Heating pads have almost as much variety in their use as there are different models on the market today. It is sometimes bewildering when it comes to choosing a suitable heat pad because of all the different options available to you. There are moist heat pads which apply moist heat to an affected area, dry heat pads, electric ones, ceramic heat pads and microwaveable ones. The simple solution is to start with something cheap and easy, say for instance a hot water bottle, and if that proves successful then move on to select a pad that has a single characteristic that you like, for instance an even heat distribution, or moist heat is being applied to your affected area.

One of the most common uses for heating pads is treatment of menstrual cramps. Applying heat to the abdominal area will ease some of the discomfort that comes with female troubles. Strained muscles also react well to being warmed by heating pads, though a medical profession should be consulted about any injury before any treatments are attempted. Should your doctor find that heat will ease the cramped feelings after a muscle injury, using a heating pad is the best way to do so. Most muscular aches will react favorably to heating pads, even the aches from overused muscles tired from a day’s work.

Heating pads are versatile and useful and there are very few incidence where the application of such a treatment will result in any real harm, but equally there may be real benefits experienced as a result of their use. If you have an injury, or a swelling, or cramps why not give a heating pad a try today. You never know it may just help.

This article provides a brief description of why the application of a heating pad to an injury, whether it be from sports or otherwise can deliver significant benefits and aid the healing process considerably. A typical heat pad does not need to be an expensive purchase. Some can cost quite a bit, but at the simple end of the product ranges such as a hot water bottle they are very inexpensive.

Heating pads are known to increase blood flow, warming up the human body does that. In cases where swelling is present, heating pads should not be used. Should increased blood flow be a desirable effect however, heating pads can be quite handy. Increasing flow and loosening are general themes for what heating pads will be able to help with. For instance, clogged sinuses react favorably to being warmed up. Lay a warm, damp towel across the face and place the heating pad, in it’s protective case, over the towel and rest for a few minutes while the warmth works loose some the nasty clogs in the nose and sinuses. Heating pads can also be applied, carefully and under the discretion of a medical professional, to the glands that run along the jaw line to relieve pressure.

So you can see, that using something as simple as heat pads can provide real benefits to ease pain and aid healing in a number of different types of cases. In days when drug treatments can run into many thousands of dollars it is satisfying to know that you can still get real benefits from something as cheap, easy to find and easy to use as a simple heating pad.

Many people these days make use of home treatments. This can be due to the very high cost of healthcare, but it is also because it is satisfying to think that you have some control over treating certain symptoms yourself. In many ways we as a society have become too dependant upon the help of others. One simple method of treating ailments at home is the use of heating pads. These apply heat to sprained or swollen joints and can aid healing very effectively.

The surprising thing is that many households already have a heating pad somewhere. Perhaps there’s an old heating pad in the back of a drawer that you’re considering using. But even if there is not one lying around they are actually quite cheap to purchase. But, remember heating pads are medical equipment, so it’s vital to be sure you’re using something safe and trustworthy. Modern heating pads include many safety features that older models do not, such as automatic shut offs, timers and far more accurate temperature controls. For the energy-conservation minded, there are even heating-pads that can be warmed in either boiling water or the microwave and gradually cool off to room temperature. The astounding variety of heating pads exists so that there’s a right one for every use, being conscious of what you need while shopping for heating pads will guide you to just the right one for your needs.

So, if you do have an injury that you think will benefit from the application of heat then think, do you have a heating pad that you could use to aid recovery. If not do not worry they are simple to find and cheap to buy, so why not treat yourself to one today.

Sometimes we accept pain as part of what life throws at us. We get so caught up in dealing with pain one day at a time that we often forget that there may be something we can actually do about it. So what are some of the non-traditional options? You need to think outside the box and try lots of things. There is no cure-all that works for everyone.

Traditional western medicine tends to focus on just a few of the options: medication; surgery; and physical therapy. However, there are lots of other options available if you simply have the faith to try them. Beware of medical practitioners that frown upon alternative therapies because they were not invented by conventional medical practitioners like themselves. After all, you should not care whether the treatment is traditional or alternative so long as it does the business for you.

I get extremely tired of listening to medical practitioners who do not accept that alternative therapies work, because they have no scientific proof of their efficacy. Tell this to the billion plus faithful people that believe in a higher being, although there is no scientific proof that He really exists. You must be pragmatic. If the pain treatment works for you, you should not really care if your local medical practitioner approves of it or not.

Traditional acupuncture has been around for more than 2,000 years. Successful treatments have been offered to patients for pain management long before western medicine, as we know it, existed. Electro-acupuncture is relatively new but it closely mirrors the treatment offered by traditional acupuncture. The real difference is that there are no needles involved and it can be self-administered on a daily basis at home. Thousands of people will vouch for its effectiveness.

Hypnosis has evolved to the point where major surgeries can be carried out using hypnosis to control bleeding and pain and where the patient not only feels nothing, there is minimal bleeding from open wounds. Milton Erickson, MD, who died in 1980, was a pioneer in this area and his use of trance and specific language cues resulted in tremendous success in pain management for his patients. It is well worth considering clinical hypnosis as a method to deal with your pain.

Reflexology has also been around for several thousand years. Modern day reflexology has its origins in Zone Therapy which was pioneered by Dr. William H. Fitzgerald. He divided the body into ten zones and demonstrated how pressure and stimulation of various points on the body could relieve pain affecting organs, body parts and glands within various zones. Zone Therapy was adopted by Eunice Ingham, a physiotherapist, in her treatment of patients in the 1930’s. She concentrated on finding a single area of the body on which the rest of the body was mapped out. She found that a therapeutic effect could be achieved by using pressure from her thumbs and fingers on specific tender spots which related to problems elsewhere in the body. The important point to bear in mind is that regardless of how and why it works, reflexology does work and regularly benefits thousands of people.

Whether in a quest for beauty or out of necessity, millions of Americans will have plastic surgery this year. To stay ahead of the demand, the hottest topics, technologies, and research will be presented at Plastic Surgery 2009, the annual scientific meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), Oct. 23-27, in Seattle. The meeting, held at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, will be attended by more than 5,000 doctors, medical personnel and exhibitors in the field of plastic surgery.

“Plastic Surgery 2009 is the complete plastic surgery experience featuring the latest information on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery techniques,” said ASPS President John Canady, MD. “New discoveries on facial aging, novel uses for Botox® to treat chronic pain, concerns about do-it-yourself cosmetic treatments and more will be explored. Amazing reconstructive surgery breakthroughs that will one day allow U.S. soldiers with artificial limbs to feel sensation will be revealed.”

Opening Ceremonies

Keynote speaker and accomplished teacher, writer, and orator, Atul Gawande, MD, will discuss his unique perspective on the practice of medicine and healthcare reform, during Opening Ceremonies on Saturday, Oct. 24 from 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. The annual Patients of Courage: Triumph Over Adversity awards honoring inspirational reconstructive plastic surgery patients who’ve overcome traumatic illness or injury will also be recognized for their courage and altruism.

Breast Reconstruction Art Exhibit

Created to raise awareness about the many forms of breast reconstruction, the Out of the Shadows…Into the Light art exhibit will be held on Sunday, Oct. 25 - Tuesday, Oct. 27. The exhibit shares the stories of breast cancer patients, through plaster sculptures of their busts, representing various stages of breast cancer. The creator will discuss how she created art from tragedy.

Exhibit Hall

The Exhibit Hall, open Saturday, Oct. 24 - Monday, Oct. 26, will showcase more than 300 companies, featuring products and devices including the latest breast implants, injectable wrinkle fighters, cosmetics/skin care, and body contouring technologies. This array of exhibitors will bring plastic surgeons up-to-date on cutting-edge products and technologies to better care for patients.

Closing Ceremonies

Closing Ceremonies on Tuesday, Oct. 27 from 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. will feature recognized heart and lung transplant surgeon, the Honorable William H. Frist, MD, who will discuss the future of healthcare in America. He will present his vision of increased availability and affordability of quality healthcare.

Studies, panels, and courses presented at Plastic Surgery 2009 include:

• Hot Topics in Plastic Surgery

• Rejuvenation of the Upper Eyelid - Is Less Really More
• Breast Augmentation with Liposuctioned Fat: A Fifty Patient Study Over Five Years
• Achieving Predictable Outcomes in Buttock Rejuvenation
• Not All Facelifts Created Equal - New Ways to Reshape the Face
• Non-Surgical Rejuvenation - Lasers
• Facial Aging and the Mid-Facelift
• Five Year Outcome of Surgical Treatment of Migraine Headache
• Military Plastic Surgery - A Global Update
• The Efficacy of Botox in the Treatment of Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome
• Composite Tissue Allotransplantation (Face Transplants) - Have We Achieved Liftoff
• The Impact of Breast Reduction on Low Back Compressive Forces and Function
• Functional and Structural Repair of Peripheral Nerve Injury by Adipose-Derived Stem Cells
• Breast Reconstruction Managing Flap Reconstruction
• Carcinoma and Hyperplasia in Breast Reduction Surgery: Increased Sampling Leads to Increased Detection
• Inter-Relationships of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome with Body Mass Indices in the Massive Weight Loss Population

For a full listing of Plastic Surgery 2009 activities, visit http://www.plasticsurgery.org.

Source:
ASPS Public Relations

American Society of Plastic Surgeons

View drug information on Botox Cosmetic.

University of Michigan scientists have developed a combination drug that promises a safer, more precise way for medics and fellow soldiers in battle to give a fallen soldier both morphine and a drug that limits morphine’s dangerous side effects.

They use nanotechnology to devise ultra-small polymer particles capable of carrying the drugs into the body. The development of the combination drug makes possible a precise feedback system that can safely regulate release of the drugs aboard the nanoparticles.

The scientists at the Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and Biological Sciences report their results in the September issue of Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters.

Context

Soldiers injured in combat typically receive morphine as soon as possible to relieve pain. Morphine, however, also depresses normal breathing and blood pressure, sometimes to life-threatening levels. So medics need to give a short-acting drug that aids normal respiration and heart beat, but in doses that still allow the morphine to relieve pain effectively. Today, achieving that balance is a challenge outside a hospital.

The combination drug that U-M scientists have developed promises to make balanced treatment possible even in combat zones, says James R. Baker Jr., M.D., director of the Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and Biological Sciences (MNIMBS) and the study’s senior author.

“This system could improve pain management for millions of patients with chronic illnesses,” says Baker, Ruth Dow Doan Professor and allergy division chief in the U-M Department of Internal Medicine.

The long-range goal of the research, funded by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, is to develop a practical method that medics or soldiers themselves could administer, perhaps using an auto-injector device.

Research details

U-M chemists screened several compounds to search for a successful “pro drug,” a drug that can release or become another drug. In this case, they wanted one that could convert to Naloxone, a drug now used to counter morphine’s effects, but would activate only when blood oxygen levels drop too low.

In laboratory tests using human plasma, one pro drug successfully sensed oxygen levels and turned on or off as needed.

“When respiratory distress is too severe, that will trigger release of Naloxone, the antagonist (morphine-suppressing) drug. When the oxygen blood levels go up, that will stop the action of the antagonist drug and more morphine will be available,” says Baohua Huang, Ph.D., the study’s first author and a research investigator at the Michigan Nanotechnology Institute and in internal medicine.

What’s next

MNIMBS scientists are proceeding with animal studies of the pro drug’s effects and will develop a dendrimer that can carry the pro drug and morphine, using a dendrimer platform technology previously developed at U-M. They hope to advance to more animal and eventually human studies.

Patents/Disclosures: Patent applications have been filed on related U-M dendrimer inventions.

Additional U-M authors: Shengzhuang Tang, M.S., MNIMBS; Ankur Desai, M.S., MNMBS; Xue-min Cheng, Ph.D., adjunct research associate professor, department of internal medicine and MNIMBS; Alina Kotlyar, M.S., MNIMBS; Abraham Van Der Spek, M.D., associate professor of anesthesiology, and Thommey P. Thomas, Ph.D., research assistant professor, department of internal medicine and MNIMBS.

Citation: Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, Volume 19, Issue 17, September 1, 2009, pp. 5016-5020

Funding: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, part of the U.S. Department of Defense.

Source: University of Michigan Health System

If you are dealing with an adult who suffers from an eating disorder, then you should adjust your talk to a relevant format. Remember, an adult may use stronger language than a child would use. Do not get angry. It will not do any good, and will probably make things worse. Plus, the sufferer will not want to confide in you.

Remember that your appearance and tone of your voice should make her/him feel that you are coming with an open heart, and you do it only because you love her/him and care very much about the person: that you don’t have any intention of putting them down or embarrassing them in any way.

Be sensitive, diplomatic and intuitive. Regardless of what happens during the conversation, you should finish the exchange letting the person know that you are willing to listen to them anytime they feel more comfortable about talking.

If the person you want to help doesn’t admit they have a problem, then:

1. Understand that you (and the person close to you) are not responsible for their illness BUT you should take responsibility to do what you can to help them to improve and recover. Without this decision to help, it is more difficult for them to improve on their own.

2. Focus on loving and supportive relationships between you and the sufferer. Avoid being on a drama triangle which means avoid being a “Persecutor”, a “Rescuer”, or a “Victim”.

3. Create intimacy between you and the sufferer. When the sufferer feels completely secure with you, she/he will open up and talk about the problem.

The ways to create intimacy between two people are:

• Be Present and Tune In.
• Ask questions in which you can show your caring and lovable attitude toward the person.
• Listen with Empathy and compassion.
• Accept without Judgment.
•  Saying softly “Tell me more….” when you are listening it will make her/him feel immensely loved by you and connected to you at a deeper level.
• Reflect Back.
•  Respect Soul.
• Be Transparent. Let others see into your heart and inner world.
•  Speak Gently.
• Realize that if the person doesn’t want to talk about her/his problems and denies their anorexia-bulimia, it could be the result of her/his emotional state of mind at that time. They could be experiencing emotional cut-off.

4. Emotional cut-off refers to the mechanisms people use to reduce anxiety from any unresolved emotional issues with parents, siblings, and other members from the family. To avoid sensitive issues, some people either move away from their families or rarely go home. Or, if they remain in physical contact with their families, they avoid sensitive issues by diverting the conversation, cutting off the risk of having to face their emotions.

The opposite of an emotional cut-off is an open intimate relationship. It is a very effective way to reduce a family’s over-all anxiety and acts like security priming.

5. Continue on with your education about eating disorders. The more you know about the disease, the easier it becomes to conquer it.

From our personal experience coping with a person suffering from an eating disorder, it is obvious that there isn’t one single definitive guide or course of action for you or the sufferer to follow that will guarantee a solution to their eating problems.

Your attitude and beliefs about how the sufferer should act and your ability to interact as a caregiver can affect the way you respond to your loved one.

Remember, that if one approach for coping with your loved one’s illness does not work, there is always another way. People who develop eating disorders are absolutely normal. However something happens in their lives that make them suffer emotionally and they turn to an eating disorder to compensate for this emotional discomfort.

So you as a caregiver have to be very understanding, caring and most of all none- judgemental if you really want to help. 

Neuroplasticity is the ability of the human brain to change itself based on how we live our lives. Our brain consists of cells or neurons that are interconnected.

It means that different life experiences and different behaviours are constantly changing the strength of these connections, by adding or removing connections, and by adding new cells.

“Plasticity” relates to learning by adding or removing connections, or adding cells. According to the theory of neuroplasticity, thinking, learning, and acting actually change the brain’s physical structure or anatomy as well as functional organization, known as physiology, from top to bottom.

The brain’s plasticity exists from “cradle to grave” and the adult brain is not “hard-wired” with fixed and immutable neuronal circuits as was previously thought.

So, neuroplasticity is the power to produce a more flexible and beneficial behaviour for the treatment of eating disorders. However, these positive changes will only happen if you target the eating disorder in a certain way. These can be subdivided into 5 steps of actions that you should undertake to stop your eating disorder.

The 1st step: Believe that you can stop your eating disorder. Do exercises to begin changing the way your mind works.

2nd step: Re- Identify.
Recognize the false nature of your eating disorder thoughts.

3rd step: Re-Symbolize.
Escape from loop thinking that feeds the eating disorder. Loop thinking is when a thought like binging or starving oneself gets caught in a loop going around it the brain continuously and never being released.

4th step: Re-Direct.
Defeat recurrent thoughts that give power to the disorder.

5th step: Re-Evaluate.
De-value and ignore harmful urges until they start to fade away.

By following these steps you can clearly see that by directing your attention away from food, weight and body image, you could learn to focus on positive eating habits and overcome destructive negative thoughts.

Doing this, you as a eating disorder sufferer will be able to make permanent changes to your own neuronal pathways and change your life.

To conclude, I want to say that the power of neuroplasticity can be a real “cure” for eating disorder sufferers. By eating disorder “cure” I mean that you achieve a state of mind where you can control your thoughts and feelings, instead of the thoughts and feelings controlling you. You can do this by influencing your subconscious mind.

The subconscious mind is your hidden level of awareness, where your automatism lies. This part of your brain controls all the things you have learned that are now automatic such as riding a bike, tying your shoe laces, and unfortunately for the sufferer the place where the eating disorder lives.

With the help of the 5 steps you will learn that it is possible for you to reach your subconscious mind and make certain positive changes that will turn your life around: at escape from your eating disorder.

Shoulder night pain is one of the more inconvenient aspects of a rotator cuff injury. It hurts to lay on your side. It is painful to turn over. It is hard to find a comfortable position. If you suffer from shoulder pain, you probably also suffer from restless nights and interrupted sleep.

The rotator cuff is a collection of muscles and tendons in the shoulder. Together they help with shoulder movements, act to stabilize the shoulder, and hold the humerus bone to the scapula. This group of muscles and tendons are very important for shoulder movement. They are also easily injured. Injury can result from normal “wear and tear”, by over extending yourself, or by frequent repetitive arm movements. Athletes are particularly vulnerable, especially those who lift weights, throw balls or swing rackets.

Fortunately, physical therapists have developed a number of exercises specifically targeting rotator cuff muscles and shoulder pain. These exercises help to eliminate shoulder pain, build strength, and restore range of movement. Rather than spending a fortune on doctor bills and physical therapy, you can do most of these exercises on your own, at your home.

One useful exercise is called the cat stretch. Get down on your hands and knees and place your hands just forward of your head. Now, keeping your elbows on the ground, slowly stretch backward on to your heels. Repeat this stretch several times.

Another exercise is the door frame chest press. Walk up to an open doorway. Place your forearms on the door frame with your hands pointing upwards. Now, leaving your arms in place, slowly press forward into the doorway. Hold this position for several seconds and then use your arms to slowly press yourself back out to your starting position. Repeat this several more times.

In addition to exercise, many patients find relief from alternating applications of ice and heat. Anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen also help to reduce swelling and reduce pain. Finally, look for ways to make yourself comfortable at night during your recovery. Use pillows to support your body and take the weight off of your shoulder.

If medicines and antibiotics have not worked well in treating Piles then there is no point in struggling with these medicines. Try a natural treatment for hemorrhoids and see if it can make life easier. It is indeed difficult to bear with the etching, pain and swelling for long. If not anything these natural remedies will make your day to day life comfortable.

Listed below are some natural treatments for hemorrhoids that you may try:

1) There is an excellent Japanese herb called pagoda tree that helps in strengthening the varicose veins. This herb is available in the form of supplement. Follow the dosage details on the product label and use if for a couple of weeks to improve the strength of the veins. You will notice a marked improvement in the itching, pain and discomfort.

2) Another excellent natural treatment for hemorrhoids is turmeric. Mix a teaspoon of white butter with half a teaspoon of turmeric. Make a paste of this mix and apply to the anus area every night. Turmeric can stain your clothes so be careful. Turmeric also has anti-inflammatory properties. Follow this remedy till such time you get relief.

3) One of the main reasons for piles is constipation and hard stools. To get rid of constipation you can use psyllium seed husks. This works well as a natural treatment for hemorrhoids because of the laxative properties. Mix 2-3 teaspoons of psyllium seed husk with warm water and consume daily. This will add fiber content to your bowels and make it soft and bulky. For severe constipation take 3-4 teaspoons everyday. However be cautioned that don’t make consuming external laxatives a habit. Instead start having diet that has enough fiber content.