ScienceDaily (Mar. 2, 2010) — A new University of Illinois study touts the benefits of soluble fiber — found in oats, apples, and nuts, for starters — saying that it reduces the inflammation associated with obesity-related diseases and strengthens the immune system.
“Soluble fiber changes the personality of immune cells — they go from being pro-inflammatory, angry cells to anti-inflammatory, healing cells that help us recover faster from infection,” said Gregory Freund, a professor in the U of I’s College of Medicine and a faculty member in the College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences’ Division of Nutritional Sciences.
This happens because soluble fiber causes increased production of an anti-inflammatory protein called interleukin-4, he said.
The study will appear in the May 2010 issue of Brain, Behavior, and Immunity and is available online now.
In the experiment, laboratory mice consumed low-fat diets that were identical except that they contained either soluble or insoluble fiber. After six weeks on the diet, the animals had distinctly different responses when the scientists induced illness by introducing a substance (lipopolysaccharide) that causes the body to mimic a bacterial infection.
“Two hours after lipopolysaccharide injection, the mice fed soluble fiber were only half as sick as the other group, and they recovered 50 percent sooner. And the differences between the groups continued to be pronounced all the way out to 24 hours,” said Christina Sherry, who also worked on the study.
“In only six weeks, these animals had profound, positive changes in their immune systems,” she said.
known that obesity is linked to inflammatory conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease.
Yet, in a recent study, the U of I scientists demonstrated that fat tissue produces hormones that appear to compensate for this inflammation. “There are significant anti-inflammatory components in fat tissue and, if they were strategically unleashed, they could potentially protect obese people from further inflammatory insults, such as a heart attack or stroke. In obese animals, you can see the body compensating in an effort to protect itself,” he said.
Not all fat is bad, the researcher noted. The Mediterranean diet, which receives high marks for its health benefits, includes such foods as olive oil; salmon, tuna, sardines, and trout, which contain important omega-3 and -6 fatty acids; and plant sources of fat, such as flaxseed.
“Now we’d like to find a way to keep some of the anti-inflammatory, positive effects that develop over time with a high-fat diet while reducing that diet’s negative effects, such as high blood glucose and high triglycerides. It’s possible that supplementing a high-fat diet with soluble fiber could do that, even delaying the onset of diabetes,” he said.
This study is one of the first to provide two valuable lessons, said Sherry. The first, already noted, is that soluble fiber has direct anti-inflammatory effects and builds up the immune system. The second is that the amount of soluble fiber necessary to achieve these health benefits is a reasonable, not a pharmacological, amount.
The recommended daily dietary recommendation is 28 to 35 grams of total fiber, but most of the FDA’s health claims are for insoluble fiber, and that’s where things get a bit complicated, she said.
“Not all fiber is created equal, although you wouldn’t know that by reading nutrition labels,” said Sherry. “Most manufacturers don’t tell you how much of each type of fiber a food contains, and we think it’s important that this information be included on a product’s packaging.”
Good sources of soluble fiber are oat bran, barley, nuts, seeds, lentils, citrus fruits, apples, strawberries, and carrots. “We used a citrus-based pectin in our study,” Sherry said.
Insoluble fiber, found in whole wheat and whole-grain products, wheat bran, and green, leafy vegetables, is also valuable for providing bulk and helping food move through the digestive system, but it doesn’t provide the boost to the immune system that soluble fiber provides.
Co-authors are Stephanie S. Kim, Ryan N. Dilger, Laura L. Bauer, Morgan L. Moon, Richard I. Tapping, George C. Fahey Jr., and Kelly A. Tappenden, all from the U of I. Sherry is now a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, and the USDA among others.

________________________________________
Story Source:
Adapted from materials provided by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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One Virus Particle Is Enough To Cause Infectious Disease

ScienceDaily (Mar. 14, 2009) — Can exposure to a single virus particle lead to infection or disease? Until now, solid proof has been lacking. Experimental research with insect larvae at Wageningen University and Simon Fraser University in Canada has shown that one virus particle is theoretically enough to cause infection and subsequent disease.

A virus population is usually composed of a collection of variants of virus particles. In order to  investigate whether virus particles (virions) can cause an infection independently from each other, and therefore individually, the researchers set up an experiment with two ‘marked’ virus variants. They exposed a population of hosts (caterpillars) to both variants.

The experiment showed that exposure to a low dosage of virus particles resulted in a small number host infections (20%). The majority of these hosts (86%) turned out to be infected by a single virus genotype. In contrast, exposure to a high dosage of virus particles resulted in virtually all the hosts (99%) becoming infected, where most of the hosts were infected by both types of virus. Only 14% were infected by only one of the two variants.

Based on the assumption that every virus particle operates independently from all other virus particles, the researchers set up a probability model. This model predicts how many virus particles have caused an infection and how many different virus genotypes are present in infected hosts, such as plants, insects or people. The results of the infection experiment with the susceptible insects are in agreement with the model predictions. From this it can be derived that the virus particles have an independent effect, and that a single virus particle can indeed cause infection and/or disease.

If there are few virus particles that lead to an infection, the number of virus particles determines the degree of diversity that can be present within the host. This is an important finding because the interactions between virus variants, such as competition and exchanging genetic information, determine the progression of disease and the evolution of the virus.

Until now, it was unclear whether a virus must be seen as an individual that can infect a host independently, or whether a cloud of viruses ‘cooperates’ to cause an infection. It is not yet known if the viruses that affect people can also act individually, but this research shows that it is possible.

The researchers recently published this finding in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

Journal reference:

1. Mark P Zwart, Lia Hemerik, Jenny S Cory, J. Arjan G.M de Visser, Felix J.J.A Bianchi, Monique M Van Oers, Just M Vlak, Rolf F Hoekstra, and Wopke Van der Werf. An experimental test of the independent action hypothesis in virus%u2013insect pathosystems. Proc. R. Soc. B, 2009; DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2009.0064..Adapted from materials provided by Wageningen University and Research Centre.

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Laboratory experiments have demonstrated the immunological effects of ginseng. Researchers have now shown that the herb, much used in traditional Chinese and other Asian medicine, has anti-inflammatory effects. (Credit: iStockphoto/Chen Chih-Wen)

ScienceDaily (May 14, 2009) — Laboratory experiments have demonstrated the immunological effects of ginseng. Researchers have now shown that the herb, much used in traditional Chinese and other Asian medicine, has anti-inflammatory effects.

Allan Lau led a team of researchers from the University of Hong Kong who identified seven ginseng constituents, ginsenosides, which showed immune-suppressive effects. He said, “The anti-inflammatory role of ginseng may be due to the combined effects of these ginsenosides, targeting different levels of immunological activity, and so contributing to the diverse actions of ginseng in humans”.

The scientists treated human immune cells with different extracts of ginseng. They found that of the nine ginsenosides they identified, seven could selectively inhibit expression of the inflammatory gene CXCL-10. Lau concludes, “Further studies will be needed to examine the potential beneficial effects of ginsenosides in the management of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases in humans”.

Uniquely, the researchers were able to holistically test the ginseng extract’s immune effects by using sophisticated purification technologies to identify individual constituents and define their bioactivity using genomics and bioactivity assays. After that, they reconstituted them back into a whole extract with definable individual ginsenosides for re-confirmation of effects. This potentially opens up a vigorous methodology to study medicinal herbs with state-of-the-art technologies.

1. Davy CW Lee, Cindy LH Yang, Stanley CC Chik, James CB Li, Jian-hui Rong, Godfrey CF Chan and Allan SY Lau. Bioactivity-guided identification and cell signaling technology to delineate the immunomodulatory effects of Panax ginseng on human promonocytic U937 cells. Journal of Translational Medicine, (in press)

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Cancer pain: Relief is possible

From MayoClinic.com
Special to CNN.com

Not everyone with cancer experiences cancer pain, but one of out three does. If you have advanced cancer — cancer that has spread or recurred — your chance of experiencing cancer pain is even higher.

Cancer pain strikes in many ways. Your pain may be dull, aching or sharp. It could be constant, intermittent, mild, moderate or severe. Timothy Moynihan, M.D., a cancer specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., offers some insight into cancer pain, reasons why people might not get the pain treatment they need and what they can do about it.

What causes cancer pain?

Cancer pain can result from the cancer itself. Cancer can cause pain by growing into or destroying tissue anywhere near the cancer. Cancer pain can come from the primary cancer itself — where the cancer started — or from other areas in the body where the cancer has spread (metastases). As a tumor grows, it may put pressure on nerves, bones or other organs, causing pain.

Recent research has shown that cancer pain may not just be from the physical effect of the cancer on a region of the body, but also due to chemicals that the cancer may secrete in the region of the tumor. Treatment of the cancer can help the pain in these situations.

Cancer treatments — such as chemotherapy, radiation and surgery — are another potential source of cancer pain. Surgery can be painful, and it may take time to recover. Radiation may leave behind a burning sensation or painful scars. And chemotherapy can cause many potentially painful side effects, including mouth sores, diarrhea and nerve damage.

How do you treat cancer pain?

There are many different ways to treat cancer pain. The ideal way is to remove the source of the pain, for example, through surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or some other form of treatment. If that cannot be done, pain medications can usually control the pain. These medications include:

• Analgesics, such as aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others)
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others)
• Weak opioid (derived from opium) medications, such as codeine
• Strong opioid medications, such as morphine, oxycodone, hydromorphone, fentanyl or methadone

These drugs can often be taken orally, so they’re easy to use. However, it you’re unable to take medications orally, they may also be taken intravenously, rectally or through the skin using a patch.

In September 2006 the Food and Drug Administration approved a new form of the opioid fentanyl (Fentora) that dissolves in your mouth. This medication may be particularly effective for intermittent pain episodes, which are sometimes called “incident pain.” These fentanyl tablets dissolve rapidly, and the drug is absorbed through the lining of your mouth.

Specialized treatment, such as nerve blocks, also may be applicable. Nerve blocks are a local anesthetic that is injected around or into a nerve, which prevents pain messages traveling along that nerve pathway from reaching the brain. Other therapies, such as acupuncture, acupressure, massage, physical therapy, relaxation, meditation and humor, may help.

In your experience, what are some reasons for not receiving adequate treatment for cancer pain?

Unfortunately cancer pain is often undertreated. There are many factors behind that, some of which include:

• Physician knowledge. One factor has to do with a physician’s knowledge and ability to treat and recognize pain. Some physicians and other health care professionals may not specifically ask about pain, which should be a normal part of every cancer patient’s visit. Cancer patients should be asked if they are having any pain. If they are, the physician should stop there and deal with the issue. Some doctors don’t know enough about proper pain treatment. If this is the case, your doctor might refer you to a pain specialist.
• Patient reluctance. A second factor might be a patient’s own reluctance. Some people might not want to “bother” their doctors with the information, or they may fear that the pain means that their cancer is getting worse. Some are reluctant to report it or report it as thoroughly as they should because they’re worried about what doctors or other people might think of them if they complain. They might feel that because they have cancer, they’re supposed to have pain and be able to deal with it. That simply isn’t true.
• Fear of addiction. Another factor might be a person’s fear of becoming addicted to the pain medications. This is something that we know doesn’t typically happen if you take medications for pain. If you take them when you’re not in pain or to get high, then, yes, you can get addicted. But the risk of addiction for people who take pain medications in an appropriate fashion — for pain — is very low, so this shouldn’t be a concern.
• Fear of side effects. Some people fear the side effects of pain medications. Many are afraid of being sleepy, unable to communicate with family and friends, acting strangely, or being seen as dependent on medications. People are also sometimes afraid that taking morphine may shorten their life. There is no evidence of any of these happening if the medication is dosed appropriately. And although strong pain medications can cause drowsiness when you first take them, that side effect usually goes away with steady dosing.

What side effects can you expect from cancer pain treatment, and what can you do about them?

Each pain treatment may be accompanied by its own unique side effects. For example, radiation treatments may cause redness and a burning sensation of the skin. And, depending on what part of the body the radiation is applied to, the radiation may cause diarrhea, mouth sores or other problems, such as fatigue. Chemotherapy certainly can cause side effects, such as nausea, fatigue, infection and hair loss, but it can be effective in relieving pain if it shrinks the tumor. There are medications to help with nausea. Relaxation techniques also may help.

Pain medications each have their own unique side effects that should be reviewed with your physician before taking them. One of the common side effects of the stronger pain medicines is constipation — common to opioids. It can be treated with appropriate bowel regimens as prescribed by your doctor, such as adding a stool softener and something to stimulate the bowels. Preventing constipation is much easier than treating it, so anyone who takes these strong pain medications should automatically begin a regimen to keep their bowels moving. Some of the other side effects of the strong pain medications include confusion, lethargy and sleepiness. The severity of these effects varies from person to person and commonly occurs with the first several doses. But once a steady amount of the medicine stays in your body, the side effects usually resolve. Hallucinations and behavior changes are uncommon.

The less potent pain medications actually may have more side effects, which also should be discussed with your physician before taking them. For instance, anti-inflammatory drugs might damage your kidneys, cause ulcers or increase your blood pressure. Aspirin can cause gastrointestinal bleeding, and acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) can cause liver damage if you take too much.

When should you discuss cancer pain with your doctor, and what points should you bring up?

Report any bothersome pain to your physician. If there is a minor pain that goes away, don’t worry about it. But if the pain interferes with your life or is persistent, it needs to be reported and should be treated. Although no one can guarantee that all pain can be completely eliminated, most pain can be lessened to the point where you can be comfortable.

It may help to keep track of your pain by noting how strong it is, where it’s located, what makes it worse, what brings it on, what makes it better and anything else that happens when you have the pain. A pain-rating scale from 0 to 10 — with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain you can imagine — may be helpful in reporting pain to your doctor. In addition, pay attention to what happens when you attempt to relieve your pain. If you take medicine, do you feel any ill effects from it? If it’s a massage or something physical that relieves the pain, those therapies are important to report, too. Note whether they cause any ill effects.

What steps can you take to make sure you’re receiving adequate cancer pain treatment?

First, you need to talk to your doctor or health care provider if you’re having pain. Second, you and your doctor should set a goal for pain management and monitor the success of the treatment against that goal. Your doctor should track the pain with a pain scale, assessing how strong it is. The goal should be to keep the pain at a level with which you’re comfortable. If you aren’t achieving that goal, talk to your physician. If you’re not getting the answers you need, request a referral to a facility more skilled in the care of pain, particularly a major cancer center. All major cancer centers have pain management programs. For the most part, the medications and treatment for pain are covered by standard insurance.

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ScienceDaily (Apr. 27, 2009) — New research published April 27 from the University of Leicester and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust warns of a six-month time lag before effective vaccines can be manufactured in the event of a pandemic flu outbreak.

By that time, the first wave of pandemic flu may be over before people are vaccinated, says Dr Iain Stephenson, Consultant in Infectious Diseases at the Leicester Royal Infirmary and a Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University of Leicester.

In his paper published in PNAS- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA- Dr Stephenson makes the first case for a pre-pandemic vaccine to mitigate the worst effects of pandemic flu.

He said: “This study is the first to show an effective pre-pandemic vaccine approach. This means that we could vaccinate people potentially many years before a pandemic, to generate memory cells that are long lasting and can be rapidly boosted by a single dose of vaccine when needed.”

Dr Stephenson, of the Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation at the University of Leicester, said: “If an influenza pandemic occurs, vaccination will to be the main way to protect the population. The major current threat seems to be from avian influenza H5N1 (bird flu) which has spread rapidly around the world and causes human infections and deaths.

“Unfortunately, if a pandemic occurs, it will take up to six months to manufacture effective vaccine, so the first waves of the pandemic may be over before people are vaccinated. Furthermore, most people need two doses of H5 pandemic vaccine to get protection- so this adds a further delay.

“To reduce any delay, we could consider stockpiling vaccine or immunizing people with vaccine prepared in advance -(a so called ‘pre-pandemic vaccine’ – to protect them before a future pandemic.

“However, we don’t know which strain of influenza will cause the pandemic. There are several strains of H5N1 virus, so we can’t be sure of which virus strain to make pre-pandemic vaccine from. Therefore a ‘pre-pandemic’ vaccine needs to give cross protection to as many H5 strains as possible.”

Dr Stephenson and his team conducted a study comparing the effect of a single H5 bird flu vaccine dose to people who had been vaccinated with an H5 vaccine previously with people who had not previously received vaccine. The aim was the test out the idea of a pre-pandemic vaccination approach.

He said: “We found that those people who received H5 vaccine between 1999 and 2001 responded very well to a single dose of a newer H5 vaccine. They had memory cells that gave a rapid protective response within 7 days of the repeat vaccine. Also the response was very broad and able to protect against all known strains of H5N1 virus.

“In contrast, those people who had not been previously vaccinated with H5 vaccine, behaved as we had expected. They required 2 doses of vaccine and got good antibody responses up to 6 weeks after the first dose.”

Dr Stephenson added that this was the first study to show an effective pre-pandemic vaccine approach.

The trial subjects were all recruited at the University of Leicester or University Hospitals of Leicester.

Adapted from materials provided by University of Leicester, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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ScienceDaily — Immune cells called macrophages can destroy tumor cells by producing inflammatory proteins that are toxic to the tumor. But the environment inside the tumor somehow halts this production and instead causes the cells to make proteins that promote tumor growth.

The new study identifies a protein, called IKK(beta), that drives this pro-tumor switch. This protein normally stimulates protective inflammation.

But in the context of tumors, the study shows, IKK(beta) also blocked the activity of a protein that turns on anti-tumor genes.

When the scientists inactivated IKK(beta) in macrophages from mouse tumors, the tumor-friendly cells went on the attack. These cells also secreted proteins that attracted professional tumor-killing cells that helped to shrink the tumors.

The researchers are now conducting clinical trials to determine whether macrophages from cancer patients can be similarly reprogrammed into tumor killers.

Adapted from materials provided by Journal of Experimental Medicine, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS. (May 20, 2008)

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Healing Herbs for Preventing and Curing Cancer

Dina Hunter

Healing Herbs for Preventing and Curing Cancer No one knows exactly what causes cancer. Research has learned that when the immune system slows down or cannot work properly, cancer and other immune failure diseases seem to take over. The white blood cells are a main part of the immune system. When the white blood cells die or in some way become impaired, the immune system breaks down. Conventional cancer treatments usually consist of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. These can all lower your white blood cell count and wreak havoc with your immune system. White blood cells are very tough little guys, swimming through our veins, attacking infections and various other “bad germs” in our blood. But they are vulnerable to certain things. They can not do their job well when there is infection. They are killed off by chemotherapy, radiation, mold, chlorine and fluoride in our water supply and metal toxins such as mercury, iron or aluminum. What’s even more frightening is antibiotics, as well as, some pharmaceutical drugs that we are given to help combat disease and infection can sometimes destroy the white blood cells. Many times the very drugs and treatments that kill cancer end up killing the patient because their organs break down and fail to function. So there goes our immune system. In 2002 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I endured surgery and chemotherapy, which made me horribly sick and left me so weak I could barely walk across the room. When I told the oncologist I was sick and vomiting for several days after each chemo session, she told me it couldn’t be the chemo making me sick. It had to be something else making me vomit. Even after the chemo sessions were over, I was still too weak to do much of anything. I asked the oncologist if there were any herbs or certain kinds of foods I should eat. She said, “No, just eat what you normally eat.” She obviously had no knowledge of herbs or nutrition. So, it looks to me like, if you’re suffering from the effects of chemotherapy or radiation, you’re pretty much on your own. It’s very hard to cope with these vague feelings of tiredness, no energy, depression, irritability, loss of appetite, memory loss and concentration. Most doctors seem to feel these symptoms are unimportant and dismiss them without much thought. One thing we can do is take advantage of the many cancer fighting, immune enhancing herbs, some of which have been around for 1000s of years. Scientists around the world are concentrating on herbal medicines to boost the immune cells of the body in it’s fight against cancer. Find a good herbalist or Doctor of alternative medicine. He or she can put together an herbal formulation based on your body, it’s needs and your life style. Because there are many kinds of cancer and different herbs work in different ways, they are usually not given singly. They work much better in synergistic combinations. Some herbs fight disease by enhancing the immune system. Others work with the lymph system to neutralize toxins and encourage drainage of fluids which flush toxins out of the body. Water, although not an herb, does a very good job of flushing toxins from the body. Just make sure the toxic chemicals that are added to most water systems are filtered out before you drink it. According to the Department of Agriculture there are over 3000 herbs that contain anti-cancer properties. Following is a list of the more common herbs for treating this dreaded disease. Astragalus has been used for more than 5000 years in China. It enhances the immune cells and the natural killer cells that are known to destroy cancer cells. It has been shown in research to speed recovery from chemotherapy and radiation treatments and prolong life expectancy. Astragalus is rarely given alone. According to Chinese medicine it works best when given along with other immune enhancing herbs. Some studies do show that it is effective when used alone and it is certainly worth using. Flaxseed supplements help balance the hormonal system and enhances the immune system and is recommended as a preventative for women who are concerned about breast cancer. Doctors in Germany have been using yarrow along with surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Garlic and onion has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer of the colon, esophagus and the stomach. Hippocrates was the first to recommend it’s use. Antioxidants are found in most fruits, vegetables and herbs and are known to fight cancer and other diseases. Pau D Arco has been known to shrink cancerous tumors. Burdock, Cat’s Claw, sweet potatoes and pineapple, all have cancer fighting qualities which can detoxify your body and boost the immune system. If you don’t have an herbalist or doctor who will prescribe a synergistic herbal combination to fight cancer for you try eating a wide variety of herbs known to fight cancer and rejuvenate the immune system. Find more information about combating disease with herbs at www.healthyherbalplants.com .

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/cancer-articles/healing-herbs-for-preventing-and-curing-cancer-482749.html

About the Author:

Dina Hunter is the author and owner of www.healthyherbalplants.com She is a firm believer in natural healing with fresh natural foods and herbs.She uses herbs for pain, stress and joint care As a cancer survivor she has done a lot of research on herbs to help This article discusses relevant herbs for preventing and curing cancer and helping the body cope with radiation and chemotherapy, recover from the effects of chemotherapy and radiation.

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Dick Aronson

Pain is a massive problem in our society, in fact it is estimated that at any given time, around one third of the population are in pain. Pain of any type is the most frequent reason for physician consultation. It is a major symptom in many medical conditions, significantly interfering with quality of life and general functioning. Pain management is therefore an extremely important part of health care because people forced to continue living with extreme pain often become depressed and have poor treatment outcomes. Some types of pain are still not really understood with as many as a third of cases having unknown origins. Here are some of the things we do know: * Pain is constant for about 20% of people. * Back pain is the most common pain. * Most chronic pain sufferers have had pain for at least 3 years. * As can be expected, the incidence of pain increases with advancing age. * Women report pain more often than men. * Only 70% of sufferers look for professional help. Pain Management Modern pain management programs should be multidisciplinary combining the input of Medical practitioners, Acupuncturists, Physiotherapists, Chiropractors, Clinical psychologists and Occupational therapists, amongst others. 1. Narcotics are often prescribed for severe pain, but narcotics carry with them a potential for side effects and addiction, so patients and caregivers must weigh the level of pain against these dangers in the pain management process. 2. Numerous studies have found that certain complementary therapies are effective in pain management. 3. Massage therapy can hasten pain relief, soothe stiff sore muscles, and reduce inflammation and swelling. 4. Psychological pain management teaches people skills to cope with pain. Research has shown that having realistic, helpful thoughts is an important part of pain management. 5. Natural pain relief is a sought after alternative to medication and drugs based on chemicals and other synthetic medication. Herbs have been used for centuries for pain relief, but many have not undergone extensive study. Some allergic reactions might occur with some patients using natural pain relief, but these can be easily controlled or prevented by doing a skin test before using the natural pain relief. 6. One of the pain management modalities are trigger point injections and nerve blocks utilizing long acting anesthetics and small doses of steroids. 7. NSAID pain relief medication will not only relieve pain, but also reduce fever and inflammation. However there are real disadvantages associated with the long term use of these drugs. 8. Aspirins, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen are other common remedies used for the relief of acute pain. 9. Morphine is the major active substance in opium and a very potent pain relief medication. Morphine will act directly on the central nervous system and is commonly used as a pain relief medication for acute and severe pain caused by surgery or major trauma. Morphine is also used as a pain relief medication for moderate and severe chronic pain, such as pain caused by cancer. 10. TENS machines give short term pain relief to many people. These machines are fairly cumbersome but at least they do not have side effects. 11. Finally there is a new modality which has just been released on to the market and that is the rather unique pain patch which combines nano technology with crystals activated by body heat to produce an energy wave. The waves are transmitted to the origin of the pain where they produce an acupuncture effect which relieves pain. There are reports of pain of 40 year duration being relieved instantly.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/modern-pain-management-techniques-750244.html

About the Author:

The author has 35 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and alternative medicine fields. He has supervised clinical trials in a number of countries and has been responsible for the launch of one of the first low GI meal replacement bars. Visit Medicine for the Future for more information and articles on healthcare.

Article which outlines the massive problem of pain in our society, where at any one time around a third of the population lives with pain and goes on to describe some of the latest pain mPain,pain Mahttp://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/modern-pain-management-techniques-750244.htmlnagement,pain Relief,pain Patchesanagement techniques.

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by herbalremedies

More people call out sick from work because of chronic pain than call out sick because of the common cold. Chances are you or someone you know suffers from chronic pain.

More people call out sick from work because of chronic pain than call out sick because of the common cold. Chances are you or someone you know suffers from chronic pain. Pain is a necessary part of life. It alerts us when something is wrong with our bodies. It’s normal to experience pain with an illness or injury. Normally, this pain fades as the injury heals or the sickness goes away. This is referred to as acute pain. Pain becomes chronic when it continues after the healing time of the injury. This pain can hang on for months or even years and often causes depression in its sufferers. Chronic pain can also occur as the result of an ongoing condition, like fibromyalgia, arthritis, or cancer. Back injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, and migraine headaches are some other examples of conditions that cause chronic pain. Some pain can result from injury to the nerves causing them send false signals to the brain. How massage affects your pain is partly dependent on its source. If your pain is caused by a muscle injury massage can not only help ease the pain but also help speed the healing process. Acute or chronic – these are the two words that describe pain. Acute goes away easily and rarely lasts long. Chronic is its exact opposite. Chronic pain can last for six months and is expected to recur at anytime. The main cause of it is very hard to pinpoint. And it doesn’t help if doctors were more interested in addressing the pains rather than knowing what is actually causing it. As such, chronic pain relief can be elusive to patients. But then again, there are certain medicines and therapies that are deemed effective for chronic pain. There are also a lot of medicines sold over-the-counter, which can truly help. While chronic pain is a major problem, patients do have options to treat it. Doctors normally prescribe medicines, antidepressants, and anticonvulsants, to address chronic pain. Chronic pain relief is also possible with physical therapy. Physical therapy corresponds to the low-impact exercises like swimming, walking, and stretching. If done regularly, these simple exercises can help your body a lot. It can help lower the intensity of the pain you’re going through. However, these exercises are best performed along a trained physical therapist. Both occupational and behavioral therapies could also help. In occupational therapy, patients are thought how to pace and condition themselves when doing everyday tasks. Don’t get discouraged if you are one of the chronic pain sufferers for which a cause cannot be found. An unknown source doesn’t make the pain any less real. Fibromyalgia, for example, causes widespread pain in muscles and joints. Yet, a person with fibromyalgia may not know the cause of the pain A healthcare provider may be able to link fibromyalgia to an injury or virus; but in other cases, a specific cause may go unidentified. Irritable bowel syndrome is another example of chronic pain for which the specific cause may not be known. Chronic pain may be related to changes in your nerve signals after a healed injury. Chronic pain may also be related to heightened pain sensitivity when your body produces lower than normal levels of painkilling endorphins. If you suffer from chronic pain do not ignore the warning signals. If you try to tough it out, the disease, illness, or injury may get worse. Left untreated, chronic pain can also mentally wear you down. Making massage therapy part of your treatment routine could help ease your pain and lessen your dependence on pain killing drugs. In the long run this will lead to less drug side effects and better health.

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P.Bhargav Kashyap

Oh! Pain in the Neck?! Neck pain, at times, can become pain in the neck’ quite literally. People who have experienced neck pain alone know how painful the neck pain can turnout to be. Neck is one of the most flexible regions of the spine, which consists of vertebrae, seven shock absorbing discs, muscles, and vertebral ligaments to hold them in place. The uppermost cervical disc connects the top of the spinal column to the base of the skull. The spinal cord, which sends nerve impulses to every part of the body, runs through a canal in the cervical vertebrae and continues all the way down the spine. What causes neck pain? Most people experience neck pain at some point in their lives. Neck pain can be acute, lasting for few hours or a few weeks, or it can be chronic. Neck pain that lasts several weeks or longer is considered chronic neck pain. Neck pain can be caused by an activity or injury or by a medical condition. Your head and neck region is vulnerable to many different stresses. Bad posture can cause misalignment of your neck, head, and spine. Car accidents can cause whiplash. Age and wear and tear can cause arthritis. Even activities such as chewing gum and reading in bed and cause pain. How do we avoid these potential problems? And if we can’t avoid them, how can we recover as quickly as possible. Non-specific neck pain Many people develop a stiff and painful neck for no obvious reason. It may happen after a minor twisting injury, for example while gardening. Since the underlying cause for this type of neck pain is not fully understood hence it is called ‘non-specific neck pain’ Having non-specific neck pain does not mean that your neck is damaged. Often it happens in people whose necks would appear completely normal under an x-ray. It is the most common type of neck pain and disappears after a few days. Activities that cause neck pain Neck pain mostly is caused by activities that result in repeated or prolonged movements of the neck’s muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones, or joints. This can result in a strain(an overstretched or overused muscle), a sprain (injury to a ligament), a spasm of the neck muscles, or inflammation of the neck joints. 1. Holding your head in a forward or odd position for long periods of time while working, reading, watching TV, or talking on the telephone. 2. Sleeping on a pillow that is too high or too flat or doesn’t adequately support your head, or sleeping on your stomach with your neck twisted or bent. 3. Spending long periods of time resting your forehead on your upright fist or arm. 4. Work that uses the upper body and arms, such as painting a ceiling or other overhead work. Injuries that cause neck pain The Spine consists of interlocking bones(vertebrae) and discs that separate the vertebrae. The portion of the spine that runs through the neck is known as the cervical spine. Muscles and ligaments in the neck hold the cervical spine together. Injury to any of these structures may result in neck pain. Minor injuries may occur from tripping or from excessive motion of the cervical spine. Severe neck injuries may occur from whiplash in an accident, falls from significant heights, direct blows to the face or the back or top of the head, sports-related injuries , a penetrating injury such as a stab wound, or pressure applied to the outside of the neck, such as strangulation. Pain from an injury may be sudden and severe. Bruising and swelling may develop soon after the injury. Sudden (acute) injuries can result in strain and pain in the neck, dislocation of the spin, or a ruptured disc. Medical conditions that cause neck pain 1. Neck pain may be caused by or related to medical conditions such as: 2. Cervical Spinal Stenosis 3. Cervical Spondylosis 4. Illnesses, such as meningitis, which cause inflammation around the tissues of the brain and spinal cord. 5.Chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis Torticollis (wryneck): Torticollis is caused by severe muscle tightness or a shortened muscle on one side of the neck, causing the head to be tilted to one side. Referred pain: Referred pain occurs when a problem in one place in the body causes pain in another place. For example, a problem with your jaw or your heart can cause neck pain. Infection or a tumor in the neck area. Signs and Symptoms

Neck pain takes many forms. Signs and symptoms of neck pain may include: 1. Pain in your neck that may be sharp or dull 2. Stiffness in your neck 3. Difficulty going about your daily tasks because of pain or stiffness in your neck 4. Shoulder pain in addition to neck pain, in some cases 5. Back pain in addition to neck pain, in some cases. Help yourself to prevent neck pain. Take frequent breaks: Don’t sit in one place for a long time, such as your car or at your desk. Arrange some of the items in your office that cause inconvenience. This will force you to get up, stretch or walk around. Maintain good neck posture: Adjust the seat of your computer or desk chair so that your hips are slightly higher than your knees. Your head and neck will naturally follow in the correct position. While traveling in a car, airplane or train, place a small pillow or rolled towel between your neck and a head rest to keep the normal curve in your neck. Avoid too many pillows: Avoid sleeping with too many pillows or falling asleep in front of the television with your head on the arm of a couch. Exercise: Treat your body to a consistent regimen of stretching and strengthening to balance your muscle groups. This protects your neck as well as helping your whole body. Walking at any pace is excellent exercise for your neck. The rotation of the spine provides a great natural workout for the neck muscles. Eat smart and Drink water: Good nutrition and staying well hydrated are not only important to stay healthy, but vital in the healing process. For more Health Tips: http://fitnus.blogspot.com/

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Neck pain, at times, can become pain in the neck’ quite literally. People who have experienced neck pain alone know hhttp://www.articlesbase.com/sleep-articles/ouch-pain-in-the-neck-517422.htmlowNeck Pain painful the neck pain can turnout to be.

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