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Posts Tagged ‘remedies’

INTRODUCTION: Endometriosis is when the kind of tissue that normally lines the uterus grows somewhere else and is more common in infertile compared to fertile women, but the condition usually does not fully prevent conception.

The condition is estimated to affect over 1 million females (estimates range from 3 percent to 18 percent of women) in the USA. Endometriosis has a prevalence rate of 20-50 percent in infertile women (Rawson, 1991; Strathy, 1982; Verkauf, 1987) and as high as 80 percent in females with chronic pelvic pain (Carter, 1994).

It can affect any woman, from premenarche to postmenopause, regardless of her race, ethnicity or whether or not she has had a child. In postmenopausal women it is an extremely aggressive form of the disease characterized by complete progesterone resistance and abnormally high levels of aromatase expression.

Endometriosis can trigger inflammatory responses leading to scar formation and adhesions and may spread to the cervix and vagina or to areas of a previous surgical abdominal incision.

SYMPTOMS: Symptoms of endometriosis can include (but are not limited to):Painful, sometimes disabling menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea); pain may get worse over time (progressive pain), Chronic pain (typically lower back pain and pelvic pain, also abdominal), Painful sex (dyspareunia), Painful bowel movements (dyschezia) or painful urination (dysuria), Heavy menstrual periods (menorrhagia), Nausea and vomiting, Premenstrual or intermenstrual spotting (bleeding between periods), Infertility and subfertility.

Symptoms seem to worsen with time, though cycles of remission and reoccurrence are the pattern in some cases. Some women have no symptoms at all while others with mild disease and symptoms may simply be monitored.

TREATMENTS: Treatments depends on how bad the symptoms are, the severity of the problem, the woman’s desire to have children in the future, how old she is, and can be extended up to 1 year if small amounts of estrogen and progresterone are slowly given to decrease bone weakening and side effects. Treatment with hormones aims to stop ovulation for as long as possible and can sometimes force endometriosis into remission during the period of treatment and sometimes for months or years afterwards.

Because of the effects on bone density, treatment with anti-gonadotropin drugs is normally limited to 6 months. Women with a strong family history of endometriosis may consider taking oral contraceptive pills, since this may help to prevent or slow down the development of the condition. Make an appointment with your MD if signs occur, or if back pain or other symptoms return after treatment.

SURGERY: Surgery is usually the best choice for women with endometriosis who have a severe amount of growths, a great deal of pain, or fertility problems. Surgery (either laparoscopy or laparotomy) is usually only performed on women with severe endometriosis, including those with adhesions and infertility problems.

Surgery through the laparoscope (called operative laparoscopy) is rapidly replacing major abdominal surgery in the USA. The aim of surgery is to remove or destroy all of endometriosis-related tissue and adhesions, and restore the pelvic area to as near to normal as possible. In rare cases, nerve removal (neurectomy) may be carried out during surgery to further relieve the pain associated with the condition.

CONCLUSION: Endometriosis is a condition caused by excessive estrogen created each month in the female body, and is seen primarily during the reproductive years and is thought to be an auto-immune condition. If the immune system is compromised with a food intolerance, then removing that food from the diet can, in some people, have an effect. Endometriosis can cause pain and bleeding, particularly before and during menstrual periods, but may cause no symptoms at all.

It is said to affect about 10 to 15% of menstruating women aged 25 to 44 and seems to occur less often in women who have had several pregnancies, who use low-dose oral contraceptives, or who exercise regularly (especially if they started before age 15, exercise more than 7 hours a week, or both). The right diet can provide the key to good health in overcoming the disease.

Should you or someone you care about have endometriosis, it is important to research the condition as much as possible. Screening for the disease ought be considered if your mother or sister has been diagnosed with it or if you are unable to become pregnant after trying for one year. The only sure method to confirm an endometriosis diagnosis is by laparoscopy.

INTRODUCTION: Cold sores are tiny and somewhat painful blisters that often appear on or around a person’s lips and are produce by the herpes simplex virus-1 (or HSV-1). The sores – aka “fever blisters” – are quite different from canker sores, a condition people often associate them with. They are very contagious and remain that way until the blisters scab over, and sometimes even afterwards.

Fever Blisters can appear singular or in little grape like bunches, and are sometimes filled with liquid. They normally depart on their own within seven to ten days after their first appearance.

HERPES: Herpes simplex virus type 1 (“HSV1″) normally only infects those body tissues that lie “above the waistline” and it is the virus that creates cold sores in most cases. Herpes simplex is not curable, but may lie dormant for long periods of time.

Signs and symptoms may not begin until as long as 20 days after exposure, and usually last seven to 10 days. The real cause of the sores is the virus creating new virus on the edge of your lip and/or nose.

Home treatments are often your best form of action against the painful and unsightly sores. On occasions, if the cold sores are making a child ill, a Physician may prescribe a special medicine that fights the virus.

The Majority of people become infected with the herpes simplex virus during their preschool years, most likely from eating or drinking after someone who has it or getting kissed by an adult with the virus, but not everyone who gets the virus develops sores.

SYMPTOMS: Symptoms are normally most severe 8 hours after an outbreak and can include: tingling of the lips, small blisters on the lips and mouth that increase in size, burst, then crust, over itching and irritation of the lips and mouth, soreness of the lips and mouth. Symptoms may be very painful and create a great deal of embarrassment.

At the beginning the infection may produce no signs or mouth ulcers. The first signs of a fever blister usually occur within one or two weeks — and as late as three weeks — after contact with an infected person. Untreated, the signs will generally decrease in 1 to 2 weeks. drugs given by mouth may reduce the course of the symptoms and decrease the pain.

TREATMENTS: Cold sore remedies are of a great interest for all of us who suffer those painful and irritating fever blisters. For the majority of kids, the sores go away on their own without any special care from a Physician.

While they cannot be cured, if signs are severe, treatment may help ease some of the pain and discomfort. Most treatment options are focused on decreasing the discomfort and pain and reducing the length of the outbreak. Some options can even help prevent the blisters from forming. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, see your MD. A licensed MD should be consulted for diagnosis and care of any and all medical conditions.

CONCLUSION: Cold sores, aka “fever blisters,” are painful, unsightly mouth sores that are produced by an outbreak of the herpes simplex virus and are not a sign of a newly acquired herpes simplex infection, but instead a re-activation of herpes virus particles already existing in your body. They are usually found either: On or at the edge of a your lip and occasionly indicate a deficiency in Calcium.

Cold sores also known as fever blisters are very common and also very contagious. If they are not taken care of properly, they can create bacterial skin infections. If you have them, it’s important to see your Physician IF: you have another health condition that has diminished your immune system, the sores don’t heal by themselves within seven to ten days, you get cold sores frequently.

INTRODUCTION: Constipation is defined as having a bowel movement fewer than 3 times per week and is one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints in the US. It is a symptom, not a disease and occurs when the colon absorbs too much water or if the colons muscle contractions are slow or sluggish, causing the stool to pass through the colon too slowly. It affects almost everyone at one time or another.

FIBER: The most common causes of constipation are a diet low in fiber or a diet high in fats, such as cheese, eggs, and meats. People who eat a high-fiber diet are less likely to become constipated. Fiber can’t be digested, so it helps clean out the intestines by moving the bowels along, while a diet full of fatty, sugary, or starchy foods can slow the bowels down.

LAXATIVES: Self-treatment with over-the-counter (OTC) drugs is by far the most common aid. Even though people may get relief when they use laxatives, typically they must increase the dose over time because the body grows dependent on laxatives in order to have a bowel movement. As a result,laxatives may become habit-forming. The majority of people who are mildly constipated do not need them. For children, short-term treatment with laxatives, along with re-training to establish regular bowel habits, aids in preventing constipation.

However, for people who have made diet and lifestyle changes and are still constipated, an MD may recommend laxatives or enemas for a short period of time. For most people, ceasing laxatives restores the colons natural ability to contract.

SYMPTOMS: Depending on your diet, age and daily activities, normal bowel movements can mean anything from three bowel movements per day to one every three days. The symptoms are key to helping the doctor determine a diagnosis and treatment. Extensive testing usually is reserved for persons with severe symptoms, for those with sudden changes in the number and consistency of bowel movements or blood in the stool, and older persons.

TREATMENTS: Although treatment depends on the cause, severity, and duration of the constipation, in most cases dietary and lifestyle changes will help relieve symptoms and help prevent them from recurring. If an underlying disorder is the problem, treatment will be directed toward the specific cause. Above all, it is necessary to recognize that a successful treatment program requires persistent effort and time.

CONCLUSION: Constipation is the rare and difficult passage of stool and can lead to complications, such as hemorrhoids produced by extreme straining or fissures created by the hard stool stretching the sphincters. It is a common symptom, but it often remains unrecognized until the person develops sequelae, such as anorectal disorders or diverticular disease. It is the end effect of a number of factors: poor diet, not exercising, motility abnormalities, and anatomic defects, along with the patient’s expectations and psychological factors.

In children it is frequently diet-related, particularly toddlers who are being switched from formula feeds to milk. It is a symptom rather than a disease and is the most common digestive complaint in the United States. Constipation does not occur overnight, and it is not reasonable to expect that it can be relieved overnight.

INTRODUCTION: IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) is a functional bowel disorder of the gastrointestinal tract characterized by reoccuring abdominal pain and discomfort accompanied by alterations in bowel function, diarrhea, constipation or a combination of both, usually over months or years. It exhibits a predominance in women, with females representing over 70 percent of sufferers and can cause cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation. IBS doesn’t damage the bowel or lead to other health conditions. It has no known cure, but you can do things to relieve the symptoms.

SYNDROME: IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome) is a long-term (chronic) but manageable condition. No one type of treatment works best for all. It is a “syndrome,” meaning a group of symptoms. As noted, Irritable Bowel Syndrome is characterized by its symptoms such as continuous or reoccuring lower abdominal pain or cramping (from mild to excruciating) in association with altered bowel motility (diarrhea, constipation, or both).

It’s neccesary that the following diseases are excluded before you accept a diagnosis of IBS: Colon and carcinoid cancer, Inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis), Bowel blockages, Diverticulosis / Diverticulitis, Gallstones, Food allergies, Celiac (a genetic, autoimmune disorder resulting in gluten intolerance), Bacterial infections and small intestine overgrowth of bacteria, Intestinal parasites, Endometriosis, Cancer of the ovaries.

SYMPTOMS: Signs that cumulatively support the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome: abnormal stool frequency (may be defined as more than three bowel movements a day or less than three bowel movements a week), abnormal stool form (lumpy/hard or loose/watery stool), unusual stool passage (straining, urgency, or feeling of incomplete evacuation), passing mucus, bloating or feeling of abdominal distension.

You and your doctor will need to work together to determine what may be causing your symptoms. It may be necessary for you to change your lifestyle to best deal with your symptoms and still carry on with your daily activities.

TREATMENT: Is dependent on the types of symptoms you have and their severity, as well as how they affect your daily activities, and will likely involve changes to your lifestyle. It is neccessary that you work closely with your physician to create a course of treatment that will meet your needs.

Inform your doctor if parts of your treatment are not helping your symptoms. Your MD will give you the best treatments for your particular symptoms and encourage you to control stress and make changes to your diet. Unfortunately, many people suffer from irritable bowel syndrome for a long time before seeking medical treatment.

CONCLUSION: Irritable bowel syndrome affects the colon, or large bowel, which is the part of the digestive tract that stores stool. It can create a lot of discomfort and distress, but it does not permanently hurt the intestines and does not lead to a serious disease, such as cancer. It is usually diagnosed on the basis of a complete medical history that includes a careful description of symptoms and a physical examination.

IBS is running rampant because traditional medicine has no diagnosis for it. For some people who have it, certain foods may trigger symptoms. If you suffer from this problem you may already know that fat can irritate your condition. A diagnosis of IBS has been reported by 10 to 20% of adults in the United States, and symptoms are responsible for over 3 million yearly visits to physicians.

Acupressure is a non-invasive predecessor of acupuncture that has been practiced for more than five thousand years. Acupressure is based on the same points and ideas as acupuncture, but minus the needles. Instead of puncturing the skin with needles, it uses, as the name implies, pressure.

Acupressure works by normalizing the flow of chi or qi (vital energy) along certain meridians, thus balancing the energy within the body to activate its own self-healing abilities. The stimulation of acupoints that are located on meridians releases blocked energy.

What is acupressure good for? It is used for treating a wide variety of ailments, both physical and mental. These include arthritis, asthma, mental illness, anxiety, sinusitis, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, digestive issues, drug detoxification, headaches, weight loss, hypertension, and many, many more.

Acupressure is known to be very effective for relieving everyday aches, pains and stresses. It improves circulation, supports the immune system, improves energy levels and concentration, and is able to restore the whole body to good health. It can be used as a natural way to alleviate many discomforts of pregnancy and childbirth (this is known as labor or maternity acupressure).

Where and when did acupressure originate? It is generally believed that acupressure originated in India and later spread to China and other parts of Asia. The earliest text that mentions meridian based treatments is known as the “Nei Ching”. This is the oldest surviving medical work written some two thousand years ago.

The earliest known evidence of a practice similar to acupressure was found in Europe. The Tyrolian Iceman Otzi, a 5000-year-old mummy found in the Alps in 1991, had more than fifty tattoos on his body, many of which correspond to modern acupuncture points.

Acupressure has been practiced for thousands of years, most commonly in Asia. Today, it is accepted and practiced worldwide. It clearly stood the test of time.