Combatting Cold Sores during the Holiday Season

November 5, 2014

Combatting Cold Sores during the Holiday Season

Cold-sore-triggers Holiday seasons are the time to come together among several families. Those married couples who work far apart are able to join together with the rest of their families at home or take the time out to go camping or just touring around.

The main idea here is coming together. For many fathers whose jobs are highly involving, this is the time to show your kids that daddy love.

You want to carry your kids around, peppering them with kisses often- time for cementing that paternal bond!

The problem is that it becomes hard to combat infectious diseases at such moments. If a research was to be done to assess the situation, hardly would anyone want to have such diseases during the holiday seasons. Reason is simple: it becomes so difficult to control them.

How do you show your love when you cannot mingle freely with them? How will you put them close when at the same time you wish to protect them from contacting the infectious virus you are fighting? At the end your entire liberty is stifled and you find yourself at a fix, especially in the Western cultures where the show of affection is mostly through close body contact.

Menace of the Herpes Virus

Infection by the herpes simplex virus in the middle of your holiday season may be catastrophic. Hanging around your family with your lips, mouth and/or your gums full of sores may not be very comfortable. You will be experiencing painful small sores on the same organ you wish to use to demonstrate care to your loved ones.

The most difficult part is that a person suffering from the herpes labialis can easily transmit these viruses through simple act of kissing or even from sharing the same cup of coffee or glass of a drink. Adults will generally transmit the herpes virus to their spouses and siblings through the simple body fluid– saliva.

If not approached carefully, an entire small family may end up being infected with the virus within a very short span of time.

Treatment and control

Good news however, is that this infection is curable. It has varieties of treatments available that can temporarily alleviate its symptoms. A number of over-the counter creams may be used to control the virus so you do not have to make a mess of your holiday season. With such a cream option you can be certain to get well just right before commencing the holiday celebrations with your family.

cold-sore

Considerable amount of caution is necessary when dealing with this viral disease. Stress is one of the most dangerous conditions that may antagonize recovery from cold sores in your holiday period. Stress usually releases harmful toxins that impedes the body’s normal workings.

As a patient of cold sores you are likely to suffer anxiety that is related to the attack whose effects are likely to overwhelm the immune system. This way the body may respond to healing process ineffectively. It is thus recommended that you avoid by all means actions or circumstances that may increase such stress levels or that may make you depressed.

The idea is: keep calm and give room for your immune system to perform its work. It will be easier that way to gain full recovery on your efforts to combat the condition.

Combating cold sores also involves ingesting essential nutrients including vitamin E, vitamin C as well as Zinc oxide. Vitamin C may always have adverse side effects and should therefore be consumed under clear instructions from your physician.

Meanwhile, it is highly recommended that you exercise as much as possible and change your eating habits to favor the fight against the disease. Nascent oxygen is one essential requirement and adequate exercises will help you with just that.

Combatting Cold Sores during the Holiday Season

Understanding Pancreatic Cancer

October 21, 2014

Understanding Pancreatic Cancer

Causes of pancreatic cancer

Just like all the other types of cancers, there is no a single cause of pancreatic cancer. What usually happens is that a person who is inherently predisposed to the development of this disease gets exposed to any of the many different forms of risk factors. This sets the stage for the development of the disease.

Therefore there are several factors that can predispose one to the disease. For instance, research has indicated that pancreatic cancer is common in people who smoke than in those who do not. Therefore, smoking is one of the predisposing factors to pancreatic cancer. Also, it has been shown that the disease is common in people of advanced age. So, with an increase in age, the possibility that one will develop this disease increases dramatically, if other contributing factors are present.

Lastly, the presence of particular medical conditions may contribute to the possibility of one developing pancreatic cancer. One common disease that acts as a predisposing factor to pancreatic cancer is diabetes. Patients who have diabetes usually face a higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer than those who do not.

Pancreatic Cancer

Signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer

The signs and symptoms that patients of pancreatic cancer show may be a result of different types of diseases. Besides, signs of pancreatic cancer usually appear long after the disease has developed within a patient. However, there are common signs which pancreatic cancer patients do show at times. One of them is persistent pain in the back and the stomach as well as sudden loss of weight. All these, combined with jaundice, are signs that a person may be having pancreatic cancer.

How pancreatic cancer is detected

One common problem that makes the detection of pancreatic cancer a difficult process is that the disease rarely shows symptoms during its early stage of development. What usually happens is that the disease develops silently within the body of an individual. It is only when it is really late that the signs and symptoms begin to appear.

However, doctors are able to detect the presence of the disease relatively fast. This is usually done using a general procedure which is carried out as follows. First, a general medical examination is done on a patient. The aim of this is to quickly detect any abnormal condition in the patient before further tests are carried out. Secondly, a thorough medical history of the patient is revisited. The aim of doing this is to get an insight into the medical history of a patient so as to determine whether the current situation has a historical basis. Lastly, a thorough examination is done to determine whether or not a patient has pancreatic cancer.

The diagnostics is usually carried out using one of the many different forms. For instance, use of CT scans may be used to determine whether there are cancer cells in the pancreas of a patient. It is after the presence of cancer cells in the pancreas of a patient has been detected and confirmed that a specific treatment method is recommended.

Different treatment options for pancreatic cancer

There are different methods that can be used to treat pancreatic cancer. However, before a particular option is chosen, there are several factors that are taken into consideration. The first one is the degree to which the disease has advanced. Usually, when pancreatic cancer has advanced so much, it may be difficult to use certain therapies. The second one is the overall health of the patient. To some patients, overall weakness of the body may make it inappropriate for a doctor to recommend specific causes of treatment for pancreatic cancer.

All these factors are taken into consideration when one is undergoing treatment for this type of cancer. Usually, the treatment seeks to achieve two main objectives: completely remove all the cancer cells in the pancreas and restore the patient to stable health.

It may be difficult to achieve both objectives in cases where the cancer has really progressed. However, in most case, ordinary treatment methods are used to remove the tumor and help the patient recover from the effects of the disease. For instance, special chemotherapy treatment may be used on a patient. This usually involves the use of different types of drugs over a course of time. Also, radiation treatment may be used to directly kill the cancer cells in the patient. Lastly, surgical procedures may be used to remove the tumor from the pancreas of the patient.

Integrative treatment methods for pancreatic cancer

What is important to note is that no single method has been proven to be effective in treating pancreatic cancer. This is because the disease usually develops without showing clear symptoms and by the time the symptoms begin to appear, the disease is usually at an advanced stage of development.

It is this situation that has made the use of alternative treatment methods quite popular. At AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Centre, we believe in the use of alternative treatment methods as an adjunct to the conventional treatment methods such as chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy. You will find our therapies and services in general quite convenient. Our use of alternative treatment methods for pancreatic cancer is to enhance the efficacy of the conventional therapies used and ensure that you get over the effects of the treatment and the disease quite fast.

Understanding Pancreatic Cancer

Platelet Rich Plasma for Treating Back Pain

October 21, 2014

Platelet Rich Plasma for Back Pain

The uniqueness of back pain

Back pain is usually a unique condition in patients because of several reasons. To begin with, most diagnostic methods that are used usually fail to detect the extent of the damage that is causing the pain in the first place. In many cases, pain in the back may be a result of damages to the joints, tendons and other neighboring structures. However, when a patient is taken through the normal imaging procedures, the joints and neighboring structures may appear perfectly normal, thus making it difficult for the doctor to assess and determine the extent of the damage.

The second reason that makes back pain a unique condition is that in the majority of cases, the condition is usually accompanied by problems of the legs. When this happens, patients usually experience increased pain as a result of abnormal movements of the joints when walking or doing any other form of physical activity. This makes it necessary for them to get a form of treatment that handles both problems: damage to the joints in the back and pain arising from abnormal joint movements during walking.

Treatment for back pain

There are different forms of treatment that are used on patients complaining of back pain. The success rates of the treatments have been varied. For instance, steroid injections have been used extensively to treat back pain a wide range of patients. However, practice has indicated that the efficacy of this form of treatment cannot be counted upon to handle all the cases of back pain in patients. There are forms of pain back pain that steroid injections fail to handle.

Platelet Rich Plasma for back pain

Also, other forms of treatment have shown good results in treating back pain among patients. However, their use has been limited by a number of factors, key among them being the limited number of cases of back pain which they fully treat.

Platelet Rich Plasma

Platelet rich plasma is a new form of treatment that has been successfully used to treat varied forms of medical conditions in patients. The beauty of this treatment is that it is completely natural and highly efficient. Platelets are derived from the blood of a patient. The platelets are then injected back onto the patient after being converted to a special form. It is the activity of the platelets that speeds up the healing process in a patient. This therefore makes the process a completely natural and effective form of treatment for various types of diseases and medical conditions.

Platelet Rich Plasma In Treatment Of Back Pain

When applied to treatment of back pain, Platelet Rich Plasma has proven to be an effective means of relieving patients of eth pain. This is what usually happens; the platelets that have been obtained from the blood sample of the patient are injected to the site of the pain in the back. This is usually done under the influence of a local anesthetic and is therefore free of pain.

When the platelets are introduced at the location of pain, the activated granules within the platelets begin to release growth factors. Growth factors are special proteins which initiate the process of development of new cells, thus leading to regeneration of tissues. When this process takes place at the site of the damage in the back, it leads to regeneration of new tissues around the joints in the back. This process forms the basis for quick healing that a patient experiences after this form of therapy is administered.

Benefits of using Platelet Rich Plasma for treating back pain

There are several benefits that one gets when this form of treatment is used to treat back pain. First of all, the fact that it is a fully natural process means that a patient is spared the pain of side effects that are associated with other non-natural forms of treatment. Using Platelet Rich Plasma to treat back pain is a process that does not have side effects. This makes it quite comfortable to the patient.

Platelet Rich Plasma for back pain

Second, Platelet Rich Plasma has been proven to be an effective way of treating back pain in patients. Compared to other forms of treatment, using Platelet Rich Plasma has been shown to be highly effective in a wide range of patients. Besides, the fact that the process is carried out within the shortest time possible makes it a favorite among many patients of lower back pain.

How to access Platelet Rich Plasma for treatment of back pain

There are several ways in which you can access this form of treatment. Basically, there are many practitioners of Platelet Rich Plasma therapy. This is because the therapy is used to treat different form of problems on the human body. However, when it comes to treating back pain, you can access these services at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. Dr, Dalal Akoury has been a leading figure in the use of Platelet Rich Plasma for treating different type of medical conditions in patients. She will take you through a highly personalized treatment process during which your needs and desires shall be catered for fully. Feel free to contact her or pay us a visit in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for treatment of back pain using Platelet Rich Plasma.

Platelet Rich Plasma for Back Pain

Adrenal Fatigue, Chronic Stress And Ebola

October 14, 2014

Adrenal Fatigue, Chronic Stress And Ebola

What is adrenal fatigue?

Adrenal fatigue is a broad term that is used to describe a condition in which a person feels exhausted as a result of failure of the adrenaline glands to function properly. The adrenaline glands are two small structures that are located near the kidney. The glands are responsible for the overall hormonal balance in the body. This is a very important function and it is carried out in two broad ways. First, the adrenaline glands are directly involved in the maintaining the hormonal balance within the body of an individual by producing a number of important hormones. Secondly, the glands control the production and distribution of the majority of different other hormones in the body. Therefore, apart from directly producing important hormones in the body, adrenal glands are important in that they regulate the production and distribution of other hormones.

Signs and symptoms of adrenal fatigue

Basically, adrenal fatigue develops when the adrenal glands are not working as they should be. There can be several reasons that make the adrenal glands to malfunction. For example, chronic diseases such as different types of cancer can interfere with the way the glands function. This definitely leads to adrenal fatigue.

Adrenal fatigue

Generally, diagnosis of adrenal fatigue is a difficult task. This is because the condition produces symptoms that are similar to other medical conditions that are different from it. Also, since the term actually describes a broad amalgamation of signs and symptoms, it may be difficult for a doctor to isolate it from other conditions that may cause similar symptoms.

However, there are certain signs and symptoms whose appearance should be taken as an indication that a person is suffering from adrenal fatigue, that is, if no other direct cause of the symptoms can be pointed out. For example, a feeling of general weakness or fatigue is a clear indication that one may be suffering from adrenal fatigue. This is true particularly if the condition persists and it cannot be attributed to any other medical condition. Lack of energy is usually accompanied with other related signs such as a low level of libido, dizziness and a characteristic tiredness even after one has had a long night’s sleep.

The second sign and symptom of adrenaline fatigue is related to changes in a person’s moods and level of hormones. Moods are usually determined by hormones. Since adrenal fatigue affects the way the adrenal glands function, the hormonal balance within the body of an individual is disturbed. When this happens, a person tends to experience sudden changes in moods over the course of time.

Stages of development of adrenal fatigue

Chronic Stress Adrenal fatigue does not develop overnight. The condition follows a course of development from the time when one experiences the first signs and symptoms to the stage where it becomes a chronic condition. In the first stage, the body of an individual is forced to release a lot of hormones that are associated with the ‘fight or flight’ instinct. This usually happens after a person is exposed to stressful conditions.

In the second stage of development of adrenal fatigue, the body gets accustomed to the conditions to which it first reacted with sharply during the first stage. At this stage, the body tends to make its own internal changes in the production and distribution of hormones. More and more cortisol is produced at the expense of other hormones which are meant to serve different other purposes. Cortisol is the hormone that helps individuals to cope with different forms of stress.

The hormonal imbalance that arises as a result of the body concentrating on producing cortisol and ignoring the production of other equally important hormones is what leads to the different signs and symptoms that a person experiences as a result of adrenaline fatigue.

The effects of adrenal fatigue

Adrenal fatigue causes a number of unpleasant effects in the body. Because of the stages in which the condition goes through as it progresses, its effects on the body tend to be felt in progression as opposed to sudden changes. Therefore, one is likely to fail to realize the full impact of the condition until when it is too late. By this time, the functioning of the adrenal glands is completely impaired that one’s body is unable to cope with any form of stress.

There is a complex relationship between adrenal fatigue and a horde of different types of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer and even Ebola. Although studies are still ongoing, it can be deduced that the degenerative effect of adrenal fatigue on the body predisposes it to the possible development and advancement of such diseases.

How adrenal fatigue can be reversed

There are several different by which adrenal fatigue can be reversed. The good news is that all these methods are natural and are available here at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Centre. The methods can be divided into several categories. The first one is about the use of different forms of nutritional supplements. Such supplements contain magnesium and different types of vitamins which have been found to help in restoring the functioning of the adrenal glands to their ideal state. The second one involves use of exercises and general lifestyle habits as a way of restoring the adrenal glands to their ideal state. Lastly, adrenal fatigue can be reversed by taking the right kind of food while at the same time avoiding excess sugars and other unhealthy substances.

Adrenal Fatigue, Chronic Stress And Ebola

Lung Cancer Screening

October 14, 2014

What Is Lung Cancer Screening?

Generally screening is a process that is used to detect early development of a particular disease among the general population. The procedure is usually carried out using a simple and effective test. The simplicity of the test should be reflected in the fact that it has been standardized and can be used widely to produce consistent results. The effectiveness of the test is usually reflected in its ability to provide accurate results consistently over the course of time.

When applied to lung cancer, screening means the use of a simple and effective test to detect early development of lung cancer among members of the population. The need for early detection of different forms of cancers has been shown to be a determining factor on how successful the treatments that are used to treat the cancer are.

Therefore, when applied to the general population, screening can reduce the mortality rates of lung cancer by allowing early detection and implementation of specific intervention measures.

Lung Cancer Screening

Current methods of detecting cancer

Currently, the sole method that is relied upon to detect cancer is the use of x-rays. X-ray pictures of the chest of a patient are usually taken and subjected to expert analysis for detection of the presence of cancerous cells within the lung tissues of the patient. It is after this has been confirmed that use of specific types of cancer therapies is recommended.

However, this method has several potential disadvantages. To begin with, use of x-rays to detect cancer cells only succeeds in cases where the cancer is at an advanced stage. When used on patients in whom the cancer is at an early stage, the method may not be reliable. Therefore, by only showing cases of advanced cancer in patients, use of the method denies doctors the chance to detect the cancer early enough and tackle it using appropriate therapies.

The second disadvantage of the current form of cancer detection is that is cannot be used over the entire population to detect early forms of lung cancer among individuals. Its use heavily relies on patients showing signs of lung cancer. And since the signs of lung cancer are usually varied in terms of form and intensity, x-rays can only serve the function of detecting lung cancer in individual patients in whom the disease has greatly progressed.

Thirdly, use of x-rays alone as a method for detecting lung cancer may not be completely effective. This is so because a patient may be required to undergo further complicated medical tests such as examination of the tissue of the lungs to detect the presence of cancer cells. As much as this is a costly procedure, it presents a number of dangers to the health of a patient.

The Need For Lung Cancer Screening

The need for lung cancer screening program arises from several factors. First, it has been repeatedly shown that when a universal screening program is used for a particular type of chronic disease, it results into a decrease in the rate of mortalities arising from the disease. Therefore, an effective screening program for lung cancer is necessary to reduce the social and economic burden of the disease.

Second, a screening program is usually used on individuals within a population who are at a high risk of developing the disease for which the screening is done. What this means is that the screening program is used concurrently with information about specific risk factors for a particular type of disease. For lung cancer, several factors have been identified as predisposing individuals to its development. The first one is the practice of smoking. Lung cancer has been detected in patients who are heavy smokers. Also, the problem has been associated with past heavy smoking in some patients.

Second, the relationship between lung cancer and age has been established. Although this largely depends on whether or not the individual in question is a heavy smoker, there tends to be a positive correlation between age and development of lung cancer. Therefore, past and current heavy smokers face a high risk of developing lung cancer as they advance in age.

Therefore, these factors make it necessary for a simple and effective test for lung cancer to be developed. This way, lung cancer shall be easily detected among individuals who belong to high-risk groups in the population. This will be an effective step in combating the disease in general.

Lung CancerRendering

The Future Of Lung Cancer Screening

The future of lung cancer screening is defined by a number of factors. The first one is the extent to which research is carried out. With intense research being carried out on how to develop an effective program for screening people for lung cancer, there is hope that this will help solve the complex problems that arise from the issue.

Second, the future of lung cancer screening lies in discovery and development of new and simple tests for the disease. It is only when a simple and effective test has been developed that a sound screening program can be designed and implemented.

AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is a medical institution that is devoted to helping cancer patients overcome the ravaging effects of the disease. We hold the belief that the successful treatment and overall management of cancer is a complicated process that requires multiple intervention strategies. That is why we have focused our energies on using alternative treatment therapies to complement conventional therapies that are used by our cancer patients.

Lung Cancer Screening

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How Chemotherapy Contributes To The Need For Detoxification
Understanding Ebola and Ozone

Tag Archives: Disease