Whiplash is an injury that affects the neck muscles and is caused by sudden jolting motion of the neck in one direction to the opposite direction. The most common example when whiplash occurs is in a vehicular accident. The injury usually causes sprain in the neck, acute neck pain and restricted neck movement.

Chiropractic Treatment of Whiplash

The chiropractor’s approach in treating whiplash is unique to every individual and condition. The common techniques a chiropractor employs may include spinal manipulation, muscle stimulation or relaxation, various exercises and guidance on lifestyle changes and ergonomic.

Diagnosis

The chiropractor will not just examine the cervical region of your spine but the entire spine. The injury may not be confined to the neck, but to other areas of the spine as well. The chiropractor will identify areas where there is restricted joint motion, ligament injury, intervertebral disc injury, and muscle spasm. The chiropractor may use certain diagnostic techniques such as motion and static palpation, sensory techniques that involve touch. The chiropractor will examine the areas for tenderness or tightness, and for abnormality in spinal joints movements, using these techniques.

 

Aside from these checks, the chiropractor will observe the way you walk, your posture and the condition of your spine’s alignment.

Imaging test like x-ray and MRI may be used to check current spinal condition and for any degenerative conditions that may have been present even before the whiplash injury.

The outputs from these examinations will then be analyzed to come up with a recommendation for a treatment plan for your whiplash injury.

Spinal Manipulation

The primary aim of the spinal manipulation for joint dysfunction is to move the joint that is affected into the direction where it has restricted movement. The spinal manipulation, also called chiropractic adjustment, may utilize the application of short thrusts in the said direction. Another option the chiropractor uses instead of the thrust technique, involves slow mobilizing movement.

Muscle Relaxation or Stimulation

Inhibited muscles tend to have repeated contractions and excessive tension. Muscle related dysfunctions, such as this, are treated by means of muscle relaxation and stimulation, which consist of techniques to gently stretch the inhibited muscles. For very tight muscles, the stretch applied is made more vigorous. Pain condition that comes with tight muscles is also normally treated using gentle finger pressure. It is applied to certain trigger points to relieve pain.

Exercises

Several exercises may be recommended by the chiropractor depending on the need of the whiplash injury patient. Examples are:

• McKenzie exercises, which are designed specifically to reduce derangement of the disc from the injury, and
• Sensorimotor and stabilization exercises, wherein the approaches are created to rectify faulty patterns of movements in everyday life and routine activities.

Changes and Advice on Ergonomic

They are recommended by the chiropractor to help the patients improve in performing their daily activities with very minimal strain to their bodies. The chiropractic advice also focuses on addressing issues in the patients’ home, work or leisure activities that may sustain or aggravate the effects of the whiplash injury.

The chiropractor’s roles in the care for whiplash injury patients involve treatment of the whiplash injury, restoration of the patients’ normal functions, and total rehabilitation of the patients, which aims to bring back the patients’ confidence and their ability to live their lives as when they were injury-free.

Back pain is so common, eight out of ten people will experience it at some point in their lives. The most commonly affected area is the lower back. In many cases of low back pain, the condition improves with self-care within a few days or sometimes, weeks. Some low back pain conditions become chronic and may last for months or even years. They can have debilitating effects and pose great challenge to healthcare professionals in their diagnosis and treatment of the condition. Low back pain is one of the most common reasons for workers’ absence from work. Its impact to the economy in terms of lost wages, reduced productivity and cost of treatment is worth over $100 billion annually.

Some of the self-care practices that people with low back pain do, include doing exercise and staying physically active, applying heat to the affected area and taking medications for pain relief. Other therapies from healthcare service providers such as massage, physical therapy and acupuncture can bring mild to moderate relief for low back pain.

Chiropractic Adjustments for Low Back Pain

Spinal manipulation or spinal manipulative therapy is the technique used by chiropractors to relieve pain from nerve irritability and help improve physical function and increase range of motion. It is done with the use of hands to apply controlled force to the spinal joint to correct abnormality or subluxation. The amount of force the chiropractor uses depends on the appropriate type of manipulation used for the patient’s particular condition.

Many reviews conclude that spinal manipulation applied this type of pain when performed by an experienced and licensed practitioner is relatively safe. The common side effects noted after the adjustments are temporary soreness and discomfort in the area treated, which normally go away within one to two days, and the feeling of tiredness. Serious complications are a rare occurrence.

A 2010 report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) noted that spinal manipulation is a complementary healthcare method that offers additional therapy option to conventional treatment, which often provides limited benefit in the management of back pain and neck pain.

The American Pain Society and the American College of Physicians, in their 2007 guidelines, recommended spinal manipulation as one of the treatment options for healthcare professionals to consider when self-care does not help improve low back pain.

Another review in 2010 that looked at different therapies such as spinal adjustment and massage for a series of health conditions found conclusive evidence to the effectiveness of spinal manipulation for chronic low back pain. It also found moderate evidence of the effectiveness of spinal manipulation for conditions of acute low back pain.

A 2008 review comparing spinal manipulation in the treatment of low back pain with various combinations of other treatment options is very revealing. It reported that:

• There is strong evidence that spinal manipulation is as effective as the combination of conventional medical care and physical exercise.
• There is reasonable evidence that spinal manipulation in combination with strengthening or firming exercises is as effective as taking prescription non steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAID) together with exercises.
• There is limited to moderate evidence to show that spinal manipulation works more effectively than physiotherapy and home exercise.

It was also proven in studies that the use of opioid drugs long-term does not bring about improvement in functioning for patients suffering from chronic low back pain. Non-drug therapies including spinal manipulation, however, can bring benefits to these patients.

Overall, results of studies and actual practice have demonstrated that spinal adjustments are one of the best options that can provide effective relief from low back pain.

Motor vehicle crashes account for six million injuries every year. Of these, about 50% or three million victims will sustain whiplash injuries. Chronic pain, particularly in the neck, will develop among 500,000 to 900,000 of these patients. Even in a car crash involving low force, where the speeds can be no faster than 5 miles per hour, anyone can suffer from whiplash injury.

It’s just not possible to be able to always prevent accidents, including car accidents. They say that accidents happen when we least expect them. While there is truth to this observation, we can, in fact, use it to our benefit. Realizing that car accidents can happen anytime, we must be ready, take preventive actions and be constantly alert for any impending accidents. Doing this will, at the very least, mitigate the effects of serious car accidents, which could include whiplash injury.

How Can Whiplash be Prevented?

We know that chiropractors can provide the best treatment for whiplash injury. Chiropractic care can effectively relieve the pain from whiplash, help patients restore their mobility and allow them to achieve fast recovery, enabling them to return to their normal way of life. The chiropractic profession through the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) advocates prevention of injury and minimizing its adverse effects. Here are the suggestions from ACA on ways to prevent whiplash and effectively minimize pain and discomfort in a whiplash eventuality:

Choose a safe car.

When buying a car, compare vehicle features that relate to safety, including vehicle size, weight, structural design and restraint systems and other safety features – shoulder and lap belts, head restraints, air bags, and crash avoidance feature. Consider the vehicle’s crash worthiness. You are at a greater risk with small cars compared to bigger, heavier vehicles. Also, check the safety ratings of the vehicle you intend to buy. The Insurance Institute Highway Safety and other professional safety organizations are good online resources for this check.

Set and keep head rests in their proper positions.

Head rests must be set in the “up” position, in the level of the head. Data shows that the head restraints of 80% of cars are adjusted in the “low” position, which is even more dangerous than not having any head restraint.

Have a medical or chiropractic check regardless of the damage to the vehicle.

It has been observed that whiplash injuries are more common when there is no damage to the vehicle compared to when the vehicle sustained damages. The reason for this is that the crushed parts of the vehicle absorb and use up the energy and is, therefore, not transmitted to the driver or passengers. Even if there is big or little damage to your vehicle, it is best to visit a chiropractor and have your spine evaluated.

Be prepared for a crash.

If you have even very little time to prepare, be alert and follow these tips:

Place your head, neck and body in contact with the back of the seat and the properly positioned head rest restraints.

Have a good grip on the steering wheel with your arms straight.

Hit the brake pedal with your foot as strongly as you can.

Look straight ahead and do not turn your body in any direction.

Raise your neck slightly, so your eyesight level is up, about the level of the windshield top.

Scrunch your shoulders and brace for impact.

Get treatment immediately.

Do not delay seeking immediate treatment even though the symptoms do not appear early. It is important to begin treatment of the whiplash within two weeks period after the accident. Seek a doctor who has experience and specialization in whiplash injuries.

Follow the doctor’s advice.

Do what the doctor advises whether it is chiropractic care, massage, physical therapy, exercise, nutrition, proper pillows, or ergonomic workstations. The doctor has dealt with whiplash and knows the steps to be done for effective healing.

Mind the ergonomic aspects of your work and in the home.

The proper positions and conditions in the work, sleep and everyday activities are factors that can contribute to early healing. Follow your doctor’s advice on these areas for improved relief and timely recovery.

Being mentally prepared and taking the necessary precautions to prevent whiplash in a vehicular accident can help keep you safe and injury-free.

 

 

It is little surprise that you may have an aching back. Statistics tell us that 80% of the population will be afflicted with back pain at a certain point in their life.

Back pain is one of the vertebrogenic disorders, which are disorders of the body caused in part or in whole by spinal faults. Unlike other vertebrogenic conditions that are seemingly unrelated to the spine, such as tension headaches, pain in the arms, shoulders, knees and legs, certain digestive problems and issues with menstrual cycle, back pain can be easily associated with the spine as it emanates from the very areas where the spine is. As with the other vertebrogenic disorders, back pain is caused by spinal anomalies that directly or indirectly irritate the nerves.

When to Get Chiropractor Help

It is a wise idea to visit a chiropractor for consultation and examination if you suffer from pain, including back pain. It becomes even more imperative to do this if home remedy or self-care is not helping you relieve your symptoms and discomfort. Most musculoskeletal pains are caused by misalignments in the spine structures, and they are the chiropractors’ specialty. If your back pain is caused by subluxation, any treatment, including drugs, lotions, potions, massage, surgery or other therapies cannot be relied upon to eliminate the pain. Chiropractic care can remove subluxation or misalignment in your spine if it is the source of your pain, and your back pain will be addressed. It will avoid all sorts of potentially dangerous and complicated medical interventions. Pain killing medications are good in providing temporary relief to the pain but they do not tackle the main issue or the root of the problem. They are also likely to cause side effects when used long-term. Surgery is the last therapy you would want for your back pain. It is invasive, complicated, painful and costly.

Chiropractic treatment is a therapy, which is undoubtedly, most effective for chronic or long-term back pain and sub acute back pain, or a back pain condition persisting for three months or less.

Many spinal problems have their origin from childhood, long before clinical symptoms manifest. When identified early, these disorders are mostly reversible and can be treated. That is why spinal examinations even for children are necessary. Other reasons in relation to your back pain to consider visiting a chiropractor are the following:

• When you have been injured in your work or in a vehicular accident and are bothered by the pain
• If you are active in sports and you have stiff joints and pains after the game
• When you are pregnant and have an aching back
• When you are getting older and pains are preventing you from enjoying retirement
• When your job requires either very long hours of sitting or strenuous activity like lifting loads, is taking its tolls on your back

If you have other specific problems or symptoms that go with your back pain, be sure to tell your chiropractor about it and do not hesitate to ask questions. This will let both of you to make appropriate decisions for your treatment and prepare the best treatment plan for you.

Chiropractors themselves will not let you undergo chiropractic adjustments if you have any of these conditions that go with your back pain:

• Bone tumors or bone fractures
• Severe arthritis
• Infections of the bones or joints
• Severe osteoporosis or bone loss

A good chiropractor is your indispensable partner to your spinal and general health and wellbeing. Chiropractic care is to spine health what dentistry is to dental health. You should take good care of your spine before it’s too late.

 

Do you know that adding more spices to your meals can actually slim you down?

Eating chilies with your meal can actually help your body keep that cholesterol at bay and boost your body’s metabolic rate. This is because chilies such as jalapeño, Asian, habaneras and cayenne contain capsaicin. This compound creates that spicy and pungent taste in chilies and is responsible for that burning sensation you feel in your tongue. Capsaicin can be found concentrated in the white ribs where the chili seeds are attached inside the chili. This is why removing the chili seeds can help ease the spice. As a rule, the hotter the chili is, the more the capsaicin it contains.

Recent studies have found capsaicin effective in stimulating faster metabolism. Consuming more spices or more capsaicin increases the release of stress hormones like adrenaline. This, in turn, triggers a thermodynamic burn in our body that can last up to three to five hours after eating, thus helping our body burn additional calories. This thermodynamic burn speeds up the metabolism by dissolving calories and preventing new fat from forming.

Sprinkling more spices or more capsaicin in your diet can boost your body’s ability to process cholesterol and fats. Capsaicin allows your body to excrete more cholesterol and helps in increasing the production of fat-dissolving enzymes in your liver. As a result, the insoluble fat triglyceride, which can also accumulate in dangerous levels in your blood vessels, is secreted effectively by the liver.

Spicy food can also keep eager eaters from over-indulging. Isn’t it more difficult to keep on eating when you feel that hot, tingling sensation in your mouth?

And while capsaicin is barely soluble in water, we all know that the knee-jerk reaction to a spice bite in your tongue is to drink water. An increased water consumption aids in cleansing our body of toxins, including that unwanted fat. What you also might not know is that water actually can help your body heal itself.

So, start firing up that meal with a dose of chili powder. Sauté vegetables in hot salsa, instead of butter, and add chopped mild chili peppers into that salad. Compared to exercise and dieting – the tried and tested methods of weight reduction – indulging on that hot meal is definitely more enjoyable.

Spice Up to Slim Down: How Can Chili Help Reduce Fat?

Do you know that adding more spices to your meals can actually slim you down?

Eating chilies with your meal can actually help your body keep that cholesterol at bay and boost your body’s metabolic rate. This is because chilies such as jalapeño, Asian, habaneras and cayenne contain capsaicin. This compound creates that spicy and pungent taste in chilies and is responsible for that burning sensation you feel in your tongue. Capsaicin can be found concentrated in the white ribs where the chili seeds are attached inside the chili. This is why removing the chili seeds can help ease the spice. As a rule, the hotter the chili is, the more the capsaicin it contains.

Recent studies have found capsaicin effective in stimulating faster metabolism. Consuming more spices or more capsaicin increases the release of stress hormones like adrenaline. This, in turn, triggers a thermodynamic burn in our body that can last up to three to five hours after eating, thus helping our body burn additional calories. This thermodynamic burn speeds up the metabolism by dissolving calories and preventing new fat from forming.

Sprinkling more spices or more capsaicin in your diet can boost your body’s ability to process cholesterol and fats. Capsaicin allows your body to excrete more cholesterol and helps in increasing the production of fat-dissolving enzymes in your liver. As a result, the insoluble fat triglyceride, which can also accumulate in dangerous levels in your blood vessels, is secreted effectively by the liver.

Spicy food can also keep eager eaters from over-indulging. Isn’t it more difficult to keep on eating when you feel that hot, tingling sensation in your mouth?

And while capsaicin is barely soluble in water, we all know that the knee-jerk reaction to a spice bite in your tongue is to drink water. An increased water consumption aids in cleansing our body of toxins, including that unwanted fat.

So, start firing up that meal with a dose of chili powder. Sauté vegetables in hot salsa, instead of butter, and add chopped mild chili peppers into that salad. Compared to exercise and dieting – the tried and tested methods of weight reduction – indulging on that hot meal is definitely more enjoyable.

It hardly seems fair, but most folks who have heartburn say the flames burn higher at night. In fact, as many as eight out of 10 heartburn sufferers may have this problem. Even worse, it keeps them from falling asleep or wakes them up with that burning feeling in the chest. This can have a resounding impact on anyone’s ability to function the next day.

This heartburn is a problem that no one should ignore. After all, the consequences of nighttime heartburn can be far more serious than just feeling tired and sleepy after a restless night. According to one study, it means you are 11 times more likely to develop cancer of the esophagus than other people.

That’s why it is important to see your doctor if you have ongoing heartburn. He will prescribe a medication to calm your acid reflux. In a recent survey, however, about half of those who take medicine said they still have some symptoms. So, consider these ways to turn out the lights on stomach acid and help yourself to a better night’s sleep:

1. Rest on your left side. Your esophagus angles a bit to the left where it connects to your stomach. If you sleep on your right side, stomach acid is more likely to flow into your esophagus and stay there. Lying on your back brings on more frequent reflux, but, even then, the acid tends to clear out faster than when you are on your right side. Sleeping on your left side seems to be the best solution. You may want to use a sleeping wedge behind your back to keep you facing left.

1. Raise the head of your bed about six inches with wooden blocks or sleep with a foam wedge under your upper body. At this angle, gravity helps keep the juices in your stomach. Pillows do not work as well because they make you bend at the waist, and that just puts more pressure on your stomach.

1. Stick with light suppers. If you stretch your stomach with a lot of food, you practically force acid back into your esophagus. If you eat lightly and wait a few hours after your last meal before you go to bed, you will have less acid in your stomach to cause problems. This strategy may also help you lose weight – and that could ease heartburn, too.

1. Wear loose clothing. For example, choose a nightgown rather than pajamas. Elastic around your middle can put pressure on your stomach and boost your chances of nighttime heartburn.

1. Look for ways to unwind and grow calm before bedtime. Worries can bring on heartburn, so try to set aside any problems and relax before you turn in for the night. Professional counseling, relaxation techniques, and regular exercise can all help. If symptoms continue, it is important to see your doctor.

1. Nicotine relaxes the valve between your stomach and esophagus, allowing the acid to back up. So, give up smoking as soon as possible. And if you are already trying to quit, do not wear your nicotine patch to bed. The nicotine it releases can cause heartburn.

What you choose to eat and drink when you have diarrhea can make a big difference in your recovery – so choose carefully.

Bite into some berries

Dried blueberries are a popular European remedy for diarrhea. If you can’t find them at your grocery store, make your own. Simply spread some fresh berries out in the sun until they wrinkle and shrivel up. Then, either eat about three tablespoons of the berries or crush them, boil them for 10 minutes, strain, and drink as a tea. Remember – eating fresh blueberries won’t have the same effect.

Another choice is the bilberry. It’s a variety of blueberry that also works well on diarrhea. You may find dried bilberries or bilberry extract in your local herb shop.

Drown your sorrows

While you suffer from diarrhea, sweating, or even vomiting, you have to keep your system “in the drink.” Otherwise, you may become dehydrated and feel even worse. So be sure to down at least eight to 10 glasses of liquid each day. It’s also important to replace the lost electrolytes – salts and minerals normally found in your blood, tissue fluids, and cells. So, caffeine-free sodas, popsicles, herbal tea, broth, or gelatin are good choices to try between glasses of water. Or, if you tolerate sugar well, try this recipe – mix one teaspoon of salt and four teaspoons of sugar into one quart of water. Drink two cups of this every hour. You can also buy re-hydrating drinks with electrolytes.

Cook up some rice

Want a simple, safe, yet inexpensive treatment? Boil some rice. Scientists have discovered a substance in cooked rice that keeps your intestinal cells from producing too much chloride, which can cause diarrhea. Many underdeveloped countries have been using this remedy for years. They simply drink the cooled water left in the pot after cooking rice. Do the same and you’ll get an extra benefit – this liquid contains starch and nutrients that help re-hydrate and restore your system.

Go bananas to get better

Hit the produce section next time your stomach gives you a bout of diarrhea. A green cooking banana, native to Africa and Asia, can regulate your bowel movements in just days.

One to two green cooking bananas, boiled in water and mixed with rice flour, helped children conquer persistent diarrhea in less than a week. That’s because these bananas are a rich source of a soluble fiber called pectin, which firms your stool. Without this tropical aid, the children took three-and-a-half weeks to recover.

Normally, food passes through your digestive tract in liquid form, eventually reaching your colon where the water and nutrients are absorbed. With irritable bowel syndrome, your food travels too quickly through your colon and remains watery. Just like it does in gelatin and jelly, pectin absorbs water and congeals. It hardens your stool enough to slow it down so you can absorb more nutrients.

To try this remedy for yourself, pick up some green cooking bananas in the imported fruit section of your local grocery store. You can cook them either in their skin or without it. Cut the fruit into chunks and drop them in a pot of boiling water. Cook until they turn yellow, about seven to 10 minutes. Mash the cooked banana and serve it warm over rice.

Try some cinnamon

Cinnamon relieves digestive problems. Cinnamon oil has been used for centuries as a folk medicine for upset stomach and diarrhea. It’s usually called “cinnamon drops.” Follow the directions on the cinnamon oil bottle. You can also sprinkle powdered cinnamon on your favorite pastries to help fight upset stomach and diarrhea.

Re-balance with yogurt

Remember how a poor diet or a course of antibiotics can affect the numbers of good and bad bacteria that live in your colon? When you don’t have enough probiotic bacteria – the good kind – that’s like leaving the door open for diarrhea to sneak in. Eating yogurt containing active acidophilus cultures can help restore balance and ease your diarrhea.

Swelling of the abdomen is not something to be taken for granted, especially on children. They are serious body illnesses that bring complication and health risks. They are not just ordinary lumps on the abdomen, but masses that can bring discomfort, pain, and other difficulties in the body.

Abdominal masses are usually characterized by lumps or swollen sections that normally develop in the abdomen – anywhere from the ribs to the upper legs. They are usually associated with the intestinal tract, kidneys, adrenal glands, spleen, or genitals, occurring to anyone of any age. These masses often do not look discolored, but they may cause pain when touched or hit accidentally.

Often, abdominal masses are results of injuries on the abdomen. However, they can also be due to the abnormal development of the kidneys, stomach, intestine, genital, adrenal, liver, and bile ducts. Some cases of abdominal masses are congenital, with the disorder present already during birth. Most abdominal masses in newborn babies are caused by hydronephoris, a condition that occurs when urine is blocked from the kidney and becomes difficult to excrete.

Abdominal masses can easily be identified through slight swelling or substantial bulge above the surface of the abdomen with the mass being so deep and invisible. When the mass is pressed, there is usually a significant degree of pain that can be felt. When these symptoms are taken for granted, possible complications may occur such as serious malignancy of congenital masses. Failure to treat the illness quickly and effectively may cause permanent damage to the patient.

To properly cure abdominal masses, it is better to consult the expertise of doctors. They usually require the patient to submit a medical history, physical exam, computerized tomography, CT scan, and x-ray results of the gastrointestinal tract to evaluate the case effectively. Medication, suggested home care strategies, and proper diet and fluid intake are usually advised according to the nature of the masses.

Do you ever feel like you have a three-alarm fire burning in your chest? You are probably not alone. As many as 60 million Americans suffer from heartburn each month; many of them suffer from digestive problems.

Fortunately, the burn usually does not have anything to do with your heart. The burning sensation comes from your esophagus, the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. Your stomach secretes a strong acid that is necessary for digestion. A special lining protects your stomach from the effects of this acid, but it does not protect your esophagus. When stomach acid backs up into your esophagus, it becomes very irritated and burns.

Although heartburn is common and rarely life-threatening, it can occasionally warn of a more serious disorder.

GERD, heart attack, and even cancer have been associated with heartburn or its symptoms. Yet the more you know about the link between heartburn and these other conditions, the better off you will be.

Get the word on GERD

Heartburn is the most known sign of the condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Your esophagus is supposed to be protected from acid splash-back by a valve called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Because that valve relaxes too much or does not work properly in many folks with GERD, the poor esophagus does not get much protection – which may explain the frequent heartburn.

While GERD is not a life-threatening condition, it is unpleasant and can sometimes cause digestive complications. GERD can cause bleeding and ulcers in your esophagus, also known as Barrett’s esophagus which is a precancerous condition, and even raise your risk of esophageal cancer. Experts recommend you get checked for GERD right away if you have these symptoms: heartburn more than twice a week, frequent coughing, difficulty swallowing or pain with swallowing, bleeding (i.e., vomiting blood, black stools, or iron-deficiency anemia), and a bad aftertaste in your mouth.

Know the clues to a heart attack

Heartburn can sometimes feel like a heart attack, but, in most cases, if you are having a heart attack, you will also have other symptoms. Check for these symptoms before you call 911: pain that spreads to your shoulders, arms, neck, or jaw; light-headedness, weakness, or fainting; sweating; nausea and shortness of breath; and severe abdominal or chest pain.

If you think you may be having a heart attack, get help immediately. You should also call for emergency help if your heartburn becomes severe and is accompanied by one or more of the symptoms listed above.

Anaphylaxis or allergic shock is a severe allergic response to medications and many other allergy-causing substances. It is usually caused by eating or being injected by something that usually causes allergic reactions. The allergic response to neutralize or get rid of the material results in a life-threatening overreaction. Often, they are caused by medications that are either taken orally or being injected. Insect stings and bites, chemicals, and particular food are also causes of allergic shock.

Within seconds or a few minutes after exposure to the allergy-causing substance, a person may display the following signs and symptoms: sneezing, tingling or numbness around the mouth, itching on random parts of the body, watery eyes, tightness in the chest, difficult breathing, swelling of the throat, and pounding heart. The patient may even lose his consciousness and faint. In some cases, not all symptoms occur. If most of the signs are present, however, it is best to seek immediate help.

An allergic shock attack requires first aid. If a friend or family member stops breathing due to anaphylaxis, here are the things you need to do:

1. Shout for help. Do not leave the victim alone.

1. Begin mouth-to-mouth breathing immediately.

1. If you feel that he still has no heartbeat, give external cardiac massage.

1. Have somebody call an ambulance or medicinal help. Do not stop CPR until help arrives.

To prevent further complications and recurrence, here are the things you need to do:

1. Tell the patient’s doctor how serious his condition is. Before accepting any medication, ask the doctor what it does.

1. Keep an anaphylaxis kit in the house and make sure that it is accessible to the patient. Be sure that you and other family members know how to use it.

1. Have the patient wear a Medic-Alert bracelet or pendant that warns people that he is allergic to a particular substance and can be attacked anytime.

1. For an effective treatment, inject adrenalin to the patient immediately in case of attack.

If not cured properly and promptly, anaphylaxis may cause more severe shock, cardiac arrest, and even death. However, with prompt treatment, a full recovery is possible.

Water can heal your body, moisturize skin, help control weight, and improve digestion. Best of all, it’s free. Count the ways water can help you.

Water helps your body heal itself. If you’re sick – or especially if you have surgery – drink¬ing water is an easy way to put yourself back on the road to recovery. After surgery, your body retains water to help it heal, so adding to your supply gives your body an extra boost just when it needs it most. Drinking water can also help you recover from bouts of nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Water moisturizes your skin and lips. Water is absolutely essential to healthy skin. Both water in the air and the water you drink give shape and nourishment to your cells. It makes your skin elastic and supple instead of dried up and shriveled like a prune. And don’t forget what it does for your lips. Water keeps them moist and kissably soft.

Water watches your weight. Your body needs this nutrient more than any other, and it happens to be calorie-free. Try a refreshing glass before eating. Water fills you up, making it easier to resist that mound of food on your plate. It also helps you eat more slowly – which is one of the ways that water fights indigestion and heartburn. What’s more, when you take your time, you end up eating less.

Water liquidates digestive troubles. If your digestive system is plagued with problems, make water your main priority. Water helps your digestive system run the way it’s supposed to. Whether it is constipation, heartburn, gas, irritable bowel syndrome, or just plain indigestion, lots of water will soothe your system and get things moving in the right direction.

Don’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink a glass of water. Your thirst, especially as you get older, may not be a reliable gauge of your body’s need. You could be two cups low before you feel it.

To make sure you get enough water to prevent trouble, count up how many glasses of liquid you drink each day. If your total is less than six glasses, you’re not drinking enough. Remember not to count alcohol or caffeinated beverages – like coffee, colas, or tea. These are diuretics, which cause you to lose water faster than usual. If you drink any of these, you need to drink extra water to replace what you lose. So, when you’re counting up glasses of liquids, you actually need to subtract one glass of water for every caffeinated drink you’ve had. Here’s a hint that may help you skip caffeine – and make your counting easier. Juices and herbal teas are good substitutes when you want something other than water.

Drink more when it’s hot. When the weather is hot and dry, or you get more exercise than usual, you will need more water. If your urine is clear or pale yellow, you know you’re getting enough.

Steer clear of these six potential troublemakers that can literally leave your intestines tied up in knots.

High-protein diets: These eating plans call for you to cut your carbohydrate intake. This means losing out on fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Some doctors and nutritionists think diverticulosis can be avoided by eating foods high in fiber, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. And even if you already have the little pouches, you can avoid infection by eating lots of fiber to keep your digestive system squeaky clean.

Refined grains: When it comes to flavor, refined grains are the featherweights of the grain world. The refining process strips the fiber out of bread, cereal, and other grain prod¬ucts – and the hearty flavor goes out right along with it. Trade in your white bread for whole grains, like whole wheat and rye and brown rice instead of white. It may take a while to get used to the nutty taste and heavier texture of these foods, but after a while, white bread and white rice will taste bland by comparison.

Drinking lots of water should also make your stools softer and decrease the chances that you’ll develop diverticula. And if you already have the little pouches, extra water can help fiber flush out bits of food that could cause problems.

Red meat: Harmful bacteria form in your gut when you digest red meat. They weaken your colon walls and make you more prone to those diverticular pouches. As if that weren’t bad enough, the fat in red meat raises your risk of diverticulosis, too. For better results, beef up your diet with chicken and fish, and avoid red meats. For anyone who wants to avoid diverticular disease, red meats are just a bum steer.

Stimulant laxatives: They irritate your colon more than they help. Instead of stimulants like senna, try natural laxatives like prunes, prune juice, or psyllium.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): You risk severe complications if you have diverticulosis and use NSAIDs, such as aspirin or ibuprofen.

Seeded foods: Traditional wisdom says pass up foods like popcorn, strawberries, and tomatoes. The kernels and seeds may get stuck in the diverticula and cause diverticulitis. Yet many scientists say there’s no proof. So ask your doctor what’s safe for you.

You do not want to take drugs for your nausea, and sometimes ginger just is not an option. What can you do? Here are three tried and tested tips to cure that annoying nausea:

1. Try the B6 fix. One of the most common, active ingredients in commercial anti-nausea medications is pyridoxine, otherwise known as vitamin B6. In clinical testing, vitamin B6 relieved the severe nausea and vomiting of early pregnancy, but, strangely, it did not work as well in women with only mild to moderate symptoms.

Since most anti-nausea medications have unpleasant side effects, such as drowsiness, taking B6 might be a better choice. Although you can get B6 from chicken, pork, dried beans, and whole grains, the amounts in these foods are probably not enough for the anti-nausea effect. If you are thinking of taking supplements, ask your doctor how much you can safely take.

1. Sniff out some spices. Because peppermint and chamomile can both calm spasms in the digestive tract, either one may help with mild nausea; plus, they both make pleasant-tasting teas. Turmeric cannot be made into a tea, but it may help mild nausea, as well.

1. Stop nausea at the source. Nausea or vomiting can be a drug side effect. Check with your doctor to see if you are taking a medication that may cause this – and follow his advice. Some antibiotics are mildly notorious for this kind of side effect. What may surprise you is that some herbs and supplements may cause trouble too – particularly if you take them in high amounts.

1. Visit your chiropractor. Chiropractic adjustments fix damaged or dislocated nerves, muscles, and joints by bringing them back to their original position or restoring their mobility and function.If your nausea is caused by vertebral subluxation or a damage in the nervous system, then a trup to your chiropractor should be the most effective solution.

Nausea is caused by many varying reasons, and depending on the severity, may last up to a couple of days. Make sure that you are equipped with the right knowledge on how to attack nausea before it destroys you.

Just when you thought that aspirin is always good because it heals, you should also know that it poisons when taken in excessively.

Aspirin poisoning is an acute emergency in childhood caused by accidentally swallowing a large amount of aspirin. People may take a purposeful overdose in a suicide attempt or gesture. There are many aspirin-containing over-the-counter medicines with many different names. If you suspect a loved-one has ingested such medicine, read the label carefully on the container to determine its exact contents.

You would know that somebody is poisoned with aspirin if he has rapid heartbeat and breathing, fever, lethargy, vomiting episodes, confusion, and seizures. These happen because the overdose of aspirin causes the kidney to excrete excessive amount of potassium and sodium, to increase metabolic rate, and to lower blood sugar. With severe poisoning, excessive bleeding, liver damage, and coma can occur.

Aspirin poisoning occurs when somebody intentionally or accidentally swallows more than 95 tablets of children’s aspirin or about 20 tablets of aspirin tablets. While complete recovery can be achieved with appropriate treatment, possible complications can also occur including dehydration, bleeding disorders, accumulation of fluid in the lungs or brains, heart and kidney failure, and even death if not treated quickly and competently.

First-aid treatment for aspirin poisoning can be done through the following steps:

1. After determining how much aspirin the patient has swallowed, call your doctor or poison control center immediately.

1. If recommended by the doctor or the poison control center, try to make him vomit with syrup of ipecac. This is a non-prescription liquid that you should keep on hand when there are young children at home. Specific instructions are on the bottle. Do not give more than what is recommended on the label though. Then, give about one-half to one full glass of water immediately after the ipecac. Do not let the patient drink milk or carbonated beverages.

1. Following are important reminders you should take note about medication for aspirin poisoning:

• • Ipecac is not recommended for children under 6 months of age.
  • Children six to eight months should take a dose of one teaspoon only.
  • Children eight months to one year old should take a dose of two teaspoons.
  • Children one to three years old should take a dose of up to three teaspoons.
  • The recommended doses can be repeated after 30 minutes if vomiting does not occur.

1. Whether the patient does or does not vomit, call your poison control center or physician again within 30 minutes. His stomach may need to be pumped.

1. If none of the above works, bring the patient to the nearest emergency facility to have his stomach washed out.

Whiplash is a neck condition where the muscles and ligaments are injured due to strong sudden movements in the backward and forward directions, as in a violent car collision situation. Accidents from sports and accidents may also cause whiplash injury. In a whiplash injury, your head goes through a sudden acceleration and then deceleration, and the neck structures are subjected to an unusual range of motion. It has been found from video analysis of actual collision cases that when a car is hit from behind by a fast vehicle, the car passenger’s neck gets hyperextended, which can cause the whiplash. The condition can be mild to severe but many treatment options are available.

Symptoms and Conditions Associated with Whiplash

Symptoms of whiplash injuries do not appear immediately, but within 24 hours of the event causing the injury. They include headache, which is more commonly felt directly above the neck area, neck pain, stiff neck, dizziness, blurry vision and fatigue. In moderate to severe whiplash, patients experience memory problems, irritability, difficulty concentrating and problems sleeping. In more serious cases of whiplash injuries, the head cannot be moved without pain, the pain extends to the arms and shoulders, and there is weakness, numbness or tingling in the arms.

These conditions are often associated with whiplash injury:

• Neck pain – This is the most common condition experienced from whiplash injury. Most people who get whiplash will feel some kind of neck pain.
• Headaches – The combination of neck pain and injury to the brain that are caused by whiplash can cause headaches.
• Dizziness – People who get whiplash injuries also experience some dizziness. This is due to the resulting injuries from facet joints of the spine and the brain stem.
• Low back pain – About 50% of patients who sustain whiplash injury also get low back pain. This is a result of accidents that are rear impact type wherein the body moves forward then snaps back.

Chiropractic Treatment for Whiplash

With the many available options to treat whiplash, chiropractic care is the preferred option by so many people. It is a manipulative treatment for the neck and spine to improve the conditions in a safe and non-invasive way. The spinal manipulation during chiropractic care, improves the vertebrae’s position in the spine, in the process helping restore movement in the affected part of the body. For many patients, chiropractic care, often employed in conjunction with massage therapy and physical therapy, is the best means they achieved recovery. Chiropractic care may also apply soft tissue rehabilitation technique. It helps improve other structures such as the muscles, tendons, ligaments, spinal discs and internal organs that can be disturbed by the whiplash injury.

With chiropractic care, one may experience relief from pain within a period of a few days or weeks. However, six months is the normal length of time needed for full recovery. Continued treatments using chiropractic care is often needed.

Other Treatment Options for Whiplash

Along with chiropractic care, there are other types of treatment options for whiplash injury. While home care or over-the-counter drugs may be sufficient for some, prescription drugs, physical therapy and specialized pain management may be needed by other people. Some of these options are:

• Pain management – The doctor may recommend any or a combination of the following to alleviate pain:
  • Rest – This may be helpful especially within the first day of the injury.
  • Application of heat or ice to the neck
  • Over-the-counter painkilling medications – Mild to moderate pain can often be controlled by pain relievers, such as, acetaminophen and ibuprofen.
  • Prescription painkillers – Patients with higher pain level may benefit short-term with prescription pain relievers.
  • Muscle relaxants – These medications may relieve pain and help in restoring sleep.
  • Injections of numbing medicine into muscle areas feeling pain
  • Exercise – A series of movement and stretching exercises may be recommended to restore range of motion in the neck and enable patient to resume normal day-to-day activities.
• Physical therapy – The physiotherapist may help teach range-of-motion exercises and exercises to improve posture, strengthen muscles and restore normal movements.
• Acupuncture – This treatment technique that uses fine needles, which are inserted through certain specific locations in the skin, may provide pain relief.
• Massage – This method may also provide relief of neck pain.

 

With an array of available treatment options for whiplash injury, it is wise to identify what is effective, safe, natural, less invasive and cost efficient method to get the best overall results and benefits.

 

There is hardly anyone who has not suffered from back pain. You may be among the eight out of ten people affected by back pain. Based on data from the American Chiropractic Association, at any given time, there is an estimated 31 million Americans who experience low-back pain. Back pain is a health complaint with one of the highest occurrences and one of the top reasons for absence from work. Aside from the huge negative financial impact it has because of American workers’ loss of productivity, it also accounts for at least $50 billion in annual spending on back pain treatments.

Causes of Back Pain

Injuries from accidents, work and sports are the most obvious causes for back pain. Other factors can contribute significantly to back pain and they include:

• Improper posture
• Being obese or overweight
• Poor physical condition from inactivity
• Kidney stones and other internal diseases, infections and blood clots
• Osteoporosis, a bone loss condition
• Psychological or emotional stress

Tips to Prevent Low Back Pain and Back Problems

Health care professionals recommend these simple pointers to prevent back problems and back pain:

• Before any activity requiring strenuous physical exertion, do stretching.
• Always stand and sit up erect. Do not slouch.
• Use chairs or seats with good back support, especially in the lumbar area, when sitting.
• Do not sit continuously for long periods of time. Take periodic breaks to stand and walk around to stretch muscles and relieve tension.
• Avoid bending over to pick up or reach for objects.
• When lifting, use your legs, not your back, to carry the load. Keep your back straight.
• Wear low-heeled and comfortable shoes.
• Control your weight to an ideal level.
• Do not smoke. Smoking reduces the flow of blood to the lower spine and leads to spinal disc degeneration.
• Keep your spine and bones strong by taking enough Vitamin D.

Other Ways to Prevent Low Back Pain

Aside from following these simple steps, which are mostly self-care and personal lifestyle changes, experts also suggest the following therapy methods for low back pain treatment and prevention:

• Chiropractic Care. Chiropractic is on top of the list. It is far safer, more cost efficient and more effective natural therapy for low back pain than medical treatments. Chiropractic emphasizes the body’s innate healing capability when it is free from spinal abnormalities. Both the American College of Physicians and American Pain Society concluded in a paper published in 2007 that spinal adjustment is the only active treatment recommendation for acute low back pain in patients whose conditions do not improve after other self-care options have been availed.

• Neuro-Structural Integration Technique (NST). It is a non-invasive and gentle technique that stimulates the body’s reflexes. In this process, NST “resets” the body so it can heal itself. The results have been reported to be profound and lasting and observed as early as after the second and third sessions.

• Mind-body techniques. Examples of this method used in treating severe low back pain are Emotional Freedom Technique/Meridian Tapping Technique (EFT/MTT). They are mostly used by psychiatric and psychology professionals who maintain that pain can have psychological or emotional origin. They are reported to have a higher than 80% success rate. Practitioners of these types of treatment techniques believe that underlying emotional issues as well as unresolved trauma can greatly influence one’s physical health, especially as it relates to pain.

• Massage therapy. The iliopsoas, muscles that connect the lumbar region to the femur, can shorten by sitting for extended periods of time. A massage therapist can apply deep but gentle massage technique to the pulled iliopsoas to release it, and the pain that goes with it. Mild stretching can also be done to counteract the shortening action of the iliopsoas.

• Intensive interdisciplinary rehabilitation. For chronic low back pain, experts recommend the application of any combination of exercise therapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, spinal manipulation, yoga, progressive relaxation and cognitive-behavioral therapy.

With so many different effective and safe options to treat low back pain, there is little or no reason at all to turn to medications or surgery that do little to address the underlying causes of back pain and might bring additional health issues with their use.

 

 

Some surprise bouts of diarrhea come from equally surprising sources. Get the scoop on avoiding these traps so you can stop diarrhea before it starts.

Avoid OTC medicines. Using anti-diarrhea products may not be as helpful as you hope. They slow down your intestines so much that you may not get rid of the diarrhea-causing bacteria in your body as quickly as you would otherwise. You should only take over-the¬-counter (OTC) medication if you have mild diarrhea that is not caused by an infection.

What’s more, if you take antacid containing magnesium, you may do more than relieve heartburn or indigestion. Studies have shown that high doses of magnesium can actually cause diarrhea, and in severe cases, death.

To help you avoid both danger and diarrhea, remember this. These products are safe only if taken in the recommended doses for a short time.

Do not lose track of laxative use. Remember that taking a laxative at the first sign of constipation can lead to trouble. If you use them too often, you can become dependent on them, and they may lose their effectiveness. Overuse can cause cramping, diarrhea, and dehydration. Laxatives containing magnesium can have even more serious side effects, like breathing difficulties, irregular heartbeat, and even coma.

Be careful with supplements. Diarrhea can be a sign you have had enough – or even too much – of vitamins or supplements. For example, excessive doses of vitamin C about over two grams a day may lead to side effects such as diarrhea, digestive problems, and kidney stones.

Undercut an overload. If diarrhea, gas, and bloating seem to have popped up out of the blue, check your fiber intake. If you have added a lot of fiber to your diet recently, you could be experiencing the side effects from that hefty addition, especially if you are not drinking lots of water.

Perhaps you just need to add fiber more gradually, instead of all at once. This way your digestive system can adjust gradually to the extra fiber, and your taste buds can get used to the different taste. Try tricks like mixing a high-fiber cereal with a low-fiber favorite for a while. It is also important to drink more liquids to reduce side effects and help the fiber do its critical job.

Be wise to side effects. Both prescription and over-the-counter drugs have side effects. Talk to your doctor to see if diarrhea is one of them and follow his advice. Examples of drugs that may cause diarrhea include Viagra, some antibiotics, and the beta blockers used to control blood pressure.

Being exposed to fire is no joke. It can cause serious and permanent damages to the body. Hence, it is always best to know the proper preventive measures in order to avoid the danger of burns.

First Aid Treatments

For superficial burns, prepare a solution of vinegar, water, and two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking soda or a rounded teaspoonful of common salt in a one pint container (450 cc). Any soothing or protective grease, such as petroleum or 5% csulfathiazole ointment, can be used as a substitute. However, application of grease is not ideal if the burn is to be checked up by a physician in the future.

For deep or extensive burns, put the patient to bed, removing clothing from burned areas carefully. If the clothing adheres to the skin, cut out the adherent portions and remove the rest of the clothing so the patient can be undresses. Be careful not to tear the skin or other tissues in the body. Do not let the patient become chilled because of the danger of shock. Send for a physician at once.

After the burn, one of the greatest perils is infection. As soon as possible, and continuously until the physician arrives, cover the burned areas with sterile gauze, kept wet with a solution of baking soda or common salt to keep out dirt and keep the gauze from sticking to the raw flesh. Never put absorbent cotton next to the skin as a dressing over a burned area. Before preparing and handling any dressing for a burn, be sure your hands are clean, and preferably rinsed in a Lysol solution and dried on a clean towel.

Preventive Measures

The prevention of burns is obviously an important objective. Since a burn may be fatal, crippling, or permanently disfiguring, you should know how to protect yourself against burns. Here are several useful preventive measures against burns and fire:

When going outside, do not forget to apply sun-screen lotion on your skin. Make sure that it contains at least 98% UV protection to ensure that the heat of the sun will not cause your skin to burn.

Fireproof your home. Install smoke alarms and plan emergency exits. Moreover, make sure that your child wears appropriate protective gear. Teach him to observe safety precautions when he is around heat or radiation.

Be cautious with uncovered electric wires. Do not touch wires and electric outlets with wet, bare hands. Discard extension cords with a pronged plug on one end and a bulb socket on the other as these are hazardous.

Teach children safety rules about handling matches and electrical outlets. If there are small children on the house, ensure that there are safety caps on unused outlets.