28
Feb/10
0

What’s more effective for muscle pain treatment: massage or Skelaxin?

We have to start with a slight problem of definition. The practice of massage varies significantly between different cultures. In some countries, it is not considered a part of medicine but serves a more social purpose, designed to improve mood and help people relax. In other countries, massage is fully integrated into the healthcare service as one of the many possible processes of physical therapy. In the US, massage would be considered a complementary or alternative medical treatment, i.e. it serves as a back-up to conventional medicine. Thus, when combined with other treatments, massage therapy helps to improve the mobility of joints, reduce swelling, ease muscle spasms and reduce pain. In accepting massage, the US medical profession is recognizing patients can get the best of both worlds: the healing powers of Western science and the more spiritual and relaxing powers of Eastern wellness. Massage is therefore increasingly made available to treat both physical conditions causing neck and back pain, nerve pain, etc., and also mental disorders such as anxiety, stress-related insomnia, etc.

In accepting massage in its hospitals, the US healthcare service is opening itself to the increasing body of scientific evidence showing massage as an effective treatment. Until a few years ago, the medical profession resisted holding clinical trials to test “alternative” remedies. Such studies as existed in other countries were treated with some contempt. Massage was nothing more that an indulgence in high-priced spas. Now the manipulation of the soft tissues by a skilled therapist is acknowledged to reduce physical pain, relieve stress and bring down blood pressure. The methods differ depending on the purpose of the treatment. In general, the therapist will press, manipulate and rub the relevant parts of the body. Most techniques rely on the use of the hands and fingers, but others use the forearm, elbow and, in a few cases, the feet. The pressure may be light and involve gentle stroking. Or it can involve the use of significant pressure to knead and reach down to deep layers of muscle.

If you are experiencing muscle spasms, i.e. an involuntary contraction like cramp that persists, the combination of massage therapy and the use of a muscle relaxant like skelaxin has been found particularly effective. This most commonly occurs in the back, buttocks and legs. It may be from a physical cause such as a herniated disk or sciatica with pain radiating from the nerve. The manipulation of the disk can rapidly reduce pain and improve mobility. As the more acute symptoms are relieved, the drug will ease the problems in the muscles and reduce the risk of further spasms. In the case of sciatica, more aggressive treatment may be required in the use of steroids or, if the pain does not subside, surgery. But, in all this, the therapist will be able to guide you through the process of relieving the acute symptoms and planning a rehabilitation regime to reduce the risk of the problems recurring. At this time, it is most useful if your doctor and the therapist work as a team. That gives you the best advice on the use of prescription painkillers and drugs like skelaxin, while receiving comprehensive physical therapy. It delays treatment and can lead to misunderstandings if you constantly have to move between different hospital or clinic departments.

22
Feb/10
0

The use of painkillers in the US has reached its peak

A recent analysis of the data provided by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has shown that the US citizens today are taking more painkillers like tramadol than ever before throughout the history. The study comprised a ten year period, and since 1997 the was a 90 per cent increase in painkiller medication consumption as reported by hospitals, pharmacies, and individual doctors.

The figures show that in the last year of the study the US population has consumed over 200,000 pounds of such painkillers as codeine, hydrocodone, meperidine, morphine, and oxycodone. If put in per capita perspective that means that every American consumed about 300 milligrams of analgesics.

One of the most used painkillers from that number were those containing oxycodone, which is the active element in the painkiller OxyContin. There was an astronomical increase of 600 per cent in sales in only 8 years of the study. Previously oxycodone was called “hillbilly heroin” because it was primarily traded over the counter in the Appalachia region and used for recreational purposes. However, today it is widely sold in big metropolitan areas from East to West.

Specialists suggest that there is a set of reasons behind such a skyrocketing use of analgesics among US citizens:

  • The nation becomes older in age group proportions.
  • Drugs have become much wider and more aggressively marketed with almost a triple increase in advertising spendings during the last ten years.
  • Painkillers have become the cornerstone of the way the pain is treated and managed nowadays.

The last reason draws up more concerns from the part of professionals. It seems like it’s easier for an individual to take Tramadol pill for example and forget about the pain, rather than address a doctor to see whether there’s a health issue to be concerned with. Not speaking of exercises and improvements in lifestyle. Painkiller pills have become the fast solution for any trouble, but can they stand up with the array of public health issues that may arise in the future due to such tendencies. We’ll see.

22
Feb/10
0

What is erectile dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction (ED) or male impotence as it is usually referred to is a health condition when a man is unable to produce or maintain an erection suitable for successful sexual intercourse. It is not commonly discussed as compared to other health issues, but it is quite common, affecting about 10% of men regardless of age and race.

Common causes of erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction can be caused by a large variety of factors, which may be divided into three main groups:psychological, physical, and pharmaceutical.

1. Psychological factors are the primary cause for ED, and include such conditions as stress, depression, anxiety relationship issues, insomnia, etc. 2. Physical factors causing impotence are connected to the four major health issues:

  • Blood flow influencing conditions such as various heart diseases, blood pressure issues, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, etc. (this factor can be significantly reduced by medications like Cialis)
  • Nervous system issues, such as spinal diseases, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, tumors, etc.
  • Hormonal balance disorders, including hypogonadism, thyroid issues, and Cushing’s syndrome
  • Structural deformations in the penile area, such as Peyronie’s disease, and hypospadias

3. Some medications can cause erectile dysfunction as a side-effect. Usually the effect wears off after you stop taking the drug, so don’t rush taking Cialis or other ED medications if that’s the cause. Here are some of the most common medications know to cause male impotence:

  • Diuretics – these medications are used to induce urination, and are usually prescribed for treating hear failure, high blood pressure, and kidney disease
  • Beta-blockers – these drugs act as anti-hypertension drugs, lowering the blood pressure.
  • Fibrates – medications for reducing cholesterol levels
  • Antipsychotics – these medications are used to treat severe psychiatric disorders
  • Antidepressants – drugs used for treating depression symptoms
  • Steroids – an entire class of medications used to treat a variety of health issues such steroid hormone deficiency, Aids and other conditions causing the decrease in muscle mass
  • Immunosuppressants – drugs used to reduce the activity of the immune system
  • H2-antagonists – medications prescribed for a variety of stomach acid related diseases.
  • Anticonvulsants – drugs used in cases of epilepsy and bipolar disorders
21
Feb/10
0

If in pain, stroke a dog

If you ask any cat or dog owner, they will tell the animals are one of the family. Talk to them for a while and they will strike you as happy and well-adjusted. This might not seem significant but continuing medical research has detected a significant trend. This is not just your neighbor. It’s the majority of people who keep a pet. The most recent piece of research was presented to the International Society of Anthrozoology conference held in Kansas City this October by a team from Loyola University of Chicago.

They were testing the hypothesis that the use of dogs in a hospital environment would represent a beneficial therapy, promoting faster healing and a better rehabilitation following joint replacement surgery. Some of you will be convinced that dogs are the equivalent of plague carriers and believe they should never be allowed into a hopefully relatively sterile hospital. After all, dogs are barred from most eating places. Allowing animals into public spaces is a balancing of risks and benefits. Hospitals are not as clean as we might believe and dogs do not make what is often a bad situation any worse. In fact, their presence is proving to be great therapy and the benefits of admission now significantly outweigh keeping them out.

The team was using a number of dogs specially trained to respond positively to patients. Each animal has been taught some 40 different commands and will respond with behavior likely to soothe a patient or to motive his or her to resume movement. The exploits a fairly common reaction in humans to stroke dogs. Many find the feeling of fingers running on and through fur to be relaxing. When the dogs also appear to show appreciation, bonding takes place quickly and patients feel happier. Pets are stress busters. Even more significantly, this research confirms that patients going through rehabilitation with dogs healed more quickly and used 50% less painkillers than a control group who relied on human therapists for counseling and support. Regular monitoring found the pets lowered the heart rate and blood pressure of their human companions. In every sense, the trial has proved a real success and more hospitals in Chicago are now being introduced to the use of these dogs. The expectation is that more dogs will be required and a training program is being organized.

It’s easy to sneer at research like this, feeling people who get sappy over dogs are strange in all kinds of ways. Yet this research is not unique. There have been many studies with similar findings. The real point of interest in the latest trial is the finding that patients who are not pet owners benefit after only one period of interaction with a dog. The more regular the contact, the better the human’s physical and emotional response. This research does not, of course, suggest people should recover from serious surgery without the use of some painkillers. Tramadol will remain the standard drug for pain management. But the finding that people recover more quickly using less medication is encouraging. No matter how good tramadol, it’s better to use it only over the short term. Having a pet is clearly a good move.

21
Feb/10
0

What is the link between diabetes and erectile dysfunction?

When you visit your doctor to report erectile dysfunction, one of the standard tests you will be given is to determine whether you have diabetes. In fact, this is one of the most common ways in which the first diagnosis of diabetes is made in both men and women. For women, the symptoms are loss of libido, dryness in the vagina, and a loss of sensitivity. Men find it increasingly difficult to get or maintain an erection. In fact, men who have diabetes are up to four times more likely to have erectile dysfunction than other men. If you do not have treatment for the diabetes, the result is damage to the nerve endings and blood vessels in various parts of the body including the penis. Once the damage is sustained, it cannot be repaired. The choice is therefore no choice. Once the diagnosis is made, men should have treatment for the diabetes or end up frustrated and depressed.

Medical science has been making good strides over the last twenty years. There is a better understanding of the process that occurs when diabetes develops. The first stage is for your blood vessels to narrow and then begin hardening. This reduces the flow of blood around the body. In the case of your penis, the result is quick to appear. An erection is formed when the muscle walls of the arteries carrying blood into your penis dilate. Once the walls begin to harden, they cannot dilate and so the erection fails. Secondly, the chemistry of the blood itself changes as sugar levels rise. This prevents the proper release of nitric oxide which is also critical to the formation of an erection. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases estimates up to 85% of men with diabetes may experience some degree of erectile dysfunction. But the situation is not without hope.

The first step is effective control over your blood sugar level. The better the control, the less likely damage to the nerve endings and blood vessels. You should also have a complete review of all the drugs you are taking. Some antidepressants and for reducing high blood pressure can induce erectile dysfunction. As to lifestyle, cut out smoking and come down to just the occasional drink of alcohol. Reduce stress and deal with any sources of anxiety. Begin a program of regular exercise. The better the muscle tone and blood circulation in your body, the stronger your erections. If you exercise regularly, strike a good balance and rest more. Do not overtire yourself. With all this in place, now is the time to consider taking cialis. This is the best of the drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction because its effects last the longest but discuss it with your doctor first. You cannot mix this drug with other medication used to treat high blood pressure and some heart problems. If everything is safe, buy cialis online. You do not need a prescription and you save a truck load of dollars on the price. With a good supply to hand, you can safely resume full activity with the absolute confidence your sexual power will remain on track for years to come. Do not spoil this by ignoring your blood sugar control, smoking or excessive drinking. If the diabetes runs on unchecked, you will become impotent and nothing will save you.

21
Feb/10
0

Time to start doing it like a rabbit

Somewhere in the depths of Wake Forest, something is stirring. For once, it’s a really happy bunny. For some reason, rabbits have been appointed the title of “species of greatest sexual prowess”. When we say, “breed like bunnies”, we recognize the reality long known by farmers. When it comes to filling a field with an eating machine, there’s nothing so productive as a couple of bunnies. They enjoy frequent sex and are healthily fertile. That being so, the boffins of Wake Forest University’s Institute of Regenerative Medicine, have been playing a cruel game with their laboratory rabbits. They have been sexually disabling them and then trying to rebuild the damaged organs. Imagine a long line of strong and lusty bunnies, specially bred for use in laboratories. These white-coated fiends then take scalpels to their penises and render them impotent. Just one slash and sexual desire is abruptly terminated. The reason for this vicious assault? Every year, men with growths in their prostate go under the knife. Regardless whether this is benign or cancerous, the growth must be removed. Once a surgeon cuts through muscles in “that” part of the body, they do not simply grow back. The men may live longer but they live without sexual ability.

You may have seen documentaries about the new science of regeneration. Scientists are now developing the art of growing new organs for implantation into humans. In fact, Wake Forest is in the forefront of this work and has already a program to grow bladders for human implantation. They are now experimenting to see whether the same technique may produce the smooth muscle walls of arteries. An erection is formed when the arteries dilate and allow more blood into the penis. If there is no dilation, there is no erection. There are several possible causes from surgery to the damage resulting from diabetes. The researchers harvest endothelial cells from the muscles and seed the cell culture in a bath of nutrients. As new tissue is formed, it is shaped over a scaffold. Repeated tests prove that muscles, nerve endings and arterial walls can be created and implanted into the castrated bunnies. In 85% of cases, the bunnies then resumed full sexual activity.

Why should we care? As it stands, the current level of technology cannot repair damage to the human penis. The use of cialis can slow the loss of function, but there comes a point when no drug can bridge the gap, i.e. the level of damage is too great. When this happens, the man has no choice but to accept impotence. This consequence deters many men from accepting prostate surgery. They prefer to risk dying from cancer rather than loss of sexual activity. In men over the age of seventy, this is not unreasonable. They are likely to die of natural causes before the cancer gets them. But younger men are gambling with their lives. If this technique can rebuild damaged arterial walls, sexual activity may be restored in many different cases. This is a good justification for continuing with this research. Until the work is proven safe, the best you can do is buy cialis – the best of the drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction, no matter what the cause.