Clonidine medication for alcoholism

March 28, 2017

Clonidine medication for alcoholism treatment

Clonidine medication for alcoholism: Dealing with withdrawal problems

For effective alcoholism recovery, all the alcoholics must first pass through a period of withdrawals symptoms. According to the experts at AWAREmed health and wellness resource center under the leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury MD, man times these symptoms will be mild. Currently, there are a number of medications that can make the process from addiction to withdrawals pass more comfortably. One of the drugs that can be of value in the treatment of alcohol withdrawals is Clonidine medication. This is not a wonder drug but it can help significantly reduce the experience of some unpleasant symptoms. Clonidine a drug known as a centrally acting alpha-agonist hypotensive agent. It is commonly used in the treatment of high blood pressure (hypertension). It does this by reducing the heart rate and relaxing blood vessels. Clonidine is also known as a sympatholytic drug because it inhibits Postganglionic nerve fibers which in turn alter the functioning of the sympathetic nervous system.

Clonidine medication for alcoholism: Uses of clonidine

Clonidine is used in the treatment of a number of conditions including:

Treatment of restlessness
Treatment of night sweats
Treatment of neuralgia
Treatment of menstrual cramps
Treatment for Rosacea (chronic facial redness)
To reduce tachycardia (high pulse rate)
Symptoms associated with menopause such as hot flushes.
Restless leg syndrome
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Local anesthetic
It is used in the treatment of addiction withdrawal symptoms.
It is used in conjunction with stimulants to treat attention deficit disorder.
It can help with insomnia
It can be used for the treatment of panic attacks and anxiety disorder.
It can be used for dealing with tics associated with Tourette syndrome.
It can be used as mild sedative given to people prior to surgery to help them relax.
Headaches
Antihypertensive – it lowers blood pressure

Clonidine medication for alcoholism: Potential side effects of clonidine

The known potential side effects associated with using Clonidine includes:

The individual may experience dizziness.
Swelling on the body
Some people who use this drug will develop constipation.
Problems with breathing
Mood changes
It may lead to drowsiness.
It can lead to episodes of hypotension.
It can cause people to develop a dry mouth.
Headaches
Cold hands and feet
Body rashes
Allergic reactions

Some of these side effects are rare and most people who take the drug will not experience them.

Clonidine medication for alcoholism: Alcohol withdrawals explained

If people have developed a physical dependence on alcohol they will suffer symptoms should they suddenly stop drinking or significantly reduce their intake. It can even be the case of bad hangover symptoms that some alcoholics experience before the first drink of the day can be the result of these withdrawals. If people decide to enter recovery they are likely to experience some initial symptoms which can include:

Nausea and vomiting
Upset stomach
Feelings of irritability
Mood swings
Cravings for alcohol
A type of mental fuzziness – the person feels like their mental functioning is compromised.
Mild symptoms of depression
Insomnia
When people do fall asleep they may experience intense nightmares.
Body aches.
Sweating or clammy skin
Poor concentration and focus
Feelings of anxiety – the individual is easily startled
Headaches
Changes to blood pressure and pulse.

In some instances, the individual can experience a particularly dangerous form of withdrawal symptom known as delirium tremens (DTs). It is possible for people to die if they enter this level of withdrawal so they need to be medically supervised. Symptoms of DTs include seizures and intense hallucinations and seeking for professional touch with doctor Akoury is what you need now.

Clonidine medication for alcoholism: Dealing with withdrawal problems

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Dopamine the neurotransmitter role in drug addiction

August 13, 2015

Dopamine the neurotransmitter role in drug addiction: Risk and reward that trigger for the release of dopamine

Dopamine the neurotransmitter role in drug addiction must never be ignored since it forma part of finding the solution

Dopamine is neurotransmitter in the brain that plays vital roles in a variety of different behaviors. The major behaviors dopamine affects are movement, cognition, pleasure, and motivation. Dopamine is an essential component of the basal ganglia motor loop, as well as the neurotransmitter responsible for controlling the exchange of information from one brain area to another. However, it is the role that dopamine plays in pleasure and motivation that attracts the most neurobiologists attention. And that is why our discussion is focusing on dopamine the neurotransmitter role in drug addiction in this article. We would appreciate if you can stay with us on the link so that together we can learn and take action where necessary in order to defeat addiction. Nonetheless for a better understanding of this topic, we are going to be relying on the expert opinion of doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) who is also the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. This is a facility that she founded primarily to make a difference in the life of people who are suffering from the various forms of drug addiction which is very rampant in the current societies we live in.

For better understanding of this point doctor Dalal Akoury says that in certain areas of the brain when dopamine is released it gives one the feeling of pleasure or satisfaction. These feelings of satisfaction become desired, and the person will grow a desire for the satisfaction. To satisfy that desire the person will repeat behaviors that cause the release of dopamine. For example food and sex release dopamine. That is why people want food even though their body does not need it and why people sometimes need sex. These two behaviors scientifically make sense since the body needs food to survive, and humans need to have sex to allow the race to survive. However, other, less natural behaviors have the same effect on one’s dopamine levels, and at times can even be more powerful. Often these behaviors can result in addiction due to their effect on dopamine, and that addiction can have negative effects on a person’s well-being.

Dopamine the neurotransmitter role in drug addiction: Cocaine

Cocaine is by far the more severe in relation to other substances in terms of addiction. Cocaine chemically inhibits the natural dopamine cycle. Normally, after dopamine is released, it is recycled back into a dopamine transmitting neuron. However, cocaine binds to the dopamine, and does not allow it to be recycled. Thus there is a buildup of dopamine, and it floods certain neural areas. The flood ends after about 30 minutes, and the person is left yearning to feel as he or she once did. That is how the addiction begins and with time adaptation builds up due to the fact that the person is consistently behaving in the same way that he or she had the first time. However, the individual cannot, because dopamine is also released when something pleasurable yet unexpected occurs. During the first time, the person expects the effect, thus less dopamine is released, and the experience is less satisfying. This cause explains why gambling releases dopamine.

Many studies have been done which targeted neural response to rewards. The findings were in agreement that when one performed an action repeatedly, and is given a reward randomly, the dopamine levels rises. If the reward is administered for example every four times the action was performed, the dopamine levels remained constant. Whereas when no reward is given dopamine levels dropped. These random rewards can be seen in gambling and since the outcome is based on chance, one may not know prior if he or she will win. Therefore, if he or she wins, dopamine levels increases. However, unlike cocaine, gambling causes addiction in relatively low levels of participants. This is because Cocaine’s chemical input is much more influential on dopamine levels than gambling’s behavioral input meaning that only people whose dopamine levels are low, become addicted to gambling.

Dopamine the neurotransmitter role in drug addiction: Variance in dopamine levels

This is may be due to genetics, environment related or a combination of factors. A study concluded that pathological gamblers most often experienced traumatizing experiences when they were younger. Since most people who became addicted to gambling have low dopamine levels, and also that same group usually has endured a traumatic experience, it was concluded the overall dopamine levels can change due to environmental factors. This supports the opinion that both the mind and the brain can change due to environmental factors. However in yet another study it was established that a gene related to dopamine is sported twice as often in pathological gamblers than non-gamblers. To this effect, doctor Akoury says that this view seems to supports the observation that dopamine levels are genetic. We can therefore come up with two possible observations. Either both genetics and environmental factors affects ones brain anatomy and mind simultaneously, or that environmental factors can affect genes which in turn affect ones brain and mind.

Dopamine the neurotransmitter role in drug addiction: Why is risk and reward a trigger for the release of dopamine?

It’s scientifically logical that sex and food release dopamine, because they are essential for the life of human beings. Risk and reward are not. It is believed that everything happens for a reason; meaning, there must be a scientific explanation for the increase of dopamine levels as a result of risk and reward. Like for instance the human race is different from other species on this planet not only by its ability to reason, but also its ability to create and be innovative. Therefore nature dictates that humans are creative and innovative, and for this to happen a person should have some level of satisfaction when one accomplishes an innovation. Doctor Akoury agrees that for one to accomplish an innovation he/she must take certain risks. It is risky to try to do something that no other being on earth has ever accomplished. Therefore, there must be a reward other than material that one gets when he or she accomplishes the innovation, otherwise that person would not take the risk. The reward here is the release of dopamine and the feeling of satisfaction. The problem with this process is that not only can one be satisfied after a major risk and accomplishment, but that one can also be satisfied through constant minute risks and accomplishments.

The feeling of satisfaction that dopamine exhibits are so strong that one can often lose his or her ability to reason in order to achieve satisfaction. It is that unconscious state of mind that takes over and begins to make certain decisions. The brain develops neural circuits that unconsciously assess reward. Since dopamine plays an active role in these circuits, people will act in what they think is in their best interest, when in fact the only interest it satisfies is the release of dopamine. This can be exemplified in gambling where one insists on gambling even though he or she knows that the odds are against them. Finally we appreciate that there is a lot of scientific explanations in this topic which may not be very clear to many people and if you are one of them then we are more than ready at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center to listen and help you be on the know. All you have to do is to call doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) who is also the founder of the facility for an appointment and all your concerns will be addressed professionally.

Dopamine the neurotransmitter role in drug addiction: Risk and reward that trigger for the release of dopamine

Psychological and other Effects of Cocaine Abuse

June 6, 2015

Psychological and other Effects of Cocaine Abuse: Solutions for cocaine addiction

Psychological and other Effects of Cocaine Abuse including illegality of its administration is killing the moral, social and economic fabric of our societies

The body is very much vulnerable to the use of all these addictive drugs. Like for instance, using cocaine does not only harm the body, but also the mind. These drugs impacts negatively to human health and often cause mental, emotional and psychological damage that can be very difficult to overcome. According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, the parts of the brain that cocaine directly affects are the areas that reward us, such as the areas associated with good behavior, sex, food or other healthy activities. This is why using cocaine feels so good to most people, and why it is a highly addictive drug that causes intense cravings, tolerance, dependence and ultimately addiction. That is why it is not going to be business as usual until we deal with the psychological and other effects of cocaine abuse expeditiously. Doctor Akoury says that getting into drugs is not very difficult but once in, getting out or quitting becomes very difficult. From experience doctor Akoury recommends that addicts making effort of quitting should do so with the help of an addiction medical professional instruction, and not on their own. This is so because when quitting, it comes with certain complications. The process of withdrawal can be very demanding psychologically and this may cause many people to abandon their efforts of stopping the usage of the drug altogether.

Getting someone into treatment for cocaine addiction can be a life-saving decision. In cocaine rehab, the addict can recognize their addiction for what it is: a chronic disease that requires professional treatment. The goodness of cocaine rehabs centers is that they are most effective in their undertakings especially in their residential setting. While the physical withdrawal symptoms of cocaine addiction are not life threatening and typically pass in a week or less, it is important to note that the psychological drug cravings are intense and may lead many people to relapse. Nonetheless in cocaine rehab, addicts typically have access to the following services, among others:

Medical monitoring and medication, as needed
Individual, group and family therapy
Twelve-Step meetings such as Cocaine Anonymous
Sober recreational activities
Education about cocaine addiction
Relapse prevention planning

Psychological and other Effects of Cocaine Abuse: Pharmacological treatment

While there is no medication to treat cocaine addiction directly, during the detoxification process in treatment, antidepressants are typically used to help manage the symptoms of withdrawal that usually come in the early periods of abstinence from cocaine. Therefore doctor Akoury recommends that when searching for a treatment program for yourself or a loved one, it is important that you go for the treatment programs which will address the physical, emotional, and social effects of drug use on the patient and their families. Remember that getting clean requires more than a stay in cocaine rehab it requires an ongoing commitment to protecting one’s sobriety. Along with the skills learned in treatment, finding interests outside of abusing cocaine and a supportive peer group can help addicts stay on the road to lifelong recovery.

Psychological and other Effects of Cocaine Abuse: Medication for Cocaine Addiction

While there are currently not any mainstream drugs designed specifically to treat people who are addicted to cocaine, research is routinely being performed in an effort to create medications that will help people with this problem. There are some experimental drugs that are being used to treat cocaine addiction, but these come with a certain amount of risk. The majority of them are classified as schedule 4 drugs, which means that they carry a significant risk of addiction. Common medications that are used to treat cocaine addiction include:

Baclofen – a muscle relaxant that curbs cocaine cravings and has been shown to reduce the use of the drug in abusers

Disulfiram – an anti-alcoholic agent that makes using cocaine (or alcohol) very unpleasant

Gabapentin – an anticonvulsant that makes cocaine cravings easier to deal with; it also helps to lessen the severity of relapses

Modafinil – effective in reducing cravings for cocaine, as well as reducing the cocaine high

NAC (or N-Acetylcysteine) – an animo acid that has proven to be effective in reducing the cravings for cocaine; it has also shown promising results in repairing some of the damage done to the brain in animal studies

Since there is no single medication that is designed to specifically and safely treat cocaine users, behavioral treatments are often the favored option. Often, a combination of medication and behavioral therapy is used to treat patients. Fortunately, there are a number of options available for addicted individuals, including outpatient and residential addiction treatment programs.

Psychological and other Effects of Cocaine Abuse: Addiction is a Family Disease

When a person becomes addicted to drugs or alcohol, they become the focus of attention of everyone around them. Parents want to protect their child from harm, sister or brother wants to show the addict the error of their ways, and friends and relatives go to great lengths to convince the addict that they need drug rehab treatment. With all the attention focused squarely on the addict’s needs and issues, what happens to the family? What about their needs? How can they help their loved one while also protecting themselves?

Addicts aren’t the only ones who experience the pain of addiction. It’s all of us the siblings, parents, family, and friends we all feel it. In fact families face a number of obstacles in dealing with a loved one’s addiction. Despite having the best of intentions, it is easy for family members to blame themselves, stay silent and try to fix the problem, get angry or give up. Once people adjust to living in dysfunction, it can be difficult to re-connect in a healthy way.

According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, 10% of the population is addicted, one in four children under the age of 18 live with an addicted parent, and for every addict four others are directly affected. Clearly, there are a lot of people out there dealing with addiction and in desperate need of support and help. But families can learn from each other. And that’s why Dr. Akoury made a decision to create a medical center whose main objective is to transform each individual’s life through increasing awareness about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power. Dr. Akoury’s practice focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. It is therefore very important that when under such difficult situations, you can schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury for the commencement of treatment professionally.

Psychological and other Effects of Cocaine Abuse: Solutions for cocaine addiction

Understanding Leaky Gut Syndrome

December 22, 2014

Leaky Gut Syndrome

Leaky gut syndrome is a term that is used to describe an abnormally hyperpermeable intestinal walls. This is a condition in which the intestines become more porous therefore leaking the undigested food particles into the blood stream. This creates very many holes that are allowing too much of undigested food particles into the bloodstream causing myriads of problems. Apart from undigested food particles toxins, yeast and other wastes find their way into the blood stream therefore overwhelming the liver which is supposed to be sieving all the unwanted content from the blood.

The biggest problem that is presented by this condition is that the intestine should function as the first sieve as it keeps the unwanted materials from getting into the blood stream but since holes have been created on the lining of the intestines everything finds their way in the blood stream and the body may react by inflaming.

Symptoms of Leaky Gut Syndrome

Food Sensitivities – food sensitivities has been closely linked to leaky gut syndrome. This sis because of the high toxins that are accumulated in the blood, this will force the body to produce very many antibodies which makes them more susceptible to some kind of foods.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease – Researchers from Hungary have recently uncovered that elevated gut permeability is often times localized to the colon in people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis.

Thyroid Problems – leaky gut syndrome causes thyroid problems so if you are experiencing thyroid problems, the leaky gut syndrome may be the culprit.

Malabsorption – the leaky gut syndrome causes poor absorption of food, this is because it causes nutritional deficiencies especially of vitamins and minerals such as magnesium and vitamin B12 that help in digestion of food.

Leaky Gut Syndrome

Causes of Leaky Gut Syndrome

Unhealthy diet- when you eat lots of processed foods, refined sugars and preservatives, they cause high chemical amounts in the body which are considered toxins. The body will begin to fight these toxins but since you are taking more and more of these toxins the system may be overwhelmed and this may cause inflammations. Accumulation of these toxins will cause corrosion on the intestinal walls causing the leaky gut syndrome.

Medications- some medication has Aspirin or Acetaminophen as part of their content. Aspirin and Acetaminophen irritate the intestinal lining and decrease the mucosal levels .this affects the protection offered by the mucus on the walls of the intestine. It may also encourage inflammation which increases permeability of the intestinal wall.

Lack of Zinc- Zinc is a vitamin that is good in maintaining the strength of intestinal walls. A deficiency of the vitamin can lead to the mucosal lining losing strength and becoming more permeable. There are studies that show that supplementing with Zinc when it is deficient can dramatically improve intestinal lining integrity. Therefore eating meals that are rich in zinc such as nuts may help prevent against leaky gut syndrome.

Yeast- too much yeast causes candida that may grow roots in the intestinal lining, this results in their tentacles making holes on the lining of the stomach creating entry for non-digested food into the blood stream.

Chronic Stress-Chronic stress almost always results in a suppressed immune system. A weakened immune system cannot handle doing it’s normal job and gets easily overwhelmed with pathogens very. This increases overall gut inflammation leading to increased permeability of the intestinal lining.

Inflammation-Any type of inflammation in the gut can lead to leaky gut. This can be brought on by low stomach acid. Low stomach acid passes undigested food into the small intestine which then causes myriads of digestive problems that may in turn cause the leaky gut syndrome.

Treatment for Leaky Gut Syndrome

Leaky gut syndrome is a mysterious condition that is up to now still not fully understood by the medical fraternity probably because it is not taught as a diagnosable disease. However it is a multifaceted condition that must be tackled by joining really several dots to form a line. Here are some of the approaches that can be used to treat this disease.

Watch what you eat- it is very important to keep away from foods that may lead to accumulation of toxins in your body. Foods that are over processed, high in sugar content should be avoided to alleviate inflammations that make the intestine lining more permeable. When you stop eating these kinds of foods the toxin levels will go down and the yeast will be starved and overgrowth stopped, this will enable the walls to repair and regain normal permeability.

Leaky gut syndrome

Using nutritional supplements- leaky gut syndrome causes nutritional deficiencies therefore the body needs to be supplemented with these nutrients. Some nutrients like zinc are also important in strengthening the intestine lining and hence boost recovery.

Digestive Enzymes– eating foods that are rich in digestive enzymes can help you a great lot in fighting leaky gut syndrome. The digestive enzymes are naturally found in the foods that we eat the whole foods that are not over processed. Fruits and vegetables are rich in these digestive enzymes, they work in the intestines helping to break food into finnier particles before they are absorbed to the blood stream. They also remove toxins, bad bacteria and even worn out cells of the intestine lining creating a clean environmental for absorption of digested food particles.

Leaky gut syndrome is a complicated, debilitating condition. But you aren’t on your own: please contact Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) on 843-213-1480 and tap into her wealth of knowledge and experience.

Understanding Leaky Gut Syndrome

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