Funny thing pain, if you’ve never had a severe pain then the suggestion of taking simple analgesia and resting the affected area all seems quite reasonable. I was reminded of this when I read recently of a doctor’s advice to someone who was suffering from sciatica. Having personally experienced sciatica, it’s a condition I would not recommend to anyone who wishes to walk, sit, laugh, sleep, or to just simply pull up your trousers. It’s a bit like a dentist drilling your teeth without an anaesthetic, but it affects your whole leg. In other words the pain is consuming, exhausting and without respite. Clinical studies do show that in the majority of cases the pain will eventually subside and surgery may not be necessary, but in the meantime the patient has to deal with the pain or deal with the medication required to dull the pain. Remember, pain-killers are not selective to the area affected. They affect the whole of the nervous system and elsewhere so there may be significant side-effects from these medications.
Dealing with severe pain can be a complex issue, but I suggest that you have to treat this sort of pain fairly aggressively as acute severe pain is relatively easier to treat than chronic severe pain. In the early stages of an injury or insult to an area of the body, most of the pathological processes are happening at the site of the injury or insult. Throughout time the brain begins to modulate this pain and so no only do you have the injured area to deal with, but you also have complex neural pathways within the brain to deal with as well. This often means a far more complex management plan and a far more protracted recovery time. Specialists are very skilled at dealing with these issues but they do rely heavily on the stories their patients give them. That means being honest in answering their questions and not being heroic with a grin and bear it grimace! Often the use of a pain scale is helpful with zero being no pain at all and a 10 being the worse pain you have ever experienced.
Another health issue we commonly down play is influenza. Over the years I have frequently heard people say that they would not have the flu vaccine because either they never get the flu or that they had it last week for a couple of days and then it was all over! Influenza is a serious debilitating disease that will usually last from 10 days to two weeks and often leave you flat on your back exhausted. It’s not a happy 10 days either as patients do not have the energy to read a magazine or even watch a DVD. You will literally feel ancient with every movement being a real challenge and that doesn’t include the aching all over or the fevers and sleepless nights. The influenza virus is also extremely contagious and most people are unaware that if you spread it to someone who is more frail than yourself that you may actually be putting their life at risk.
With the ‘flu the big challenge is to vaccinate as many people in the community as possible, including children, those employed and unemployed, the elderly and the infirm, to reduce the chance of an epidemic occurring. Recent research has also showed that vaccinating pregnant women in the last trimester of their pregnancy will help protect their new born infants born during the ‘flu season.
Medicine has evolved over the last 40 years, but the change has been fairly slow with doctors by nature being very cautious and conservative people. But we can’t leave the doctors to take all the initiatives. As patients we need to be good listeners in our approach to health by heeding all the great health messages that keep being given to us about vaccinations, smoking, alcohol, exercise and healthy eating. We also need to be good communicators and tell our doctors how we are feeling with conditions such as pain. If the team treating you doesn’t have the best information then it may be that you will not end up getting the best treatment!
By: HBF Health Funds
Archive for October, 2009
Cooperating In Our Health Care
October 25th, 2009The Harmful Effects of Household Cleaners on Children and Unborn Babies
October 23rd, 2009Many people often find themselves cleaning their home like crazy, because they want to make sure their home is clean for their children. Unfortunately most people have no clue about the harmful toxins found in many household cleaning products. Many mothers an fathers find themselves using bleach to clean items bought at yard sales, and even to clean walls or bathrooms.
Why should they not? I mean the bottles do not say how toxic it is! All the manufacture cares about is making a parent think the product is great to kill germs, so as parents we buy them. They fail to alert users of the toxins contained in these cleaning products.
Most parents find themselves cleaning off the baby’s crib, toys, and floors with cleaning products, that are leaving more toxins behind than the toxins they are cleaning because the companies are NOT required by law to alert the consumer!
Here are some great facts about common household cleaning products found in many homes across the globe today!
Formaldehyde, phenol, benzene and toluene are found in common household cleaners and all have been linked as cancer causing and toxic to the immune system. Children are highly vulnerable to chemical toxicants. Pound for pound of body weight children drink more water, eat more food and breathe more air than adults. The implication of this is that children will have substantially heavier exposures than adults to any toxicants that are present.
Most children at young ages spend much of the day putting things in their mouths. Especially toddlers, they seem to put anything and everything in their mouths that they can get their hands on. In 1998, scientists at Rutgers University discovered that pesticides sprayed in a home evaporate from floors and carpets, and then re-condense on plastic and foam objects such as pillows and plush toys. By observing how frequently a group of pre-schoolers put clean toys in their mouths, the researchers calculated that contaminated toys are likely to give young children much higher doses of poison than adults would get in the same environment.
Babies do not excrete contaminants or store them away in fat in the same ways that adults do, making the poisons more available to affect rapidly growing bodies. Furthermore, because a baby’s immune system is not fully functional, a baby’s body cannot counteract toxic effects as well as an adult can. In an adult, a blood-brain barrier insulates the brain from many of the potentially harmful chemicals circulating through the body. But in a human child, that barrier isn’t fully developed until six months after birth.
A pregnant woman can also pass the toxins from common cleaners to their unborn child! Many contaminants such as dioxins and PCBs have an affinity for fatty tissue. During pregnancy, women mobilize their amassed stores of body fat to provide nourishment for their growing babies; the contaminants in the fat are then passed to their children. Nursing mothers also transfer a good portion of their lifetime accumulation of chemicals to their babies.
Children exposed in the womb are at greatest risk of all. Because cellular structures change so rapidly during embryonic and fetal growth, a toxic exposure at the wrong moment can permanently alter further development. According to Dr. Landrigan, the central nervous system is especially vulnerable. To function properly, the developing brain must lay down an intricate web of interconnecting neurons. Small doses of neurotoxins during critical periods of brain development can alter those crucial neural pathways – one mistake early on, and the brain may be forever changed in subtle or serious ways. Government and university scientists are currently investigating the possibility of a connection between fetal exposures to toxics and developmental disabilities such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
As a parent you SHOULD be concerned about this!
Cleaning your home with toxic products are literally breaking down your children’s bodies and adding onto the changes of cancer and other life threatening health concerns.Even if you had no clue about this concern, until you just read this article, now is the time to take action!
You can start by only using toxin free cleaning products! Get rid of any products that are not safe or eco-friendly. If a product is eco friendly, that means it is safe to have in your home! If it is safe to have in your home, it is safe to use without having to worry about the harmful effects!
Visit http://www.safewellnessproducts.com today and view the entire selection of all natural eco friendly home care products. All cleaning supply products are nontoxic, natural, concentrated, contain no phosphates and are a biodegradable formulas! This means they are safe to have in your home. Concentrated cleaning products will last longer than the store bought products, so you will be saving money and cleaning the toxins from your home!
By: Danni Vickers
Are Vitamins Really Necessary for our Childrens Health and Good Nutrition?
October 20th, 2009As every parent knows children can be very picky eaters and can consume junk foods that have little nutritional value. Does this mean that every child should be taking a multivitamin? The answer to this question is not necessarily, as long as the child is getting a balanced diet he or she can receive the nutrients and vitamins they need through food intake. The problem arises when a child is eliminating a whole food group from their diets, suffers from a chronic disease, is not getting the proper amount of sunlight in their daily activities or does not drink vitamin-D fortified milk. This is when supplementation is probably a good idea. You should always consult your physician before starting your child on a multivitamin.
What Should You Look for in a Childs Multivitamin?
You should always choose a multivitamin that is specifically formulated for children. Giving a child a supplement formulated for an adult is not a good idea. Children have smaller bodies and require fewer nutrients. For example, studies have shown that too much iron can be harmful to developing bodies. You need to be aware and follow the recommended daily dosage and remind the child that this is not candy. Always administer vitamin supplements under the supervision of a parent, even if the child is responsible enough to do it themselves.
What Vitamins and Minerals are Important to Your Child’s Health
Vitamin A – Milk and infant formulas are a very important source of vitamin A. A deficiency can occur in children with fat malabsorption or a very poor diet
Vitamin C – Many parents provide too much vitamin C to prevent colds and upper respiratory problems. Lack of vitamin C can cause scurvy which is uncommon but can occur in children under the age of one year.
Iron – This is important in a child’s growth because it promotes strong muscles and blood production. It is good to feed children a diet high in iron.
Calcium – This is a very important mineral for producing and maintaining strong bones. It is also an important mineral in preventing the onset of osteoporosis as we age.
Vitamin K – This is important in proper blood clotting. It can be deficient in newborns that did not receive a vitamin K shot or are being exclusively breast feed.
Fluoride – Children need fluoride after the age of six months to prevent cavities. Normally tap water is a good source of fluoride. If a child is only drinking bottled water or well water you may want to talk to your doctor about supplementation.
Zinc – This is a very important mineral for adolescents as it promotes sexual maturity.
In conclusion, it is very important that we, as parents, are aware of the nutritional requirements of our children during different stages of development. A decision needs to be made if the child is receiving proper nutrition through their diets or there are holes in the eating habits which would better be dealt with through supplementation. Remember to always consult your child’s doctor before putting them on any supplements.
By: John Bradstreet
