Insomnia & Sleep Disorders, Better Body Clinical Nutrition
Oct 10
Popularity: 2% [?]
Jun 05
Eezapein
Ease Pain Naturally:neck,back, shoulder,arms, hands & fingers, menstrual cramping
Secondary Benefits
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:
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:
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.
Popularity: 4% [?]
Apr 30
Soothe Insomnia
Secondary Benefits
7 Serious Long Term Lack of Sleep Effects
Lack of sleep is a rising problem in our society, and lack of sleep effects are getting stronger and more dangerous as the time goes by. Almost everybody has suffered of it at one time or another. If you have mild insomnia, it is easy to fix it with some home remedies. But if your lack of sleep is chronic, you might encounter some long term effects which can prove to be really dangerous.
1. The first long term lack of sleep effect is getting various heart diseases.
2. Diminished concentration and memory lapses is another nasty effect of a prolonged lack of sleep.
3. Depression is something that people automatically associate with lack of sleep, and with good reason.
4. Sadly, a prolonged lack of sleep can even cause death.
5. Hallucinations and psychotic episodes have been also noticed in various cases of insomnia.
6. Also several physical symptoms, such as fatigue, headaches, blurred vision and even nausea.
7. Weight loss – and not of the good kind, is often experienced in people who are constantly fighting with lack of sleep.
These are just the most common serious lack of sleep effects one can experience. It does not mean that one will have all these symptoms and effects at all times. You can have one of them, or several. It really depends on many factors, such as for how long are you already suffering of lack of sleep, what is your physical condition throughout (if your immune system is weaker, you will be stronger affected by it), whether you are a male or female. Studies showed that females are most prone to lack of sleep, and particularly effects such as depression, weight loss and nausea.
For further information on lack of sleep symptoms, causes, [http://lack-of-sleep.com/category/lack-of-sleep-effects]effects and treatments, visit my [http://lack-of-sleep.com/]lack of sleep blog, where you can take the insomnia test and see for yourself if you need help in conquering your lack of sleep.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carla_Chausser http://EzineArticles.com/?7-Serious-Long-Term-Lack-of-Sleep-Effects&id=1885771
Popularity: 14% [?]
Apr 07
There are many ways that people develop Fatigue conditions, including Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome (PVFS), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) as well as Fibromyalgia (FM). Some of the more common causes are viruses, bacterial infections, operations, vaccinations, etc. The onset can also occur after a stressful incident or a build up of stress. There is one common factor – the system is under stress.
What happens when we are under stress?
As a result of entering this state we produce a cocktail of chemicals – including cortisol, adrenalin and noradrenalin. This powerful group of chemicals is also produced during the fight or flight response – this is the natural process that is triggered in reaction to a threat – either real or perceived.
Physiological changes take place during fight or flight
A number of changes take place, due to activation of the sympathetic nervous system. Additional fuel is directed to the major muscles groups by increasing blood pressure and heart rate. Thyroid and blood sugar levels are affected. Increased energy is needed for emergency systems which causes nonessential functions including digestion and immune system to shut down.
What’s the connection between the stress response and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
The initial virus, bug, trauma, vaccination etc. has already under put the system under stress. If there were other stressors present or the person was run-down at the time, the recovery period could be prolonged. If the recovery is slow this can be a cause for concern, which results in more stress. The immune system, which is already challenged becomes depleted, further slowing the process of recovery.
Sufferers Search for Help
Sufferers are typically tested for other ailments by their doctors. After receiving the negative test results, the symptoms persist. People often turn to alternative approaches. Some people get temporary relief, but again the symptoms come back. It’s common for people to lose trust in their body and energy levels. This can help to further entrench the stress – symptom – stress cycle.
The stress response over the long-term
The system becomes depleted when subjected to the stress response over the long-term. The chemistry designed to help us out of danger becomes toxic. The immune system becomes depleted and most other bodily systems are disrupted. Adrenalin levels can become depleted after prolonged activation. The dysregulation of stress chemistry is responsible for more fatigue and physical symptoms.
Is it all in the mind?
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is certainly not all in the mind. It’s a physical and debilitating illness affecting most bodily systems. However, purely physical approaches to recovery, or those that focus on specific symptoms rarely work. We need to recognize that the mechanisms that trigger these physiological responses are very much a part of the mind. Until these patterns are addressed, full recovery over the long term is unlikely.
Breaking the cycle
It is possible to break free of these cycles and it can be done quickly, given the right tools. Fortunately, the length of time of the illness does not determine the length of the recovery time. What’s needed is an understanding of the mind – body connection and an insight into the damaging unconscious cycles. We can then learn to use new physical and cognitive strategies that influence our health in a positive way.
You are not broken!
Sufferers of fatigue related conditions can typically feel broken or flawed in some way. Although the physical symptoms can be so severe that it feels as if this is so, this is not the case. Human health is incredibly buoyant, it is just necessary to discover what is in the way. Once we can bring balance to the system, we can create the opportunity for energy to return and physical symptoms to naturally resolve.
Popularity: 2% [?]
Mar 09
If you’re looking for natural cures for your insomnia relief, try some of these popular solutions.
Bridgett Raffenberg
When it comes to treating your insomnia, you have many treatment options. There are many over-the-counter sleep aids. You can even visit your doctor to get some prescription strength medication. But what if you’re not comfortable taking medicine to cure your insomnia? Luckily, there are many natural cures for insomnia that do not require consuming medication. Insomnia is not a new problem. It has been around as long as people have suffered from stress and anxiety. You won’t be surprised to find that people throughout the ages have found many natural cures for insomnia through trial and error. And as with all history, we can benefit from their trials. There are many natural herbs that can help induce sleep. Chamomile tea has long been a favorite natural cure for insomnia sufferers. Lavender has a pleasant calming effect. Valerian has been a favorite herbal remedy for centuries. If you have trouble falling asleep when you get into bed, a relaxation routine may help you. There are many techniques to help relax your body. If you think your insomnia is stress related, relaxation is the key to getting to sleep at night. When you get into bed, lie on your back and breathe very deeply and slowly. Breathe well into your chest and diaphragm. Exhale slowly. Do this a number of times over to calm your mind. After that, concentrate on relaxing your body, one section at a time. Start with your feet and think about how relaxed they are. Move on to your ankles, your calves, your knees, etc. This may help to calm your mind and body in preparation for sleep. Try to be mindful of your insomnia problem BEFORE you get into bed at night. Wind down. Read a book (but not one that will stimulate your mind like an a thriller), listen to classical music while you do the dishes after dinner, drink a warm cup of milk and have a light snack before retiring. Take a warm bath and relax. Set yourself up to fall asleep before you ever get into bed. Television and computer work can stimulate your mind and is not a good idea at bedtime. Consider your sleeping environment. Is it the right temperature? Are your blinds closed? Would ear plugs block out the noise from a snoring spouse? Many of these little annoyances can be something that will wake you up all night. Waking up because your feet are cold is a common complaint amongst people who wake often. Wear socks. Be sure you have adequate blankets. If it’s hot at night, run a small fan. Think about the things that might be happening to wake you up after you’re asleep and see if you can’t eliminate those problems safely. Exercise can be a great stress reliever. If the stress of your day is causing your insomnia, exercise may be something that will alleviate some stress. Try getting out of the office and walking at lunch. Fit in a session at the gym each day. In addition to relieving stress, the exercise will help to wear out your body.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sleep-articles/natural-cures-for-insomnia-relief-754965.html
About the Author:
Bridgett Raffenberg is a former technology teacher who loves techno-gadgets and social media. Known as the ‘Martha Stewart’ of her neighborhood, she also enjoys internet marketing, real estate investing and volunteering.
To learn more about Insomnia Symptoms , join others at http://www.InsomniaSmptomsFAQ.com where you will find this and much more,
includiNatural Cures for Insomnia, Insomnia Symptoms, Natural Sleep Remediesng detailed information on Natural Sleep Remedies . http://www.articlesbase.com/sleep-articles/natural-cures-for-insomnia-relief-754965.html
Popularity: 2% [?]
Mar 05
Insomnia is a wide-spread problem in our society. With our increasingly hectic schedules and a disappearing divide between work and home, it is often difficult for our bodies to know when to wind down. Stress and anxiety from a hectic day can often keep a person from getting the rest needed to face another day.
If you’re having trouble sleeping at night, you might consider trying some herbs for insomnia relief. Herbal sleep aids have been around for centuries and do not have the side effects often associated with over-the-counter sleep aids.
About the Author:
Former technology teacher who loves techno-gadgets and social media. Known as the \’Martha Stewart\’ of her neighborhood, she also enjoys internet marketing, real estate investing and volunteering.
Printed From: http://www.articlesbase.com/sleep-articles/the-top-herbs-for-insomnia-relief-754957.html
Popularity: 1% [?]
Mar 05
by Michael Porteous
Getting tired is a fairly natural thing, if we push our bodies too far we expend too much energy and we end up tired and run down. Sometimes this can be good after we exercise or par for the course when it gets late and we need sleep but if you are asking why am I so tired all the time, then there might be more too it.
People who feel tired all the time even when they have a good amount of rest and do not overly exert themselves face a problem with fatigue that is all too common in modern society. Compare how our ancestors used to live without electricity and media and with an entirely different work and lifestyle. We tended to work hard back then during the daylight hours giving us exercise and expending energy in certain ways then we ate and slept at night and did this over an again without too much variation. Now however we live in an age we often sit in offices all day glaring at computer screens that glare back expending too little energy having largish lunches then we can stay up late into the night being mentally stimulated by whatever media we choose to entertain us then get to sleep at odd hours; quite a change.
Now, while your life may not resemble that example I bet yours still has many elements of that. A combination of diet, sleep patterns and lifestyle throw our body into situations we are not evolved for and while we are incredibly adaptable animals this can start to impact on our health and energy levels leading us to question why am I so tired all the time
Sleep is an especially important part of the cycle and some of the least understood by the general public. You see everyone has a sleep cycle which is often around four hours long but can vary between three to five hours in some people. When we sleep, the middle of these cycles are the deepest sleep and if we wake up during this period we end up being sleepy and tired all day. This is why it is recommended you get eight hours sleep a night, enough for two cycles and then wake up refreshed. This is why you can also only have a few hours sleep sometimes and feel ok when you wake … but you will need to recover that time lost in sleep sometimes also.
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To stop asking “why am I so tired all the time” and start saying “I feel full of energy today!” click below to find out more about why your body is so run down and how to turn this around! http://Stop-Being-Tired.1001-Solutions.info
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sleep-articles/why-am-i-so-tired-all-the-time-an-explanation-472287.html
About the Author:
Originally posted at: http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Am-I-So-Tired-All-the-Time?—An-Explanation&id=1231302
Popularity: 1% [?]
Mar 05
by Gabriel Adams
You often don’t think about your Immune System, however as soon as it fails you are quick to realize how vitally important the Immune System is for your overall health. The Immune System is responsible for preventing all bacteria, germs, viruses, and other microorganisms from entering the body and causing complete destruction.
You may not realize it, but the Immune System works 24 hours a day, every day of your life protecting you from all sorts of sickness, disease, and ultimately death. In fact, as soon as any living organism dies, the Immune System immediately stops functioning and the organism is subject to all manner of parasitic invasion. When you stop to think about it, it is truly amazing how the Immune System functions at not only keeping you alive, but also in perfect health.
The Immune System consists of a number of different organs and components. The main components of the Immune System are the Lymph System, The Thymus, Hormones, Bone Marrow, The Spleen, Leukocytes (White Blood Cells), Antibodies, Complement, Tonsils, and Adenoids. Together these components work together to ensure that the Immune System is working in proper order and defends the body against foreign invaders.
In addition to these components, there is another very important organ that is invaluable to ensuring that the Immune System is working and that is the Skin. Skin is often the body’s first line of defense against foreign invaders such as germs, viruses, and bacteria. Therefore, by keeping the skin clean, frequent hand washing, and treating cuts or wounds to prevent infection you can help the Immune System by preventing many invaders from entering the body.
It is a proven fact that stress negatively impacts the Immune System. Therefore, one of the best strategies that you can implement to ensure that your Immune System is operating in its best capacity is to reduce stress. You should also ensure that you receive plenty of sleep every night, and take a vitamin and mineral supplement. Also, there are many herbs that help strengthen the Immune System, adding these to your diet can have a powerful impact on the overall health of your Immune System.
Learn how glyconutritionals can boost immune system function.
Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Your-Immune-System–How-It-Works/173250
Popularity: 9% [?]
Feb 23
Long-term survivors of adult cancers are almost twice as likely to report psychological distress severe enough to cause moderate to serious problems functioning in social, work or school situations, compared to the general population, according to a large, national study presented September 24, 2008, at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology’s 50th Annual Meeting in Boston. Findings also show that younger long-term cancer survivors, those less than 65 years old, were more likely to experience severe psychological distress, than those survivors aged 65 and older. The study also found that there was no difference in the number of years since the cancer diagnosis and the increased risk of distress. Long-term cancer survivors are individuals who have lived five years or more beyond their initial cancer diagnosis.
“We hope these findings will raise awareness of the psychosocial needs of long-term cancer survivors and encourage routine psychological screening of these survivors,” Karen Hoffman, M.D., lead author of the study and a radiation oncologist at the Harvard Radiation Oncology Program at Harvard Medical School in Boston, said. “Quick, low-cost psychological screening tests are available that can and should be performed during clinic visits.”
There are an estimated 12 million cancer survivors living in the United States. These survivors may face many stresses as a result of their cancer experience, including adjustment to physical disabilities, changes in their social support system and fear of the cancer returning or of dying from cancer. Researchers identified individuals with severe psychological distress based on how frequently they felt nervous, restless, hopeless, worthless and that everything was an effort.
The study involved 4,712 long-term survivors of adult-onset cancer and 126,841 respondents never diagnosed with cancer using the 2002-2006 National Health Interview Survey, an in-person health survey of the U.S. population. Among survivors, the mean age at cancer diagnosis was 47 years and the mean age at the interview time was 62 years. The majority were survivors of breast, gynecologic, male genitourinary and colorectal cancer.
Cancer survivors were more likely to report severe psychological distress than adults never diagnosed with cancer. In addition to other findings, survivors who were not married or living with a partner, had less than a high school education, were uninsured, were current or former smokers, or had difficulty with instrumental activities of daily living were more likely to experience severe distress than those without these characteristics.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Feb 02
Cologne, 21 August 2008: Many people sleep better when they are on holiday and wish that they could sleep as well all the time. But according to the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), it is not only being free of daily worries that can make a difference to sleep. Good bedtime habits can help people to sleep well all year round. Medication provides short-term relief at best. In information published today on www.informedhealthonline.org the Institute reports about what bedtime habits could help, how well relaxation techniques work, how sleep changes throughout life and that adults do not generally need eight hours sleep a night. Sleep medication is used less nowadays
About 1 out of every 5 adults in industrial countries have problems sleeping at some point in their lives. In order to provide reliable information on this issue, the Institute analysed scientific studies that cover a wide range of research on sleep and insomnia.
Sleeping pills – whether herbal or prescription – are being used less than they used to be in countries like Germany. Although products based on herbs like valerian have long been used, the evidence from trials testing their efficacy is far from convincing.
“Prescription sleeping pills can be important in certain situations, but they can cause a lot of adverse effects and are not a long-term solution. For older people, sleep medication can increase the risk of falling, as well as interfering with other medicines,” warns the Institute’s Director, Professor Peter Sawicki. “Sleeping pills are not the best way to solve underlying problems like depression or painful conditions that are interfering with a good night’s sleep.”
The habits that can help people get a better night’s sleep
Trials have shown that many people could get to sleep a little sooner if they learned relaxation techniques to help them “switch off” when it is time to go to sleep.
Research suggests that a combination of certain habits can help people sleep better. This includes only going to bed when you are tired and ready to go to sleep. Reading and watching TV in bed could actually make it harder to sleep. If people cannot sleep, it is better for them to get out of bed and do something else rather than focusing on trying to sleep.
Getting up at the same time every morning can help too. Napping during the day might make it harder for you to sleep at night if you are struggling with chronic insomnia.
It is also important to avoid drinking caffeinated drinks and alcohol in the evening. “Most people know that coffee, cola or black tea can interfere with their sleep,” says Professor Sawicki . “But many do not realise that alcohol is one of the major causes of a bad night’s sleep.”
Eight hours a night may not be necessary for everyone
The Institute also looked at research on what is a normal night’s sleep. Studies have shown that as we get older, we actually need less sleep on average. While children and teenagers generally need eight or more hours sleep a night, by the time people are 40, they usually only need seven hours a night.
Popularity: 1% [?]