What Does Osteopathy Treat?

Osteopathy is a form of drug-free non-invasive manual medicine that focuses on total body health by treating and strengthening the musculoskeletal framework, which includes the joints, muscles and spine. Its aim is to positively affect the body's nervous, circulatory and lymphatic systems. 

This therapy is a unique holistic (whole body) approach to health care. Osteopaths do not simply concentrate on treating the problem area, but use manual techniques to balance all the systems of the body, to provide overall good health and wellbeing. 

Dr. Andrew Taylor Still established the practice of Osteopathy in the late 1800s in the United States of America, with the aim of using manual 'hands on' techniques to improve circulation and correct altered biomechanics, without the use of drugs. 

What does osteopathy treat?

Osteopaths treat more than you think........
Many patients present with complaints of aches in the head, back, neck, and heel/ foot pain; sciatica; shin splints; tennis elbow and repetitive strain injury. Other patients suffer from asthma; arthritis; digestive problems; carpal tunnel syndrome; whiplash and postural problems.
Osteopaths also deal regularly with patients who have been injured in the workplace, at home or while playing sport. 

What are the qualities of Osteopathy

The philosophy of Osteopathy is what sets it apart from other medical disciplines. The key principles are based on all parts of the body functioning together in an integrated manner. If one part of the body is restricted, then the rest of the body must adapt and compensate for this, eventually leading to inflammation, pain, stiffness and other health conditions. When the body is free of restrictions in movement, Osteopathic treatment assists the body with pain minimisation, reduced stress and greater mobility providing the body with the opportunity to heal itself. 

Osteopaths use a broad range of gentle hands-on techniques including soft tissue stretching, deep tactile pressure, and mobilisation or manipulation of joints.
In some cases, Osteopaths can complement the advice given by GPs. For example, people who suffer from arthritis are often prescribed medication by their GP. In addition to that, Osteopaths can ease the pain caused by joint and muscle stiffness, by improving joint mobility and the flow of blood to the joints, and show arthritis sufferers how to prevent causing injury to themselves. 

Osteopathy is a five-year university course, which includes a degree and masters qualification. Senior Osteopathy students complete clinical training under the supervision of registered Osteopaths at student teaching clinics. 

Osteopaths believe in working as part of a health system of health providers and often refer back to the G.P. or another allied health professional where appropriate. 

Benefits of Osteopathy

Osteopathic treatment in itself is not 'preventative'. Osteopaths respect the body's natural ability as a self-regulating mechanism and only intervene when pain or discomfort is present. The benefits of osteopathy are the general improvement in mobility and structural stability of the body. In turn, other systems of the body such as the circulatory, nervous and lymphatic systems function more effectively and for a number of general conditions, minimal treatment is required. 

 Ref:by Christian Nordqvist 

Myasthenia gravis(MG)

Myasthenia gravis is a rare long-term condition that causes certain muscles to become weak.

It mainly affects muscles that are controlled voluntarily – often those controlling eye and eyelid movement, facial expression, chewing, swallowing and speaking.

Sometimes, the muscles that control breathing, neck and limb movements are also affected. 
The muscle weakness associated with myasthenia gravis is usually worse during, or just after, physical activity and improves with rest. The symptoms are often described as being at their worst when a person is tired, for example, at the end of the day.

What causes myasthenia gravis?
Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune condition that affects the nerves and muscles. Autoimmune conditions are caused by the body's immune system mistakenly attacking healthy tissue.In myasthenia gravis, the immune system produces antibodies (proteins) that block or damage muscle receptor cells.

This prevents messages being passed from the nerve endings to the muscles, which results in the muscles not contracting (tightening) and becoming weak.
It's not fully understood why some people's immune systems produce specific antibodies that block the nerve's signal to the muscle.

Diagnosing myasthenia gravis

The process of diagnosing myasthenia gravis can take a long time because muscle weakness is a common symptom of many different conditions.
Your GP will look at your medical history and symptoms. They may suspect myasthenia gravis if your eye movements are impaired or if you have muscle weakness but you're still able to feel things. Around half of people with myasthenia gravis initially develop symptoms of double vision or eyelid droop, with more than 90% of people developing these symptoms at some point during the illness.
You may be referred to a neurologist (specialist in nervous system disorders), who will carry out some tests to help confirm the diagnosis.

Treating myasthenia gravis

Although there's no cure for myasthenia gravis, treatments are available to help control the symptoms and improve muscle weakness. 
Medication can be used to improve communication between the nerves and muscles, and to increase muscle strength.
Immunosuppressants are a type of medication used to improve muscle strength by controlling the production of abnormal antibodies.
In some cases of myasthenia gravis, surgery may be recommended to remove the thymus gland (a thymectomy). The thymus gland is found underneath the breastbone and is part of the immune system. It's often abnormal in people with myasthenia gravis.

Some people may experience a temporary or permanent period of remission (where there are no longer symptoms) and treatment can be stopped.
Permanent remissions occur in about a third of all people who have a thymectomy. Removing a thymus gland tumour (thymoma) usually has little or no effect on the underlying myasthenia gravis.

Who is affected by myasthenia gravis?

Myasthenia gravis is a rare condition, affecting about 15 in every 100,000 people in the North of America.
It can develop at any age, but most commonly affects women under 40 years of age and men over 60. Cases of myasthenia gravis are increasing, particularly in people over 50, but the reasons for this increase aren't fully understood.

Emotional Hygiene

If you don’t know what emotional hygiene is, don’t worry; most people don’t! 

Here’s a brief definition:
In much the same way that dental hygiene involves brushing our teeth and flossing every day, and personal hygiene involves cleaning ourselves and taking care of physical injuries when we sustain them, emotional hygiene refers to being mindful of our psychological health and adopting brief daily habits to monitor and address psychological wounds when we sustain them.

Currently, our general neglect of our emotional hygiene is profound. How is it we spend more time each day taking care of our teeth than our minds? We brush and floss but what daily activity do we do to maintain our psychological health?
I would argue the consequences of lacking emotional hygiene are much worse that lacking dental hygiene—after all, which would you rather lose, a tooth or your mind?
Indeed, it seems that all our attention goes toward our physical health with none left over for our psychological health. How many habits have you adopted and changed over the years to better your physical health? All the constantly changing dietary practices and exercise regimes; self-exams for breast or testicular cancer; annual check-ups; physical therapies; and the many over-the-counter remedies we use for aches and pains.

Now ask yourself what habits you’ve adopted to better your psychological health: Do you monitor psychological injuries such as failure or rejection when you sustain them, to make sure your self-esteem recovers and rebounds? Are you aware of the ways negative self-talk impacts your emotional resilience? Do you know how to break out of a cycle of ruminating and brooding about distressing events? Chances are the answer to these questions is no.

To get you started, here are five tips for improving your emotional hygiene:

1. Pay Attention to Emotional Pain  
If a physical ache or pain doesn’t get better in a few days, you probably take some kind of action. The same should be true of psychological pain. If you find yourself hurting emotionally for several days because of a rejection, a failure, a bad mood, or any other reason, it means you’ve sustained a psychological wound and you need to treat it with emotional-first-aid techniques.  

2. Stop Emotional Bleeding 
Many psychological wounds launch vicious cycles that only make the pain worse. For example, failure can lead to a lack of confidence and feelings of helplessness that only make you more likely to fail again in the future. Having awareness of these consequences, catching these negative cycles, and stopping your emotional bleeding by correcting them is crucial in many such situations.   

3.  Protect Your Self-Esteem
Our self-esteem acts as an emotional immune system which can buffer us and lend us greater emotional resilience. Therefore, we should get in the habit of monitoring our self-esteem, boosting it when it is low, and avoiding negative self-talk of the kind that damages it further. 

4. Battle Negative Thinking 
It is natural to think about distressing events, but when our thinking becomes repetitive we are no longer problem-solving, we are ruminating. Ruminating can be very costly to our psychological health, as well as to our physical health, and can put us at risk for clinical depression and even cardiovascular disease. We have to battle negative thinking and avoid falling into the habit of over-focusing on distressing events.

5. Become Informed About the Impact of Psychological 
    Wounds 
There is much more we need to learn about emotional hygiene and how to treat psychological wounds. 
Fortunately, much information is available in this blog as well as elsewhere on Psychology Today.com. When you learn how to treat psychological wounds—and teach your children how to do so as well—you will not only build emotional resilience, you will thrive.

 Reference: by Guy Winch 

Lung Collapse

A collapse of the lung, also called pneumothorax, occurs when air that normally circulates within the lung leaks into the space between the lung and the chest wall, pushing the lung down or causing it to collapse. This causes the affected section of the lung to shut down. In most cases, only a portion of the lung collapses, leaving the rest of the lung intact. 

A severe lung collapse can cause low blood oxygen levels, respiratory failure, cardiac arrest, and shock. This is a medical emergency and can be fatal if not treated immediately.

What Causes Lung Collapse?

A lung collapse can occur as the result of trauma to the chest, damaged lung tissue, or a malfunction within the lung itself.

Trauma

Pneumothorax is usually caused by trauma to the chest. Traumatic events can include:

• a rib fracture
• a gun shot wound
• a knife wound
• a hard blow to the chest
• CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)
• a lung biopsy (using a needle through the chest)
• endoscopy procedures

Damaged Lung Tissue

Damaged lung tissue can also cause lung collapse. Damaged tissue isn’t as strong as healthy tissue, so it collapses more easily. This damage can be a result of inflammatory or traumatic lung disease, but it can also be caused by: and

• tuberculosis
• pneumonia
• lung cancer
• sarcoidosis (a chronic, nodular inflammatory disease)
• pulmonary fibrosis (the formation of excess connective tissue in the lungs)
• cystic fibrosis (hereditary condition with buildup of thick mucus in lungs and other organs)

Air Blebs

Air blebs are small, air-filled blisters that form on the outer lining of your lungs. They are not a sign of any disease or other lung condition, and experts aren’t sure why they form in certain people. Sometimes, these air blisters rupture spontaneously or due to changes in air pressure and cause pneumothorax. 

When to See a Doctor About Your Symptoms

When pneumothorax first occurs, you may feel a sharp pain in your chest that gets worse if you cough. You may also have difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. These symptoms can cause mild discomfort in some patients and are often confused with the symptoms of a chest cold or bronchitis. 

If the collapse affects a larger portion of your lung, you may experience other symptoms in conjunction with chest pain and shortness of breath. 

These symptoms include:

• tiring easily
• a rapid heart beat
• a tight feeling in the chest
• bluish skin tone
• low blood pressure
• flared nostrils when breathing

All symptoms of pneumothorax should be treated as a medical emergency. Even if the symptoms are mild, seek urgent care as soon as possible.

Part 4 of 6: Diagnosis

Diagnosing Pneumothorax

The doctor will listen to your lungs with a stethoscope while asking you to breathe deeply and exhale. If your lung has collapsed, the doctor will have trouble hearing breathing sounds from the affected lung. If the doctor has trouble hearing your breathing sounds, he or she may order imaging tests to get a better look at your lungs. 

Doctors can easily identify a collapsed lung using a chest X-ray. Your doctor may also order an imaging test called a CT (computerized tomography) scan to view the affected lung in more detail.

Part 5 of 6: Treatment

Treating Lung Collapse

Treatments for a collapsed lung are designed to restore lung function by removing external pressure on the lung.

When Treatment is Unnecessary

If the lung collapse is mild or affects only a small portion of the lung, your doctor may choose to monitor it carefully rather than treat it. Throughout the course of observation you may have several chest X-rays. You may also be ordered to rest more to speed up the healing process. If your doctor feels it is necessary, he or she may give you supplemental oxygen to help your lungs recover.

Suctioning Off Excess Air

For collapses that affect a larger area of the lung, you will need treatment to remove the excess air from your chest cavity. The air may be removed using a chest tube or needle. A needle with a syringe is inserted into your chest near the area of collapse and in the area of your rib cage. Your doctor then pulls up the syringe on the needle to suction out the air. 

A chest tube is used in the same way, though it is usually connected to a water seal container or a machine that suctions the air continuously. If the area of collapsed lung is large, the machine may need to suction the area for several days.

Surgery

If an air leak from the lung is the underlying cause of the collapse, surgery may be necessary to repair the leak. Your doctors will make two small incisions in your chest and insert a fiber optic camera into one of them to view the lung. A surgical tool will be inserted into the other incision and used to close the leak.
If an air bleb is to blame, the surgeon will sew it closed. If no bleb is visible, he or she will instill a talc-like substance into the pleural space to cause irritation. The irritated will then seal itself together to close off the leak. 

 Written by April Kahn

Do You Know About Alzheimer's Disease?

What Do You Want to Know About Alzheimer's Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive form of dementia that interferes with behavior, memory, and thinking. Dementia is a broader term for memory loss and cognitive deficits that interfere with daily activities of living. 

Most individuals with the condition are diagnosed after the age of 65, but it is possible to be diagnosed earlier; this is called early-onset Alzheimer’s. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s disease makes up 50 to 80 percent of cases of dementia (Alzheimer’s Association).

Causes and Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s

While there has not been a single cause identified for Alzheimer’s disease, certain risk factors have been identified. Having one or more risk factors does not necessarily mean you will get the disease; talk with your doctor about your specific risk of developing the condition.

Three of the major risk factors for Alzheimer’s are described below:

Age: The most important risk factor is age. Most individuals who have this condition are 65 years of age or older.

Family history: Individuals with an immediate family member who has the condition are more likely to develop the disease than those who do not. Scientists think both genetics and environmental factors play a role in this phenomenon.

Genetics: Certain genes called risk genes and deterministic genes have been linked to developing Alzheimer’s disease

Symptoms of Alzheimer’s

While everyone has episodes of forgetfulness, people with Alzheimer’s display certain ongoing behaviors that disrupt and impact daily functioning.

Symptoms may include:

• memory loss affecting daily life activities, such as keeping appointments or remembering newly learned directions
• difficulties with problem solving
• disorientation to time or place
• trouble with familiar tasks, such as using a microwave
• speech and writing difficulties
• poor or decreased judgment
• decreased grooming or personal hygiene
• isolation, withdrawal from friends, family, and community
• mood and personality changes

Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s

The only definitive way to diagnose an individual with Alzheimer’s disease is upon autopsy, by looking at brain tissue, but there are tests a doctor can do to rule out other conditions and diagnose dementia.
The doctor will take a medical history, including any illnesses of family members, medications you have taken and are taking currently, and any past illnesses you have had. Questions about diet and alcohol use are also asked.

A physical exam is typically done, including a blood pressure check, and the patient’s temperature is taken, along with the pulse. If necessary, your doctor might ask for urine or blood samples, but not necessarily.

A neurological exam is done to exclude any other possible diagnoses. Reflexes, muscle tone, speech, and sensation are all tested. This is to check for conditions like Parkinson’s or stroke. Sometimes brain imaging studies, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are performed.

Mental status tests are done, including asking the patient what day and year it is, who the President is, remembering a short list of words, and so forth. This helps determine short and long-term memory and orientation to place and time. 

 

Treatment of Alzheimer’s

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but there are medications and behavior modifications that can help ease symptoms. Before going on any medications, it is best to talk with your healthcare professional to see what treatment plan is best for you, since each patient is different.

For early to moderate stage Alzheimer’s, medications like donepezil (Aricept) or rivastigmine (Exelon) are commonly used. These keep high levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain, to aid with memory.

Moderate to severe Alzheimer’s is medically treated with memantine (Namenda) or the aforementioned donepezil, which helps moderate glutamate and slows down symptom progression in some people.
Vitamin E has been suggested to help individuals with Alzheimer’s, but should only be taken under the supervision of a healthcare professional, since it can interfere with common medications taken for the disease.

Antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, and antipsychotics have also been used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s to ease depressed moods, restlessness, aggression, agitation, and hallucinations.

Non-drug treatments involve redirecting the patient’s attention to the task at hand, avoiding confrontation, ensuring a calm and reassuring environment, and building in rest time each day.

Before deciding on a treatment, it is best to fully review your options and talk with your healthcare provider about the choices available to you and when you can chose to change course of treatment. 

Are you having trouble sleeping at night?

Are you having trouble sleeping at night? Sleep difficulties could be caused by your diet. Here are 12 foods that are scientifically proven to promote rest and help you get a bit of much-needed shut eye:

1. Chicken
Chicken contains Vitamin B6 which produces tryptophan - an amino acid that encourages secretion of serotonin. Serotonin, the 'happy hormone' is a natural sedative, increasing tiredness, making it easier to get to sleep, and reducing night disturbances.

2. Warm milk
Dairy is another great source of tryptophan(色氨酸), but a glass of warm milk could be advantageous in other ways too. Not just an old wives' tale, warm milk may have psychological benefits, reminding you of your childhood and providing a calming effect.

3. Salmon
Salmon contains Vitamin B12, which scientists have found 'exerts a direct influence on melatonin'  - the hormone that regulates your sleep/wake cycles and helps keep the body clock in check. Melatonin supplementation is often used as a treatment for insomnia.

4. Mushrooms
Mushrooms are full of Vitamin D which affects the diencephalon(間腦) - the region of the brain that controls the sleep/wake cycles. According to researchers, Vitamin D deficiencies are a major cause of sleep disorders.

5. Spinach
Dark leafy greens like spinach are good sources of magnesium. Magnesium has been found to increase total length of sleep because it promotes the production of melatonin in the body, balancing the sleep/wake cycle.

6. Tuna
Tuna contains nicotinamide (niacin) - a Vitamin B3 that has been shown to increase rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and encourages a good night's rest. Other oily and fatty fishes like salmon, mackerel, and sardines are also good choices.

7. Pumpkin seeds
If you suffer from restless leg syndrome - a common cause of night disturbances - you may have an iron deficiency. Increased iron intake, from pumpkin seeds for example, can increase sleep efficiency in restless leg sufferers from 75.7 to 84.0 per cent. 

8. Tonic water
Similarly, quinine has been claimed to reduce legs cramps during the night which can affect sleep. Quinine is found in tonic water, but stick to just a small glass before bed as giant quantities could have some unpleasant side effects such as diarrhoea.

9. Herbals teas
Some ingredients of herbal teas, like valerian and kava, are believed to target GABAa receptors in the body. These receptors transmit data directly to the brain and, as they act as mild sedatives, they instruct the brain to take a little rest.

10. Bananas
Potassium, found in large quantities in bananas, has been seen to quickly relax muscles in animals, and although research on humans is limited, it is expected to have similar results. Relaxing the muscles and unwinding is a good way to encourage sleep.

11. Egg white omelette
Egg whites are chock full of serine - an amino acid that regulates blood sugar and provides mild sedative effects. In studies, ability to get to sleep, and duration of sleep, are better with serine  supplementation than with a placebo.

12. Toast
Carbohydrates like bread are a great source of energy - they cause a rapid rise in blood sugar, followed by a 'crash'. In some instances, such as before bed, this crash can actually be beneficial. Aim to eat about an hour before bed for best results.

References:By Jennifer Watts

Chinese Cupping Therapy

Cupping is one of the oldest methods of traditional Chinese medicine. The earliest recorded use of cupping dates to the early fourth century, when the noted herbalist Ge Hong wrote about a form of cupping in A Handbook of Prescriptions. Later books written during the Tang and Qing dynasties described cupping in great detail; one textbook included an entire chapter on “fire jar qi,” a type of cupping that could alleviate headaches, dizziness and abdominal pain.

Originally, practitioners would use hollowed-out animal horns for cups, and place them over particular points or meridians. Today, most acupuncturists use cups made of thick glass or plastic, although bamboo, iron and pottery cups are still used in other countries. Glass cups are the preferred method of delivery, because they do not break as easily as pottery or deteriorate like bamboo, and they allow the acupuncturist to see the skin and evaluate the effects of treatment.

How does cupping work? What does it treat?

In a typical cupping session, glass cups are warmed using a cotton ball or other flammable substance, which is soaked in alcohol, let, then placed inside the cup. Burning a substance inside the cup removes all the oxygen, which creates a vacuum.

As the substance burns, the cup is turned upside-down so that the practitioner can place the cup over a specific area. The vacuum created by the lack of oxygen anchors the cup to the skin and pulls it upward on the inside of the glass as the air inside the jar cools. Drawing up the skin is believed to open up the skin’s pores, which helps to stimulate the flow of blood, balances and realigns the flow of qi, breaks up obstructions, and creates an avenue for toxins to be drawn out of the body.

Depending on the condition being treated, the cups will be left in place from 5 to 10 minutes. Several cups may be placed on a patient’s body at the same time. Some practitioners will also apply small amounts of medicated oils or herbal oils to the skin just before the cupping procedure, which lets them move the cups up and down particular acupoints or meridians after they have been applied.

In China, cupping is used primarily to treat respiratory conditions such as bronchitis, asthma, and congestion; arthritis; gastrointestinal disorders; and certain types of pain. Some practitioners also use cupping to treat depression and reduce swelling. Fleshy sites on the body, such as the back and stomach (and, to a lesser extent, the arms and legs), are the preferred sites for treatment.

How many types of cupping are there?

In addition to the traditional form of cupping described above, which is known as “dry” cupping, some practitioners also use what is called “wet” or “air” cupping.
In “air” cupping, instead of using a flame to heat the cup, the cup is applied to the skin, and a suction pump is attached to the rounded end of the jar. The pump is then used to create the vacuum. In “wet” cupping, the skin is punctured before treatment. 

When the cup is applied and the skin is drawn up, a small amount of blood may flow from the puncture site, which are believed to help remove harmful substances and toxins from the body.

Is cupping safe? Does it hurt?

While cupping is considered relatively safe (especially air cupping, which does not include the risk of fire and heat), it can cause some swelling and bruising on the skin. As the skin under a cup is drawn up, the blood vessels at the surface of the skin expand. This may result in small, circular bruises on the areas where the cups were applied. These bruises are usually painless, however, and disappear within a few days of treatment.

In addition, there are several instances where cupping should not be performed. Patients with inflamed skin; cases of high fever or convulsions; and patients who bleed easily, are not suitable candidates for cupping. Pregnant women should not have cupping on their stomach or lower back. If the cups are being moved, they should not cross bony areas, such as the ridges of the spine or the shoulder blades.