Category: Medicine

Why Titanium Is Used In Medicine

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Titanium, nicknamed the “space age metal,” has many sought-after properties that make it extremely useful to a variety of industries. It can be combined with other metals, like iron, aluminum, vanadium or molybdenum, to create tough lightweight alloys or it may be used by itself. The medical industry depends on titanium for many purposes, from surgical instruments and orthopedic implants to wheelchairs.

The three most useful properties of titanium in medicine are corrosion resistance, low density and strength. Some of the most corrosive agents known, like seawater and chlorine, have no caustic effect on titanium. The ability to withstand such extremely corrosive agents makes titanium useful for surgical applications since body fluids will not corrode it. Titanium is great for orthopedic uses in or outside the body because it is lightweight and strong. Titanium has the highest strength to weight ratio of any metal. Even in its unalloyed form, titanium is comparable in strength to certain steels, but about 45% of their weight.

Titanium’s more unique properties make it useful for orthopedic applications. Titanium is quite ductile, which allows it to be shaped without fracturing. Combined with its lightweight and high strength, the ability to deform titanium like plastic provides amazing applications for orthopedic devices. These devices are often intricately shaped with extreme shock and weight-resistant requirements. In addition, titanium is paramagnetic and does not interfere with medical diagnostic procedures, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). It has low electrical and thermal conductivity too, which otherwise may interfere with certain medical procedures.

The human body reacts inertly to titanium, which makes it ideal for surgical use. The body does not reject or become intoxicated when titanium is surgically implanted. It also does not form any intervening connective tissue when titanium is implanted, even if used in bone tissue. Materials, like titanium, that are capable of connecting to bone cells without intervening connective tissue formation are called osseointegrates. This feature of connecting directly to bone tissue allows titanium to be used in many different types of implants, like hip sockets and dental implants.

Medicine uses titanium in an array of applications because it is strong, lightweight, corrosion resistant and paramagnetic and favorably unites with the human body. With the ability to be used from crutches to hip sockets, titanium truly does seem like a “space age metal.

Alternative Medicine and It’s Use in Natural Pain Management

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Chronic Pain conditions are a growing problem in the United States. And while the debate still rages about whether or not chronic pain should be managed as a separate condition or just a symptom of another problem it is clear that pain management has become a booming segment of the healthcare industry.

Consequently, the use of pharmaceutical drugs for pain control has also reached an all time high. Drugs like Oxicontin, Vicodin and methadone, are front page news in causing America’s latest drug crisis, as a result, the use of cocaine and heroin have also reached levels not seen in this country in 30 years.

Due to the economic and scientific phenomena of the pharmaceutical revolution of the 20th century, thousands of years of knowledge were suddenly abandoned. Herbal medicine has safely and effectively treated pain for millennia, and is for safer than the synthesized, processed medications that today’s doctors seem to be all too willing to hand out like so much candy.

In the realm of alternative medicine, there are many forms of natural pain management that are in fact, the basis of where many of our oh-so-popular pharmaceutical drugs come from.

Codeine and morphine are opium derivatives that may be effective but are also highly addictive, and even aspirin is a derivative of willow bark. Many other plants have been used in natural pain management since antiquity, such as lavender and chamomile for minor pain issues and these plants have the added benefit of also assisting with the emotional component of pain such as anxiety and difficulty sleeping. Plants like henbane and mandrake are so effective that they are even used very effectively during labor to ease the pain of childbirth.

Some wonderful and powerful herbal medicine can also be found in the spice cabinet. Spices like turmeric, and ginger are two of the most powerful anti- inflammatories on the planet. These plants are natural COX-2 inhibitors; they are the alternative medicine answer to the popular pharmaceutical drugs Celebrex and Vioxx. In the middle east, India and all over Asia where the diets are rich in spices like turmeric, and ginger and cayenne, where life is also far less convenient then our own, people have a far less occurrence of arthritis and chronic back pain, and continue to work very labor intensive jobs such as farming and agriculture work even into their 90’s.

There has always been an accepted school of thought in allopathic medicine that it is acceptable to injure one part of the body to heal another, thus even common over the counter NSAID pain relievers such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, can cause long term damage, acetaminophen to the liver and ibuprofen to the kidneys, in natural pain management many plants, roots, barks, and other herbs not only antistetic in nature but they are also anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic as well, and herbal medicine is gentler on the system and is more synergistic with the body allowing for greater absorption of the necessary constitutes.

So you see that alternative medicine goes beyond the typically accepted ideal of treating just the symptoms and goes farther to treat many of the underlying causes as well as some of the other components involved in chronic pain conditions.

Interesting Facts About Renaissance Doctors And Medicine

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Do you usually link Renaissance to advances in medicine? Typically, when we talk about the Renaissance period, we talk about an explosion of learning and creativity. From paintings to music, this was a tremendous time for the arts in particular. However, the era of the Renaissance, which lasted from the middle 1400s until the 1700s, also featured major developments in European medicine. Here are some of the important facts surrounding the Renaissance period and medicine:

1. New knowledge and inventions improved medicine

A flurry of new knowledge and inventions helped to advance medicine quickly, during the Renaissance. There were no instruments yet to observe bacteria, and thus create a need for cheap urbane scrubs. However, diagrams of the human body and the printing press both had a huge influence on the world of medicine. Thus, doctors had a better comprehension of how the human body functioned, than during any previous era in Europe’s history.

2. Galen was no longer king

During the previous Middle Ages, the medical world considered Galen’s writings to be infallible. Galen was an ancient Greek living in Rome, who had developed the concepts of Hippocrates, “The Father of Medicine.”

However, during the Renaissance, doctors took a more practical and academic approach to training in their profession. Medical students studied from books with realistic diagrams of humans. In addition to better books, doctors-in-training also had access to more of them, thanks to the invention of the printing press. In fact, universities even permitted students to dissect humans, towards the end of the Renaissance. This practice had previously been limited to animals.

3. Science began to supersede spirituality

During the Renaissance, people still held to some spiritual reasoning regarding diseases. For instance, people were unaware that bacteria existed, and could spread from person-to-person. However, logic became king, due to a new wealth of knowledge available, and an efficient way to distribute it faster-the printing press. In addition, the training for surgical procedures greatly improved. Apprentices would learn surgical techniques, from an active surgeon. Interestingly, universities themselves failed to supply doctors-in-training with these skills. Nevertheless, the improvements in textbooks about human anatomy significantly boosted the complexity of the surgeries that doctors did.

4. Many did not embrace advances in medicine

While the Renaissance ushered in a new era of medical knowledge and skills, not everyone was impressed. During the Renaissance, home remedies remained a vital aspect of medical treatment, for many people. In fact, some people still sought treatments from local shaman who lacked formal training in the medical profession. Also, many “old-school” doctors and the Catholic Church still adhered to the teachings of Galen. However, within time, medical advances during the Renaissance would revolutionize the whole professional.

The Renaissance was clearly an era of enlightenment and developments. Besides the fantastic output in the arts, the medical profession flourished as well. While doctors were yet unaware of bacteria or the need to wear scrubs during surgeries, they were nonetheless learning. Essentially starting with the Renaissance, spiritual doctors were becoming scientific doctors!

Shatavari – Sexual Ayurvedic Medicines

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Shatavari is also particularly useful as a natural menopause remedy for hot flashes. Since it is a natural diuretic, you are recommended to re-supply your potassium intake by eating bananas and orange juice to avoid becoming dehydrated. Shatavari enhances fertility by nourishing the ovum and female reproductive organs. It builds blood, prepares the womb for conception and prevents miscarriage. It is also a post-partum tonic where it helps to normalize the changing hormones and increases lactation.

Libido enhancer is one that helps in enhancing the male sexual thoughts and capacity. Herbs that can be considered as libido enhancer include Ginseng, Indian gooseberry, Mucuna, Shilajit, Ashwagandha, Shatavari, Garlic, Onions, Horny Goat Weed and Cnidium. One can consume them as a single herb or can also go for some formula that includes more than one of above mentioned natural aphrodisiac. Let us look at few of these herbs; how they work to increase the male libido and sexual capability:

For generalized weakness, Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) kalpa or Shatavari Ghruta is used orally and Mahanarayan oil is used for massaging the body. Children having a history of loss of appetite, indigestion and loose motions are given Sanjeevani vati (containing mainly Semicarpus anacardium) and Pippalyadi decoction (containing mainly Piper longum).

A special Panchkarma procedure called “Netra-Tarpan” is believed to have potential for benefit in the long-term treatment of Stargardt’s disease. In this procedure, a paste is applied around the eyes, and a lukewarm solution of medicated ghee or oil like Triphala-Ghrut, Shatavari-Ghrut or Mahanarayan-Oil is poured inside, so that the entire eye is immersed in the medicine.

The medicines used orally are: Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus), Masha (Phaseolus mungo), Kohla, Abhrak Bhasma, Raupya Bhasma, Suvarna Bhasma, Chandan-Bala-Laxadi Oil, Shatavari kalpa, Kushmand-avaleha, Mahayogaraj Guggulu and Vasant-kusumakar Rasa.

The Ayurvedic treatment of retinitis pigmentosa is aimed at treating the symptoms and halting or reversing the degeneration process. Medicines like Tapyadi-Loh, Saptamrut-Loh, Punarnavadi-Guggulu, Panch-Tikta-Ghrut-Guggulu, Punarnavadi-Mandur, Trayodashang-Guggulu, Lohasav, Yashtimadhuk-Ghrut, Triphala-Ghrut and Shatavari-Ghrut are used to treat the loss of vision.

It is an important natural supplement that is very helpful in rejuvenation and also in overcoming any kind of deficiency occurring in the body. It is a wild herb that is found growing in wild in native places in India. It is known as asparagus racemosus in botanical terms. It provides strength and stamina to the body. In ayurvedic system of medicine shatavari is used in diseases such as impotence, weakened sexual activities, decreased function of sexual organs, inflamed sexual organs and especially in spermatorrhea.

Premature ovarian failure (POF), though comparatively rare, is an important cause of female infertility. This condition can be treated using Ashoka, Dashmool, Chandraprabha, Shatavari, Guduchi, and Jeevanti ( Leptadania reticulata). These medicines can be given in addition to hormone replacement therapy.

Healing qualities of Shatavari are very effective on the female reproductive system related problems. It helps in minimizing the women’s complaints related to menstrual cycles and balancing the female hormonal system. It also helps in decreasing the inflammation of female sexual organs, in fighting tiredness and morning sickness which occur during the menopause cycle. Those women, who face problems of hot flashes, they should try combination of Shatavari and Kama Duba.

The role of Chinese herbs in Chinese cooking and Traditional Chinese Medicine

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When we speak of Chinese herbs, we are technically referring to herbs sourced straight from China. Chinese herbs are commonly employed for Chinese cooking but may also have medicinal properties that make them ideal to use in Traditional Chinese Medicine too. There are a mind-boggling number of the known Chinese herbs (more than three hundred, at last count) which have reputedly been used in various ways for around 2000 years or so.

Generally, Chinese herbs might either be boiled as a hot tea for at least an hour for the patient to sip, or the Chinese herbs could be incorporated into honey bound pills. The most common purpose for using Chinese herbs is for their health benefits, since these Chinese herbs can reportedly make the human body stronger when the herbs are consumed. Chinese herbs which have developed a strong following are Ginseng, salvia, rhubarb, rehmannia, peony, ephedra sinica, licorice, hoelen, ginger, coptis, cinnamon bark, cinnamon, bupleurum, atractylodes, astragalus, and Dong Quai. Among this list of commonly used Chinese herbs, the one which many might be very familiar with is Ginseng (because of the many commercial products that claim to use this herb as an ingredient.) Much of the Ginseng being used for these commercial products would be made up of the Red Panax ginseng variety which is more affordable than the more highly prized Wild Ginseng variety.

Though not technically part of the Chinese herbs category, there is what is known as American ginseng too, which was employed by Native Americans for their own type of health care treatments.

Are Chinese herbs safe to use? Those who strongly believe in Traditional Chinese Medicine would probably be very convinced that Chinese herbs are very effective, but anyone who is trying out Chinese herbs for the first time (as part of Chinese cuisine or as part of a Traditional Chinese Medicine program of treatment) should always practice caution before ingesting any Chinese herbs. This is because the Chinese herbs that might work for one person might not necessarily work for another. More alarming is the prospect that certain Chinese herbs might even be dangerous for some individuals to use, especially if they happen to be allergic to those Chinese herbs, or if the person is on some commercial drug preparation that might contraindicate with some Chinese herbs. If you are planning to use Traditional Chinese Medicine to complement your conventional medical treatment program, you should always consult your physician first before taking any Chinese herbs on your own. This is for your own protection. Though admittedly various Chinese herbs (like ginger which even Westerners are very familiar with in these modern times) are probably safe to consume on a regular basis, many Chinese herbs are unfamiliar to Western medical practitioners so it is prudent to incorporate such Chinese herbs into your diet and medical treatment slowly maybe even one at a time to observe the effects on your body.

Traditional Medicine Fails Those With Fibromyalgia

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Traditional Medicine Fails Those With Fibromyalgia The American College of Rheumatology reports that drugs used to treat fibromyalgia are no better than a sugar pill (worthless) within 3 months. And surveys show that fibromyalgia patients are no better (symptoms the same or worse) after 15 years of taking doctor recommended prescription drug therapies.

If you suffer with fibromyalgia you already know drug therapy alone is a dead end, doomed for to go know where. You’ve probably gone from one doctor to the next, taken drug after drug and still you don’t feel any better. Or if you do, it’s fleeting, the symptoms return and now you’re another life draining drug. The drugs used to treat fibromyalgia have side effects that are often worse than the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Doctors don’t tell you this- they should.

Ambien and Lunesta may cause short-term memory loss, brain fog (can’t think straight), poor memory, anxiety, depression, flu-like pain, fatigue, poor immune function (susceptible to more infections), headaches, and more.

The tricyclic antidepressant drugs, often recommended for poor sleep, Trazadone, Elavil, Doxepin, Despramine, Imipramine, Pamelor, and Nortriptyline may cause next day hang over, weight gain, muscle pains, and fatigue. They deplete the natural sleep drug melatonin, thus creating a dependence on them for sleep. Unfortunately they tend to lose their effectiveness after a period of time.

These drugs deplete the all-important enzyme known as CoQ10. CoQ10 is responsible for 95% of the body’s energy. Symptoms of low CoQ10 include fatigue, muscle aches, poor memory, brain fog, tingling in the hands and feet, anxiety, depression, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, increased risk of heart attack and stroke, and headaches.

Benzodiazepine drugs- Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan, Restoril, Busbar, Tranxene, Serax, Librium, Tegretol, Valium, Trileptal, Seraquel, Risperdal, and Symbax are usually used as anti-anxiety medication. They’re addictive, and patients build up a tolerance so that the drug eventually loses it effectiveness as a sleep aid.

Benzodiazepines have numerous side effects, including poor sleep, seizures, mania, depression, suicide, ringing in the ears, amnesia, dizziness, anxiety, disorientation, low blood pressure, nausea, fluid retention, sexual dysfunction (decreased desire and performance), weakness, somnolence (prolonged drowsiness or a trance-like condition that may continue for a number of days), headaches and tardive dyskinesia (tremors or shakes). Why would anyone want to take this stuff? There is a better way to treat (and beat) the symptoms of fibromyalgia. You don’t have to take dangerous life draining drugs that mask the symptoms yet slowly take away your soul.

Gabitril (tiagabine) Lyrica, and Neurontin (gabapentin) are anticonvulsant medications originally used to control seizures. They are now being used to block nerve-related pain (neuralgia) including pain caused by herpes zoster. These medications are also being prescribed for chronic headaches (with some success) and fibromyalgia (little success).

Side Effects: There are several side effects associated with their use, including somnolence (prolonged drowsiness or a trance-like condition that may continue for a number of days), dizziness, weakness, fatigue, double vision, edema (fluid retention), ataxia (muscular in-coordination), thought disorder (suicidal or inappropriate thoughts), possible long-term ophthalmic problems (abnormal eyeball movements and disorders), tremors (uncontrollable tics or muscle twitches), weight gain, back pain, constipation, muscle aches, memory loss, asthenia (all over weakness), depression, abnormal thinking, itching, involuntary muscle twitching, serious rash, and runny nose. This stuff is poison.

Don’t these side effects sound like the very same symptoms associated with fibromyalgia and CFS?

And each drug (to cover up yet another side-effect from another drug) adds another life draining, potentially disabling side effect; hundreds of thousands of patients taking benzodiazepines (Ativan, Klonopin, Xanax, etc.) go on to develop drug induced Parkinson’s Disease.

The side effects to legally prescribed drugs (as recommended by doctors) kills one person every 5 minutes.

The FDA estimates that 27,000 people died from the common pain drug Vioxx (now off the market). Death from prescription drugs is now the number 3 cause of death in the U.S. Only heart attacks and cancer take more lives each year. Could The Drug Be The Problem? Taking Ativan for sleep or anxiety (over time) caused a CoQ10 deficiency which then causes chronic muscle pain, tingling in the hands and feet, fatigue, high blood pressure, and depression. So the patient was then prescribed a drug for the leg pain (muscle relaxant), an amphetamine for fatigue (Ritalin, Concerta, etc.), an antidepressant, and Neurotin or Lyrica for the tingling in the hands and feet. The Ritalin caused high blood pressure so a beta-blocker was prescribed. Inderal (propanol), Lorpressor (metoprlol), Tenormin (atenolol), and Toprol (metoprolol) have side effects that include congestive heart failure (CHF), reduced cardiac output, fatigue, heart block, dizziness, depression, bradycardia (decreased heart beat and function), cold extremities, parathesia (a feeling of -pins and needles-), dyspnea (shortness of breath), drowsiness, lethargy, insomnia, headaches, poor memory, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, colitis, wheezing, bronchospasm, Raynaud’s Syndrome (burning, tingling, pain, numbness, or poor circulation in the hands and feet), claudication, hyperkalemia (muscle cramps), muscle fatigue, lowered libido, impotence, postural hypotension, raised triglycerides, lowered HDL, raised LDL, and hyperglycemia.

Fortunately for those with fibromyalgia who want to get off the drug merry-go-round, there are several safe, effective, tried and true natural therapies that do reverse the symptoms of fibromyalgia. For more information on how you can beat fibromyalgia naturally please see this free informative essay- http://www.TreatingandBeating.com/currentdefs.html

About Dr. Murphree

Dr. Murphree is a board certified nutritional specialist and chiropractic physician who has been in private practice since 1990. He is the founder and past clinic director for a large integrated medical practice located on the campus of Brookwood Hospital in Birmingham Alabama. The clinic was staffed with medical doctors, chiropractors, acupuncturists, nutritionists, and massage therapists. The clinic combined prescription and natural medicines for acute and chronic illnesses. He is the author of 5 books for patients and doctors, including “Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,” “”Heart Disease What Your Doctor Won’t Tell You’- and “Treating and Beating Anxiety and Depression with Orthomolecular Medicine.”

In 2002 Dr. Murphree sold his medical practice and now maintains a busy solo practice specializing in fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, heart disease, mood disorders, and other chronic illnesses. He can be reached toll free 1-888-884-9577 or at 205-879-2383 His website is at www.treatingandbeating.com

Modern Marvels of Nuclear Medicine Equipment

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CAT scans and other internal imaging equipment allows doctors to see the inner workings of the human brain and anatomy without exposing a person to a painful procedure. Testing the vital areas of the body for proper function tests that are conducted using nuclear medicine equipment are enabling medical professionals to examine their patients without any sort of invasive procedure. Suspecting that a person is suffering from a tumor or has a condition that is affecting the ability of their internal organs to function within normal parameters, doctors will prescribe a CAT scan or other body scan that is conducted by a special piece of nuclear medicine equipment.

Offering greater insight into the trauma that may exist inside the body or brain the use of a gamma camera enables the attending physician to have an accurate image of the brain or internal organs made available to them. Taking as little as only two minutes to perform a complete scan or the entire body the nuclear medicine equipment utilizes gamma cameras to peer through the skin and reveal the secrets that are taking place inside a person. Aiding in the detection and confirmation of injuries sustained from an accident or helping a doctor to see the extent of a tumor growth the nuclear camera is able to return images of the inner anatomy of the body to the screen of a nearby computer and reveal the damage that is taking place inside an ill person’s body.

Through the scanning process the gamma camera is able to reveal the differences in healthy tissue and organs and those that are affected by the onset of an illness or disease. Giving the physician a reference point from which to make their diagnosis and prognosis of a patient’s health, the use of nuclear medicine equipment is a modern marvel that is enabling doctors to provide the best analysis of their patient’s condition.

The Effect Of Micro-chinese Medicine Osmotherapy For Treating Polycystic Kidney Disease

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Facing the embarrassing situation of repeated outbreak after surgical treatment of Polycystic Kidney Disease(PKD), more and more patients with PKD look forward to receiving traditional Chinese medicine treatment. Today we will recommend Micro-Chinese Medicine Osmotherapy in Shijiazhuang Kidney Disease Hospital. Then how is the effect of Micro-Chinese Medicine Osmotherapy for treating Polycystic Kidney Disease? Now we will explain it.

How is Polycystic Kidney Disease caused? Under the action of pathogenic factors, Polycystic Kidney Disease is a series of allergy caused by damage of renal tubular epithelial cells. Damage and proliferation of renal tubular epithelial cells are pathological characteristics of PKD. Proliferation of renal tubular epithelial cells leads to half obstruction state at the cyst neck. So cyst liquid is not easy to flow out and cyst becomes big. In order to treat PKD, we should restrain secretion of cyst liquid and repair renal tubular epithelial cells.

The traditional treatment of Polycystic Kidney Disease is laparoscopic renal cyst decortication. This treatment can solve the problem that large cysts oppress renal parenchyma temporarily. Though the pressure of the big cyst to kidney is relieved, small cysts get the chance of growing and small cysts will become big rapidly. The surgical treatment does not inhibit cyst liquid secretion and ignores repair of renal tubular epithelial cells. So surgical treatment is only an expedient. This is why we do not use surgical treatment to treat Polycystic Kidney Disease.

Micro-Chinese Medicine Osmotherapy for treating Polycystic Kidney Disease has the following two measures:

First, it can dilate blood vessels of blood vessel walls around polycystic kidney and accelerate blood circulation of cyst wall, which prompts increase of cyst wall permeability and drop of cyst wall intravascular pressure. It reverses the situation that intravascular pressure is higher than pressure within cyst and accelerate absorption of cyst liquid.

Second, the active material in Micro-Chinese Medicine prevents the cyst wall vessels and cyst from enlarging. At the same time, the active material provides repair material for renal tubular epithelial cells.

Through the above treatment measures, Micro-Chinese Medicine Osmotherapy improves circulation disorder of blood vessel walls and cyst and softens the cyst wall. So it increases cyst wall permeability and inhibits secretion of cyst wall cells. A large number of clinical practice has proven that Micro-Chinese Medicine Osmotherapy has a good effect on treating PKD.

Using Traditional Chinese Medicine For Panic Attacks

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Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is also very effective against panic attacks. The Chinese has combined the TCM with modern treatments, and many reported to have positive results. However, finding a qualified and professional TCM therapist is not easy, it might take some time before you find the one who will treat you right.

The information provided below is for reference only, please consult the profession before using.

Kava Kava
This is a very common herb, which is an excellent relaxant. The advantage of using this herb to fight anxiety is that it is extremely effective for reducing anxiety, especially those who suffer from mild to average anxiety levels. This is the reason Kava Kava is usually recommended for those who have stopped their anxiety medication, yet need a little handholding before they would be able to completely shake the problem off. Kava Kava would not help too much if your anxiety levels are very high, or are experiencing a panic attack.

It is also important that your medical practitioner knows if you are contemplating to use this herb side-by-side with anxiety medication. It is possible that you risk the danger of drug interaction if you do not do so. Kava Kava is nicknamed as Natural Valium because it possesses almost all the qualities of this drug.

You will find if you care to look for information on the Net about Kava Kava, that some people claim that this herb is harmful to the liver. This is true, provided it is taken in excess or over very prolonged periods. The same is true with allopathic medicines, too. Therefore, though there are not many studies to approve of disapprove of this fact, Kava Kava is still considered the number one choice for the treatment and cure of mild anxiety.

St Johns Wort
Immediately next on the list of popularity as an anxiety herb is the St Johns Wort. According to history chronicles, in ancient times most civilizations (Aztecs, Indians, Chinese, Japanese, Greeks, Romans, and so on) have used this wonderful herb to fight depression and chronic anxiety. The action of this herb is very similar to that of the SSRIs about which we discussed a little earlier. This increases the production and flow of serotonin to the brain, which in turn short-circuits the acute anxiety and/ or depression symptoms.

There are a few side effects when using St Johns Wort herb. Fortunately, all these are positive. This herb also cures muscle pain, digestive problems and hypertension all afflictions that are direct by-products of acute depression or anxiety attacks.

The studies conducted so far indicate that the negative side of the St Johns Wort is few. Among these dizziness and sudden dryness of mouth are worth mentioning. This herb is contraindicated for use by women who are on the birth control pill, as this reduces the pills efficacy. Other than this offshoot, everything else points to the fact that this herb is a good choice when anxiety and depression plague you.

Valerian
Valerian is another herb preferred by many because of its fast action. This herb too treats both anxiety and depression in a similar manner as the SSRIs, only with better results. Though not as popular as the Kava Kava and St Johns Wort, Valerian is still well known and extensively used for the treatment of this particular affliction.

SAM-e
This herb is different from all other herbs used for the treatment of anxiety and depression for the fact that it not only increases the production and flow to the brain of two vital compounds: serotonin and dopamine (an action similar to the SSRIs), but also improves liver function and treats osteoarthritis. Some people reported slight nausea in the initial stages of use, which is the only side effect this wonder herb causes. Most people who have used SAM-e stated that they felt better within days from starting treatment.

Passionflower
Passionflower is an exceptional herb often publicized as one of the best-known natural sedatives. It is particularly useful for the treatment of anxiety and depression because it relaxes muscle tension, which is so common with these conditions while at the same time, leaves the mind and respiratory system unaffected. This herb is also used with great success for pain, nerve disorders, high blood pressure and heart palpitations most of which are symptoms of anxiety. The best thing about Passionflower is that it not habit formative, which means there would be no withdrawal symptoms when its use is stopped.

There is only one downside to the use of Passionflower, especially if it is used in combination with other anxiety medication: it induces sleep. Used in excess you would experience confusion and mental fatigue.

Hops
Hope is a very effective herb used mostly to counter anxiety symptoms such as excitability, sleep disorders, restlessness, irritability, nervousness and the like. As a member of the hemp family, this herb is an excellent sedative. Before its property of being such an excellent tranquilizer was discovered, this herb was used to assist the brewing of beer and ale and for giving it a specific flavor.

Gingko Biloba
Gingko biloba is a very effective herb with applications for many disorders. It is used in the treatment of anxiety and depression because it enhances the blood circulation to the brain, clarity of thought, and power of concentration and improves short-term memory. For best results in the treatment of anxiety and depression, Gingko biloba is taken along with ginger, which is one other herb with tremendous anti-stress properties.

Vitamins and Minerals
It has been observed that the deficiency of certain vitamins and minerals such as the Vitamin B complex group and calcium, zinc and magnesium aggravates the symptoms of anxiety and depression. It is not yet very clear whether depression causes their depletion, or their depletion causes depression. However, it is very encouraging to note that when these are taken as supplements and maintained at optimum levels, depression and anxiety symptoms reduce considerably.

Selenium
Selenium is yet another compound the deficiency of which affects depression negatively. This compound can be assimilated from foods such as fennel seeds, liver, alfalfa, ginseng, garlic and so on. The advantage offered by this compound is that it is exceptionally effective in preventing heart problems as it counters bad cholesterol. The depletion of this compound from the body affects the mood; it keeps the person into a perpetual low feeling.

Chamomile
You would not find a more versatile herb in Nature. While in context with depression, this is an excellent sedative and sleep inducer, chamomile is also helpful in treating digestive disorders and circulatory problems. The coumarin, which is a natural anti-coagulant and blood thinner, is able to help people who have high blood pressure and plaque thickened arteries. Due to this property, its use is contra-indicated for about two weeks before and immediately after any surgery. This herb is commonly consumed as tea. Just a cup twice day can reduce anxiety symptoms and induce sleep almost instantly.

The Role Of Social Workers In The Field Of Medicine

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The scope of social work is not restricted to specific fields of life. The field that involves social activities is the field of medicine is in terms of psychological help. People who want to serve others in the field of medicine they can join hospitals and clinics and help the patients with different problems and diseases. Since, medical field is vast; therefore, people can be helped in numerous ways.

If you are joining as a social worker in any hospital, then you can help the patients with different disease like AIDS or cancer and help them in such a way that they can deal with their illness in a positive way. You can help them to get proper treatment at hospital and at home. There are many hospitals that appoint medical social workers for specific patients, so that they can help them to recover quickly by assisting them at home.

You can also help the patients in counseling them if they have had an accident, trauma or terminal disease. These patients can be assisted to help them psychologically to cope with their condition and illness. You can arrange all the help the patient needs. A doctor might refer the patient to you as a counselor. You can also become a part of such families, to help patients to understand their problem. In many cases you might be required to work with patients who are violent. You need to help these people by counseling and effective therapy. You might also be called by families to convince the patient to take the treatment for their problems.

You can get an opportunity to deal with patients who are violent. You can be called upon by a doctor if he or she finds out that the patient is violent, or a victim of abuse. You can work in hospitals, clinics and sanitariums, and be assigned different responsibilities to help the patients. Some of the tasks might include noting the last will of the patients and DNR instructions. Other tasks consist of informing the families of such patients, and helping them to handle the situation and preparing the documentation after death of the patient. These are some of the tasks that you need to complete when you are performing social activities for the welfare of patient. This profession has a vast scope of helping needy people around you.

If you’re interested in learning How to Become a Social Worker, and would like a Social Worker Job Description, we have more great tools and resources on our website.

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