Archive for ◊ January, 2011 ◊

How Morning Sex Can Improve Your Health and Mood
Author:
• Monday, January 31st, 2011

Seeking a healthy boost to kick start your day? Look no further than the bedroom. Adults who make love first thing in the morning apparently not only feel more upbeat for the rest of the day, but also benefit from a stronger immune system.

Research suggests that adults who begin their day this way are healthier and happier than those who simply opt for a cup of tea and some toast before heading out of the door. Not only does it make them less likely to catch a cold or flu, it can also improve the quality of their hair, skin, and nails.

Dr Debby Herbenick, an American research scientist and sex advice columnist, said: ‘Having sex in the morning releases the feel-good chemical oxytocin, which makes couples feel loving and bonded all day long.’

Dr Herbenick, author of the book Because It Feels Good, added: ‘It makes you stronger and more beautiful too: Morning sex can strengthen your immune system for the day by enhancing your levels of IgA, an antibody that protects against infection.

‘And it releases chemicals that boost levels of oestrogen, which improves the tone and texture of your skin and hair.’

Other research suggests that the benefits do not end there. A study at Queens University in Belfast found that having sex three times a week could halve the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Despite the demands of work and a family, adults should still try to find time for lovemaking as soon as they stir. Jane Greer, an American marital therapist, said: ‘Mornings are the perfect time to indulge because you’ll probably be in a rush, and the heart-pounding adrenaline of spontaneous sex will intensify the entire experience.’

‘Mornings are the perfect time to indulge in a quickie, because you’ll probably be in a rush, and the heart-pounding adrenaline of spontaneous sex will intensify the entire experience,’ she says.

And women worried their partner will not be willing to participate in an early morning session, may find it surprisingly easy to coax their men into a bout of passion.

‘While he sleeps, the testosterone he’ll use for the upcoming day accumulates,’ says Gabrielle Lichterman, author of 28 Days. ‘From the time he wakes up, he has a three-hour window when he’s brimming with peak levels.’

The benefits do not end there for those who indulge in regular intercourse. A study at Queens University in Belfast found that having sex three times a week could actually halve the risk of heart attack or stroke.

A 2009 study found that having sex every day improves sperm quality and could boost the chances of getting pregnant. In tests of men with fertility problems, daily ejaculation for a week cut the amount of DNA damage seen in sperm samples.

Research from Nottingham University also found that men who kept up a regular sex life in their 50s were also at lower risk of developing prostate cancer.

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Why avoiding alcohol consumption with some drugs?
Author:
• Wednesday, January 19th, 2011

Explaining the dangers of using alcohol with a wide range of pharmaceutical products is something that doctors deal on a regular basis. Many people seem to be quite careless about the effects of mixing drugs and alcohol, while in certain situations such a mix could be very harmful to health if not lethal. In other cases, the effectiveness of the drug can be altered, or it can cause faster intoxication with alcohol than normally. So what will happen if you take Tramadol with alcohol?

Both alcohol and Tramadol (as well as its generic variations such as Ultram) are acting as central nervous system depressants, which means that both these substances affect the brain and make it work slower. Also, these substances can lead to respiratory depression characterized by shallow breathing. So it’s evident that taking Tramadol in conjunction with alcohol isn’t a good idea since it will cause serious side effects that you wouldn’t expect from these substances if taken separately. Make sure to not consume alcohol before or after taking Tramadol for pain relief.

Certain side effects will occur if you still choose to combine these two substances. So don’t be surprised if you experience any of the following after taking Tramadol together with alcohol:

  • Seizures
  • Strange behavior
  • Memory issues
  • Drowsiness
  • Dizziness
  • Coordination problems
  • Shallow or infrequent breathing
  • Passing out

The effects of alcohol will also get stronger after taking Tramadol. It will be very likely that you will get intoxicated from a smaller amount of alcohol much faster than you normally do. This is why any prescription label will indicate that people who are intoxicated with alcohol at the moment should never use Tramadol until alcohol has cleared off from the body.

Though, it is recommended to avoid combining alcohol with Tramadol, you should also avoid ceasing alcohol or Tramadol consumption in an abrupt manner. Patients who are going through alcohol withdrawal and recovery should also avoid taking Tramadol because it will increase the risk of seizures. Stopping Tramadol use abruptly will also lead to withdrawal symptoms similar to those of alcohol withdrawal. That is why it is not recommended to try to withdraw from alcohol or Tramadol on your own without the help of qualified healthcare specialist.

Discussing alcohol and Tramadol consumption with your healthcare provider isn’t anything you should be ashamed of. Especially when it comes to alcohol. If your alcohol consumption interferes with your health conditions you should inform your doctor too. If you tend to consume moderate amounts of alcohol your doctor will help you work out a schedule for different situations when there’s a risk of combining alcohol with Tramadol. Keep in mind that Tramadol is a very effective medication for managing acute pain, and shouldn’t be used for other purposes unless prescribed by your doctor. Consult with your doctor if it’s safe for you to take this drug in general and make sure to avoid alcohol intake while using Tramadol. There’s nothing wrong about drinking alcohol in moderate amounts, but doing so in conjunction with Tramadol will harm your health.

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Management of Labor
Author:
• Monday, January 17th, 2011

Objectives
Definition and diagnosis of labor
Definition and diagnosis of dystocia
Causes of dystocia
Prevention and management of dystocia
Appropriate use of oxytocin

First Stage
Latent Phase, Active Phase
Second Stage
Passive, Active
Third Stage, Fourth Stage

Labor is regular frequent uterine contractions and cervical change (dilatation and effacement)
Philpott’s Partogram

Etiology of Dystocia : Power, Passenger, Passage
Adequate Powers Contractions that…
last 60 seconds, reach 50 – 60 mm Hg of pressure
occur every 2 – 3 minutes or result in good progress

Preventing Dystocia
Accurate diagnosis of labor
Management of prolonged latent phase
Labor preparation
Birth companion

Management of Dystocia
Arrest without CPD
- amniotomy
- consider oxytocin augmentation if contractions
are inadequate
Arrest with true CPD
- C-Section

Active Management of Labor
Rigorous diagnosis of labor
Close surveillance of progress of labor by partogram
Continuous support in labor

Active Management of Labor (cont.)
Early intervention to correct inadequate progress of labor
- ARM
- Oxytocin

Augmentation of Labor
Initial dose of oxytocin 1 – 2 mU / min
Increase interval every 30 min.
Dosage increment 1 – 2 mU
Usual dose for good labor 8 – 10 mU / min.

Contraction Strength with Oxytocin Depends on the dose of oxytocin
and the uterine sensitivity to oxytocin

Summary – Prevention of Dystocia
Avoid unnecessary induction
Admit women in active labor
Encourage ambulation / upright posture
Encourage the use of prenatal education
Continuous support of laboring women
Use of appropriate analgesia

Summary – Management of Dystocia
Appropriate assessment of adequate progress in labor
Appropriate intervention when necessary
- Amniotomy - Ambulation
- Analgesia - Augmentation
- Rest - C-sections

Risks Associated with neglected obstructed labor
Fetal:Asphyxia, sepsis, death
Maternal:Sepsis, uterine rupture, hemorrhage, fistula, death
Etiology of Obstructed Labor
Fetal: Pelvic disproportion: Malpresentations, malposition, malformations
Maternal: Small pelvis, soft tissue tumors of the pelvis

Clinical Presentation of a Patient with Obstructed Labor
Dehydration, Oliguria,Keto-acidosis,Sepsis
Clinical Presentation of a Patient with Obstructed Labor
State of the Uterus: Ruptured Uterus
State of the Bladder: Vaginal Findings, Cervical Findings
Complications of Obstructed Labor
Maternal:Ruptured ,Vsico-Vaginal ,Recto-vaginal Fistulae, Pueperal Sepsis
Fetal:Asphyxia/ cerebral palsy,Neonatal sepsis,Death
Treatment

Prevention
- Good nutrition in childhood
- Promotion of antenatal care
- Use of partogram in the health unit
- Development of appropriate and timely referral systems
Cesarean section

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How to Manage Chronic Pain
Author:
• Monday, January 17th, 2011

Unfortunately for millions of Americans, chronic pain is a fact of daily life. For many people that are suffering from chronic conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, or any number of illnesses, chronic pain is a factor that takes hold of someone’s quality of life. And it is debilitating. If you are suffering from chronic pain, then you know the struggles and challenges that come with coping with pain. Your every daily activity must be balanced and scheduled carefully so that you can ensure that your daily pain is minimized. Although some conditions are not curable, today’s medical advances have proven enough to suggest that you don’t have to suffer all of the time. Today there are many things you can do to ease your chronic pain, that go beyond the pill bottle.

The first thing you can do if you are struggling with pain is to begin mitigating the stress that is in your life. Try and alleviate as much stress as you can, and incorporate things into your life that will relieve stress. The more relaxing activities that you can engage in, the lower your stress levels and the lower your pain levels as well. You will find as well that if you can engage in activities that relieve both your pain and your stress at the same time, that you will feel better for hours to come. For example, if you are suffering from osteoarthritis and have chronic joint pain, scheduling a weekly massage or a weekly Jacuzzi visit at a local spa or health center will do a world of good for both your mind AND your body.

Exercise is also a wonderful way to alleviate chronic pain. When you exercise to the point of raising your heart rate, even just by a little, endorphins are released by your brain, and these hormones act as natural pain killers. Though your pain may cause you to feel like limiting your daily activities, this is the last thing that you should do. Not only will you release pain relieving endorphins during exercise, but you will also sleep better, and maintain healthy heart and weight goals as well. If you don’t already exercise regularly, start light with just a little bit of extra walking every day, and gradually build from there. As you implement more exercise into your daily activities, you will find you are sleeping better and experiencing less pain overall.

Lastly, your pain management routine must be clearly discussed with your doctor. If chronic pain is debilitating your life, you want to try every avenue until you find the solution that best meets your needs. This doesn’t always come in the form of narcotic pain relievers, either. Today, more and more patients are experiencing the powerful analgesic benefits of Prednisone. Prednisone is a very effective medication for people dealing with chronic pain conditions that are caused by inflammation and stiffness. Prednisone is a prescription medication that is non-narcotic, and is a steroid that works to increase muscle performance and decrease chronic pain. If you are at the point where you feel you’ve tried everything, talk to your doctor to see if steroids or corticosteroids would work for you. The bottom line is, you don’t have to suffer, help is available and your fantastic life is just around the corner.

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What about smoking?
Author:
• Friday, January 14th, 2011

Erectile dysfunction, also commonly known as ED, is described as the inability to achieve or maintain an erection during the act of sexual intercourse. In the United States, ED affects one in five men, and more and more research is being published today identifying key causes in ED. Traditionally, ED was thought to be an issue of the metabolic system, and was linked to the cardiovascular system. As more research comes to light however, studies are showing consistently that lifestyle factors such as smoking and substance abuse are the leading causes in more than 25% of cases involving erectile dysfunction.

When it comes to the main problem of ED, getting or maintaining an erection, a healthy blood flow is crucial. In order for the penis to even become erect, blood flow through its major arteries is necessary. Any process or experience that interferes with blood flow in your body then, will also interfere with blood flow to the penis, and you may experience some issues with ED. While it is fairly common knowledge that smoking is an unhealthy lifestyle choice, that it creates obvious harm to your lungs and respiratory system, you may not be aware of its effect on your cardiovascular system.

Chemicals like carbon monoxide found in cigarettes can be extremely detrimental to your cardiovascular system. When you smoke a cigarette, the carbon monoxide in your cigarette will bind with the hemoglobin in your blood. Hemoglobin is an essential blood component that is responsible for oxygenating your blood to full capacity. With lower hemoglobin counts, your blood is not oxygenated properly, and can not function properly. Thus, blood flow slows down, and in some areas of your body, may stop all together, at least temporarily.

When you factor in the arteries in your penis that need to be filled with healthy oxygenated blood in order to function properly, smoking creates a problem. When your blood is not oxygenated properly, your arteries will weaken by hardening and this will immediately reduce blood flow in all necessary areas, particularly in the genital region. Thus you can see how smoking could directly contribute to erectile dysfunction. If you are also thinking about building or extending your family, smoking will be one of the first things you want to eliminate from your life, as smoking will also contribute to low sperm motility, increased mortality of your sperm, and even lower sperm counts.

For many men, the easiest answer to curing ED is to start treatment such as Viagra. While these medications are very effective in dealing with ED, the simple answer is that ED that is caused by smoking may not always be cured with Viagra. The situation is further complicated if you have extraneous conditions such as heart disease or diabetes. Thus, if you are a smoker, and struggling with ED, your best bet for ED treatment is to first quit smoking, and then try medication like Viagra. While this may seem like a great sacrifice to you at first, when you consider the sacrifice you will alternatively make with a less than stellar sex life, it is up to you to decide which is more important to maintaining a healthy and satisfactory quality of life. Is smoking really worth it?

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A Minute away from Your Desk ‘Can Reduce Risk of Heart Attack’
Author:
• Thursday, January 13th, 2011

Getting up from your desk to go and speak to your colleagues – instead of emailing them – reduces the risk of heart attacks, research shows.

Those who take short breaks away from their seats – lasting as little as a minute – at regular intervals throughout the day are less likely to be overweight and have high blood pressure. They also substantially reduce the risk of potentially fatal cardiovascular diseases.

Researchers found that people who are on their feet for short periods which add up to more than two hours a day tend to have smaller waists and lower blood pressure. They studied the habits of 4,757 adults over the course of a week.

Each participant wore an accelerometer, a small device fitted to the hip to measure how much time they spend walking and running. Their waist size, blood ­pressure and the level of C-reactive protein in their blood, which is often high in people at risk of heart disease, were also measured.

The researchers, from the University of Queensland in Australia, whose study is published in the European Heart Journal, found that those who took the most breaks had waists up to 4cm smaller than those who were more sedentary.

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How to get rid of arthritis pain
Author:
• Tuesday, January 11th, 2011

Arthritis is a health condition that is described by inflammatory processes in joints and symptoms of pain and stiffness associated with them. There are different forms of arthritis, which may differ in the affected area, severity of symptoms and the actual causes behind the condition. And when it comes to relieving painful sensations associated with arthritis, the actual management depends not only on the type of arthritis the person is affected with, but other factors as well: age, sex, lifestyle, individual tolerance to different pain relief techniques.

There are two main forms of arthritis: osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Combined, they affect over 40 million people only in the United States.

  • Osteoarthritis is a degenerative health condition described by gradual deterioration of the cartilage (the tissue between bones in joints), which leads to pain and stiffness.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition that impacts the lining of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is less common than osteoarthritis, but it’s usually more severe.

The treatment option you will choose when relieving arthritis pain depends on the actual type of arthritis you are diagnosed with and it’s severity. That’s why it is very important to consult with your physician in order to determine the actual problem and its causes.

There are different ways to treat arthritis and manage pain associated with the condition. And it’s important to understand that what might work for one patient doesn’t necessarily help the other. There are individual aspects to any treatment option, and the range of factors to be considered is quite broad.

One of the main aspects of dealing with arthritis is focusing on the pain relief aspect of the problem. There are both short and long term pain relief options available and one should choose what suits him or her best, before engaging in a pain management technique.

Of course, the most obvious pain relief method is using painkiller and anti-inflammatory drugs. Common painkillers such as Tramadol can effectively eliminate painful sensations associated with arthritis for a certain period of time. Tramadol and some other painkillers are also available in extended release forms that are very helpful for relieving chronic pain. Anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen also provide pain relief effects by reducing the inflammation in the affected area for a period of time.

Besides drugs, there are other options to relieve arthritis pain with. One of such options is TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation). This pain management technique involves as small unit that sends electric charges to nerve endings in the affected area. By doing so, a TENS unit stimulates the production of endorphins (natural painkillers) in the brain. As a result the person experiences pain relief without having to take any pills or experiencing possible side effects.

However, one should remember that both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are chronic health conditions, which require long term pain management techniques to be employed. Taking Tramadol on a regular basis won’t improve the condition – it will just provide the necessary pain relief effect.

First of all, patients should consider special drugs like disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and corticosteroids. These substances are employed to minimize and halt the development of inflammation in joints.

Besides drugs, arthritis patients are usually prescribed with special courses of exercise and therapy that is aimed at improving the functioning of the affected joint. This also helps improve health in overall.

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Treat a disease, not a symptom
Author:
• Tuesday, January 11th, 2011

It’s always interesting to watch a wheel turn. No matter where you start, you always end up back in the same place. Until 1998, no man wanted to talk about erectile dysfunction. If he was a “victim”, he would hide the problem as best he could and hope the world would ignore him. The reason? Because men are always supposed to be the powerful gender, sexual failure always leads to mockery. So better to stay quiet. Then with the launch of the little blue pill, the possibility of effective relief lured men out of the shadows. Although they would have to admit the problem, it was alright because doctors are supposed to keep everything confidential. Then, the wheel kept turning and online pharmacies began to sell the pills without the need for a prescription. The sense of anonymity when dealing with problems over the internet is more attractive than making an appointment and walking into a consulting room. So now men stay silent and get their pills delivered to their doors in unmarked packages.

This may be great for everyone who values privacy, but it’s not so good from a medical point of view. Erectile dysfunction drugs have a single function. They enable the arterial walls to dilate and contract at the right times. They do not treat the underlying cause of the failure to dilate and contract. This cause can be the first symptom of a serious disease.

Culture is sometimes on the ball. Smoking is now a red flag for lung cancer. People make the link between obesity and type 2 diabetes and heart disease. These are good first steps. But what we need to do is widen public perceptions. Erectile dysfunction is caused when the artery leading into the penis fails to dilate. There are several reasons why this might happen but the most common is artherosclerosis. This is a slow build-up of plaque on the arterial walls. It hardens and prevents the muscles from moving. This particular artery is one of the smallest in the body – four times smaller than the arteries in the chest and lungs leading to the heart. But what affects the penile artery now may affect the heart arteries in five years time.

Erectile dysfunction is like the canary in the coal mine for heart disease. If you are in your thirties or forties, this is a real danger sign and you should have a full check up. If damage to blood vessels is confirmed, preventative treatment is easily available and you enjoy a long and active life. It’s the same story if the tests show diabetes or depression. The earlier you start treatment, the sooner you have things under control.

Viagra is a safe and effective drug for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. But don’t make the mistake of thinking it cures all ills. If the cause of the erectile dysfunction is a serious disease, you need different treatment. Spend some money on a consultation and tests. This could save your life. If the tests prove no underlying danger, you can relax, buy Viagra online and start enjoying life to the full again.

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Should you have hair implants?
Author:
• Monday, January 03rd, 2011

After acne, the biggest cosmetic problem facing men is baldness. No matter how you try to explain it away, the majority of younger men feel embarrassed as their hair falls out. For those who like statistics, it’s estimated that hair loss affects about 30 million men in the US with the majority showing serious loss before the age of 35 years. There are many different causes from those pesky genes, to lifestyle choices, to high stress levels, to chemicals in the environment. No matter what the cause, the burning question is always what to do about it. The most common reaction today is reaching for the pill bottle. The pharmaceutical industry has sold us on the idea there’s a pill to cure every problem. And, when it comes to male pattern baldness, this is true. But for everyone else, there are no real guarantees of success.

OK say all the men who think technology has all the answers. If there are no pills, what can the surgeons do for us? Well, never slow on the uptake, there’s a major industry offering hair implants. Now this is exactly what you think it is. Rather like a farmer takes a seedling, bends over in a paddy field and sticks it into the ground where it will grow into rice, so the surgeon takes one or two follicles of hair and sticks them into your scalp. If three or four hairs as a single unit are transplanted, this can give a thicker appearance to the hair, assuming it grows.

Yes, that’s right. There’s no guarantee hair implants will grow. This could leave you with a double problem. You could have scarring in the parts of your scalp from which the hair was taken, and the same bald patches where the hair refused to grow. Add in the risks of infection and you have a procedure that requires thought before you agree. Oh, and the cost? This is set by the number of hairs you have transplanted. The average cost varies between $7,000 and $10,000. So this is expensive and not guaranteed.

Well, one thing is for certain. If you have male pattern baldness, Propecia is the more or less guaranteed cure. The drug has been through the formal clinical tests and has full FDA approval. Although there are some men who do not respond well, particularly if you have delayed starting the treatment until the hair loss was extensive. But when making your decision, remember one thing. Before a drug can be sold, it must be tested. There are no clinical trials or tests before surgeons launch a new technique. In the case of follicle grafts, there’s absolutely no clinical evidence showing how effective the procedure is across all the different causes of hair loss and no evidence of the percentage of men who suffer adverse side effects. It seems you just have to trust surgeons to be able to do the right thing. Now it’s your choice. With a confirmed diagnosis of male pattern baldness, do you let a surgeon replant hair follicles across your scalp, or do you buy Propecia online and swallow one every day.

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Leave your hair alone
Author:
• Monday, January 03rd, 2011

It’s amazing when you suddenly realize people actually do the things described in idioms. Take “Don’t pull your hair out” as an example. You might think this an exaggeration, that no one would literally pull out their hair in angry frustration. Well, think again. The medical world, never short of a good word to label even the most unlikely of disorders, came up with trichotillomania. This is a compulsion to pull out your own hair. Usually, it only affects the scalp hair. This is, after all, easier to get hold of. But it can affect all body hair, leading to people looking like newly plucked chickens. For want of somewhere to put the label, it’s been decided this behavior is part of obsessive compulsive disorder – think Monk, the television detective show and wonder what it would be like to see Tony Shalhoub with even less hair. You have noticed he has male pattern baldness, haven’t you? Now imagine him obsessively twirling what’s left of his hair around a finger and, just when he’s about to solve the crime, he pulls out the hair by the roots. Now that would make compulsively watchable TV.

Anyway, when experts get together to talk about disorders like this, they estimate it affects about 1% of the population. For the majority, it’s not a serious problem. Fear of the hair loss becoming too obvious acts as a brake on the habit. But for the minority, the habit cannot be resisted and formal treatment is required. Except, the average physician in general practice tends to be unsympathetic. “All you have to do is stop pulling your hair. How can this be difficult?” This is one of these really annoying responses. If people could stop on their own, they would not be asking for help. Like baldness from a physical cause, the damage is to self-esteem. You cannot easily hide the bald spots that appear on your head. Wearing a wig is always obvious. Sooner or later, you have to take off the baseball cap. And when friends and colleagues see the problem. . .

The best solution is cognitive behavioral therapy to teach people the way to change their habits. It’s all a case of distracting yourself, of finding a different way of occupying your hands rather than touching your hair. So the moral of this story is easy to tell. If you are one of the unlucky men who finds male pattern baldness appearing, don’t make the problem worse. The other idiom that rules here is, “When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.” No matter how tempting it is to touch your hair or rearrange it, just buy Propecia and take it. So long as you start early enough in the hair loss cycle, the loss will slowly stop and some hair will regrow. Anything else is just going to make the problem worse. As a final word of advice: because it takes so long for visual evidence to show the Propecia is working, always have a doctor confirm the diagnosis of male pattern baldness before you start taking it.

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