help the immune system kick out the invaders. A renowned immune system enhancer, this root is also a building tonic. Mainly used for long-term disease prevention, astragalus root also helps in alleviating colds. Another Chinese remedy for the cold is a combination of herbs. Honeysuckle flower, forsythia fruit, platycodon root, peppermint, bamboo leaf, licorice root, schizonepeta, burdock root, and black soybean are used together in a substance referred to as “Yin Chao”. This combination fights off the symptoms of the cold while providing boosted immune system defense.

Elder flower and gentian root are also a classic herbal medicine for cold problems. In a university study, the effects of these herbs were measured against the effects of a leading antibiotic towards helping a cold. The herbs provided faster response, greater effects, and less side effects than their pharmaceutical opponent.

Clearly, using herbal medicine for cold and flu problems can be a great way to clear up your sickness. As an alternative to the modern medicine offered in drug stores today, these substances usually have a greater effect on the problem while resulting in less side effects.

How Dangerous are Painkillers?

Let’s first learn how painkillers work inside the body.

When you pop a pill to stop that pain, what it does primarily is to deaden the nerves so that they cannot transmit pain signals to the brain. Therefore you do not feel the pain after you swallow a painkiller. The minimum time it takes to work is at least 30-40 minutes after you’ve taken it.

While almost every painkiller has some kind of proven side effect, Paracetamol is voted by experts as being the safest and the only one that can be taken without medical supervision. This painkiller can be given even to a new born baby without the danger of any side effects. And that is the only one that you should pop when you are in pain.

While a Disprin (containing aspirin) can lead to blood thinning, peptic ulcers and even Reyes Syndrome (multi organ seizure) in children alone with precipitating asthma in patients, a Voveran (containing diclosenac) can cause liver and kidney damage and even bleeding in the stomach.

Some like Nimesulide are the most dangerous because they can cause toxic liver failure among others. Most developed countries have banned them but in some countries it’s a different story.

Another common painkiller like Ibuprofen is to be avoided during pregnancy because it can cause gastro intestinal bleeding, skin reactions and also peptic ulcers. Pain is a day to day problem and it’s a good thing because it’s a kind of warning mechanism that the body uses to tell you that all is not well inside you. That’s when you should see a doctor to find out the reason for the pain.

And from what sales of OTC drugs show, you are clearly not alone in trying to play doctor. It’s a fallacy that only the uneducated misuse painkillers.

So if you don’t want to land up in a sick bed, think before popping that easy to reach painkiller.

Possible Side effects of painkillers

Aspirin: Intestinal hemorrhage, peptic ulcer, precipitates asthma.

Ibuprofen: Stomach ulcer, vomiting, skin reactions

Novalgin: Blood disorder

Voveran: Liver and kidney damage, water retention leading to high BP

Nimesulide: Toxic liver failure, kidney damage, blood in urine

Paracetamol: None

Fighting A Virus With Antibiotics

Have you ever taken your child to the doctor and been told he has a cold or the flu and the doctor prescribes antibiotics? We often think the doctor knows best so we dash out of the doctor's office to the nearest drug store and purchase the medication hoping our child will improve swiftly. There's only one problem. Antibiotics are ineffective against viruses and doctors know this. So, why do they prescribe them?

As a former health care worker, I've seen countless parents bring their children in with complaints of runny noses, fever, congestion. They insist on the doctor giving them an antibiotic because this is the only defense we generally think will "make us well". Doctors are human too. So, to appease their clients, they often write the prescription and give the kid a sucker and a super hero sticker and send them on their way. When in actuality the only thing that's super about it is the bugs we are assisting in mutating to one day be the super-bacteria of them all- resistant to everything we have to combat them. Yes, there are bacteria around today that are resistant to almost every form of antibiotic we have. In other words, there are some bacterial infections that there's no cure for.

Even as consumers, we purchase antibacterial soaps, lotions and other products that claim to be mega germ fighters. Why? Are the germs we encounter on a daily basis deadly enough to illicit this type of constant safeguard? Or is this another way of exposing relatively harmless bacteria to a product so many times until it is forced to mutate into something bigger, stronger and way more powerful.

Word to the wise - stop abusing antibiotics. If your child has a cold or any type of viral infection, treat the symptoms. There is no cure for the common cold, flu or other viral infections. Treating the symptoms includes: medications to reduce fever, decongestants, antihistamines for runny noses and Grandma's homemade chicken soup. A virus has to pretty much run it's course. Alleviating some of the symptoms so that the child feels better during the course of the virus is the only true remedy.

As far as the antibacterial products that are saturating our market today, the regular products work just as well unless you have some sort of bacterial skin infection or other reason to utilize topical antibacterial products.

Remember, always take antibiotics exactly as directed. Misuse can be just as bad as not using at all. These are powerful drugs that have saved countless lives. Let's continue to keep our family's healthy by making good choices. Here's to your health.

ADHD Medications - Do They Carry Risks for the Heart?

The cardiac risk of the drugs for ADHD have attracted interest recently following the recommendation by the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee of the FDA to include a black-box warning describing the cardiovascular risks of stimulant drugs used to treat this condition. However, this recommendation has subsequently been toned down by the Pediatric Advisory Committee of the FDA.

ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is a disorder mainly diagnosed in school age children. It is characterized by increased activity, an inability to concentrate and poor school performance. Stimulant drugs have been the mainstay of treatment of ADHD. These include amphetamine and related drugs like methamphetamine and methylphenidate (Ritalin).

It is estimated that 2.5 million children now take stimulants for ADHD in the USA. A growing number of adults also take the drug, with a diagnosis of "adult ADHD", which has recently come into vogue. However, the numbers are quite small in Europe and elsewhere.

Now let us come to the crux of the matter. Why are these drugs supposed to cause heart problems?

These stimulant drugs belong to the class of sympathomimetic amines. Cardiovascular effects of these compounds have been well studied. They act by stimulating the sympathetic nervous system and increase heart rate and blood pressure significantly. One study with a commercially marketed formulation showed an increase in systolic BP by about 5 mm Hg in treated adults. Such a rise of BP, argues the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory committee, can cause definite adverse effects on long term therapy.

The induced increase in heart rate also has well-described adverse effects on the heart. Persistent increase in heart rate may induce chronic heart failure as demonstrated in animal models of dilated cardiomyopathy.

The Committee also cites the examples of Ephedra (ma huang), marketed as a dietary supplement and phenylpropanolamine, an over the counter nasal decongestant, which belong to the same class. They have been known to have caused several well publicized adverse effects. Studies have reported that ephedra containing supplements accounted for 64% of the serious adverse reactions to supplements reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, although their sales represented less than 1% of all dietary-supplement sales. A 16-fold increase in the risk of stroke has been reported among women taking phenylpropanolamine as a weight loss drug.

Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory committee studied cases of myocardial infarction, stroke and sudden death in children and adults taking ADHD stimulants which have been reported to the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS). This could represent only a tip of the iceberg as only 1 to 10 percent of serious adverse events are actually reported. Some had evidence of undiagnosed heart disease on autopsy and the documentation was frequently incomplete.

Despite these difficulties, the advisory committee decided to recommend strong preemptive action. Factors which the committee cited as the reason for the action included the tendency of these drugs to raise blood pressure and heart rate, the history of serious adverse effects associated with two drugs of the class (ephedra and phenylpropanolamine) and the rapid increase in exposure,particularly among adults. Though the committee noted important potential benefits of these drugs for certain highly affected children, they felt that the administration of these potent sympathomimetic agents to millions of Americans is inappropriate. The recommendations emphasize more selective and restricted use of these drugs while increasing the awareness of potential hazards.

However, FDA's Pediatric Advisory Committee was of the opinion that adding strong black-box warnings could cause more harm than good and may frighten patients. They, on the other hand, called for new information about health risks on the labels of attention deficit drugs. This would benefit doctors, patients and parents. They said that patients and parents should know about the reports even though it is unclear if the drugs contributed to the problems.

Now, the FDA has to decide on the difficult problem of how to communicate the potential risks associated with ADHD drugs. The FDA will consider both panels' recommendations before making a final labeling decision.

Low Medical Costs - Why People Are Looking At India and Saving Up To 90 Percent

India offers you the opportunity to receive world class healthcare and low medical costs in comparison with those in the US and Europe, get a free holiday into the bargin and still have money left over!

Sounds good? Then read on …

If you want major heart surgery or to get the look of your dreams via cosmetic surgery, or a smile to get you noticed, then India can provide low medical costs and worldclass treatments

The growth of medical tourism

This form of treatment where patients seek care outside of their country of residence is reffered to as medical tourism and is now a multi billion pound industry and growing fast.

Lower medical costs by up to 90%!

Medical tourism is defined as provision of 'cost effective' private medical care in collaboration with the tourism industry for patients needing treatments, where lower medical costs made on treatments fund the cost of a relaxing vacation and in many instances still leave money left over!

Medical tourism has become a growth industry and covers a broad spectrum of medical services. It mixes leisure, fun and relaxation and recuperation with wellness and healthcare.

All healthcare

India covers all medical treatments at lower cost. Many tourists from the developed world go to India for rejuvenation via yoga and other alternative health treatments, but few people consider it a destination for hip replacement, cosmetic or heart bypass surgery.

World class treatment, lower medical costs and the holiday of a lifetime

A combination of world-class medical centres unrivalled expertise at low prices is helping a growing number of Indian corporate hospitals tempt foreign patients

– 500,000 alone in 2005 and this number is growing rapidly!

India is now seen as the major destination for medical tourists seeking lower medical costs and provides an unbeatable combination of world class facilites, world renowned medical expertise and a beautiful country to explore.

Sample lower medical costs

Check out the savings below and you can see why more people than ever are taking advantage of lower medical costs in India.

Treatment US Cost Treatment India

Heart Surgery $30,000 $6,000

Liver Transplant $300,000 $69,000

Orthopedic Surgery $20,000 $6,000

Smile designing $8,000 $1,000

Now the good bit!

Medical tourism offers huge savings and these can provide a holiday for free.

If you have never considered cosmetic surgery in association with seeing elephants and the Taj Mahal then you can now!

India offers something for everyone and is one of the most beautiful and diverse countries on earth.

Think about the above:

You get the treatment you need, take advantage of world class facilities and get a holiday free and maybe have some cash left over.

If it sounds good it is!

Medical tourism is here to stay and India is now the world’s major medical tourism destination for lower medical costs and a whole lot more!

Clinical Trials: Experimentation in Medicine?

I recently saw a patient who was interested in participating in a blood pressure clinical trial. Her main apprehension was that her daughter did not want her to be experimented on.

I proceeded to explain to her the typical sequence of events that would have occurred if she consulted me for her blood pressure problem in my medical office:

1. I check my watch before entering the exam room.

2. I calculate 8 minutes to solve the problem; since I am already an hour behind schedule and have 20 unanswered phone calls waiting for me.

3. I check the blood pressure that the nurse took, then listen to her heart and lungs.

4. I run to the drug sample cabinet, select a sample antihypertensive medication, and return to the exam room.

5. I tell her to try the medication, call if she has any problems, and schedule a return visit in one month.

I then explained the sequence of events that would occur in the clinical trial she was interested in :

1. She first reads an informed consent that explains the entire clinical trial, including any risks or potential side effects.

2. After reading the consent, I sit down with her to make sure she understands everything and to answer any questions.

3. She then undergoes a complete medical history, complete physical exam, electrocardiogram, and blood work.

4. After the results of her studies come back, I review them with her and check all the results against the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the clinical trial to make sure it is safe for her to participate.

5. If everything checks out, she is given the clinical trial medication and a follow-up visit is scheduled for one week.

6. She is told to call with any concerns or problems in the interim.

The decision making process in the first scenario takes about 5 minutes. In the second scenario, the patient is evaluated by me and the nursing staff for approximately 2 hours before the decision to administer the blood pressure medication is made.

I left my medical practice years ago to do full-time research so that I could stop experimenting with patients and spend the proper amount of time with them, like I did before managed care changed medicine.