Category Archives: Progesterone

Opiates And The Risks of Breast Cancer

September 29, 2014

The relationship between opiates and breast cancer has been focused on three important aspects. The first aspect has been what the use of opiates is with regard to cancer in general and breast cancer in particular. The second aspect of this relationship has been whether or not the use of opiates for specific functions with regard to cancer treatment endangers the lives of the patients by contributing to recurrence of cancer long after its successful treatment. The third aspect has been the exact mechanisms by which opiates produce the said effect in the body of patients and what should be done about it. All these aspects are addressed in this article in the sections that follow.

Breast Cancer And The Use Of Opiates

Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer among women in the world. Two reasons for this have been advanced. The first one is that breast cancer is generally associated with estrogen, a special type of hormone responsible for femininity. Since this hormone is predominantly found in women (sometimes in high levels), this makes them completely exposed to possible development of breast cancer. The second one arises from the observed trend of an increasing risk of breast cancer and age among women. There are several underlying reasons for this but the fact remains that with people in general living longer they get exposed to certain health conditions. For women, breast cancer is the common health condition that comes with age.

Opiates have been extensively used in the treatment of cancer as part of modern therapies. The use of opiates is in the form of drugs that are derived from morphine, a common type of plant that represents what opiates are, which is used as an extremely powerful painkiller for cancer patients. The exact mechanism by which opiates (in the form of morphine-based pain killers) works to relieve patients of pain is a complex process. But it suffices to say that the active chemical compound in opiates activates special cells within the nervous system of the patient leading to massive decline in pain sensations. This presents great relief to patients, particularly when one considers the intensity of cancer-induced pain which patients do experience.

Breast Cancer

Opiates And Breast Cancer: The Danger Of Recurrence

There has been considerable concern about the relationship between opiates and cancer recurrence in patients. The concern has been based on the growing discovery that some patients who, in the course of their treatment for cancer used morphine-derived drugs as pain killers, showed signs of the disease recurring after some time. The argument has been that the opiates that are found in the drugs must be responsible for this observed phenomenon.

There are two important things that should be understood from this. The first one regards the exact use of opiates in cancer patients. In practice, opiates are used as pain killers on patients before other forms of therapy, such as surgery, are used. During such times, the drugs are usually administered in heavy doses as a way of dealing with the equally intense pain.

The second one regards the use of the drugs during times when the disease is still in its early stages of development. There have been a number of studies that have sought to demonstrate the exact effect of opiates on cancer cells. It has been shown, with mixed reactions, that opiates do show anti-cancer properties at times and that they can actually be used to inhibit the rate of growth of cancer cells. Although this is so, the efficacy, extent and possible mechanism by which this occurs remains a subject of research.

What has caught our attention is the increasing proof that indeed using opiates as pain killers in patients of breast cancer may contribute to the cancer occurring again in them later.

Ways of recurrence as a result of opiate use in breast cancer patients

Breast CancerThere are several ways in which use of opiates as pain killers leads to recurrence of breast cancer in patients. Basically, this ability is understood by the role that the compound plays in the processes of metastasis and angiogenesis. These two processes are critical for the growth and development of cancer. Through angiogenesis, cancer cells are able to derive their own supply of blood from the existing circulatory system, thus fueling their own growth. Similarly, through metastasis, cancer cells are able to spread to other parts of the body via the circulatory system.

Opiates have been found to enhance angiogenesis by their effect on the immune system. Naturally, the body produces special hormones that work to prevent possible development of cancer cells. Use of opiates has been found to suppress the production of the hormones, thus weakening the immune system and exposing a patient to possible recurrence of breast cancer long after treatment.

Further, it has been found that opiates encourage cancer cells to spread through the body long after treatment. What usually happens is that a few cancer cells may be circulating in the body after treatment of breast cancer. Opiates do have a direct effect on these cells in the body. It is this effect that may encourage the cells to spread and redevelop into new cancer growth over eth course of time.

Use of opiates as part of the standard therapies used to treat cancer is set to continue. On the other hand, fears about its association with recurrence of breast cancer will linger. What this calls for is careful and judicious use of the right therapies in treating cancer. AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center has been known as a leading centre for cancer treatment and management for a long time. We run a range of highly specialized services in cancer diagnosis, treatment and overall care of patients. Our focus is on using alternative therapies to boost the effectiveness of other methods used in standard therapies. The result of this is your overall recovery and wellness within the shortest time possible.

Breast Cancer And The Use Of Opiates

 

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Sex Hormones Depression: Restoring sex Hormones cures it.

September 29, 2014

Sex Hormones Depression; Neurotransmitters: Depression, Anxiety

Sex Hormones Depression

Sex Hormones Depression

Sex hormones Depression is real. There is a clear relationship between sex hormones and mood disorders in human beings. But before we delve into the topic, it is important to highlight the definition of a few basic terms at this pointSex hormones Depression is real.

What are Hormones?

Basically, a hormone is a special biochemical compound in the body that is secreted by specialized glands and used to perform specific functions. Hormones can be produced either by specialized cells within the brain or by the cells of specialized glands which are located at specific points within the body.

For hormones to work efficiently, they depend on the activity of special cells that are able to respond to their signals. These cells are known as receptors. What happens is that many different organs and tissues of the body have specific types of receptors for specific hormones. Therefore, a particular hormone is able to affect an organ that has receptors that match it.

Therefore, when hormones are produced, they are able to travel throughout the body via the normal body circulatory systems. However, they only affect specific organs in the body, those that have the right receptors. Further, the activity of hormones in the body may be regulated by other hormones. This usually happens in the form of the presence of one hormone either signaling the production or inhibition of another.

What are Neurotransmitters? How do they relate to Sex Hormones Depression?

Neurotransmitters are special biochemical compounds that trigger activity between nerve cells. Seen as messengers, neurotransmitters function by linking activity between two nerve cells: the one that is producing it and a different nerve or brain cell.

Hormones have been known to act in a manner similar to that of neurotransmitters, thus affecting the mood of individuals. Although there are many different types of hormones, those ones that are related to sex have received a lot of attention in the role that they play in influencing moods, particularly when acting as neurotransmitters. There are different types of sex hormones which include the following: testosterone, estrogen, dopamine and progesterone. Of all these, testosterone and estrogen are the ones that have received a lot of attention with regard to the role that, when acting as neurotransmitters, they play in causing anxiety and depression in individuals. So when Sex Hormones Depression occurs by restoring sex hormones imbalances we may alleviate the symptoms of depression.

How sex hormones depression and anxiety occur?

There are several ways in which different types of sex hormones can be used to help patients with anxiety and depression. We shall look at the most important ones briefly.

Testosterone

First, when the level of testosterone in an individual falls, symptoms such as low energy, lack of vitality and low libido appear. Interestingly, the reverse of this process is also true. When a patient receives a testosterone therapy, there is a sudden increase in energy, vitality and libido. Importantly, depression and anxiety are characterized by low libido and lack of energy. Although these observations are influenced by so many other factors, it can be concluded that testosterone has a role to play in helping male patients who are showing signs of depression and anxiety.

Second, studies indicate that there is an association between low level of testosterone and depression. What this means is that some men who have abnormally low levels of testosterone are prone to depression. These observation leads to the conclusion that testosterone can be used to help male patients suffering from depression.

When used to treat depression in men who have low levels of sex hormones, testosterone has produced mixed results. However, the most important thing to note is that in some cases, the hormone has proven effective in treating depression. This means that it can actually be used to treat depression in men, when applied as a single therapy.

Estrogen

The possible use of estrogen in helping women overcome depression and anxiety can best be understood when one considers the normal cycles in women that characterize its production. Basically, changes in estrogen levels take place in three major phases: before menstruation, during the postpartum period and after the menopause period. In all these phases, hormonal changes in the body of a woman cause erratic changes in the mood. It is common for many women to experience depressive symptoms during all these stages. The severity, and extent of the occurrence, however varies a great deal. Since the mood changes that occur during these periods are usually as a result of hormonal changes, with estrogen being the biggest contributor, it then follows that estrogen and other sex hormones are directly linked to depression. Therefore, they can be used to ease depression symptoms in women.

For women who are past their menopause and are experiencing depression, estrogen has been successfully used to overcome the symptoms of depression. Although there are many other factors that may influence the process, the consensus is that hormone therapy has proven to be an effective method of treating depression in different kinds of patients.

Sex Hormones Depression

Sex Hormones Depression

Here at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, we keep abreast of all recent developments in the use of hormone therapy to treat depression and anxiety in men and women. Our approach remains highly professional and tailored to your individual needs. Regardless of your specific health need, feel free to contact Dr. Dalal Akoury for a consultation session. You may as well visit us in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to experience our range of healthcare services.

Sex hormones Depression, neurotransmitters, depression and anxiety

 

 

 

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Sexual Addiction and Erectile Dysfunction

September 29, 2014

Sexual Addiction and Erectile Dysfunction – Facts Discussed

Sexual addiction

Is Sexual Addiction causing Erectile Dysfunction in your sex life? Be mindful of what you watch you could be causing more harm than good to your sex life.

We are today surrounded with a lot of conveniences which causes us to have real time information at the touch of a button and in the comforts of our living rooms and bed rooms. What we may not know is the negative effects of these conveniences in our societies and individual lives. This article is going to discuss the outcomes of certain sexual addiction as possible causes of certain sexual dysfunctions. However before that, let us look at some available statistics in relation to sexual addiction. It is believed that today in the US alone about 12 million people are suffering from sexual addiction. This has majorly been contributed by the conveniences around us enabling us easy accessibility of sexual materials on the Internet, cable television and videos.

Sexual addiction is a serious problem in which one participates in persistent and intensifying patterns of sexual behavior despite cumulative negative consequences to one’s self or others. Like other addictions, these behaviors continue despite genuine and tireless efforts to stop. Many may not think that sex can be addictive since there are no chemicals involved. However, the body produces many hormones and neurotransmitters during sex that produce the same chemical “high” as drugs or alcohol. Sex addicts, like any other addicts, often have a background of abuse (sexual, physical, emotional or neglect, and family histories sprinkled with numerous addictions. The complication and difficulties in solving this problem arises because of the denial and shame associated with sexual behaviors. Despite the variance in opinion about sexual addiction, the acknowledgment of compulsive sexuality is growing, and more help is available today than ever before.

Effects of porn and masturbation

  • Different researches and studies have established that masturbation is perfectly normal and can even be a physically healthy activity especially in the middle-aged men it cuts the risk of prostate cancer.
  • It can also reduce anxiety, and thereby help restore stress-racked immune systems.

Nonetheless according to experts, there is emerging evidence suggesting that over indulgence in masturbation aroused by the vast cornucopia of freely available porn we are accessible today is leading to serious cases of erectile dysfunction (ED) as we will be finding out as we progress with the discussion.

Stress Is Bad for Your Sex Life

This may sound like anti-onanistic propaganda however medical professionals say that masturbating too much is actually a pretty standard form of addiction, which is worsened by pornography. Watching porn creates a huge flood of dopamine in the brain. Over time, the receptors that were once very sensitive become less sensitive, and normal physical intimacy does not produce enough dopamine to stimulate the dopamine receptors. In other words, the more porn you watch, the harder and more graphic porn you’ll need in order to get firmer erection. If the trend continues, men can find themselves physically unable to maintain an erection, much less enjoy sexual contact with their sexual partners.

Besides this, porn-induced ED can create further performance-anxiety concerns, compounding into a problem that is both biological and psychological. This may necessitate individuals to start developing real self-confidence issues like they may:

  • Feel irritable
  • Sleepless
  • Frustrated
  • Anxious

This can occasioned one to lose a relationship quite easily because there is no specific number that indicates you are masturbating too frequently and remember that even masturbating every day isn’t necessarily a problem; nonetheless it’s conditional only if it’s interfering with your work, your social life, or your sex life (i.e. erectile dysfunction) should you be concerned. However in the event that you do have an issue, then the cure is simple: Stop watching porn and resist the urge to masturbate as much as possible and in a period of say 6 to 12 weeks your brain will get back to more typical dopamine sensitivity (though recovery time varies). Remember that some people’s brains may reach homeostasis (or, physiological equilibrium) much faster and so time should be your best friend when it comes to reestablishing homeostasis in the brain.

It is important to note that masturbation as an element that can cause erectile dysfunction is treatable at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under Doctor Akoury’s care, and during recovery doctor Akoury will tell you that most men will often experience flat line libido a condition that can last for several weeks depending on the sensitivity of addiction. However the effect should not raise any alarm since it is temporal and will eventually soon go away. Remember that treatment will only be helpful to you when you’re properly evaluated by the experts. It is therefore very important that you seek the professional treatment from the experts and so calling doctor Akoury will be very ideal for you or better still pay her a visit at her office at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center and you will be attended to in total confidentiality.

What are the signs?

When one becomes addicted to sex then there is a problem because sex is supposed to be enjoyable and pleasurable to all participating parties. Addicts do not actually enjoy sex and therefore if you are seeing any or all of the following behaviors in your life or in your friends life, then you may make a resolve to seek for help from the experts like doctor Akoury who besides being a sexual dysfunction expert, is also an addiction expert of several years and she will be able to help you overcome your twin problems of sexual dysfunction and addiction respectively. The following are some of the behaviors that may be associated with sexual addiction which should concern you;

  • Compulsive masturbation
  • Simultaneous or repeated sequential affairs
  • Pornography
  • Cybersex, phone sex
  • Multiple anonymous partners
  • Unsafe sexual activity
  • Partner objectification/demand for sex
  • Strip clubs and adult bookstores
  • Use of prostitution/escorts
  • Sexual aversion/anorexia
  • Frequenting massage parlors
  • Sexual paraphilia’s (a need for unusual sexual stimulation) and/or any sexually offensive behavior

Finally having gone through this article, you may be able by now to tell whether you’re addicted to sex or you have a problem with masturbation which is causing you erection problems and distorting your sex life. If this article has pointed out this condition in your life, I would make an appeal to you that your condition is treatable and the treatment process will begin with you calling doctor Akoury to book for an appointment today. Doctor Akoury values your life and only wants to help you live life to the fullest.

Sexual Addiction and Erectile Dysfunction – Facts Discussed

 

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Opioids and Cancer

September 27, 2014

How the use of opioids disturbs the cancer balance

OpioidsWhat are opiods?

There are several important things about opiods that you need to know at this stage. First, it is important to note that strictly speaking, the term ‘opioids’ is used to describe a group of chemical compounds that are defined by two important characteristics: having chemical action that is similar to that of morphine and being made of a distinct chemical structure. For many of the compounds that are categorized under this umbrella, their structures vary. Whereas some have distinct alkaloid structures, others occur in the form of peptides.

The second thing is about the occurrence of opioids. Naturally, opioids are found in two distinctive forms: occurring freely in the environment and within the body of human beings. Although initially the possibility of occurrence of opioids within the body of humans was strongly refuted, rigorous research has indicated that indeed the human brain contains specific endogenous opioids that play important role in different functions.

The third thing regards the interaction of opioids with complementary chemical compounds. Further studies have indicated that there are compounds whose actions contradict that of opioids. Known as antagonists, such compounds play a highly important role in their interaction with opioids in relation to influencing particular processes in the body. We shall examine this subject later.

How are opioids used?

For years, opioids have been used for a range of functions. Basically, the use of opioids has been in the form of morphine, which is a commonly occurring plant. Morphine has been used for medicinal as well as recreational purposes for long. Since the use of the plant for medicinal purposes is what matters with regard to our discussion, we shall focus on it.

At the commercial level, morphine has actually been used to relieve pain in chronically ill patients. Take cancer for example, the disease has been known to produce intense pain in patients. To relieve patients of this, morphine-based painkillers are extensively used. This is one common and formal way in which morphine (a common source of opioids) is used for commercial purposes.

The ability of opioids in general and morphine in particular to act as a strong analgesic has been a subject of research for long. Studies have indicated that the compounds have specific effects on the nervous system which translates to drastic reduction in pain. This explains the popularity of morphine-based painkillers as the standard therapy for cancer patients who have undergone an operation as part of the therapy or simply those in advanced stages of cancer.

Therefore, whether for recreation or medicinal use, opioids, have been extensively used to relieve cancer patients of pain in the course of treatment.

How opioids act

Basically, the action of opioids on the body can best be understood when you understand what opioid receptors are. Your body is made of special compounds which act as receptors for opioids. The receptors are distributed in several parts of your body, with many of them being in the central nervous system. It is this phenomenon that explains why opioids have a very strong effect on the nervous system. Others are distributed in different parts of your body such as the lungs, liver and other internal organs.

There are several types of receptors. It is the interaction between specific opioids and receptors that causes particular feelings in the body. Whereas some receptors are meant to trigger feelings of relief when they come into contact with opioids, others are designed to trigger changes in other physiological processes when opioids are introduced. The interaction between opioids and receptors is an important process when it comes to how opioids may disturb the cancer balance in the body.

How do opioids disturb cancer balance?

Simply put, cancer balance is a situation in which the process of metastasis, angiogenesis and invasion of healthy body cells by cancerous ones is completely inhibited. Research has indicated that use of opioids as painkillers can disturb this balance, thus leading to development of cancer in the body. On the other hand, other studies have indicated that morphine, in particular, may have anti-cancer properties by inhibiting the cancer development process mentioned above.

One way in which opioids used as painkillers can disturb the cancer balance is by altering the normal functioning of the immune system. Since cancer development largely depends on the state of the immune system, any compound that alters the immune system can indirectly influence the possible occurrence, development and spread of cancer. From several studies conducted, it can be concluded that particular opioids are able to alter the normal functioning of the immune system, thus exposing a patient on whom they are used to cancer development.

On the other hand, some studies have indicated that morphine is able to induce natural cell death and, as a result, control the growth of cancer cells in the body. However, this property, which highly depends on a number of different factors such as the concentration of the morphine that is used and the state of the opioid receptors in the body, remains a subject of research. What you need to know is that there has been concrete evidence to the effect that the use of opioids for relief of pain in cancer patients may actually disturb the cancer balance and trigger fresh development of cancer. This happens because of the effect that opioids have on the immune system of the patient in the form of production and inhibition of production of important hormones.

OpioidsConcluding remarks

Here at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, we use the best approaches to administer alternative and complementary treatment of cancer to patients. Dr. Dalal Akoury is a specialist in this field. One thing, though, that sets her apart is her devotion to helping cancer patients successfully fight the devastating effects of the disease. Feel free to visit us in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for a completely personalized administration of alternative and complementary therapies for cancer.

How the use of opioids disturbs the cancer balance

 

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Penile Rehabilitation

September 27, 2014

Effect of Platelet-Rich Plasma on Penile Rehabilitation after Radical Prostatectomy

What is penile rehabilitation?

PenilePenile rehabilitation Procedures (PRPs) are different methods and practices that are used to help patients recover their ability to control eth functioning of their penises. For patients who have lost this important ability, specific methods are used to help them recover and regain it within the shortest time possible.

There are different methods and techniques that are used as part of Penile Rehabilitation Procedures. For instance, special devices that work as pumps may be used on a patient prior to having a sexual experience. Such devices work by altering the flow of blood within the corpora cavernosa region of the penis. By withholding blood in this region, such devices enable a man to have a full erection for he required length of time.

Other forms of procedures are used in this approach as well. For instance, special drugs have been developed for the sole function of altering the flow of blood as well the functioning of nerves in the prostate region. The basic purpose of all the methods and techniques used is to shorten the time that it takes for a man affected from temporary erectile dysfunction to regain the ability to erect.

When is penile rehabilitation needed?

Penile Rehabilitation Procedures are required for patients who have undergone Radical Prostatectomy and, as a result of this, have lost the ability to use their penises. Radical Prostatectomy is a special type of surgery that is usually carried out to remove the prostate in men who have advanced prostate cancer.

The need for the procedure is to deal with this type of cancer once and for all in cases where it has already metastasized and other forms of treatment are not tenable. Therefore, since prostate cancer is a common disease in men of advanced age, the use of this procedure to solve the problem has been and will remain common in the days to come.

Although this procedure is effective in dealing with prostate cancer, its effects on the body of a patient are severe. The most important effect of this procedure is that it leads to major damage of important nerves in the corpus cavernosa region. When the cavernous nerve is injured, the ability to control the penis is lost immediately.

After undergoing the procedure, many men are expected to lose this ability for a year or so. This is the approximated time that it takes for the nerves and tissues to heal completely. However, since many men exhibit the need for sex well in their advanced ages, there is need for the time taken to regain the ability to erect to be reduced. Herein is the need for Penile Rehabilitation Procedures.

What is platelet- rich plasma?

This is a relatively new type of procedure that can be used to treat erectile dysfunction arising from the damage caused by Radical Prostatectomy. The exact effect of this method on the body of a patient is yet to be fully documented but work has proven that the method is quite effective. What happens in this method is that plasma that is rich in platelets and is derived from the body of a patient is used to correct the damage done to the corpus cavernosa region of the penis. It is believed that the healing nature of the cells that are contained in the plasma used in this procedure is effective in repairing the tissues in this region.

How is platelet rich plasma administered?

One advantage of this method as compared to the Other Penile Rehabilitation Procedures is that it does not entail the use of drugs or other devices that may be unpleasant to some people. What happens is that a small sample of blood is drawn form a person. The sample is then subjected to special laboratory treatment so that only the platelets are separated. The separated platelets are then injected back to the body of a person, but this time, at specific locations around the penis. Special local anesthesia is used to ensure that a patient does not experience pain in the course of the procedure. The entire procedure takes less than 30 minutes.

How does platelet rich plasma work?

The procedure works by simply stimulating healing, growth and regeneration in the entire corpus cavernosa region. Naturally, platelets have been known to play a critical role in the healing process. Therefore, their introduction to the damaged region triggers the natural healing process. Furthermore, the platelet-rich plasma that is introduced in the region stimulates the activity of stem cells, another important aspect of natural healing and regeneration.

PenileThe exact process by which Platelet Rich Plasma works to help a person recover the ability to erect is related to the effect that this therapy has on the nerve fibers within the region. Since Radical Prostatectomy damages nerve fibers, this procedure works by restoring the fibers that are necessary for smooth functioning of the nerves in the corpus cavernosa region.

If you have undergone Radical Prostatectomy and have lost your ability to erect as a result, you definitely need to undergo specific Penile Rehabilitation Procedures. We recommend that you visit us at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Centre. We are located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Dr. Dalal Akoury will be ready to work with you on the most appropriate form of Penile Rehabilitation Procedure to undertake.

Effect of Platelet-Rich Plasma on Penile Rehabilitation after Radical Prostatectomy

 

 

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