Friday, September 30, 2011

How Do You Deal With Saddle Sores From Cycling?

Cycling is a great activity that can provide hours of enjoyment. Although this is true, there are a number of injuries that can occur from cycling and saddle sores are one of them. Saddle sores are minor skin irritations, kind of like little rashes, that can be quiet uncomfortable and can lead to painful infections. These types of sores are quiet common although they don't need to be.

gel cushions for pressure sores

To help you avoid getting saddle sore from cycling, follow these helpful tips:

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- One of the most important things you can do as a cyclist is get your bike fit by a professional. While you are getting your bike fit you need to also find a seat that is comfortable and fitted correctly. Many triathletes prefer a skinny saddle with a small amount of padding, but not everyone likes this type of seat. Other people find the large, gel-cushioned more preferable than smaller ones. Seats can be found in so many different styles and sizes and all you need to do is find the one that works for you. The other half of finding the right seat is having positioned correctly. If you are not sure how to do this yourself, be sure to have a professional do this for you at your local bike shop.

- While you are cycling you can stand frequently. Standing allows your circulation to flow by stretching your legs and also takes pressure off your body.

- When you are going up and down hills, be sure to adjust your riding position in the saddle.

- When you are purchasing cycling shorts, be sure to by the best that you can afford. There is no substitute for a quality pair of cycling shorts with seamless and comfortable chamois.

- One of the best products that you can buy is a quality lube to prevent chaffing. All you have to do is apply whichever lube you decide to purchase to the areas that are bothering you. It will feel weird at first, but you will learn to love it in over the long-term.

- It should be common sense, but you should only wear a clean pair of cycling shorts. If you only have one pair, be sure to wash them thoroughly and let them dry.

How Do You Deal With Saddle Sores From Cycling?

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Build Bigger Muscles - Supplements for Better Workout Results

Bodybuilding, from the word itself, builds the muscles in the body. In the three levels of exercise, easy, moderate and hard, the exercises of the bodybuilders fall under hard. This is the reason why bodybuilders experience post training soreness.

What is post training soreness? It is the soreness felt after 8-12 hours passed during your workouts. So if you worked out today, you would probably feel sore all over the next day when you wake up. This is considered normal especially for those who do not exercise at all. This is why beginners are advised to take things slowly when they exercise, but with the help of the right supplements you can build bigger muscles faster.

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Most people think that the soreness is due to lactic acid forming in the muscles but this is wrong. Actually, soreness is felt because pressure and force is exerted into the muscles and when this happens, microscopic tears are formed. It sounds painful, yes but the pain that resulted from the tears is different from the pain felt from injuries.

What are the bodybuilding exercises that cause soreness?

All of the exercises actually promote soreness because bodybuilding exercises require weights. Using weights exert pressure on the muscles and this cause more microscopic tears in the muscles. As stated, all exercises promote soreness but it is felt more in bodybuilding exercises because strength training is more rigorous and supplements, such as no2 supplements can help prevent this and help you to build bigger muscles faster.

Post Training soreness is also anticipated by many bodybuilders. They take it as a sign of muscle development. They actually push themselves to the limit until the soreness is felt. But there are also other causes of soreness. Being first timers in exercise routines can promote muscle soreness. Other things that can cause soreness are shifting levels of exercise and wrong positions.

Dealing with muscle soreness

If you can't tolerate the pain anymore, then it would be better to stop and not force yourself. You can prevent muscle soreness by conditioning your body before exercising. Warming up and stretching are two things that you can do to condition your body before you exercise.

You can also help your muscles recover quickly so that it can continue to exercise. Doing so would allow you to pass through your burning stage, the stage where you start to feel sore. Providing the muscles with proper nourishment from a proper diet can help it to recover easily. Try to add nitric oxide supplements to your daily diet which allows for faster muscle recovery and helps build bigger muscles.

The pain you will feel will only be at the beginning. After your body adjusts, you won't feel the pain anymore and you would finally see your muscles developing faster and getting the results you want.

Build Bigger Muscles - Supplements for Better Workout Results

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Fish Oil & Blood Pressure - Think Low Blood Pressure

As the title suggests, when you are taking fish oil blood pressure is normally low, so think low blood pressure. This is because fish oil is a natural blood thinner, and when the blood is thin, it lowers your blood pressure. Your heart can pump the blood through your arteries easier and probably faster. Good is it not. You should not need prescription type drugs to thin your blood when you are taking this oil.

gel cushions for pressure sores

However if you are taking anything at all to thin your blood, please consult your doctor before starting a course of these Omega 3 supplements. My doctor put me on aspirin to thin my blood, but he still allows me to take 2,000mg of this oil per day. I have found that this oil helps me to concentrate more and it also helps my recall function.

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When you are taking fish oil blood pressure is normally low, so you should not have to worry about having a heart attack when you are on this oil. The DHA fatty acid present in the oil works together with the EPA to help prevent heart attacks. The presence of Omega 3 helps to strengthen the hearts electrical system, this prevents heart rhythm abnormalities.

The brain is comprised of some 60% fat, and one half of that is DHA fats. The DHA has the job of keeping us happy. But be very aware, that if our DHA levels ever drop, then we will suffer from periods of depression and swings in our mood. As I have mentioned, fish oil blood pressure is normally low, this should help prevent us from having a stroke.

Please, whatever you do, do not buy an Omega 3 supplement that has not been molecularly distilled to remove the contaminants. The impurities are lead, mercury and the PCBs. This process is the only method of removing these cancer causing PCBs, which take hundreds of years to break down. The oil that will remain after this process will be as pure as you can buy.

Fish Oil & Blood Pressure - Think Low Blood Pressure

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Thursday, September 29, 2011

The Benefits of a Thai Massage

Massage is known to be a therapeutic healing science that people have used for many years in treatment of physical and/or emotional trauma all over the world. There are some who emphasise the danger of massage for those who suffer from severe medical conditions, but most people attest to the benefits and relaxation that the hands-on technique provides. Thai massage is one popular form of this.

A Bit of a Background

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Having been practiced for over a thousand years, Thai massage is a well-known element of Thai medicine. Combining manipulation, medicine, and ritual as well as diet, Thai medicine is rooted in the idea that disease occurs as a result of imbalance throughout the body's energy system. Promoting that balance is the aid that allows for the total healing and rejuvenation of the patient. Thai massage, similar to Shiatsu, is surprisingly gentle compared to other therapies.

The Techniques Unraveled

Because Thai massage is holistic, several techniques must be learned, which are applied in two directions on the energy channels throughout the body.

One such technique is 'blood stopping'; pressure is applied on the leg or arm arteries for about one minute, so that the principal source of circulation is cut out in order to heighten blood pressure, which slows the heart muscle contractions, which then - as the artery is released and the blood supply is restored to the organ - in turn tone down the blood pressure by creating a relaxed state. This is not recommended for those with diabetes or heart issues.

The 'passive' technique is performed by the therapist slowly, at several stages, by stretching and releasing the muscles and joints of the patient. Some other techniques that may be involved in Thai massage are hatha yoga or postures.

The Involvement of Reflexology

'Reflexology' which has also been more simply termed as 'foot massage' is an essential part of Thai massage. Different points on the feet are believed to correspond to specific organs, so treatment of those points can assist in healing those body parts. Enhancement of the energies in the feet is also believed to allow the patient to form a deeper connection with the Earth.

A proper Thai massage can last up to three hours, if performed on the whole body with all of the techniques that this treatment should employ. Ensure that your therapist is licensed and professional, as these techniques if performed improperly can cause damage to your body and mind. Consult your doctor if you have any particular concerns or for a recommendation.

The Benefits of a Thai Massage

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Natural Health Remedies For Sore Throat Relief

Sore throat - the most common contagious viral or bacterial infection... a tickling sensation that becomes sore, frustrating and eventually severely painful. Antibiotics can cure only bacterial sore throats but for viral based infections, antibiotics are of no use. However, natural remedies for sore throat can really do wonders with viral based infections. You will get pain relief usually within an hour or two by using these natural health remedies for sore throats, but sometimes it may take a little more time.

gel cushions for pressure sores

Most natural health remedies boost our body's natural resistance power to combat infections and to support our immune system. To lessen the symptoms of an irritated sore throat and speed the healing, these natural health remedies for sore throat can be easily and effectively used at home.

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1. First of all, increase your liquid intake as it helps to hydrate dry mucous membranes and keeps your throat coated with moisture. Mild, warm and soothing drinks like ginger n honey tea, holly basil n clove tea, decaffeinated coffee, and warm water with lemon and honey are some of the best natural health remedies for sore throats.

2. Use a humidifier in your room as dry air irritates sore throat. Humidifier reduces the irritation by adding moisture to the air.

3. One of the best known natural health remedies for sore throat is gargling. Gargling with a mild mixture of salt or 4-6 drops of grapefruit seed extract and warm water, sage or raspberry leaf tea or other herbal teas, several times a day, will ease sore throat pain, reduce the inflammation and hydrate dry tissues.

4. Some aroma oils like tea tree, geranium, lemon, cypress or bergamot essential oils can be taken as gargles with warm water and to moisten the irritated throat with a spoonful of honey.

5. Vitamin C is also a natural health remedy for sore throat. and is very helpful in speeding up the healing process for sore throat and it is recommended by doctors. Vitamin C enriched fruits like pineapple, oranges, lemons and limes contain natural anti-inflammatory agents and are also natural health remedies for sore throat.

6. Take two or more cloves crushed and two teaspoons of fresh holly basil leaves, then pour boiling water over them and steep for ten minutes. Strain the tea, add some honey and drink it. You can repeat it for a maximum of two to three days.

7. Natural health remedies for sore throat also include using the throat reflex points on your feet and both hands to heal sore throat by applying acupressure acupuncture or reiki techniques.

8. Steam inhalation for some minutes will help you breathe easier if you are feeling difficulty in taking a breath. Put 3 drops of tea tree oil, eucalyptus, rosemary or lavender oils in a bowl of boiling water and inhale deeply for 3-5 minutes.

9. Some of the herbs such as slippery elm, licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), cider vinegar, cedar, scallion, cayenne pepper, sage, honeysuckle flower and marshmallow root are also used as natural health remedies for sore throat.

10. Another natural health remedy for sore throat is a soothing hot cup of barrage tea, anise mint tea, fenugreek seed's tea or a concoction of tea leaves, cinnamon or turmeric powder two or three times a day will also sooth, coat and protect the throat.

Luckily, most of these amazing herbs and natural ingredients are easily available in your home,at local markets or natural health food stores and make natural health remedies for sore throat convenient, easy and affordable.

This article is intended to provide assistance and information to people who are interested in learning more about natural remedies. It should not be used as a basis for any form of diagnosis or treatment for any medical condition. Always seek professional medical advice.

Natural Health Remedies For Sore Throat Relief

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Distinguishing Perineal Dermatitis From a Pressure Ulcer

Can you tell the difference between perineal dermatitis and a pressure ulcer? Distinguishing between the two conditions can be tricky!

Perineal Dermatitis

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Perineal dermatitis can be defined as moisture-associated skin damage and is often the result of urine or fecal incontinence (or both). Patients who wear incontinence pads or briefs may be at higher risk for the condition, as these garments hold moisture against the skin, increasing surface temperature and humidity. These conditions can lead to maceration of the skin.

Perineal dermatitis may show itself as an area of redness on the skin. You may also see scaling of the skin. Papule and vesicle formation may take place. Weeping vesicles may contribute to skin damage. Keeping patients clean and dry is the key to prevention of this condition.

Irritant-Associated Dermatitis

This type of dermatitis is thought to be caused by the skin's prolonged contact with urine and/or stool, which may result in the release of inflammatory cytokines. Signs and symptoms include:

-redness, which may spread to skin folds of the buttocks and inner thighs

-edema

-blistering

-skin erosion

-weeping

-itching and/or pain in the area

Allergic Contact Dermatitis

This condition may be caused by residue from laundry detergent in patients who wear washable incontinence products. It can also occur from contact with an allergen from a cream or ointment applied to the skin. It may appear rather quickly and spread rapidly. Skin will have a similar appearance to that of irritant-associated dermatitis; however, the key to treating this type of dermatitis is to discover the cause and remove the causative agent.

Treating perineal dermatitis includes treating incontinence and protecting the skin from further irritation. Frequent cleansing of the skin with mild soap and water and applying a barrier cream to protect the skin from moisture are sound treatments which should improve the patient's skin quickly and effectively. If the area becomes infected with yeast or bacteria, use of an appropriate antifungal or antibiotic will be necessary.

Pressure Ulcers

A pressure ulcer is a localized area of injury to the skin, usually over a bony prominence, as a result of pressure by itself or in combination with friction or shear. Stage I or II ulcers can form in the same areas as perineal dermatitis, making an accurate diagnosis difficult. Stage I pressure ulcers usually involve an area of nonblanchable redness over a bony prominence. The skin is intact in Stage I ulcers. Stage II ulcers present as a shallow open area in which the wound bed is pink or red. There is no slough. Alternately, stage II ulcers may present as intact or open serum-filled blisters. In pressure ulcers, pressure and not moisture is the defining element.

Care of the patient with a pressure ulcer involves employing methods to relieve pressure and allow healing of the ulcer by:

-using pressure-reducing beds, chairs, and other equipment

-providing optimal nutrition for wound healing

-turning and frequent repositioning to relieve pressure

-treating pain

Of course, both of these conditions can occur together. Patients who develop perineal dermatitis are at higher risk of developing a pressure ulcer to the same area, as the skin is already compromised. Prevention of both of the conditions is key to management, and instituting appropriate and rapid treatment once one of these conditions is recognized will produce the best patient outcome.

Wound Education

At WoundEducators.com, we are committed to providing you with quality, up-to-date information which will allow you to care for your patients utilizing the best available information. Becoming certified as a wound care management specialist will allow you to quickly identify and treat any condition that our patients may present with, and will ensure they receive the best treatment possible. Contact us today to find out how you can begin your journey to becoming certified as a wound care specialist.

Distinguishing Perineal Dermatitis From a Pressure Ulcer

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Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Facts You Must Know About Kidney Transplant

Renal transplantation is the transplantation of a kidney into a patient with end- stage renal disease. The indication for transplant is end-stage renal disease (ESRD), regardless of the primary cause. End-stage renal disease is the name for kidney failure so advanced that it can not be reversed (''renal'' is another word for kidney).

The name is appropriate: the kidneys in end-stage renal disease function so poorly that they can longer keep you alive. Healthy kidneys clean blood by removing excess fluid, minerals, and wastes. They also make hormones that keep the bones strong and blood healthy. When they fail, harmful wastes build up in the body, blood pressure may rise, and body may retain excess fluid and not make enough red blood cells.

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When this happens, needs treatment to replace the work of the failed organ. Kidney transplantation is a procedure that replaces a healthy kidney from one person to another body. This one new kidney takes over the work of the two failed ones.

Renal transplant is typically classified as deceased-donor (formerly known as cadaveric) or living-donor transplantation depending on the source of the donor organ. Living-donor renal transplants are further classified as genetically related (living-related) or non-related (living-unrelated) transplants, depending on whether a biological relationship exists between donor and recipient.

Kidney transplantation is not a complete cure, although many people who receive a transplant are able to live much as they did before their kidneys failed. A successful transplant requires close follow-up with your doctor and you must always take your medicine as directed.

Facts You Must Know About Kidney Transplant

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Working Out and Muscle Fatigue - Good Sore Versus Bad Sore

Almost everyone gets sore after a good workout. It's a natural thing and if you aren't getting sore, maybe you need to up the intensity a couple of notches. But what if you are sore right after a workout? Is that normal? How about two days later or a week? When do you know what is a 'good soreness' level and when you've possibly overdone it and need to see a doctor?

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There are different types of pain when it comes to your muscles and certain symptoms warrant a visit to your doctor. If you are in the middle of a run or a workout and you feel any sharp pain you should stop immediately. I've known way to many people (including me) who have decided to work through the pain - tough it out - and this just aggravates the injury. It's more challenging to stop activity if you are in the middle of a run out in the boonies, but you can at least take it down to a walk and limp. The limp is taking some of the pressure off the injured limb, so don't try to hide the limp, let it happen.

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Once you feel that sharp pain, stop your workout and give yourself a 24 to 48 hours before 'testing' your injured area. Then test it with a really light weight. If you feel pain, go to your doctor. Some muscle tears can take eight weeks or more to heal, and although we all know our own bodies better than anyone else does, we're not trained professionals. For any pain that lasts longer than 72 hours I would definitely advise seeing your doctor and discussing it. Remember to have all the details: when did it happen, what exactly you were doing when it happened, etc. Some people are embarrassed and try to hide that, but the doctor needs to know the absolute truth.

Getting back to "normal pain" when we work out we are tearing up our muscles. That's the process of growth. What you do it induce tearing - technically called micro-tearing - of your muscle tissue. The micro-tears heal and that healing process adds more tissue to your muscles. So it is totally normal to be sore during the healing process. Some soreness may set in within a few hours of a workout and some may take a day or two. I typically am really sore the day following a workout, but by the second day I am just about back to normal.

It's also normal to feel a bit of stretching-pulling heat during a workout. Not everyone gets that, but some people do. Again, this may be nothing to worry about necessarily unless you have sharp pain. Sharp pains generally are an indication that something went wrong. Dull aches and pains are more indicative of a normal workout.

Here's the disclaimer here. I am not a doctor. These words come from experience and research. If you ever feel like something is bothering you you should go have it checked out. It might be a persistent pain, or something that seems recurring. It's never a bad idea to have a doctor hear what's going on and evaluate it. However some doctors may be more capable in certain areas, so take that into consideration as well. If you like to run, maybe a doctor who also runs will be able to help you more. Likewise doctors who are gym rats might be better able to relate to someone who is into working out.

Remember, pain is your friend. It can tell you of growth, and it can tell you of problems. Don't shut it out, listen to it.

Working Out and Muscle Fatigue - Good Sore Versus Bad Sore

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Curb Appeal

First, lets start with what it is. Curb appeal is quite simply the rate of attractiveness your home projects to viewers from the street. Why is this important? As the definition states, it is the ultimate first impression. You may have an immaculate, luxurious interior but without high curb appeal, few will bother to step inside to see it. This is even more important when selling on your own because you don't have a realtor to hype the interior as worth a viewing.

Is it worth the trouble to invest, if you don't have good curb appeal? The payback value on exterior upgrades to your property range from 49% for landscaping improvements to 62% for exterior home improvements, such as painting. Next to the kitchen and bath, these are the highest payback ratios for home improvements and are well worth the initial investment.

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In the order of highest payback value, we have provided some tips to help you achieve higher curb appeal for your home:

Exterior Painting

Painting the exterior may appear daunting and not worth the effort, but research shows that it results in the greatest return on time and money for exterior improvements.

As a guideline, when choosing color, a long and low house looks most appealing with colours that emphasize vertical elements such as doors and shutters, while taller more narrow homes should contrast its horizontal elements likes fascias and gutters. Window boxes are a nice touch as well.

If painting is out of the questions, the bare minimum improvements should be to:

Wash the full exterior to clear it from dirt and cobwebs. Renting a high pressure washer is best.
Fix any loose, missing, or damaged shutters.
Clean, paint, or replace mailbox, doorknobs, and street numbers.
Windows

Especially with a freshly painted or washed exterior, dirty windows will stand out like a sore thumb, and will date them past their true age.

Tips for cleaning windows - Do not clean windows while they are in direct sunlight. Your cleaning solution will dry too fast.

Using a 100% cotton cleaning cloth, dip the cloth in cleaning solution and wring out excess before wiping the window to loosen dirt.

Using a squeegee, start each stroke in a dry spot, and squeegee in a pattern from top to bottom or side to side. If you are cleaning the outside and inside of the window, alternate the pattern on each side (i.e. top to bottom on the inside and side to side on the outside). This will make it easier to identify which side any streaks are on.

Keep your squeegee blade dry by wiping it with a cleaning cloth between strokes.

Nicks in the squeegee blade will cause streaks. Replace when needed.
If you do not have a squeegee, newspaper will dry freshly washed windows, whereas papertowel or cotton will leave lint behind.

Cool clear water is the choice of solution by most professional window washers. For very dirty windows, add 2 tablespoons of vinegar per gallon of water.

Landscaping

Homeowners should plant colorful flowers along walkway leading to the door, prune existing trees, shrubs and bushes, and add fresh mulch. Clean out dead plants and weeds from flower beds and refresh with colorful plants and annuals.

Taller plants at the corners of your house will help anchor it with the landscape. Shorter plants near your home's entry bring attention to your front door. However, this could have a negative impact if the front door is in need of repair (another reason to rethink the exterior improvements noted previously).

Last but most definitely not least and probably most important, ensure your lawn is trimmed and green. If you have a lawn in need of attention, you may want to consult a landscaper for advice before trying to repair on your own.

Overall Appeal

Some further touches that will go along way to increasing the appeal of your home from curbside are:

Outdoor lighting - Exterior lighting in your garden, walkway or entrance area add a warmth and welcome feeling that will make a viewer want to see more.

Indoor lighting - While your house is on the market, leave lamps on in 1 or 2 front rooms. It brings the home to life and, again, provides the same warmth and welcome feeling as the exterior lighting. Exterior lighting alone will not provide the appearance of a well loved, lived in home, like the combination of exterior and interior lighting can.

Furniture - As long as the chairs are well kept and not cluttered looking within the space, two chairs on a front porch provides a tremendous visual appeal from the street. Buyers view the exterior as an extension of the home and will want to view more.

The best advice for creating great curb appeal, is to take a walk through your favourite neighborhood. Analyze what works really well and what doesn't. Then determine why and incorporate those items to fit your own exterior. Most of all enjoy the outdoors and don't get too overwhelmed by the work at hand.

Curb Appeal

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Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The Effects of Pregnancy on the Eyes

Your Eyes and Pregnancy

What you need to know Pregnancy is a truly wondrous experience. Every woman is aware that there are changes to her body that are entirely natural and obvious but many do not know or consider the effects of pregnancy upon the eyes.

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It is important that you know of the changes that take place with your vision and eye health but do not be alarmed.

The vast majority of reasonably healthy women suffer no lasting eye health or vision problems during pregnancy and very many do not notice any changes whatsoever.

Natural bodily changes take place during pregnancy due to hormonal effects upon many organs, including the eyes.

These normal eye changes are brought about by a progressive decrease in the pressure of the fluid within the eye and associated fluid retention in the ocular tissues

Do Not Be Alarmed.

1. The sensitivity of the cornea progressively decreases throughout pregnancy, particularly during the last three months. This results in a risk to contact lens wearers who may damage the surface of the cornea more than usual. This can lead to red, sore eyes and an intolerance of contact lenses.

It is unlikely to cause any problems if there is no visual impairment or only corrective glasses are worn.

2. Ocular fluid retention can affect refraction and results in a temporary change in vision. Spectacle or contact lens wearers can find their existing prescription is either too weak or too strong. It is best to avoid having an eye test until six weeks or more after giving birth as it more than probable that vision will return to normal.

3. The pressure of the fluid in the eye, known as intra-ocular pressure, decreases. It is unlikely that this will be noticeable unless Glaucoma was diagnosed and being treated prior to pregnancy. Glaucoma is caused by raised intra-ocular pressure and is a serious condition affecting the ocular nerve. The resulting decrease in intra-ocular pressure during pregnancy is an advantageous side effect enjoyed by sufferers.

4. Some pregnant women suffer from dry eyes, which are normally only temporary and will disappear after giving birth. Ask your optrometrist for eye drops. He will know which drops you should use that will not have any detrimental effects on you or your baby. Otherwise the traditional and well known home beauty treatments will solve the problem. Rest with cotton wool soaked in witch hazel or simply cucumber slices laid on your eyes can only be beneficial. Try an eye mask straight out of the fridge.

5. Puffy or swollen areas around the eyelids are a frequent side effect during pregnancy. Drinking plenty of water and keeping to a healthy diet will actually limit water retention and relieve any discomfort.

6. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can lead to migraine headaches and sensitivity to bright lights.

Be sure to check with your medical advisors before taking any medication to relieve the symptoms.

There are pre-existing health problems that can affect the sight which should be considered before deciding to become pregnant and should be fully discussed with your physician and ophthalmologist.

It is recommended that Diabetics see their ophthalmologist at least once a year to be aware of diabetic eye disease.

This eye disease has a tendency to worsen during pregnancy so it is very important to increase the frequency of visits starting immediately you become aware of being pregnant.

Sufferers of diabetic eye disease should consult with their ophthalmologists before planning a pregnancy.

Blood can clot more quickly when pregnant so it is important to remain sensibly active and mobile throughout the term to keep the blood circulation from slowing. If not thrombosis of the cerebral blood vessels may develop which may lead to field of vision problems and other neurological defects.

Pre-eclampsia, which is caused by high blood pressure developing during pregnancy can have a severe effect upon the eyes. Bleeding in the retina may lead to permanent vision impairment and should be treated without delay.

In rare cases, a form of skin cancer called Malignant Melanoma can develop during pregnancy.

Due to the hormonal changes that take place, the progress of this cancer becomes quicker and first indications can appear in the eye.

Another result of the changes to the body is the occasional development of diminishing vision accompanied by blank areas in the field of vision and headaches.

This is caused by pressure on the optic nerves as a result of some Pituitary Gland tumors suddenly enlarging.

WARNING

If you are using any type of medication whatsoever including most importantly eye drops for Glaucoma check with your physician and your opthalmologist without delay.

Certain treatments for eye problems can have a catastrophic effect on an unborn baby.

There are alternative medications that can be prescribed that have no harmful side effects on mothers and their unborn babies.

Copyright 2006 Jaks Lloyd

The Effects of Pregnancy on the Eyes

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The Truths About Hardening Of The Arteries In The Legs - Peripheral Arterial Disease Or PAD

Hardening of the arteries in the legs, medically termed as Peripheral Arterial Disease or PAD, is a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention. A type of atherosclerosis, PAD can lead to strokes, aneurysm of the aorta, and premature death. That is why, massive information campaigns are being done to make people aware of the consequences of untreated or mismanaged PAD. PAD commonly occurs in people between the age 65 and 74, and many of the cases go undiagnosed until the later stages because some of the signs and symptoms can easily be dismissed as only part of the ageing process.

Individuals who fondly smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, stuff themselves with unhealthy fat, and those who are obese and have high blood pressure and diabetes need to observe themselves closely for leg pain. People suspected with PAD will experience leg pain when walking or doing any activity that requires them to use their legs but the pain usually stops when the individual also stops the activity. Hardening of the arteries in the legs may also present with numbness or coldness of the lower legs and feet. Some patients report tingling sensations and leg sores that take time to heal.

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Submitting to diagnostic tests is always a good idea, especially when you are at high risk for developing PAD, even though you may not necessarily be experiencing the classic signs and symptoms of PAD just yet. There is what is called the ABI test that will help to confirm if you have PAD or not. Short for Ankle Brachial Index, ABI measures the blood pressure in the legs and compares it with the blood pressure taken in the arms. Significant discrepancies may warrant additional examinations to confirm the diagnosis of PAD. It is vital that diagnosis is made as soon as possible so treatments can be started right away in order to arrest the problem and prevent any major complications.

Patients with PAD are often advised to change their lifestyle habits. It is highly recommended that they make wiser food choices that include lots of fresh greens, fruits, and fiber. Saturated fat and trans fat must be kept to a minimum or eliminated completely. It has to be emphasized that fats, cholesterol and calcium deposits are no longer able to pass through the walls of the artery because of the injury to the interior lining of the arterial walls, so eating foods that are high in cholesterol and fats will only lead to the accumulation of these substances in the arterial walls, forming plaque, and further hardening and narrowing the arterial walls.

The Truths About Hardening Of The Arteries In The Legs - Peripheral Arterial Disease Or PAD

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Ladies, Are Your Neck and Shoulders Sore by the End of the Day? Part 3

In order to learn to breathe with support, I want you to place your hands under your rib cage and cough. The muscle that kicked out at you is your diaphragm. If you have ever watched a funny movie and laughed for two hours, you may remember being sore in that region afterwards. Another time you may remember this muscle is when you have had a cold with a hacking cough and, by the end of the day, you were sore in that area. Aside from those few times, most people don't use that muscle for breathing.

wheelchair cushions for pressure sores

In this article, I want to show you how to take a supported breath and make it a habit.

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Again, with your hands under your rib cage, inhale through an open mouth and take the air all the way down to your diaphragm. Try pushing against your hands with your diaphragm as you inhale. If done properly, your rib cage will expand, front and back. If done improperly, you will suck in your mid-torso region, your diaphragm will rise/lift up (not expand), and your chest and shoulders will lift.

[Notice I want you breathing through an open mouth. For the purposes of voice training, I teach all my clients to breathe through the mouth while practicing because in speaking we breathe through an open mouth. At all other times of the day, I expect my clients to breathe through the nose as they should be doing. I do not want anyone to become a mouth breather! Again, breathing through the mouth is normal in speaking or in singing.]

To see if you are doing this properly, it is a good idea to practice this technique standing in front of a mirror without your blouse or shirt on. Watch your shoulders. If they go up, you are not doing this correctly. If the tendons in your neck tighten, you are definitely not doing this correctly. Supported breathing is very relaxing. The only things that will move are your diaphragm, expanding down and out, and your rib cage opening up. The rest of your torso and neck will be pliable, very loose, no tension whatsoever.

This breathing is not difficult but you must end your old habit of shallow breathing and instill a new one. One of the best means of practicing your breathing is to take a supported breath every time you answer the phone. Become like Pavlov's dog. Phone rings; you breathe.

The more situations in which you can think to take a breath, the sooner it will become a habit. I worked with a gentleman who was a taxi dispatcher, answering the phone on average 600 times a day. He made diaphragmatic breathing a habit very quickly!

Try breathing properly while doing other things, like standing in line, climbing stairs, emptying the dishwasher, mowing the lawn, walking the dog.

Once you make supported breathing a habit, not only will the tension in your neck and shoulders disappear, but you will discover other changes in your life both professionally and personally. In addition, diaphragmatic breathing can add more than 4 years to your life.

You will not believe what can happen just by taking a breath!

Ladies, Are Your Neck and Shoulders Sore by the End of the Day? Part 3

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Monday, September 26, 2011

Gonorrhea, Syphilis and Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Common Characteristics of Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Sexually transmitted diseases (venereal diseases) are infections that are contracted through intimate sexual contact. Once established, sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea and syphilis can spread and cause extensive, serious physical damage. It is important to make a doctor's appointment immediately if you suspect that you have contracted--or have been exposed to--such an infection. If it is found that you have been infected, you should abstain from sexual contact until your doctor tells you that you are no longer contagious. You should also inform your sexual partners so that they can be examined and treated also, whether or not they have symptoms.

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Although gonorrhea and syphilis are the most serious of the sexually transmitted diseases, there are a number of others that cause considerable discomfort or embarrassment. Venereal warts, for example, can be acutely painful. Pubic lice (crab lice) cause intensive itching.

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection, and an extremely contagious one. An estimated 2.5 million Americans contract this disease annually.

The symptoms of gonorrhea usually appear within one to three weeks after infection. In men, these symptoms include a white to yellow-green penile discharge, burning pain while urinating and deep, aching pain or pressure in the genitals. In women, there may be painful and frequent urination, deep, aching pain in the lower abdomen and, rarely, a vaginal discharge. Pharyngeal gonorrhea (in the mouth and throat) may produce a sore throat; rectal gonorrhea occasionally causes discomfort in the area around the anus and a slight discharge. However, in 10 to 20 percent of men and up to 80 percent of women, there are no perceived symptoms at all.

Untreated, gonorrhea commonly affects the urethra in men, making urination extremely painful and difficult; it may progress to chronic obstruction and infertility. In women, the disease can attack the fallopian tubes and other pelvic organs (pelvic inflammatory disease), causing pain, fever and, very likely, infertility. The risk of infertility increases with each infection: 75 percent of women who have had three infections involving the pelvic organs are infertile. In both sexes, untreated gonorrhea may result in arthritis, or in a generalized bacterial infection affecting the heart and nervous system. If a woman has active gonorrhea at the time of delivery, her baby may develop permanent blindness.

Fortunately, once it is diagnosed, gonorrhea can be treated quickly and effectively with antibiotics.

A diagnosis of gonorrhea can be made by a microscopic examination of the discharge or a cervical smear; or, more reliably, by a culture that takes two days to incubate. The culture should be repeated one week after treatment.

Syphilis

Syphilis is caused by an organism called a spirochete that is spread through sexual contact. About 20,000 cases a year are reported to United States health authorities, but it is highly probable that several thousands more are not reported.

The disease has three stages. First, skin ulcers (chancres), which are usually painless, appear in the genital area. The chancres may erupt anywhere from 10 to 90 days after infection. Men may see them on the penis, but in women they usually form inside the vagina and may easily be missed. These sores heal in a few weeks, leaving little or no scarring. Meanwhile, the spirochetes circulate in the bloodstream and, in a few weeks, produce the symptoms of the second stage of the disease: fever, swollen glands and reddish rash. these signs then also disappear, even without treatment, within 10 days to two weeks; the disease becomes latent and, within two years, no longer infectious. the third stage may develop without warning, years later. In this final stage, there is tissue damage in the brain and the nervous system, the heart, liver, bone and skin. In as many as one-third of untreated individuals, this damage may result in death.

If a woman infected with syphilis becomes pregnant, or contracts the disease during pregnancy, there is a high risk that her baby will be stillborn or suffer from severe birth defects.

Syphilis is most accurately diagnosed by a blood test. It can be treated successfully with penicillin or other antibiotics. Periodic tests should be done for two years after treatment to make certain that the disease is cured. As is the case with all sexually transmitted diseases, sexual partners should be informed immediately, and examined and treated.

Venereal Warts

Venereal warts (condylomata acuminata), cauliflower-like and red, are caused by a virus and are thought to be almost exclusively sexually transmitted. In women, they appear around the vagina and rectum, growing more rapidly where they come in contact with any vaginal discharge and being greatly aggravated by pregnancy. In men, they appear on the penis and rectal area.

A wart-removing compound may be prescribed, although it is not recommended for use during pregnancy since it can be harmful to the fetus. The compound should be used with care and applied only to the surface of the warts. About six hours after application, a sitz bath should be taken to remove any excess. Over-the-counter preparations should never be used; the genital tissues are too sensitive for such products. Occasionally it is necessary to remove venereal warts by electro-cauterization (burning) or by surgery.

Pubic Lice

Pubic lice (crab lice) are almost always transmitted sexually. The lice, which can be found attached to the pubic hair, are yellow-gray in color, becoming dark after they are engorged with blood.

An infestation of crab lice causes intense itching in the pubic area as a reaction to the parasites' bites. It can be readily cured with the application of a prescription cream, lotion or shampoo. To prevent re-infestation, the sexual partner(s) should also be treated, and clothes and linens washed.

Summing Up

Sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea and syphilis are highly contagious infections. If you are sexually active--other than with a single partner who is also monogamous--you risk exposure to these diseases; the more partners, the greater the risk. Sensible precautions that may be taken include urinating and washing the genitals after intercourse, using condoms and spermicidal vaginal foams, jellies or creams, and being tested frequently for gonorrhea and syphilis if you have several sexual partners--or if your partner does.

If you suspect that you have a sexual infection do not hesitate to tell your partner(s) and to visit your doctor or a clinic immediately. Sexually transmitted diseases can be cured only with prescribed courses of drug therapy. Never attempt to treat these diseases yourself. Above all, do not let fear or embarrassment stand in the way of receiving medical care.

Gonorrhea, Syphilis and Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases

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Adrenal Fatigue - The Reason You're So Tired

Imagine you're walking through the woods one afternoon and come upon a bear. Instant fear elevates your adrenaline levels and sets off your fight or flight instinct. You turn and run, not looking back, until you're at a safe distance from the bear.

Only after you're out of harms way does your adrenaline level return to normal and your body calms itself down. This is how an adrenal gland operates, unless you're experiencing one of three stages of adrenal fatigue.

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3 Stages of Adrenal Fatigue

Stage One: A normal functioning adrenal gland produces many hormones, the most important being cortisol, a hormone that helps the body deal with stress. Stage one of adrenal fatigue occurs when the adrenal gland increases production of cortisol. When cortisol levels elevate, it's similar to seeing a bear in the woods and becoming frightened. In this stage, the body will stay in a high stress state, never calming down and never being able to escape the bear.

High cortisol levels occurring in stage one usually causes increased sugar cravings, anxiety and depression.

Stage Two: In stage two cortisol levels are unstable. They fluctuate up and down, sometimes from week to week, day to day, or even hour to hour. A person who suffers from stage two adrenal fatigue may feel fine one day and then the next be extremely fatigued. The adrenal gland will first give the body a low period, where it doesn't pump any cortisol, but then it becomes stressed and compensates by pumping too much cortisol.

In stage two a person will generally crave more sugar to increase energy levels.

Stage Three: The third stage in adrenal fatigue is complete fatigue. The adrenal gland ceases to pump out hormones causing low levels of cortisol, serotonin, DHEA and epinephrine. A person generally feels very depressed in the third stage.

When a person reaches this stage and seeks medical help, physicians often place them on anti-depressant drugs instead of looking at adrenal gland function.

Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue

*Fatigue- trouble getting out of bed
*Insomnia
*Afternoon lows- extreme fatigue mid-afternoon
*Sugar cravings
*Depression and anxiety
*Inability to lose weight
*Decreased sex drive
*Inability to handle everyday stresses
*Light headedness upon standing
*Often getting sick - cough, sore throat, cold and flu
*Thyroid disorder
*Hot flashes- not associated with menopause

Other Effects on the Body

Adrenal fatigue can be very taxing on the body. Not only does it affect the immune system but also gut health. It can affect the stomach's intestinal lining, breaking down the integrity of the intestines and causing diarrhea, constipation, inflammation and irritable bowel syndrome.

Hormones such as progesterone, estrogen and DHEA are affected by adrenal function. These hormones are decreased as the adrenal gland places its focus on producing more cortisol. Lower levels of these hormones can cause many other complications.

Cortisol levels also have an effect on blood pressure, elevating levels when more cortisol is produced, and lowering blood pressure when there is less. Over time, however, blood pressure will become elevated, as well as higher cholesterol levels and chance of developing diabetes.

Treatment Options

Testing adrenal function is done through a simple saliva test. After assessing the results, there are a number of different treatment options, which vary from case to case.

People live very busy and hectic lives. They often burn the candle at both ends and don't take the time they need to relax and bring the body out of stress mode. A huge part of treatment is stress control. This can be done through meditation, yoga, running, reading or however the individual is able to calm the body down.

A healthy diet is also very important for healthy adrenal function and should consist of less sugar and carbohydrate based foods. Breakfast and lunch should never be skipped, and should include more protein based foods and vegetables with small portions of complex carbs. If a person is too busy to eat, then they most likely have an adrenal issue, and they need to take a few minutes to relax and enjoy a bowl of oatmeal or a piece of fruit.

Adrenal fatigue is often treated with nutrients, as well as B and C vitamins. Some herbs that are commonly used are rhodiola, ginseng and Glycyrrhiza (licorice).

It is very important to note that each person is different and therefore each treatment is different. A person that feels they may suffer from adrenal fatigue should always consult a naturopathic physician before beginning to take any herb.

Original Article Source: http://www.holistichealingnews.com/?p=4331

Adrenal Fatigue - The Reason You're So Tired

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Ways CNA's Can Help Alleviate Bed Sores

CNA's can help alleviate bed sores in people at risk. These include, among others, wheelchair-bound individuals and people confined to beds. CNA's are wonderfully trained angels giving comfort and care to people. As these nursing aids handle the day-to-day care of patients in hospitals, institutions, rehabilitation centers and care facilities and homebound individuals, the aids are the eyes, ears and hands of doctors and nurses. A certified nursing assistant degree is the first step to joining the lucrative healthcare industry and helping people. The process to this exciting new career is quick, positions are available almost everywhere and the rewards are endless.

CNA's

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Certified nursing assistant training is available at many hospitals, community colleges, on the Internet and through the Red Cross Organization in about 25 states. Although some facilities offer on-the-job training, other hospitals will pay for training if employees work for the hospital for a set time. States issue CNA's licenses acquiring certification and testing.

Understanding Bed Sores

Bed sores are also call pressure sores or pressure ulcers. Skin and underlying tissue is compressed and damaged. These frequently occur in bony areas like ankles, buttocks, heels and hips.

Ways CNA's Can Help Alleviate Bed Sores

These caring individuals are trained in all aspects of human care. This includes knowing which patients are more susceptible to these injuries and what to look for. Healthcare professionals lift people carefully. Finally, they help people change positions and make sure bedding and other material is tucked around them.

Unlike people who are mobile, individuals in wheelchairs or beds remain in the same or similar positions. This is especially dangerous for the elderly as their skin is thinner. These trained technicians of the human anatomy know where the body is susceptible to injury. For example, sitting in a wheelchair puts pressure on tailbone, buttocks, shoulder blades and spine. People lying flat in bed also develop bed sores on their heads, rims of ears and lower backs.

Bed sores have four stages. The first is a blemish that does not whiten when touched and can be painful, firm, soft, warmer or cooler than the surrounding skin. Stage II is an open wound or a swelling with fluid. When the wound keeps growing, it reaches stage III. Stage IV is even deeper opening often exposing muscles, bones and tendons.

Shifting positions, carefully moving people and avoiding dragging any material across the body are ways CNA's can help alleviate bed sores. Simply by changing the posture of the patient periodically throughout the day reduces pressure point problems. Gently lifting patients eliminates painful contact between harder surfaces and skin, tissue and bones. Finally, these medical employees avoid friction by tucking blankets and sheets around the body instead of tugging them into place.

With training and on-the-job education, CNA's can help alleviate bed sores. These quickly trained care providers qualify for lucrative jobs almost everywhere in the expanding healthcare field. Although these healing angels bring comfort to injured, ill or handicapped individuals and their families, their real value is the help they give doctors and nurses.

Ways CNA's Can Help Alleviate Bed Sores

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Sunday, September 25, 2011

Sore Throat Medicine

I think the best sore throat medicine is tea. Tea comes in a variety of flavors and it help your sore throat a great deal if you drink it often. Every time I would get a throat that is sore, especially during the winter months, I would drink some tea and, within a couple of days, it would feel better. I know how much of a burden a sore throat can be because it's difficult to swallow so that makes it harder to eat foods.

wheelchair cushions for pressure sores

If you don't like tea there are many different substitutes for it that are effective for sore throats. You can try an apple cider vinegar gargle. Mix it with warm water and there you go. After you gargle the apple cider vinegar use a warm compress and place it on your throat. If you don't know where or how to find apple cider vinegar try a lemon gargle. Lemon is also easier to find and most people keep some of it in their homes. When I didn't have any tea I used the lemon gargle instead and it did help relieve some of the discomfort.

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When I had a sore throat as a kid my mom would give me tea to drink and that is why I drink tea on occasion even when I don't have a sore throat. Sometimes the old traditional methods and cure for ailments are the best and they are passed down from generation to generation. When my kids get a sore throat their sore throat medicine will be plenty of tea.

Sore Throat Medicine

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10 Precautions Care Providers Should, But Often Fail, to Take to Avoid Bedsores

The majority of pressure sores can be prevented, and the ones that do develop, do not need to get serious or even life threatening.

The caregiver has to consider the patient's special circumstances when creating a care plan to make sure the person does not develop pressure sores that were preventable in the first place.

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Here we give you a list of the 10 precautions that care providers should, but commonly neglect to oversee to avoid pressure sores:

1. They should make an initial proper, thorough, and methodical assessment of the patient's risk of developing pressure sores.

2. They must conduct accurate periodical assessments to measure the patient's risk.

3. They have to bathe the patient well and thoroughly.

4. They should assess and treat the patient's incontinence condition to make sure that excess moisture on the skin does not cause pressure sores.

5. They have to maintain the patient well hydrated and eating enough and right.

6. They must reposition and move the patient at regular intervals to make sure the pressure is relieved properly.

7. They have to use proper support and moving devices such as a low air loss mattress, to relieve pressure from critical areas.

8. They should take into account postural alignment, weight distribution, balance, stability, and pressure relief when helping the person sit on a chair or wheelchair.

9. They have to use the right lifting devices and techniques to make sure that shear and friction do not cause pressure sores.

10. They must get educated on the best ways to prevent bedsores and find documentation that supports those measures.

In essence, every patient is different, and each one will present different conditions or combination of conditions that should guide the creation of the best care plan for him or her. The caregiver should be able to see this uniqueness in order to prevent the patient's condition from getting worse out of neglect.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They'll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don't forget to mention our Pressure Mattress website as the original source).

10 Precautions Care Providers Should, But Often Fail, to Take to Avoid Bedsores

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Stress Can Cause Body Pain

People react to stress differently. Of course not all stress is bad and some people thrive on stress. It makes their world more exciting and it motivates them to be involved enthusiastically. Some people however, struggle with stress. Unfortunately, stress cannot be avoided, it's part of life. So how does stress invigorate some and sicken others?

When you experience stress, there is a series of complicated reactions inside the body that takes place. If you are bungee jumping for the first time, it is different than if you have a short time-line for completion of a complicated project. You will probably find the bungee jumping a huge adrenalin rush and a lot of fun, even though you have to get up your courage to jump in the first place. Your project on the other hand may be enjoyable to do but the time factor creates pressure to perform.

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Whatever the cause of stress is, there are three stages to it. An adaptation syndrome occurs which has three distinct stages. First of all, there is a 'general alert' to man the battle stations. An alarm reaction amasses itself in the body and the brain sends urgent messages to your hormone system to prepare for 'flight or fight'. Hormones surge through the body preparing it for action. If the stress ends, the body reverts to its calm state.

If the stress keeps the body on high alert, you enter stage two which is the stage of protection. The body tries to compensate and adapt to the stress or fight it. You are instantly ready to spring into action by tensing your muscles ready to run or face the threat. Your body temperature rises, along with your blood pressure. In addition, your heartbeat may rise in anticipation of the confrontation. Unfortunately, the foe is often invisible. It becomes a struggle to stay in this place of high alert. The body is so tense symptoms soon develop, the most common of which is pain. If you can work through the stress and return to normal, you begin to feel better. The body has to repair the damage caused by the irritation and inflammation of prolonged stress.

If the prolonged stress continues, the hormone system becomes depleted and the body becomes exhausted. As the inflammation and irritation rises and the muscles become sore and exhausted from the tension, the body begins to decline into ill health. All of the defenses of the immune system become depleted and the body hurts. Headaches and sore necks are very common and need to be resolved. Survival becomes paramount, as all the body wants to do is sleep and get some relief.

The most common practice is to medicate, either with pharmaceuticals or over-the-counter products. Adrenal support supplements from a naturopath work, if you can get a good professional product. Pain medications have so many side effects, you may want to ask your health care professional about the Original Iyashi wand to help you feel better and sleep better. Your body will have to have enough rest and rejuvenation so you can recover from your exhaustion and pain. The Original Iyashi wand may just be your answer.

Stress Can Cause Body Pain

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Saturday, September 24, 2011

A Cold Sore Treatment - Can Lysine Really Stop My Cold Sores?

Lysine, as a cold sore treatment, is a proven way to get rid of cold sores - and keep them gone. If you have a minute, let me give you the facts so you do not waste your money or suffer needlessly.

gel cushions for pressure sores

You may have heard about lysine as a weapon against the herpes simplex virus and the cold sores it creates. Perhaps you have even tried a lysine salve or lotion and been disappointed.

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There is a lot of information out there about lysine - how and why it works so well. Some of the information I have seen is quite good but a lot of it is inaccurate. Let us take a look at what we know about Lysine today.

1. Lysine smothers cold sores much as water suffocates a fire.

Oxygen fuels a fire. Water starves the fire by removing the oxygen fuel it needs to survive. The amino acid lysine acts quite a bit the same way. The herpes virus cannot use it.

The replication process of the herpes simplex virus is the actual cause of your sores. Normally it is dormant and activates only when it senses an opportunity to create new virus clones.

The herpes virus cannot do this alone. This parasite virus enters your cells and forces them to create new copies. Then the original virus particle destroys the cell to release the virus, creating the visible ulcer-like sore.

2. Arginine, another amino acid, is the main fuel needed to create the herpes viruses.

Arginine, like lysine, is quite common in our diet. Arginine has many good uses in your body, such as reducing blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels. Weight lifters and cardiac patients often benefit by taking arginine supplements.

Unfortunately, if you are susceptible to these outbreaks, getting too much arginine will definitely bring them on.

Your cells store arginine and lysine in the same storage area within the cell. Space is limited so the more of one the less of the other can be stored.

By flooding your cells with lysine, and reducing arginine in your diet, you will effectively halt the herpes simplex virus because it will not have the fuel it needs to create a sore. Lysine forces out the stored arginine thus starving the cold sore fire.

3. Lysine will not work unless it actually gets through the cell membrane and into the cell storage area.

Lysine needs to get into your bloodstream and reach the interior of your cells. To accomplish this, you must take lysine orally, either in food or supplement form.

This is important to keep in mind because you will see cold sore treatment salves at the store that feature lysine as the main ingredient. It does very little good to put lysine directly on the sore. Your body and cells cannot easily absorb it in this form.

Most dairy products, especially from Wisconsin, are very high in lysine. Some fish is also an excellent source, particularly Flounder. In fact, Flounder is one of the richest lysine foods known - about 14 grams per 450 gram (1 lb.) serving.

Some folks report that eating one pound (454 grams) of Flounder in a single day wipes out their sores. If you like fish, this is a very clean and delicious choice anytime.

Lysine supplements (in 500-milligram capsules) are still the most convenient way of getting enough extra lysine. You can easily control dosage levels by the number of capsules you take. You may have to do a little experimenting until you find the right dosage for your individual success, but it surely is worth it.

People often find success taking four to six capsules daily while an outbreak is in progress. Between outbreaks, many folks take one or two capsules daily to help as a prevention measure.

Lysine is very safe but, as with any treatment, it is always best to start low and build up. It really does stand out as one of the top cold sore treatment methods today.

Keep in mind that lysine may not be the total answer for your individual situation. However, be sure to use it because it truly does work and will help. Lysine definitely should be a part of any cold sore treatment plan you create.

A Cold Sore Treatment - Can Lysine Really Stop My Cold Sores?

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Home Remedies for Cold Sores - Reduce Cold Sores Appearance

General Information on Cold Sores

gel cushions for pressure sores

If you ever have had a cold sore, you know how embarrassing it can be. Most people try to cover it up with cosmetics or hide behind a scarf or coat collar, but you do not have to be embarrassed by a simple little cold sore, because they are so easy to eliminate. Cold sores are small sores that appear on and around the mouth. These sores are caused by a certain type of virus called Herpes Simplex. And because they are caused by this virus, they are highly contagious. It seems like cold sores always appear at the worst possible time, but there are ways to prevent cold sores with little effort on your part, and a natural home remedy for cold sores might be what you need to improve your appearance and keep you both looking and feeling healthy.

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Home Remedies and the Facts

Cold sores have been around for generations. No wonder that there are hundreds if not thousands of home remedies for cold sores out there today - some are very unlikely while others have been used for decades. It is all up to you to find out which one you prefer. Everyone is different so a home remedy for cold sores that works for one person may not be as affective on you. However, that is why the possibilities are virtually unlimited. Here are a few popular home remedies for cold sores, remember that you may need to try all or just one of these until you find the one for you. Tea tree oil is high in nutrients and is a natural antiseptic, which can reduce swelling and burning for most people with cold sores. Sometimes all it takes to stop a cold sore dead in its tracks could be in your freezer at this very moment. Ice can be a great way to stop a cold sore from forming. It can reduce redness which in turn reduces the appearance of the cold sore.

Vitamin C is a key ingredient to living a healthy life, in fact vitamin C can help with all sorts of things not just cold sores. Vitamin C can help build your immune system and make you stronger and healthier. Also, vitamin B can help tremendously with cold sores and is often suggested by doctors. Other things such as coconut oil and lemon balm extract can help to heal your cold sore and reduce redness. If you are interested in finding out more about home remedy for cold sores, you can contact your doctor for more information.

Preventing Cold Sores

Cold sores are usually spread by kissing or making direct contact with a person who has a cold sore. In fact, if you have a cold sore you probably got it from someone you know, but preventing cold sores is not that difficult and there are ways you can help to protect others as well as yourself. Start by washing your hands thoroughly, as explained before cold sores are caused by a contagious virus, so washing your hands can help prevent the spread of that virus. Try to avoid kissing anyone with a cold sore. Of course, you cannot always prevent a cold sore, so learning the right home remedies for cold sores can help you eliminate it quickly without the embarrassment.

Of course cold sores are only minor irritations and usually do not require medical attention. But, you should pay close attention to how the home remedies for cold sores affect you. Do you have any allergies? What type of medications are you taking? These are a few of the questions you should ask yourself before trying a home remedy for cold sore. Most scientists will tell you that there is no cure for a cold sore and they tend to reappear over the years. In fact, a cold sore can lay dormant for many years and appear suddenly later on in life. But there are some people who strongly believe that there is a cure for cold sores and that cure lies with a good natural home remedy for cold sores. This is really a choice that should be made by each individual depending on what they are willing to try. When you try a home remedy for cold sore, be sure to try a variety. Do not just stop at the first one if you do not get results. And if you have any doubts, contact your doctor.

Home Remedies for Cold Sores - Reduce Cold Sores Appearance

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What Are Bed Sores and How Can You Avoid Them?

Anyone with mobility problems, or who cares for someone who has difficulty keeping themselves mobile, needs to take care to avoid bed sores developing.

wheelchair cushions for pressure sores

In this article we'll be looking at what causes pressure sores, as bed sores are also known, and what you can do to prevent them occurring.

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Immobility

Pressures sores develop when blood can't circulate freely due to the pressure on the skin when someone stays in one position for too long. For this reason, bed sores often affect people who can't move around on their own, such as those with Parkinson's disease, Multiple Sclerosis or other physical disabilities.

To prevent bed sores occurring due to inactivity, try these tips:

o Make sure you or the individual that you care for moves around at least every couple of hours.
o Encourage the individual to get up and move around if they can. They can use walking aids or be helped by you or someone else if necessary.
o Even if they're sitting down, encourage a shift of position at least every two hours. Rocking from side to side in the chair can help for those who have problems standing.

Friction

Pressure sores can be caused or made worse by friction or 'drag' against the skin. Even small amounts of friction can cause damage, especially on elderly and fragile skin. Try these tips for avoiding friction on the skin:

o Do not drag someone if you're helping them to move around.
o Check their clothes and bedding for uneven or rough seams that could rub.
o Investigate the growing range of fabric products now available which boost mobility and reduce shear. Products such as bootees, underwear, pillows and sheets are available.

Moisture

Damp skin is more susceptible to pressure sores. Make sure your skin or the skin of the person you care for is kept as clean and dry as possible. Here are some tips on how:

o Avoid the individual becoming hot and sweaty. Sweat on the skin can promote bed sores.
o Watch out for incontinence and clean any urine from the skin as quickly as possible.
o Make sure an individual is thoroughly dry after a bath or shower.

What Are Bed Sores and How Can You Avoid Them?

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Friday, September 23, 2011

Cold Sore Remedy

Cold sores are caused by a virus known as Herpes Simplex (HSV1). This Simplex affects the oral region: around and in the mouth, the tongue and nose. Outbreaks of this virus occur periodically and are usually brought on by stress, excessive exposure to the sun, colds and fever.

wheelchair cushions for pressure sores

Commonly, the first sign of an outbreak is a skin irritation or rash. The area then blisters, often oozing a transparent liquid, then becomes crusty. Cold sores are easily transmitted. Here are some simple ways to avoid contagion:

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Do not kiss someone with an active lesion Do not share razors Do not share towels Do not share cups or glasses

It is important to treat this condition with caution, as it can be transmitted to the eyes and the genitalia. When this occurs these conditions are much more difficult to treat and can have long term effects.

There are many ways to treat these lesions. Ointments can be applied directly to the affected area. There are also anti-viral medications that be taken internally, such as Zovirax or Valt

One of the most popular over-the-counter treatments for cold sores is Abreva (10% Ducosanol). Zovirax is a prescription ointment that helps prevent outbreaks. Both these creams should be applied at the first sign of an outbreak.

There exist a variety of home remedies to reduce the length of a cold sore outbreak. Here are a few:

baking soda paste green tea seeped with ground ginger zinc paste

There are also natural remedies such as:

Trilex H-Away H-Prevention

Laser Treatment:

The most effective way to treat the Herpes virus is with the use of a diode laser. Laser light kills the virus and the lesion disappears within a day or two. Since the laser eradicates the cause there will never be another outbreak in that specific area. The diode laser promotes healing and lessens the chance of scarring.

Herpes Simplex should not be confused with Herpes Zoster, commonly known as Shingles or Zona. Although they are from the same subviral family, the initial infection is from the Varicella Zoster virus (chickenpox). The varicella becomes latent in the nerve cell bodies and often recur many decades later as a painful and debilitating condition.

If you suffer from the discomforts of this ailment, a consultation with your dental professional will allow you to discover the options that are available and help you diminish the frequency and length of these outbreaks.

For more information regarding Cold Sore Remedies please contact Dr Vivian Rahausen

Cold Sore Remedy

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Are There Any Risks Involved In Massage Therapy?

Regardless of how it is phrased or worded, one question which must always be asked of a potential massage therapist is the following, "Which health conditions would you consider preclusive of massage therapy and why?" And the correct answer, whether stated in exactly those words or different ones, should be, "There are certain health conditions which must rule out massage therapy and those are ..." And he or she must name the following:

Cancer. Massage therapy comes in different forms which affect the body differently. There are also many different types of cancers and patients may be at different stages and receiving different treatments. In some cases and certain types of massage therapy may lead to life threatening results while in other cases with another type of massage therapy the results may be extraordinarily beneficial. Because of such complexity, it is essential to consult with the medical provider who knows the particulars of the case in question before proceeding with a massage therapy of any kind.

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The potential risks involved in performing massage therapy on cancer patients do not inevitably discard the entire concept of massage therapy but it does mean that extra caution must be practiced and, perhaps, moderate to extreme alteration of the treatment is in order. And the health risks are the following:

Fractures of bones. Certain forms of cancer and their treatments weaken bones to the extent that they can easily break under pressure.

Bleeding. Many cancer patients have the tendency to bleed easily. Deep tissue massage can cause dangerous internal bleeding.

Spreading of cancerous tumors. There is an ongoing debate about the effects of massage therapy on tumors. Some claim that applying vigorous pressure to the area where the tumor is present will cause it to metastasis (break down and to spread or to increase its rate of growth). Others, however, deny that claim as unsubstantiated and untrue. It is best to play it safe and not massage the tumor region or its surrounding soft tissues.

Lymphedema (the buildup of lymph in soft tissue which leads to swelling of the limbs). Certain types of massage therapy in patients who have had their lymph nodes removed due to cancer may lead to lymphedema.

Flu-like symptoms. Patients who are going through chemotherapy can often develop symptoms which look and feel like the flu after having been treated to certain types of massage therapy.

Pain. Cancer patients frequently suffer a great deal of pain and most massage therapy techniques can result in some temporary pain immediately after the treatment. That may translate to added pain when too much of it is already present and that can be quite literally unbearable.

Post-surgery. Shortly after surgery, the wound is still in the process of healing visually on the surface of the skin as well as internally. Applying pressure to the site may cause a series of risky health problems such as reopening the incision, trigger internal and/or external bleeding or blood clotting, and so on.

Skin conditions. Areas where the skin is infected, inflamed or covered with rashes or sores should not be massaged as it can lead to worsening of the condition.

Even when taking into account all the risks which have been mentioned above, massage therapy can still be very beneficial to most people in most situations. Rather than discounting it completely due to specific concerns, I would advise consulting a physician.

Are There Any Risks Involved In Massage Therapy?

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Cold Sore Treatment

The goal of every cold sore treatment is to make sure that those sore and unsightly blisters are absent a lot more than they are present.

gel cushions for pressure sores

Cold sores are tiny blisters that form mostly around the nostrils and lips but sometimes also elsewhere on the face. The blisters break open and weep before they crust over and disappear.

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Cause of Cold Sore

Cold sores are caused by Herpes Simplex virus, usually Herpes Simplex type1. Genital herpes is caused in 70-80% by Herpes Simplex virus type2. The virus itself lives in nerve endings. Nearly all of us carry the cold sore virus even when it's not causing symptoms. This means that millions of people are infected with the virus, but probably only a quarter of those infected have symptoms of any kind.

A rise in skin temperature - perhaps caused by fever or to much sunlight - activates the virus and they spread out from the nerve endings. That's why cold sore is often called fever blister. A local or general weakening of the immune system is needed for an outbreak.

What are the Triggers for a Herpes outbreak?

Physical or mental stress Excessive cold or heat, including fever Exposure to strong sunlight Menstruation Local skin trauma General ill health and other infections, such as a cold

Herpes Symptom

A tingling sensation (itching and irritation) around the mouth heralds the sore's imminent arrival, usually within a day or two. The skin feels oversensitive to touch. Raised, swollen red area usually around the nostrils and lips. Tiny blisters form on the spot. Blisters enlarge, burst, oozes fluid and become painful ulcers after 2 or 3 days. The ulcers crust over, form scabs. They may crack and bleed easily. Fade away in 7 to 10 days.

As you would expect, herpes is highly contagious. There is 90% chance of catching it if a member of the family has an active blister. The virus is transmitted through skin contact, for example kissing.

Cold sore that develops near the eye is potentially dangerous and should be seen by a doctor, as soon as symptoms, such as tingling or itching, begin.

As you can see, cold sores are not only annoying they can also be dangerous.

Are you a cold sore sufferer?

Do you avoid getting out in the world due to your cold sore problem?
Does you life revolve around when your next breakout will be?
Do you find yourself hiding your face when other people are around?

Do you want to have your face back?

Yes, you do not have to suffer from cold sore any more!!!

Click here to learn more!

Cold Sore Treatment

PRESSURE SORES

Many Tips on How to Get Rid of a Cold Sore

If you want to know how to get rid of cold sore rest assured this can be done quickly. You probably already know that a cold sore is that tingling sensation on your lip and a hard concentrated area that is not visible. In just a matter of one day or two, red blisters start to show on your lip, and this is where it starts to get bothersome.

A lot of people look around for some tips on how to get rid of cold sore due to its uncomfortable symptoms. Cold sores are also referred to as fever blisters. While you can?t permanently get rid of or totally avoid cold sores, you can reduce their occurrence and curtail the length of the incidence.

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Medication

There are plenty of medicines that can reduce the signs of cold sores. Some are available without a prescription while others require a prescription from a general practitioner. Some are used topically and others are taken in pill form. Most of the topical over-the-counter medicines offer alleviation of the symptoms only. This indicates that they can reduce physical discomfort but they do not hasten the healing process.

Utilizing topical anesthetics that includes lidocaine, benzocaine, dibucaine and tetracaine can assist in relieving pain, burning and itching. You may also use skin protectants like petrolatum and allantoin. If you want to reduce the time it takes to heal the condition, you may try a docosanol cream.

If the blisters seem to be out of your control then your physician may suggest topical prescription drugs like acyclovir or penciclovir. These can hasten the entire healing process. Your physician may also suggest to you prescription oral drugs like acyclovir and valacyclovir.

Alternative Therapy

Support the healing process by not eating foods comprising of arginine, which as an amino acid that obstructs lysine. Furthermore, don?t consume too much oats, seeds, nuts, dairy products, corn, meat and peanuts, as they all comprise of arginine. Limit eating citrus and other acidic fruits since they can worsen your blisters.

Convenient Cures

Some home treatments are said to be ineffective in soothing cold sores, however, there are other home treatments that are well-known to greatly improve the condition. Lightly massaging or applying pressure on affected areas with ice is widely believed to be an excellent cure. If you employ the ice early on, it can significantly decrease the expansion of the condition. The ice will also minimize inflammation and thwart the growth of the virus. It would be a good idea to employ tea bags, aloe vera or lemon balm extract onto the affected areas so you can diminish their appearance and aid in soothing them.

Recommendations

Now that we have just learned how to get rid of cold sore the important next step is to prevent it from multiplying. Never touch or play around with the affected areas and cleanse your mouth with mouthwash to relieve symptoms. Mildly rinse the affected areas with a soap-free liquid cleanser and lightly dry. Safeguard affected areas by administering a skin protectant often. Don?t have direct contact with topical medications and instead employ a clean applicator. Cold sores are transmittable. Don?t have direct contact with other persons if you?re still experiencing the sores.

Many Tips on How to Get Rid of a Cold Sore

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Thursday, September 22, 2011

How Do Pressure Ulcers And Sores Occur And What You Can Do To Prevent Them

What Are Pressure Sores?

wheelchair cushions for pressure sores

Pressure sores are often know as pressure ulcers, but they are exactly the same thing - an injury that affects areas of skin and the underlying tissue, which can often vary in terms of severity, ranging from small patches of skin that just looks sore right the way through to big open wounds that are extremely painful for the sufferer.

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Although pressure sores can develop on almost any area of the body, the most common areas of attack are most frequently on the:

• Buttocks
• Back Of Head
• Ankles
• Heels
• Elbows
• Back
• Shoulder / Shoulder Blades
• Spine
• Ears

Because pressure sores have different levels of severity they are often graded to show how serious or significant they area, with the scale ranging from 1 to 4, with 1 being the least serious and 4 being the most serious pressure sore.

The higher the grade of the sore then the more chance there is of the sufferer or patient getting an infection or complication, because these types of sores are usually the ones that are open wounds and usually have the most tissue damage.

How Do You Get Pressure Sores?

Our skin gets thinner with age increasing the risk of a tear through friction (shearing).

Pressure sores basically occur when you lay or sit down for long periods of time without much movement, which is why they are most often found on hospital patients or people that suffer from a lack of mobility.

As you can probably tell from the name, these sores occur when pressure is applied to the skin for long periods of time, which is why people that are frequently in their bed or a wheel chair will often suffer with these sores which if left untreated can develop into really serious and painful instances.

It is true to say that pressure sores are very, very common but because most people who suffer from them are already in some kind of medical care, they are not really talked about. You rarely find pressure sores on healthy people because they are usually moving constantly and will not be still or laid down for long periods, meaning that there is usually little pressure on their skin which means pressure sores do not develop.

What Can You Do To Prevent Pressure Sores?

There are quite a few things that you can do to prevent these sores, ranging from changing body position right the way through to using specialised pressure care products which are designed to stop sores affecting people.

It is important that anyone who is restricted to a bed or a wheel chair has their position changed frequently and regularly, because this is one of the most effective things that you can do to stop sores affecting a patient. By turning them over or making them sit up, you will be able to reduce the constant pressure on an area of skin, which in turn will help to stop these ulcers occurring.

There are also ranges of specialist care products on the market, some of which have been designed and manufactured based on the experience of sufferers which make these products ideal for those who are worried about getting these kinds of sores.

Occupational therapists, specialist physiotherapists and tissue viability nurses will offer advice.

How Do Pressure Ulcers And Sores Occur And What You Can Do To Prevent Them

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Home Remedies For Sore Throat

Sore throat is so common a problem that has the potential to bring life to a half. Sometimes it can lead to severe cases like rash, blood in saliva, high fever, excessive drooling in children, etc. Medical attention is a must in such cases.

gel cushions for pressure sores

Some home remedies for sore throat

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Drink salt tea. Prepare tea as usual, but replace sugar with salt. Drink it a few times to cure sore throat.

Gargle with warm salt water.

Chew a betel leaf with licorice.

Boil 2 tsp fenugreek leaves in water and gargle with it while slightly warm.

Take one or two cloves of garlic and some cloves. Make them into a paste and eat it with two tsp honey.

Tulsi leaves (holy basil leaves) chewed fresh or drinking water with a few leaves boiled in it is also good cure for sore throat.

Water boiled with sage leaves, drained and cooled is another option you can try.

Drop two drops of tea tree oil in water and drink it.

Diet

Drink plenty of water. It may feel difficulty drinking water while you have sore throat. Drink water warm to avoid the difficulty drinking water.

Never take cold food as it can act as a stimulant for the throat to respond unfavorably. Take food moderately warm.

Lifestyle

Properly cover your throat when going out in cold climate. Don't go out in hot climate too. That too is not good for persons suffering from sore throat.

Avoid smoking (and smokers) - active and passive smoking is harmful.

Home Remedies For Sore Throat

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Heal Cold Sore - How to Get Rid of a Cold Sore in 48 Hours

Cold Sores and Herpes Simplex Background Information

Cold sores, otherwise known as oral herpes or "herpes labialis", are the most common form of infection by the herpes simplex virus in the world. Genital herpes is the second most common. Regrettably, there is no known cure for the herpes virus so once you've been infected with it you're stuck with it for life. However, there are some vaccines currently in the works by researchers that may soon allow people to be vaccinated against herpes.

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Oral herpes is usually transmitted when there are visible sores on the individual's face, however the period immediately before and after (of about plus and minus a week) a cold sore emerges is a stage during which the person is asymptomatically (without symptoms) shedding the virus and is therefore capable of infecting other people even though there are no outward signs of the disease.

Cold sores cycle through periods of active and dormant periods with the active periods lasting 2-21 days when there are blisters on the skin containing infectious virus particles, followed by a remission period--this is the phase that the virus is in the great majority of the time. During the dormant period the virus resides only in sensory nerve cells in its latent form where it will stay for the rest of the infected person's life. Over time the frequency of cold sore outbreaks will decrease due to your immune system adapting to the virus and building up an immunity to it; the duration and severity of the cold sores you get will also slowly decrease due to this.

Frequency of asymptomatic shedding has no correlation with frequency of symptomatic outbreaks: this means that the frequency with which you suffer visible outbreaks has no bearing on how often you are asymptomatically shedding.

Diagnosis--Sometimes a Cold Sore Isn't a Cold Sore

Orofacial herpes infection is typically determined by clinical examination where the most common symptoms are multiple round superficial ulcers accompanied by acute gingivitis. Cases non-typical in appearance are more difficult to diagnose and an examiner will typically refer to what are known as "prodromal" symptoms--that is, symptoms that will typically occur prior to the onset of the disease--to differentiate HSV infection from other conditions with similar symptoms. For example, cold sores are often mistaken for canker sores and vice-versa, but they have distinctly different prodromal symptoms. The best way to distinguish cold sores from canker sores is that cold sores almost always occur outside the mouth whereas canker sores are always completely inside the mouth.

How To Heal a Cold Sore in Under 48 Hours

Ok, here's my own personal procedure that I perform every time that I get a cold sore. I've developed this over years of trial and error and hope it works as well for you as it does for me:

1. Take a needle and sterilize it with rubbing alcohol, pop the cold sore, and drain all the fluid out, soaking it up with a kleenex or paper towel. This is just like what you would do to a zit in high school. You really don't want any of that nasty yellow fluid at all.

2. Wash the cold sore with a damp cloth and some soap and warm water once every two hours or so. You want to keep the affected area as clean and dry as possible.

3. Ice the area once every two hours for about 10 minutes with an ice cube after you've washed it. This will not only reduce the itching and pain but it will also lessen the severity of the outbreak because it slows down the virus.

4. Apply some Benzyl alcohol ("Zilactin") to the area with a q-tip once every two hours after the ice, this is one of the few home remedies recommended and endorsed by the Mayo Clinic (source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cold-sore/DS00358/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs ). This will probably do more to help you heal that cold sore fast than anything else I've ever tried, this stuff is awesome.

5. Start taking lysine (aka "l-lysine") at 1000mg 3 times per day--this has been effectively shown in multiple scientific studies to not only reduce the healing time and severity of a cold sore outbreak but to also help prevent cold sores and reduce the frequency of outbreaks throughout the year if taken as a preventative measure at a lower dosage (I recommend 500mg once a day as a preventative treatment). (Source: National Institute of Health, to see the full study go here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3115841 )

Heal Cold Sore - How to Get Rid of a Cold Sore in 48 Hours

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Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Garlic and Onion Cold Remedy For Sore Throats

Did you know garlic and onion honey has been used for generations to help soothe a sore throat and fight the colds and flu? I know, you're thinking you will never get your kids to eat that. But, once kids try it, they actually do like it. Honey sweetens these pungent herbs and you just might not be able to keep them out of it.

gel cushions for pressure sores

You can make this garlic and onion honey when you get the first signs of a cold or flu. It can be made up and used the next day. Kids will be pleasantly surprised that it tastes so good and that it feels good on their sore throats. The honey tames the pungency, but at the same time it draws out all those cold and flu fighting compounds.

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Here's how to make this traditional remedy used by cultures around the world. Fill a glass jar with garlic cloves. A small canning jar works well. Leave the skins on and add the cloves whole or crushed slightly to get those juices flowing. Cut a small onion in quarters, leaving the skin on, and put in the jar with the garlic. Fill the jar with raw honey and stir to saturate the garlic and onions. Top off again with the honey if needed and put the cap on. Set it out on your counter and it will be ready the next day.

Take 1-2 teaspoons several times a day. This remedy has been used by cultures around the world for coughs, bronchitis, respiratory ailments and sinusitis. But it is especially soothing for sore throats.

©2009 Shanna Ohmes

Garlic and Onion Cold Remedy For Sore Throats

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