Tag Archives: Disease

St. John’s Wort Helps in Depression and Insomnia Treatement

March 4, 2015

St. John’s Wort Powers: The Treatment of Depression and Insomnia during Addiction Withdrawals

St. John’s Wort is a wonder plant that has been used in treatment of many conditions for quite a long time. The most used part of this herb is the flowers and the leaves. This herb has many medically active components but its known most active components are two; hypericin and hyperforin. Although hypericin was formerly thought to be the component of St. John’s wort principally responsible for its action, it is now understood that hyperforin, adhyperforin, and several other related compounds are the primary active constituents. Both hyperforin and adhyperforin appear to modulate the effects of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine and may inhibit reuptake of these neurotransmitters. This herb has been found to be very useful in treatment of conditions that are caused as a result of imbalances in the neurotransmitters.

St. John’s Wort for Depression during addiction withdrawals

Imbalances in the neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine cause depression. This imbalance may be caused by use of drugs of pleasure or by other diseases. Apart from these two causes, a person may also have a family history of depression and so predisposed to depression a case which makes it rather complicated for the brain to produce the neurotransmitters in required amounts. The brain has a great role to play in inhibiting depression; it has to produce the millions of chemicals it produces in the right amounts everyday failure to which you will be depressed. It’s that complicated.

In the long-term, all drugs and alcohol are brain depressants. In moderate amounts, alcohol does not lead to depression, but abusing drugs or alcohol will definitely lead to depression. This is because they deplete your brain of serotonin and dopamine. Researchers warn that it may take quite a long time for depleted dopamine to be restored and so it is important to avoid abusing drugs.

Alcohol abuse almost doubles the risk of depression. In one study that looked at 2,945 alcoholics. Fifteen percent were depressed before they began abusing alcohol, and that number jumped to 26 percent after they started abusing alcohol. Once they stopped drinking for an extended period, 15 percent remained depressed. This study showed that alcohol almost doubles the risk of depression.

St. John’s Wort

Marijuana has also been linked to depression. It is reported that marijuana users are four times more likely to develop depression. In one study which monitored a large group of people for 16 years, it was discovered that people who smoked marijuana were four times more likely to develop depression.  Another study followed later with 1601 students and confirmed the findings. Depression is a serious illness that may make it hard for an addict to stop taking the drugs of pleasure to boost the dopamine levels for a moment. Fortunately this can be helped by use of St. John’s Wort. Taking St. John’s wort extracts improves mood, and decreases anxiety and insomnia related to depression.  This herb seems to be effective in treatment of mild depression than some of prescription drugs.  According to the American College of Physicians–American Society of Internal Medicine, St. John’s wort can be considered an option along with antidepressant medications for short-term treatment of mild depression.

St. John’s Wort for Insomnia during addiction withdrawals

According to National Sleep Foundation, insomnia is difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, even when a person has the chance to do so. People with insomnia can feel dissatisfied with their sleep and usually experience the symptoms of poor sleep that may deter them from enjoying healthy lifestyles. This disease can affect people of all ages but adults are the major victims.

A person suffering from insomnia may show the following symptoms

  • Irritability, depression or anxiety
  • Difficulty paying attention, focusing on tasks or remembering
  • Increased errors or accidents
  • Tension headaches
  • Distress in the stomach and intestines (gastrointestinal tract)
  • Ongoing worries about sleep
  • Difficulty falling asleep at night
  • Awakening during the night
  • Awakening too early
  • Not feeling well rested after a night’s sleep
  • Daytime tiredness or sleepiness

insomnia

Insomnia may be caused by depression and stress but it may also be caused by the imbalances in the neurotransmitters as a result of long term use of drugs of pleasure.  Some other causes of insomnia include;

Anxiety– Anxiety is a common everyday problem. However there are more serious anxiety disorders like PTSD which will never give your brain a rest. Anxiety beckons insomnia and so should be avoided to help you sleep soundly and reap huge health benefits from it.

Medical conditions-there are conditions that cause insomnia. These conditions may include; chronic pain, chest problems and even frequent urination. These conditions may cause difficulty in sleep. Diseases like cancer, arthritis, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and even Parkinson’s disease have been linked to insomnia.

St. John’s wort has been found to be very effective in treatment of depression that might cause difficulty in sleep and this is owed to its effects on serotonin may be primarily responsible for its antidepressant activity. Apart from being an anti-depressant this herb works on the neurotransmitters in unlimited ways it affects many neurotransmitters that are key to good sleep health.

Drug induced Insomnia may not be easy to treat. However there are also medical approaches to treating drug induced Insomnia but of all these going the natural way is much better since it has less side effects and is more effective.  We at AWAREmed health and wellness center are dedicated to finding the best natural solutions to health problems. You can visit us at Myrtle Beach South Carolina where you will be attended to by Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) who has vast experience in integrative medicine for lifestyle diseases.

St. John’s Wort and treatment of depression and insomnia during addiction withdrawals

 

Related articles
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin

Stem Cells For Relieving Chronic Pain

March 3, 2015

Relieve Chronic Pain without Surgery with Stem Cell

Chronic pain can make your life unbearable. No one wants to be maimed by chronic pain. However there are conditions that may enslave you to chronic pain. Diseases such as cancer and arthritis are known to cause unbearable pains that must be mitigated failure to which the pain may beckon some other grievous conditions that may shorten your life in the long run. There has been various ways through which patients have been put on programs that help them mitigate on the effects of chronic pain. Some of the most common avenues through which chronic pain is managed are through the use of pain drugs such as the opioids. However the use of these drugs also poses a great challenge as the patient may become dependent on them and they can also be easily abused leading to addiction among other problems associated with narcotic drug use.  Apart from the use of these opioid to manage chronic pain there are also circumstances that a chronic pain patient may have to be put to surgery to help reverse the chronic pain and restore normal tissue functioning.

Well, today there are leading regeneration centers that have understood that there must be a better way of dealing with chronic pain. the frustrations that patients go through in search of a better treatment for their pain has put scientist on their heels, researching on better ways that are not only effective but also affordable. Today most regeneration centers dealing with chronic pain are focusing on providing innovative stem cell treatments to our patients in order to reinvigorate their quality of life without complex surgery that most patients maimed by chronic pain dread. With advanced technology, chronic pain patients are getting better treatment that is less invasive by the use of stem cell therapy.

chronic pain

Stem cell therapy can help in controlling your pain

Stem cell therapy is a highly beneficial treatment that aims to assist patients who typically suffer from chronic pain, take back control of their lives. Stem cells have contributed to the healing process of various patients with medical conditions that resulted in damage to the joints or nervous system. You will however need to find a reputable hospital or doctor who has experience in treating chronic pain with stem cell therapy to help you take back control of your life. Generally, the use of stem cell therapy in pain management has seen many patients of pain for example those maimed by osteoarthritis, back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, knee joint pain and rotator cuff syndrome get relief from pain and improve quality of their lives. Stem cell therapy is yet to replace the old ways of managing pain such as use of opioids that may make the patient addicted to them in the long run and surgery that is dangerously invasive and cause myriads of discomfort. Today, reputable doctors are utilizing stem cell therapy for patients suffering from osteoarthritis, neurological diseases and degenerative conditions. The pain treatment is now aimed at reducing pain, increasing strength, increasing flexibility, increasing mobility and energy of chronic pain patients that suffer from these conditions.

How is it done?

Chronic PainAs mentioned earlier, the stem cells are responsible for healing of the body, the body needs to have enough of these stem cells to be able to heal incases of acute pain. However the stem cells may get diminished as a person ages there by utilizing the power of stem cell therapy, the patient’s own stem cells can be harvested and injected right into the area where they are most needed. The process involves isolating these stem cells from a sample of the patient’s blood, bone marrow or adipose tissue and injecting them into the damaged body part to promote healing. Platelet-rich-plasma (PRP), a concentrated suspension of platelets (blood cells that cause clotting of blood) and growth factors, may also be used to assist the process of repair. The stem cell therapy works to repair the damaged tissues by utilizing the healing ability of undifferentiated cells that form all other cells in our bodies.

Before, the harvesting of the stem cells that are to be used in the treatment, a doctor will apply a local anesthetic in the area from which these stem cells will be harvested. After which, about 30-60cc of bone marrow stem cells or about 20cc of adipose-derived stem cells is extracted. What follows is separation of stem cells and the platelets from the rest of the body by the help of a centrifugal machine. Finally, the    Healthy stem cells and growth factors are then injected directly into the damaged area where they facilitate healing of the damaged tissues. After this stem cell injection, PRP injection may also be given after four to six weeks should there be need.

At AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center we assist a wide variety of patients who suffer from chronic pain with our stem cell therapy. Chronic pain can be overbearing, draining, and leave you feeling hopeless. That’s why it’s important to remember that there is help available at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. Our lead doctor, Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) has a vast experience in the field of integrative medicine that pain patients can tap on for their own good. Call on her today at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and find out how she can harness the power of stem cell therapy to help you win back control of your life.

Relieve Chronic Pain without Surgery with Stem Cell

Related articles
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin

It’s A Doctor’s Responsibility: Addiction Treatment

March 2, 2015

Life Time Risk of Imprisonment If Not Treated

The very existence of the medicine profession is to help find solution to patients who are suffering from various diseases. However in most situations the patients will have to pay for the services offered by the doctor. This is no crime; every profession exists so that those who specialize in those professions can make a living after offering their service. With this said it is good to note that there are times when a patient may need an emergent medical attention but may not be able to pay. During these times the patient should be able to be treated even if the doctor knows that he won’t pay. It is a responsibility of every doctor to tend his services to a patient who needs emergency care even without pay failure to which he will be imprisoned for failing to save a life that would have been saved had he offered his services to the patient on the right time.  Doctors know this and so they strive to give help when these situations pop up.

In medical laws any patient who needs an emergency response has a right to be treated and even a drug addict who is at the verge of losing his life as a result of addiction, withdrawal effects or drug overdose is termed an emergency case and so should be treated just like any other person who might have required a medical emergency from any unfortunate happening like road accident. Any person has a right to treatment at the times of emergency since without treatment the person may become disabled or may die.

Addiction treatment

Both public and private hospitals have a duty to administer medical care to a person experiencing an emergency. It is therefore in every doctor’s domain to treat a patient that needs emergency response failure to which he shall be legally responsible for the death of the patient.

If a hospital hasemergency facilities, it is legally required to provide appropriate treatment to a person experiencing an emergency. If the hospital is unableto provide emergency services, it must provide a referral for approriate treatment. Hospitals cannot refuse to treat prospective patient’s onthe basis of race, religion, or national origin, or refuse to treat someone with HIV or AIDS.

Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act 

In 1986, Congress passed the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) (42 U.S.C.A. § 1395dd), which establishedcriteria for emergency services and criteria for safe transfer of patients between hospitals. This statute was designed to prevent transferring an undesirable patient to another facility.The law applies to all hospitals receiving federal funds, such asMedicare. The law requires hospitals to provide a screening exam to determine if an emergency condition exists, providestabilizing treatment to any emergency patient or to any woman in active labor before transfer, and continue treatment until a patient can bedischarged or transferred without harm. It also delineates strict guidelines for the transfer of a patient who cannot be stabilized. A hospitalthat negligently or knowingly and willfully violates any of these provisions can be terminated or suspended from Medicare.The physician,the hospital, or both can also be penalized up to $50,000 for each knowing violation of thelaw.

Addiction TreatmentAny patient who needs emergency attention should receive it since if it is delayed there might be a loss of life. Therefore if a doctor is asked to attend to a medical emergency as defined in this statement, he must respond. This is both an ethical and legal obligation and therefore every doctor should abide. However rare there will be times when attending a medical emergency is impossible or unsafe for the doctor or patient. If a doctor chooses not to attend he or she may be required to defend that decision in the event of a charge of professional misconduct or criminal prosecution. The patient who needs medical attention is therefore catered for and should not be ignored.

A doctor is at risk of being professionally or criminally responsible of the death of a patient if he or she fails to render prompt and appropriate medical care to any person whether the patient is a current patient has just came in, in a medical emergency. A doctor who chooses not to attend must have good reason and be able to defend this position at a later time otherwise he will be charged in a court of law for medical negligence.

However there are situations when a doctor, may or should not attend a medical emergency. These scenarios may include;

  • if he or she is already attending another emergency
  • if it is more appropriate for an emergency service to attend (i.e. ambulance or rescue helicopter);
  • the geographical location of the doctor is such that another doctor or medical service can attend more promptly;
  • if he or she is off duty at the time of the call and has been drinking alcohol or taken medication or other substances to a level that may adversely influence the doctor’s level of competence;
  • If attending the emergency places the personal safety of the doctor at risk.
  • The doctor may also not attend to the patient if he is not in the right state of health himself or when he knows he is not competent enough to help the patient.

However a doctor should be able to take good care of the patient even if he is not able to offer any reasonable help to the patient. He should be able to assist the patient to access another health center where he can be helped. If a doctor fails to attend to emergency because of matters of inconvenience he will be charged and prosecuted.

Addicts just like anyone else have rights to emergency attention that is why we at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are committed to availing help to patients by availing the needed information and offering them a place to call home. Just call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) today and begin your journey to victory against addiction.

Life Time Risk of Imprisonment If Not Treated

 

Related articles
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin

Stem Cell Treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorders

March 2, 2015

Stem Cell Treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorders

The medicinal properties of the stem cells have seen it being used for treatment of myriad ailments or as therapy for many diseases that are not even treatable. for the cases of these diseases that are not treatable the stem cell therapy helps to alleviate on the dangerous symptoms of the diseases and offer comfort as well as lengthen the lives of those who are victims of these diseases. needless the stem cell therapy has become a crucial component of regenerative medicine with many researchers still working around the subject to find out how its applicability can be useful in treating lifestyle diseases that have become a problem to this generation and many generations to come. The stem cell therapy has been proposed as an effective therapy in cases of autism. Autism spectrum disorders are complex neurodevelopmental disorders. This term refers to a heterogeneous group of varied conditions characterized by dysfunctions in social interactions, skills, and communication, restricted interests, and repetitive stereotypic verbal and non-verbal behaviors, influencing the ability to relate to others. Cognitive, emotional and neurobehavioral abnormalities characterize the core symptoms. The prevalence of these disorders has dramatically increased in the last years, with present rates of 1 in every 88 children aged 8 years in the United States, according to Centers for Disease Control.

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism Spectrum Disorders are presumed to be a lifelong disability with multiple impacts on child and adult health. Without a doubt, adult autistic individuals show limited independence because of their learning disability. Adult patients of autism spectrum disorders experience problems in communication. They are not able to read and write well. They’ve got poor comprehension of whatever they read. Apart from impaired communication, they also exhibit stereotyped behaviors and restricted interests. The children affected require special and intensive parental, school, and social support without which coping with the condition may become a nightmare. Autism Spectrum Disorders results in a substantial impact not only on the person’s quality of life but also that of their family. Autism Spectrum Disorders patients are not very easy to take care of, apart from their impaired social behavior, the cost of caring for them is so high. It is estimated that the cost of caring for a single person suffering from Autism Spectrum Disorders for a life time is $3.2 million, therefore this disease by all means is a global problem that should be prioritized and fought from all fronts.

Though the most salient symptoms of these diseases is seen in the cognitive, emotional and neurobehavioral abnormalities, Autism Spectrum Disorders are also characterized by a broad range of biochemical, toxicological and immune involvement, including oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, decreased methylation capacity, limited production of glutathione, mitochondrial dysfunction, intestinal dysbiosis, increased toxic metal burden, and immune dysregulations including autoimmunity. Due to these complex problems there has never been any effective medication for autism spectrum disorders that has shown dependable level of efficacy. Today there are only few medications that are licensed by FDA for treating autism related disorders. Needless to emphasize these medications that are available in pharmacies such as anti-psychotics have failed to address the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorders. These medications are quite palliative and have potential adverse effects on the user. For this reason there are other alternative treatments of Autism Spectrum Disorders that have since surfaced. these may include; behavioral, nutritional, and biomedical approaches therefore this creates a vacuum that can be filled with effective therapies like the stem cell therapy but still there is need for more research that a better treatments for this disorder can be found. Despite medical technology advancements it is good to be blunt, Autism spectrum disorders are still untreatable pathologies. Mesenchymal stem cells possess the immunological properties which make them promising candidates as a novel therapeutic option but there is no single therapy that has been found that can treat autism spectrum disorders.

This is how stem cell therapy works for autism

Autism Spectrum DisordersAs mentioned earlier Stem cells are precursors of all cells and are capable of forming cells of other types hematopoietic, nervous and cardiovascular system, endocrine organs, bone, cartilage and muscle tissue. It is with this ability of stem cells to shift shape that it can be harnessed to help treat autism. Early animal studies have shown that stem cells isolated from umbilical cord blood can stimulate cells in the spinal cord to regrow their myelin layers, and in doing so help restore connections with surrounding cells. Autism is thought to result from impaired connectivity in the brain. Because of this, it is practical to apply this therapy on patients with autism spectrum disorders besides Mesenchymal stem cells can regulate the immune system. the mesenchymal stem cells can also help to reverse inflammatory conditions and perhaps this is why very many institutions in the US and across the globe have been doing trials on ability of the stem cells to treat even Cohn’s disease which is a condition resembling the gut inflammation in autistic children. Autism is a serious disease that should be prioritized by the public health stakeholders plus you also need information on how to leave with this disease, Visit us at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Centre at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) an expert in integrative and regenerative medicine will be able to help.

Stem Cell Treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorders

 

Related articles
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin

Heroin Use on the Rise despite Its High Cost of Treatment

February 28, 2015

 Heroin on the Rise despite its High Cost of Treatment

Contrary to the common rule of demand and supply that the use of a product will be high when its price is at the lowest, heroin use has been on the rise in spite of the rise in its cost as well as the cost of treating those who are addicted to the drug.

To begin with, heroin is a highly addictive drug which is also illegal. Heroine is one of the drugs that are not very easy to stop using, thanks to its highly addictive nature and to its adverse withdrawal symptoms. Millions of those using heroine are too scared of its withdrawal effects to even attempt quitting it.  Heroin is made from the resin of poppy plants. Milky, sap-like opium is first removed from the pod of the poppy flower. This opium is refined to make morphine after further refined into different forms of heroin.

Being that the drug is mostly injected; those using this drug do not face its withdrawal side effects but also has high risks of acquiring other diseases that can be transmitted through sharing needles like HIV/AIDS.

How much do Heroin addicts spend on it heroin?

Heroine is one of the rare commodities whose increase in price do not interfere with its consumption. This drug is just as expensive as cocaine as or even slightly more than cocaine in other places but still people use it more in some places than even cocaine. Therefore, there must be some other reasons why people are turning to the use of heroine as opposed to other drugs. The factors that drive people to use of cocaine may not be new and we will explore them in this article. However, there is more than one way to look at the cost of heroine. Some people opine that the cost of heroine just like other goods and services depends on demand and supply and this may be true so it is better to stay away from using this drug even when it is being sold at a throw away price since you may not afford it later when you are now dependent on it. It is quite funny that when it comes to addictive drugs you will be able to access them for free from addicts who are ready to share them with you but when you have become dependent you shall have to find your own ways of getting your daily heroin.

Heroin

There are some hidden costs of using heroin that most people do not even think of. Most people will only be wary of the price of acquiring their daily heroin dosages for their recreational use but they give a blind eye to the real cost that arises when you need to be cured from the side effects of this drug.  A 2000 survey by the U.S. Government found that the cost of heroin addiction to our country may be anywhere from $15 billion to $20 billion dollars per year. Most of this tremendous figure is due to the price tag on treating medical conditions associated with IV heroin use – specifically, HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. The use of heroin has another hidden cost– the societal ills cost. This is the cost that you and I pay when these addicts turn to crime just in a bid to find   money to buy their much needed heroine doses daily.

The cost of getting your daily dosage of heroin to fulfill your craving cannot be compared to the cost of treating all the ills that come with using the drug. The sad truth however is, most people who are using heroin cannot afford to cater for the cost to treat the side effects that come with it. The cost of treating a heroin addict is too expensive to be compared to the mere cost of obtaining a daily dosage no matter how long you are top use the drug before you seek medical attention.

Some of the side effects of heroin

Heroine is often used mainly because of the euphoria that sets in immediately it is used but afterwards a feeling of drowsiness sets in. Just like other drugs of abuse, heroin has myriads of side effects. These may include;

  • Shortness of breath
  • Dry mouth
  • Constricted (small) pupils
  • Sudden changes in behavior or actions
  • Disorientation
  • Cycles of hyper alertness followed by suddenly nodding off
  • Droopy appearance, as if extremities are heavy

Another serious problem with heroine is because of the way it is taken. Mostly heroin is injected. Unfortunately these needles are often shared increasing the spread of such diseases as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis among other diseases. Dependence on heroin is also dangerous.

Heroin overdose is dangerous

heroinOne of the serious problems that will arise in case of heroin overdose is death. Does that sound scary? Even as scary as it sounds many people still indulge in using heroin for mere recreational purposes. However there are measures that are put in place to treat heroin overdose.  Methadone (Dolophine, Methadose) and buprenorphine among other drugs are today used for treatment of heroin overdose. These drugs block the opioid receptors in the brain hence stops the effects of the heroin. However the use of these drugs is highly regulated in different states and hence may not be very accessible to a street user of heroin.

Finally, you need more information to stay away from dependence on heroin and other drugs as these have crippled societies and that is why here at AWAREmed we are dedicated to finding the best solutions to addiction and dependence on substances. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is always in the mood of helping any patient to be addiction free. Do not hesitate to call on her for help in managing any sort of chronic pain or any type of addiction as well as other diseases.

 Heroin on the Rise despite its High Cost of Treatment

 

Related articles
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin

  • Recent Posts

  • Blog Categories