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.

Free Clinics Medical Treatment

Many individuals work full-time with no benefits, cannot afford medical insurance on their own or simply are unable to find a job that offers medical care. For many, free clinics are their only chance for medical treatment. Available to both children and adults, free clinics are located throughout the United States and commonly found in largely populated cities. Smaller, local free clinics are found in virtually every area and are the only forms of medical treatment for some children and their families.

The lack of medical insurance is a problem that affects many workers. When an unfortunate event arises, such as a sudden illness or injury, it can wipe out a family’s savings instantly. While free clinics primarily offer general care and not surgical procedures, they are essential in helping the patient to determine if more extensive medical treatment may be required. In addition to testing, free clinics may also provide check-ups, immunizations and other common medical procedures.

The best way to locate free clinics is to inquire with the local health department as to the nearest facility. As patients can expect, free clinics are very busy. As such, appointments are typically recommended if at all possible. In the case of an emergency, free clinics may be able to assist a patient or may direct them to the nearest emergency care facility. Early appointments are preferred with patients calling ahead at least one week in advance in order to confirm treatment. In the case of a sudden cold or flu onset, some free clinics have the ability to accept patients on a walk-in basis. This is completely dependant upon the schedule and the number of patients with appointments, but there is always the possibility of receiving treatment as a walk-in patient.

The treatments provided at free clinics are often those conducted by qualified medical students, who are under close supervision by a licensed medical doctor. In exchange for the educational experience to students, a number of medical schools provide free clinics to patients without medical insurance or the income to afford paid medical care.

The information in this article is to be used for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be used in conjunction with, or in place of, professional medical advice. Patients who feel that they require ongoing care, which free clinics may not be able to provide, should consult their nearest hospital or medical center for proper diagnosis and treatments of their ailment.

A Guide to Testosterone Prescriptions and Side Effects

Testosterone prescriptions are most commonly written by doctors for men with testosterone deficiencies caused by andropause or other conditions. Testosterone is a hormone produced by the body and deficiencies cause symptoms such as decreased sex drive, fatigue and moodiness.

These symptoms can be caused by other conditions and even when testing shows that testosterone levels are lower than normal, testosterone supplementation does not always alleviate the symptoms and may inhibit the body’s natural ability to produce testosterone. This is just one known side effect.

Testosterone produced by the body causes muscles to grow and strength to increase.

At one time, testosterone prescriptions were written commonly for many conditions. It was praised as a miracle drug. Weight lifters, body-builders and other professional athletes used testosterone and other anabolic steroids for years to enhance their ability and performance.

When testosterone side effects became known doctors stopped prescribing it except in cases where the body’s ability to produce testosterone had been damaged by injury or disease and athletes could only obtain it illegally.

Now, once again, a growing number of testosterone prescriptions are being written. Drug companies seeking FDA approval, use test groups to study the effectiveness and common side effects of drugs. In 19% of the patients in the original group for one of the testosterone gels, a prostrate disorder was reported and one developed prostrate cancer.

Other testosterone side effects reported include acne, hair loss, depression, moodiness, swelling in the arms and legs, gynecomastia (breast growth in males), breast pain, high blood pressure, decreased libido and nervousness. Gynecomastia is said to occur frequently.

The companies who make prescription testosterone warn that prolonged use can cause liver damage and cancer. They advise that some patients may develop sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is when a person stops breathing during sleep.

They further advise doctors to continuously monitor patient’s testosterone levels, prostrate size and perform other follow-up tests. They advise patients to inform their doctors if they experience any of the listed testosterone side effects.

Testosterone prescriptions and testosterone side effects is the subject of some debate among health care professionals and scientists, with the supporters maintaining that the positive effects outweigh the risks and the critics saying that there are other less hazardous options.

Plant Sterols a Solution for Lowering LDL Cholesterol

Plant sterols or stanols are synthesized only by the plants and they very similar in structure to human cholesterol. Stanols differ structurally from cholesterol by a methyl or ethyl group in their side chains that are not produced in the human body. These structural differences make them minimally absorbable by intestine. On the other hand, plant sterols generate an inhibition of cholesterol absorption.

Because many specialist claim that stanols can help reduce LDL cholesterol, manufacturers now begin fortify certain foods with these substances found in plants. The necessary amount of daily plant sterols for getting results is at least 2 grams. Fortified foods such as margarines and orange juices don't appear to affect levels of triglycerides or of "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Nor do they interfere with the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E and K) At the same time, studies concluded that the addition of plant sterols in foods helped further lower total cholesterol. Clinicians evaluated a nearly 10 percent reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (LDL is called "bad" cholesterol).

Until then, long-term studies conformed absence of adverse effects in all individuals ingesting plant sterol esters. Therefore these products should be used for adult conditions requiring lowering of total and LDL cholesterol levels. However their use as a dietary addition in moderate to severely hypercholesterolemic children can be considered if the fat-soluble vitamin status is close monitored.

Recently, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis made a pill containing plant sterols. They suggests that this pill might be effective. and more safety.

Should You Take Prescription Medication For Anxiety Attacks?

Are you considering taking prescription medication to help “cure” the symptoms of your anxiety attacks? Let’s face it, we’ve all the seen the commercials from the various drug companies promising a simple “cure” for your anxiety attacks by taking prescription medication.

Here’s what they don’t tell you:

1. Prescription medications mask the root problem of your anxiety attacks. Yes, you may have temporary relief of your symptoms but your anxiety attacks started for a reason. You need to discover the root problem in order to find the solution as to why your body is reacting with an anxiety attack instead of covering it up with medication.

2. Prescription medications are addictive, which can mean a long, agonizing withdrawal period when you want to get off them. You have to wean yourself off gradually and this process can cause your anxiety attack symptoms to worsen or other side affects to occur before you are completely off the prescription medication.

3. After long-term use of the prescription medication, you may find that you need higher doses in order to keep the medication functioning. You may end up returning to your doctor repeatedly, only to have him increase your dosage, or worse, prescribe a stronger medication for you.

The remarkable part about these drug prescription commercials is the disclaimer they ramble off quickly near the end listing the side affects that some of these prescription drugs can produce. Are you truly prepared to risk your long-term health by taking these prescription medications?

The commercials make the “cure” sound so wonderful: take a pill and all your anxiety attack symptoms will be gone. It’s very tempting to be seduced into a quick-fix. However, you should take a pro-active approach and do further research before you buy into these so-called “cures”. There is massive information available on the internet about anxiety disorders as well as on specific prescription drugs and their side-effects.

You should know that natural remedies do exist such as Chamomile tea or St. John’s Wort for relief of some anxiety attack symptoms. Moreover, you may find that an appointment with a Naturopathic doctor or a Hypno-Therapist to be a more natural solution than a visit to your family physician and his trusty prescription pad.

Be an informed anxiety attack patient. Do your research and find the natural cure that will work for you over the long term without the harmful side-effects. Anxiety attacks are 100% curable; you only need to find the natural solution that is right for you.

Seven Toxic Effects of Drug Companies

I'm the first to admire the strengths and virtues of the free-enterprise model as it applies to drug development and sales. This model encourages drug companies to employ talented people and to take risks in developing new drugs for serious medical problems. But let's face it, current practices also produce undesirable effects.

1. When their drug that was wonderful last month is suddenly no good.

It's been entertaining to watch the drug companies suddenly come up with new, patentable variations of their drugs just when their old patents are expiring. For example, since the 1970s, the Abbott company has been doing a dance with different formulations of valproic acid (used for seizures, migraines and bipolar disorder). At first, the brand name was Depakene, but when that patent ran out, Depakene was suddenly no good any more, and Depakote (just barely different enough to be patentable) was the only drug one should think of. Then when Depakote's patent ran out, suddenly it wasn't any good, either. Now Depakote ER (extended release) is the only way to fly.

This approach of reworking the old drug into longer-acting formats has worked for other drug companies, too. For example, GlaxoSmithKline has gone through the same dance with their formulations of bupropion for depression, evolving from Wellbutrin to Wellbutrin SR (sustained release) to Wellbutrin XL (extended release). Wyeth, seeing a good thing, followed the same path with venlafaxine antidepressant, going from Effexor to Effexor XR (extended release). It's just an amazing coincidence how these new, suddenly-better drugs emerge just when the old drugs expire and face generic competition.

2. When they make us forget that the older drugs work just fine.

Since 1954 we've had effective anti-psychotic drugs to treat schizophrenia, but beginning in the 1990s a series of new anti-psychotics emerged, now called the "atypical" or "novel" anti-psychotics. Suddenly, the older drugs -- all generic and therefore reasonably priced -- were no good. Only the new, patented anti-psychotics were any good and one might even be guilty of malpractice if one prescribed an older drug (or continued prescribing one to a patient who seemed to be doing fine). Indeed, a generation of new psychiatrists cycled through training programs with this concept in mind, rarely writing a prescription for an older drug.

The alleged superiority of the newer drugs was tested in the recently completed CATIE (Clinical Antipsychotic Trials in Intervention Effectiveness) study and found to be absent. The study compared four newer drugs to an older drug, perphenazine, and the differences in outcome were minimal to none.

3. When they draw attention away from non-medication treatments.

Drug companies sell drugs. Therefore, when it comes to marketing their products, they have no interest in promoting -- or even mentioning -- non-drug treatments. There are no salespeople making the rounds of doctors' offices to remind physicians of the rigorously proved benefits of stress management training for migraine and tension-type headaches, or of cognitive-behavioral counseling for depression.

4. When they hook us on samples.

Doctors' offices receive samples of patented (high mark-up) drugs and not of unpatented (low mark-up) drugs. Therefore, patients are steered toward the expensive drugs by means of these "loss-leaders."

5. When they shape medical practice.

Drug companies aggressively court the thought-leaders, like faculty members at medical schools, with financial perks such as impressive fees for speaking engagements. They also subsidize medical publications. The effects of these marketing activities on medical practice are not necessarily beneficial to patients.

For example, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is an expensive clot-dissolving drug approved for use in stroke patients. Its benefits are modest and its risks are real (brain hemorrhage and death). Thoughtful clinicians might reasonably conclude that the benefits of administering tPA do not outweigh the risks. But this is not the message that comes from many thought-leaders and publications. Instead, the implication is that administering this drug is a standard of care, and omitting it constitutes malpractice.

6. When the sales reps push unapproved uses.

Recently, a Pfizer sales rep told me that his company's drug, pregabalin, is effective in preventing migraine. He shouldn't have said that. Pregabalin is FDA-approved for treatment of epilepsy and nerve-pain, but not migraine. Although physicians in the U.S. are allowed to prescribe drugs for "off-label" uses, drug companies are prohibited from advertising their drugs for non-approved uses. In fact, Pfizer got in trouble for pushing another drug, gabapentin, for unapproved uses.

7. When doctors don't think critically about what they're doing.

This, strictly speaking, isn't a deficiency of the drug companies. But because the only salespeople that doctors see are for expensive, branded drugs, the names of less expensive (or more effective) alternatives may not come to mind when prescriptions are written.

Botox: A Promising Therapy Against Neuromuscular Disorders

Botox is widely known therapy for treatment of strabismus, blepharospasm, cervical dystonia, severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis and glabellar lines.

Botox® is in fact, a popular brand name owned by Irvine, California based American company Allergan, Inc. Allergan is a globally known and esteemed pharmaceutical company that produces eye care, skin care and neuromuscular treatment products. The pharma actually sells the potent neurotoxin, Botulinum toxin type A, under the brand name Botox.

Botox and Botrox Cosmetic got the U.S. FDA’s nod for treatment of strabismus, blepharospasm, cervical dystonia, severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis and glabellar lines respectively in 1989.

Botrox Cosmetic has shown brilliant success against moderate to severe glabellar lines associated with corrugators and/or procures muscle activity in adult patients. Glabellar lines are the frown lines between the eyebrows appeared to soften following treatment for eye muscle disorders.

Botox has had a great success as an effective treatment for Cervical Dystonia, Strabismus, Blepharospasm and Severe Axillary Hyperhidrosis.

Cervical Dystonia (CD) is the neuromuscular disorder that belongs to disorders known as focal dystonias. The CD in its severe form can cause abnormal head position and severe neck pain. It’s also known as spasmodic torticollis.

Strabismus is the disorder of crossed eyes. It is a neuromuscular disorder that causes a deviation in alignment of one eye from the other. It can occur gradually or rapidly in adults. Esotropia and Exotropia are two forms of Strabismus. The Esotropia (convergent strabismus) causes the eyes to turn towards the nose and Exotropia (divergent strabismus) causes the eyes to turn away from the nose. The eyes may also turn up and down.

Blepharospasm in simple words is an uncontrollable blinking. It is a neuromuscular disorder related to dystonia including essential blepharospasm or VII nerve disorder in patients 12 years of age and above. It affects the muscles that control eyelid movement and causes uncontrollable blinking. Its severe form can cause functional blindness.

Severe Axillary Hyperhidrosis in simple words is the severe underarm sweating. The condition involves hyperactive sweat glands that cause over-sweating.

In the beginning the botox therapy was used in the treatment of certain ophthalmic movement disorders, but presently it’s been used quite commonly against many therapeutic neuromuscular disorders, pain related to cosmetic facial aesthetics. Its use in the treatment of migraine headaches (chronic headache and chronic musculoskeletal pain) has considerably increased.

The researchers reckon that ‘botulinum toxin type A', can potentially be used to treat urinary incontinence, anal fissure, spastic disorders associated with injury or disease of the central nervous system including trauma, stroke, multiple sclerosis, or cerebral palsy and focal dystonias affecting the limbs, face, jaw, or vocal cords. There’re also evidences that botrox can help in weight loss by increasing the gastric emptying time, but the FDA hasn’t given green signal yet.

Forget The Cure For Cancer, Heart Disease, Alzheimer, Or Diabetes. Unless...

If you want a cure for cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer, or diabetes, don't count on the academia, the National Institute of Health (NIH), or the biotech/pharmaceutical industry. With all the money they have spent on researching these diseases, they have very little to show for it.

In 1971, during the State of the Union address, President Nixon declared the war on cancer proposing "an intensive campaign to find a cure for cancer." Since 1971, Americans spent, through taxes, donations, and private R&D, about $200 billion in inflation-adjusted dollars. This money produced 1.56 million papers on cancer. Yet, today we are no closer to a cure than we were in 1971. Why?

Consider what Dr. Almog said in his paper: Drug Industry in "depression" (Almog, D. Drug industry in "depression". Med Sci Monit. 2005 Jan;11(1):SR1-4, I would urge you to read his paper, it's an eye opener on relationship between academic research and commercial drug discovery): "When the basic science/biology of disease is not available, no new drugs come to market." With the billion of dollars spent by the NIH on basic science, and the millions of papers published on the topic, the question is, "Why isn’t the basic science/biology of disease available? Individual discoveries in the biology of human disease are cornerstone in new treatments. However, in drug discovery, these basic science/biology discoveries are seemingly unrelated dots. To connect the dots you need a theory. The Blind Men and the Elephant is a famous story about six blind men encountering an elephant for the first time. Each man, seizing on the single feature of the animal, which he appeared to have touched first, and being incapable of seeing it whole, loudly maintained his limited opinion on the nature of the beast. The elephant was considered a wall, a spear, a snake, a tree, a fan or a rope, depending on whether the blind men had first grasped the creature’s side, tusk, trunk, knee, ear or tail. The story epitomizes the problem of the reductionist approach in biology. A recent book Microcompetition with Foreign DNA and the Origin of Chronic Disease, by Hanan Polansky [11], presents an alternative. The book identifies the disruption that causes atherosclerosis, cancer, obesity, osteoarthritis, type II diabetes, alopecia, type I diabetes, multiple sclerosis, asthma, lupus, thyroiditis, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, graft versus host disease, and other chronic diseases, and describes the sequence of events that leads from the disruption to the molecular, cellular, and clinical effects."

What are the implications of the NIH failure? A decline in the number of new drugs introduced by pharmaceutical companies. Consider what professor Taylor says in his paper: Fewer new drugs from the pharmaceutical industry (Taylor D. Fewer new drugs from the pharmaceutical industry. BMJ. 2003 Feb 22;326(7386):408-9): "In 2002 spending on medicines exceeded $400bn (£248bn; 377bn) worldwide. Optimists in the pharmaceutical industry believe that the global market for their products will go on expanding by around 10% a year, with the United States continuing to lead towards higher per capita outlays. Expenditure on research by the pharmaceutical industry is also increasing worldwide. It is now over $45bn a year---twice the sum recorded at the start of the 1990s---and projected to rise to $55bn by 2005-6. Concerns are growing, however, about the productivity of research being funded by the major pharmaceutical companies. ... Empirical evidence indicates a crisis in productivity in pharmaceutical research. The number of medicines introduced worldwide that contain new active ingredients dropped from an average of over 60 a year in the late 1980s to 52 in 1991 and only 31 in 2001. The overall number of new active substances undergoing regulatory review is still falling."

On the one hand, the expenditure on research is increasing. On the other, the number of new drugs is decreasing. The professionals call this situation the productivity crisis in drug discovery.

Phentermine Diet Pills Save You From Obesity

Overweight and Obesity some times become life threatening. In spite of this one half of American population is overweight. Even children and teenagers are not spared.

Actually, tendency to be overweight and obese begins during childhood. These over weight children start to gain more weight during their teenage as they grow up and become unbearably overweight when they become young. Being overweight, when they reach their middle age, they become disease prone. Lot of studies has been carried out regarding the tendency to be overweight for American children.

Uncontrolled food habit and tremendous dependence on fast food along with cola drinks found to be one of the major causes for these maladies.

Doctors are regularly warning us against becoming overweight. But who cares?

However, Pharmaceutical units are nor sitting idle. They are spending millions of dollars in search for effective and sustainable medicine against overweight and obesity with minimum side effects. As a result, a number of very much effective Weight Loss Drugs have come out for rescue of the overweight persons.

Thanks to the continuous advertisements of these Diet Pills, people are becoming conscious and at present there is a craze to be slim with these Diet Pills.

Why is this craze for weight loss drugs? The other weight loss means are not that attractive generally to common persons as they include either or all of rigorous exercise, very much controlled diet and leaving all bad habits like smoking, uncontrolled drinking etc. But every one knows, that a habit once adopted is very difficult to abandon. Similarly if we are habituated to excess eating, it is difficult to avoid, as the systems in the body has adopted to it and urge for food is more for these overeating persons.

So what is the way out? If some how we were satisfied with low eating, our body weight might have reduced due to less eating! There are miracle oral drugs, which are doing the same thing and are called Appetite Suppressant.

Phentermine Diet Pills are very much popular Appetite Suppressant Diet Pills, which has proven itself to be very much effective for one’s weight loss programs.

Adipex is one of the popular brand weight loss drugs of Phentermine group Didrex and Ionamine are also Phentermine group of diet pills. Remember, all Phentermine Diet Pills are prescription drugs and a doctor should always be consulted before going for Phentermine Diet Pills. You should avoid hazardous and complicated work like driving, operating machinery etc. when you are under treatment for weight loss with any of the Phentermine Diet Pills.

Also, there are some side effects of taking Phentermine Diet Pills like dizziness, blurred vision etc.

In my opinion, if the obesity level reaches a danger level but the body is suitable in other way to adopt Phentermine Diet Pills, it can be taken as short-term use in order to get some immediate relief from the danger of overweight and / or obesity. The weight loss drug, if taken under advice of a doctor, will be really a savior when the obesity and over weight are at a danger level.

However, in order to continue the weight loss program for weight loss, one should follow an extensive weight loss program which will consist of controlled and balanced diet along with regular required exercise supplemented by Phentermine Diet Pills like Adipex or Didrex, Ionamine etc.

Tourette's Syndrome Helped by Video Dialogue

Tourette’s syndrome is a neurological movement disorder named after Georges Gilles de la Tourette, the French physician that first described it. Gilles de la Tourette’s first interest was in the hyperstartle syndrome that was reported in some patients who would startle excessively in reaction to a surprising stimulus. If they were given a verbal command at the same time they would automatically obey the command, often repeating it simultaneously (echolalia). He did not find patients with hyperstartle but did collect a group of patients with tics and abnormal vocalizations.

He described a genetic syndrome of tics and echolalia (the repetition of words or phrases uttered by others) that began in childhood and affected males more often than females. The simple motor tics consist of movements such as eye blinking, mouth twitching, eye turning, head jerking, shoulder shrugging, hand jerking, sudden tightening of stomach muscles, and kicking movements. Many complex motor tics such as squatting, hopping backward, or spinning around while walking give the appearance of having a purpose

Some complex vocal tics seem to express a mind of their own devoted to humiliating the person. Coprolalia, the utterance of obscene or objectionable words and phrases and copropraxia, making involuntary obscene gestures, often appear to be deliberate self-abasement. Complex motor tics may appear self-abusive or self-mutilating.

The seemingly intentional behavior of complex tics may represent a variant of dissociation that is entirely due to a physical pathology. Dissociative symptoms usually express mental disorders and one such condition, dissociative identity disorder (DID), shows alterations of identity that often generate deliberate self-abasement and self-mutilation. Self-abusing behavior in DID patients can be addressed by a method of dialogue between parts of the person. These individuals often spontaneously experience inner dialogue with their parts. If this dialogue is externalized the self-abusing behavior can be discussed and negotiated toward resolution. This can be done by written dialogue with each participant taking turns and not interrupting. Video dialogue in which the messages are recorded and replayed in turn is not as easy but can be more effective.

Even though the dissociation of Tourette’s arises from a physical disorder the unwanted behavior can be discussed and subjected to negotiation between the person and the brain’s self-abusing agent. The following case example used video dialogue.

Case Example: This 28-year-old woman had suffered from symptoms of Tourette’s syndrome since early childhood but it was not diagnosed until age 24 because her tic symptoms were attributed to epilepsy. She had serious convulsions (grand mal and petit mal) that were not controlled until she was finally put on anti-convulsant medication at age 19. Her Tourette’s syndrome was manifested as compulsive blinking of her eyes, gritting of her teeth, nasal sniffing and snorting, episodes of throwing objects (dinner plates) and since age 13 or 14 episodes of explosive anger. In recent years she had symptoms of head bobbing and hitting her head with her right hand.

She denied hearing voices but she readily agreed to a video dialogue with the part of herself that could control the tics. In the video dialogue she heard a male voice. When she spoke for the voice it sounded very reasonable and benign and agreed to help her limit the tics to evening hours when she was home. She reported a 50% reduction in tics following the first video dialogue. She was unable to come to the clinic regularly due to distance and transportation problems but she came in every few weeks or months whenever her symptoms worsened for refresher dialogues.

Medical Health Care Information - Preventing Hospital Infections

Hospital spread infections are on the rise. There are many reasons for this ever increasing epidemic, and it is going to be up to each one of us to protect ourselves.

Let's face it, many hospitals are under staffed, making it harder for the nurses and doctors to perform all of their duties in a safe and practical manner.

Sure, you will always have those that do not perform their duties to the fullest making neglect another reason it is imperative that you take charge of your healthcare. You need to have some say so in how your treatments are managed, especially when mistakes could cripple or even kill you or your loved one.

The Centers For Disease Control reports that 2,000,000 patients will be affected by hospital spread infections. The sad part is that over 90,000 will die. You go to the hospital to get well not to get sick.

Awareness of the problem is the key to defending yourself. Once you are aware, then you need to act. Act by gaining knowledge on how to protect yourself or your loved ones.

You must know the basic methods for maintaining the proper care of your I.V. It all starts with proper hygiene. Proper handwashing is mandatory if we are to fight these infections. Do not, let any one at all come into your hospital room without first washing their hands. This must be done with an alcohol based cleanser or one approved by the hospital, and hands need to be washed for at least 30 seconds. This may sound like unnecessary precautions, but if it will keep you from extra days in the hospital or crippling side effects, it is worth it.

Did I mention that you must take charge? Do not go to the hospital and feel intimidated. Who pays if you get an infection that makes you miss work, keeps you away from your family, keeps you from getting on with your life? You do, your employer does, your family suffers, insurance companies will raise rates to make up for the extra expenses, which means we all pay in the long run.

Make your I.V. your lifeline not your deathline. Sterile technique must be used before and I.V. is installed and anytime it is accessed. Have your doctors and nurses write in your chart to use sterile techniques. Hang signs on your door telling all who enter to wash their hands first. These are very simple measures to insure that you get in, get out, get on with your life.

Take charge now before it is too late. Your actions may reduce pain and suffering, and most of all may save a life.

Arm yourself with the necessary weapons needed to fight infections. Discover how to help your child through the traumatic experience of getting an I.V. Learn how to take charge and have some say so in your health treatment. You have been made aware of a serious problem, how will you react? React now to avoid becoming a victim.

Fight back do not lay down. Stand your ground, do not let infections ruin your life.