Tag: pain

For Arthritis Sufferers, Life Is a Bowl of Cherries

For Arthritis Sufferers, Life Is a Bowl of Cherries
Rachel Williamson

Cherries have been receiving a lot of attention of late due to their beneficial effects on something that affects millions of people: arthritis. According to researchers, cherries contain anti-inflammatory properties that may work even better than over-the-counter drugs. The Arthritis Foundation says that “drinking tart cherry juice mixed with water three times a day may be beneficial for some people with arthritis … Cherries also contain varied antioxidants, including kaempferol and quercetin. These compounds, particularly quercetin, may have anti-inflammatory effects that are similar to those of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen …”Researchers have focused their attention on tart cherry juice. According to a 1999 study by Michigan State University researchers, tart cherries contain something called anthocyanins that prevent free radical damage and inhibit cyclooxygenase enzymes better than some anti-inflammatory drugs that work as Cox inhibitors. In order to inhibit Cox-2 enzymes, many anti-inflammatory drugs have to attack both Cox-1 and Cox-2 enzymes. Unfortunately, Cox-1 protects the lining of the stomach. This is why so many people who take anti-inflammatories on a regular basis develop stomach problems. It turns out that cherries contain flavanoids and antioxidants that have a protective effect on the stomach, minimizing the deleterious effects of inhibiting Cox-1 enzymes. While there haven’t been any studies done on humans, researchers believe there’s strong enough evidence to add cherries to your daily diet. They certainly won’t hurt you and they might provide outstanding relief from the pain of arthritis. About the Author
Rachel Williamson is a contributing writer for Eat This! where she has written about the health benefits of cherry juice.

Acupuncture and Electricity

Acupuncture has been shown to have great success in treating pain, stress, and a number of diseases. Acupuncture has a number of different techniques, and one of them is to apply a very low-level electric charge to the needle. This particular technique is creating interest in a field that was started in America in the 1930s and 1940s, but lost support soon afterward. This field is how to use low levels of electricity as a tool for medical therapy.

The initial discovery of acupuncture points on the body was by centuries of observation of the tender spots on the skin when a patient had certain symptoms. These acupuncture points can now be discovered and duplicated by scientists. They can find these same acupuncture points (given in any standard diagram) by using electrical apparatus. Scientists can also use infrared photography to find the temperature differences between these acupuncture points and the surrounding skin. So the acupuncture points have a different electrical behavior than the surrounding cells when the patient suffers from the associated symptom.

Several claims for acupuncture seem to get some support from other research using electricity. One scientist, Becker, has had tissue regrown by animals when he applied a low-level electric current to the site of the tissue. Even heart tissue has been restored without any scarring. Low level electric pulses have also been used to make bone fractures heal significantly faster than fractures left to heal on their own.

How do these two previous experience relate to the fundamentals of acupuncture? The basis of acupuncture is the correct distribution and flow of energy throughout the body. When energy is depleted, regrowth and stimulation and vitality do not occur. An acupuncture treatment restores the energy needed to a specific area. This research (especially the bone research) supports the claim that acupuncture sessions are of significant benefit for those with broken arms or other broken bones in the feet, ankles, and wrists, or other locations. Acupuncture has been known as an effective treatment for patients with heart palpitations, and the EKG results scientifically support that claim. Patients that are attached to an EKG machine and undergo an acupuncture treatment show a difference in the structure of the heartbeat, which is controlled by electric impulses from the nerves.

When an acupuncture needle is inserted into the skin, there is an electrical activity at that point, since the cells at that point are disturbed, and cells by their structure have various electrical charges within them. This is also shown by such techniques as Kirlian photography, where the photograph after a needle is inserted has a very different energy shape than before the needle insertion.

This exploration of the interaction between electricity and acupuncture has come back to expand the techniques used in acupuncture. The most basic technique for an acupuncture treatment is to use needles inserted into the skin of the patient. The location of the insertion, its depth and technique, bring about the results from the treatment. An additional technique is the application of heat, or moxa, which we will not go into. A third addition may be the use of herbs, either at the point of insertion, or given to the patient separately. A technique directly related to the above research, and also harkening back to the experiments of the 1930s and 1940s, is to affect the acupuncture points by a low voltage electric current. This is used in place of the needle. All these results and new ideas make research in acupuncture an exciting field to be working in and reading about.

How to Choose a Laser Hair Removal Provider

Choosing the right laser hair removal provider is the second most important decision you will make concerning your treatment. The most important decision was deciding to have the hair removal treatment. It is best to choose someone, preferably a doctor, that does laser hair removal on a regular basis. Often the best doctors to perform the procedure specialize in plastic surgery order dermatology. They usually have the latest laser devices and are more knowledgeable on the procedures.

A good way to find a list of practitioners in your area is to do an online search. This will result in a list of laser hair removal specialists for you to consider. Some may be doctors that perform the procedure themselves, and others may be doctors that oversee technicians that do the procedure. While searching online it is often possible to find reviews from previous clients concerning specific practitioners and treatments.

After you have narrowed down your list to several choices of laser hair removal specialists, the next step is to schedule a preliminary consultation. The purpose of this consultation is for you to further assess your choices and the quality of each one. Once you arrive at the office you will know right away if it is the type of setting where you would want to have your laser hair removal treatment. The office should meet with your specifications of cleanliness and orderliness. The staff should seem helpful and friendly when you arrive.

When you have your meeting with the practitioner, you should be prepared to ask several questions. You will want to find out the amount of experience he has had with laser hair removal. To do this, you may want to ask him the number of laser hair removal procedures he has completed, how long he has been offering these services, and where he was trained in this specific technology. It is acceptable to ask to see his medical certificates and credentials. This way you will determine his specialty, and whether or not he is board certified. It is also good to find out if the practitioner owns his own lasers.

If you are happy with how your preliminary consultation has progressed to this point, you may want to ask the practitioner the details concerning the specific laser hair removal procedure that you are interested in having done. You should ask him what kind of pain relief is available during the procedure, as most people do experience some degree of discomfort. If you have a low pain tolerance, this is especially important. Ask the practitioner how many treatments he feels will be necessary for your laser hair removal and determine whether his treatment schedule fits into your time from. It is also important to find out the cost of the laser hair removal treatments and the types of payments that this particular office accepts.

You should repeat the preliminary consultation with as many practitioners that you feel are necessary until you find one that makes you feel completely comfortable and fits your price range. Taking the time needed to choose the right practitioner for you is the first step to having successful laser hair removal treatments.

For Arthritis Patients the Wrong Doctor Could Spell Disaster

For Arthritis Patients the Wrong Doctor Could Spell Disaster
Rudy Silva

For Arthritis Patients the Wrong Doctor Could Spell Disaster

New Book “Take Back Control of Your Arthritis: The 12 Critical Steps” Debuts During National Arthritis Awareness Month in May

San Antonio, Texas – April 14 /Xpress Press/ – Choosing the wrong physician may have disastrous consequences for an arthritis patient,” says Dr. Joel Rutstein, a board-certified rheumatologist and author of the new book “Take Back Control of Your Arthritis: The 12 Critical Steps.”

Dr. Rutsteins book debuts during May, which is also National Arthritis Awareness Month.

“Finding a Doctor You Can Trust” is the books first chapter and first step in Dr. Rutsteins 12-step road-map, which teaches arthritis sufferers how to avoid “the wrong doctors” and better self-manage their rheumatic condition.

How do you know if you are seeing the “the wrong doctor”?

— Dr. Rutstein suggests asking yourself the following questions the next time you see or call your doctor. If you answer yes to any of them, you may be seeing a physician who is not providing treatment that is in your best interest.

— Is your doctor unsympathetic when it comes to your complaints about pain?

— Does your doctor under-treat your pain, or do you feel your doctor does not believe your complaints of pain?

— Is your doctor excessively busy or a “bad listener”? Does he or she seem uninterested in hearing your medical history or evaluating your multiple complaints?

— Is your doctor too rough when examining your joints and muscles? Do you sometimes leave the medical office in more pain then when you arrived?

— Finally, is your doctor a poor communicator? Is your doctor not explaining your diagnosis and plans for treatment clearly and in simple and understandable terms?

Patients should spend as much time picking the perfect doctor as they would the perfect spouse, cautions Dr. Rutstein. “After all, your physician is the medical expert responsible for making life and death decisions concerning your health.

“Take Back Control of Your Arthritis: The 12 Critical Steps,” ($19.95, 229 pages) is available for sale at www.ArthritisMall.com or by calling toll free 800-980-6255. Multiple helpful video programs, including innovative exercise videos, are also available for purchase at the site.

About Dr. Joel E. Rutstein

Dr. Rutstein is the publisher of ArthritisCentral.com, one of the largest patient information websites dealing with the subject of arthritis and osteoporosis. A Spanish language version of the site may be accessed at www.ArtritisCentral.com.

In 1978, Dr. Rutstein founded the Arthritis Diagnostic & Treatment Center in San Antonio. He is currently the clinic’s director. He is a fellow member of the American College of Rheumatology and the American College of Physicians and is also the Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. BestDoctors.com recently named Dr. Rutstein as one of the “Best Doctors in America for 2003-2004.”

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