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Archive for the ‘Medicine’ Category

What should you do when you have a tension or a migraine headache? What should you do when you are experiencing chronic pain? Take a pain pill, right? WRONG! Most people don’t have a second thought when it comes to taking analgesics for their chronic headaches or other assorted aches and pains, but research from the St. Louis University School of Medicine demonstrates that “analgesic use seems to be the primary factor in promoting the development of chronic pain.” It was found that painkillers, instead of helping relieve the chronic pain, can actually be the cause of it.

“The best thing a person with chronic headaches can do is get off the painkillers,” says Paul Duckro, associate professor of psychiatry at St. Louis University. “In our studies, two-thirds of the chronic headache sufferers benefited from the withdrawal of medication.” Two-thirds of the chronic headache sufferers not only did not get rid of their headaches with the medications they were taking, but increased their severity through the use of analgesics.

“Evidently, at a certain point in a chronic sufferer’s intake of analgesics (including aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen and the stronger narcotic painkillers), the headache becomes drug-induced. In an irony of biology, a substance intended to reduce pain becomes a factor in producing it.” Ibuprofen is the “pain-relieving” ingredient in Advil, Motrin IB, Nuprin and many other headache medications. Acetaminophen is the active “painkilling” ingredient in Tylenol. You should be aware that these popular medications may be hindering your recovery from your chronic headaches. And even worse, the medications that are supposed to be relieving your pain may actually be the cause of it.

According to Duckro: “The person takes some aspirin, but the pain increases. So the person takes some more aspirin. Then the person begins to take aspirin in anticipation of the pain, thinking, ‘If it’s this bad when I’m taking medicine, it’s going to be unbearable without.’ Gradually, the person – and it’s more often a woman – gets a headache whenever the medicine is not being taken.” (Duckro is director of St. Louis University’s Biobehavioral Treatment Center, which has its own headache management program).

Dr. William Bennett, head of nephrology at Oregon Health Sciences University, estimates that over-the-counter painkillers are responsible for as many as 20% of the 125,000 cases of end-stage kidney disease in the United States. All drugs have side effects. These can include dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, liver damage, kidney damage, internal bleeding and many other symptoms including death. We have always known and recognized these possible negative consequences from ingesting drugs (unless we don’t read the labels), but we continue to take these analgesics by the mega millions with the hope of relieving our pain and discomfort.

There is no guarantee that if we take a pain pill for our chronic migraine headaches, stomach aches or other types of pain it will actually eliminate the pain. There is also no guarantee that we won’t experience unwanted reactions to the drug itself. But when the pain gets so bad we often decide that the possible relief outweighs the risk associated with the analgesic.

But what most of us do not realize is that there may be one more consequence from taking medication for chronic headaches. We may find that the analgesics are actually the cause of the symptoms, that without them we wouldn’t be having so many headaches. If you suffer with chronic headaches you may find that the pills you are taking are actually inducing your discomfort. And you may also discover that when you stop taking the medication you begin to experience fewer chronic migraines. After all, according to the director of St. Louis University’s Biobehavioral Treatment Center two-thirds of the chronic headache sufferers benefited from the withdrawal of medication.

Let’s face it. A trip to the drugstore is a whole lot easier than a costly and time-consuming trip to the doctor’s office. No time wasted waiting for the physician; no embarrassing questions to answer; and no sticker shock when the bill comes. Just head for the section of your pharmacy with all of the gadgets and home test kits and you are ready to “play doctor.”

With skyrocketing medical costs and increased concerns about privacy, more and more Americans are taking advantage of products designed to help monitor existing conditions or to help diagnose new ones. Blood glucose monitors help diabetics manage their condition, blood pressure kits help monitor hypertension while those with cardiovascular concerns can track cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Of course, home pregnancy kits have been available for years. But now it is possible to go well beyond health management with these off-the-shelf products and individuals can now perform diagnostic tests in the comfort and “safety” of their homes.

But is this trend really safe?

Health care professionals have expressed concerns that the use of home test kits may cause users to delay or avoid proper medical care. Misinterpreting the results of self-administered tests can lead to decisions that are based on false assumptions. For example, there have been reports of people changing their medication dosage based on results of blood pressure readings at home. Decisions about any treatment based on self-administered tests should be deferred until a physician confirms them.

The list of conditions for which home diagnostic products are available is expanding rapidly. It is now possible to test for drug use, alcohol use, HIV, prostate cancer, hormone levels, diabetes, blood type, anemia, allergies, hepatitis, cholesterol levels, fertility and even certain strains of flu.

The opportunity is always present for a user to improperly administer a test or to misunderstand the results. Delaying treatment based on these results could have serious consequences. Now that the number of tests available is so large, and the conditions so potentially serious, it is absolutely critical that these test results be validated by a doctor.

Given this diverse menu of tests, users are sure to get results for which they may be unprepared. A positive reading for HIV could be devastating. Health care professionals are trained to address the concerns and possible psychological issues faced by a patient receiving bad news from a test. Individuals trying to cope with a similar result at home may find themselves alone and unable to cope.

Home health tests should be used with great care and should never be considered as a replacement for proper medical care. If you are seriously concerned about your health and well-being, it is fine to practice a bit of do-it-yourself medicine… as long as you get a second opinion.

There has been much ado lately about Canadian Pharmacy Online medications. Everyone is concerned about the rising costs of prescription medication. As the American public and particularly the “Baby Boomers” age, more medication is often required to maintain quality of life and to control chronic illness. Many do not have proper prescription drug insurance coverage.

The recent negative media pointed at Canadian Pharmacy mail order prescription services has caused some people to be a little leery of them. Customs has on occasion, confiscated medications crossing the border because required documentation was missing or incorrect. Another issue with mail order services is that some do not supply the identical medications. And of course there is always some rotten apple working the angles.

Some people have turned to Asian mail order medication services only to learn that what they received was the wrong medication or did not contain the correct dosage as prescribed by their U.S. doctor. Asian and Mexican mail order medication services are not governed by the same strict guidelines as those in the U.S. and those that control the Canadian Pharmacy industry.

All is Not Lost Though

There are safe, cost-effective, legal mail order prescription services available. Here is what to look for when selecting a Canadian Pharmacy service.

* Does the mail order service require your doctor provide proof, and do they confirm the prescription with your doctor?
* Does a licensed doctor (in the country providing the prescription) co-sign that prescription once verified by your doctor?
* Do the medications originate in a country known to provide identical medications as those available in the United States, such as Canadian Pharmacy Online services provide?
* Does the mail order prescription service provide significant savings over U.S. drug costs, like 30% or more?
* Will the mail order company provide prompt service, making certain that all the documentation to clear U.S. Customs is precise?

If you are considering a Canadian Pharmacy for some or all of your prescriptions and they meet ALL of the above criteria, then you can save money and get medication you can trust.

Most Americans today who use mail order medication services have found many Canadian Pharmacy services that meet all the criteria above. These are reliable, safe and cost-effective services. These Canadian Pharmacy services provide the identical medications or generic equivalent, ensuring you receive precisely what is prescribed by your doctor.

By using a Canadian Pharmacy Online prescription service, you can save as much as 30% or more. If you’re considering Medicare Part D, Canadian Pharmacy savings can be especially important because of the “donut hole” which makes amounts from $2150 to $5100 your responsibility.

Using a Canadian Pharmacy mail order service can enhance your coverage on Medicare Part D and help you avoid reaching that dreaded “donut hole”.

A quick online search for the term Botox will reveal that there are as many people searching for Botox as there people searching for Botox alternatives. Botox was approved by the FDA in 2002 as a cosmetic procedure to get rid of wrinkles. A simple needle injection was demonstrated to miraculously eliminate nagging lines and wrinkles and the boom was on….until people started to read about what “tox” in Botox really was.

Botox is the trade name used for Botulinum Toxin Type A. Yes, I said toxin as in poison. Botox is in fact a relative of botulism, a kind of food poisoning. This food poisoning occurs when a person eats any kind of food that contains a neurotoxin which is created by the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum.

Botulinum Toxin Type A, which is just one of seven of the neurotoxins that are produced by the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum. Botulinum Toxin Type A causes serious fatal conditions such as paralysis.

When this occurs, the neurotransmitter that is in charge of triggering muscle contractions (acetylcholine) can no longer be released. The Botulinum toxins have attacked the proteins such as SNAP-25 that are supposed to be essential for release of this acetylcholine.

The Botulinum toxins have now accomplished blocking the signals that are supposed to tell the victim’s muscles to contract.

By now you’re probably wondering why anyone would want to inject these toxins into their body INTENTIALY. The reason is that we want to get results fast and Botox does work. If any area of your body can be prevented from moving, then it can’t contract and guess what? It can’t wrinkle – that is the phenomenon of Botox!

Botox starts to work within hours but the results will not last permanently. Depending on your body, the effects of Botox can last anywhere from 3 to 8 months.

As for whether Botox is dangerous or not, the dangers remain fairly low.

Botox is definitely not recommended for people with neuromuscular disorders as it would be dangerous for them. It is also not recommended for people with cardiovascular disease. If you don’t have either of these problems you should still consult with your physician before considering Botox.

Studies have shown that if you are a person that is a good candidate for Botox injections and the injections are administered by a qualified profession you should not experience any dangerous side effects. If you are searching for a way to look longer, generally Botox is a relatively safe way to combat the aging process.