Types Of Lap Bands

Types of Lap Bands

Lap bands, or gastric bands, are adjustable cords-usually made from silicone-that are designed to help patients lose weight. Installing a lap band is a type of restrictive bariatric surgery, meaning it alters a patient's digestive tract so that less food is consumed. According to HealthWorldNet.com, lap bands work by constricting the stomach, sectioning it off so that its overall capacity is reduced. (See References 2) This means less room for food, making patients feel fuller sooner than they usually would.

The Easyband

As of 2009, the Easyband is the newest type of lap band in development. Traditional bands utilize a balloon mechanism that the patient inflates or deflates with a saline solution to adjust the band (inflate to tighten, deflate to loosen). The Easyband is instead equipped with a microchip and a small motor, which allows the patient to make the adjustments by simply using a remote control device. The Easyband is available in England and Europe and has not yet been approved in the U.S.

The Swedish Band

Professor Dag Hallberg developed the first type of lap band-the Swedish band-in 1984. The Swedish band wraps around the upper portion of the stomach and can be adjusted as needed to allow food to pass down to the lower portion of the stomach for digestion. Unlike other types of lap band, the Swedish band features a balloon system that is integrated throughout the band itself, making it more flexible.

The Lap-Band

The Lap-Band is perhaps the most well known and widely used type of lap band, and the brand name is often used as a synonym for gastric bands in general. Dr. Lubomir Kuzmak patented the band in 1985; and since 2001 (when it received approval from the FDA), the number of Lap-Band procedures that have been performed exceeds 350,000. The band can be tightened or loosened by seven to eight millimeters.

The Midband

According to SurgicalTeam.com, Dr. Vincent Frering developed the Midband in an attempt to improve upon the Swedish and Lap-Band systems. (See References 1) It is designed to be as soft as possible, and features no sharp or otherwise irregular edges. This helps ensure that the Midband does not damage the inner walls of the stomach, even if the band rubs against them. The Midband is shorter than other types of lap bands and features a larger balloon.

Tags: gastric bands, other types, portion stomach, type band, Types Bands

How Is Stage Iii Melanoma Treated

What "Stage III" Means

Melanoma is ranked in stages 0 to IV, with IV being the most severe. Lower stages start out as lesions on the skin, and higher stages indicate migration of the disease into the blood, lymph nodes and, possibly, the organs. Stage III melanoma is melanoma that is present in only the sentinel (or regional) lymph nodes, or lymph nodes closest to the site of initial cancer on the skin. Lymph nodes act as blood filters and catch things like viruses and other abnormal cells in the blood. There are lymph nodes in the groin, head and neck, and axilla (armpits). Doctors base decisions about which nodes to biopsy on where melanoma is found on the body.

Sugery & Radiation

With stage III melanoma, it is important to surgically excise all of the cancerous tissue from the primary site on the skin, as well as to surgically remove all of the infected sentinel lymph nodes. Removal of the nodes is important to prevent the cancer from spreading to other lymph nodes and, even worse, vital organs. Radiation to the site of lymph node dissection often follows surgery, to kill any remaining cancerous cells in the area.

Interferons

Immunotherapies called interferon and interleukin-2 are used to stimulate the body's immune system. After removing the cancer and lymph nodes, treatment targets any remaining cancer cells in the blood, so they do not metastasize to vital organs. According to the National Cancer Institute, interferon increased progression-free survival time in most patients in three different clinical trials.

Chemotherapy

According to the Mayo Clinic, melanoma has been resistant to chemotherapy until recently, when new forms were developed. While most chemotherapy options for melanoma are "off label," meaning they are not FDA approved to treat melanoma, chemotherapy is a worthwhile option to consider if the melanoma is resistant to immunotherapy. There are also clinical trials that use immunotherapy and chemotherapy together, as well as trials that are testing chemotherapy on its own for this disease.

Other Options

The American Cancer Society warns that standard treatments for stage III melanoma are not necessarily curative and won't work for everyone. For this reason, it is important to remember that clinical trials provide an option outside of the standard of care. Clinical trials are part of the FDA approval process for medications in the United States, and while no definite results are promised, they can provide the most cutting edge technologies. Treatments being tested include vaccinations, chemotherapy and gene therapy. If other treatments have failed, this is a promising option. Talk to your oncologist about clinical trials for stage III melanoma available in your area, and visit clinicaltrials.gov, where all clinical trials in the United States are listed, along with contact information for doctors who are conducting the studies.

Prognostic and Treatment Factors

Age, physical health and activity of the patient are prognostic and treatment factors. Most of the treatments for stage III melanoma are very aggressive, and can take a toll on the body. Elderly patients and patients who are not physically healthy before their diagnosis are often limited in their treatment options. In such cases, it is important to investigate clinical trials and alternative methods of treatment. Other prognostic factors include the location of the disease and how much it has spread. While stage III specifies that the disease is in the sentinel lymph nodes, the number of lymph nodes that are infected makes a difference in prognosis. After surgery, a pathological diagnosis will be able to predict how much the cancer has spread within the lymph node region. Fewer cancer cells in the lymph nodes means that the cancer has not spread as much, and potentially there is less residual cancer in the blood. Treatment protocols generally do not vary based on this outcome, however, as all advanced stages of melanoma should be attacked as aggressively as possible.

Tags: lymph nodes, clinical trials, stage melanoma, cancer cells, cancer spread

Use Physical Therapy To Treat Bunions

Use Physical Therapy to Treat Bunions

If you act early, you can prevent bunions from worsening by counteracting their growth through physical therapy and other corrective treatments, such as orthopedics and proper footwear. Physical therapy can also help manage post-operative foot pain and prevent bunions from reappearing after surgery. Read on to learn use physical therapy to treat bunions.

Instructions

1. Ask your physical therapist to show you use toe exercises to stretch out the muscles, joints and tendons that are constricted by the bunion. This can be an effective way to treat the stiffness and pain bunions cause, and can prevent the bunion from getting worse.

2. Get a deep-friction massage from your physical therapist, or have your physical therapist recommend you to a massage specialist who can perform the technique. This type of massage works by stimulating circulation while moderating inflammation and soft-tissue buildup in your toe and foot.

3. Know that your physical therapist may be able to use ultrasound techniques to halt, retard or, in exceptional circumstances, turn back the clock on the growth of your bunion. Be aware, though, that some bunions are in too difficult a location or have grown too large to benefit from ultrasound techniques.

4. Get your physical therapist to use special taping and bandaging techniques to treat your bunion. These techniques--which your therapist can help you master--can mitigate the friction that irritates bunions and, in some cases, can even help reposition your toes into a correct alignment.

5. Use a special surgical band, with the instruction of your physical therapist, to help correct your foot if you have undergone surgery to correct your bunion. These bands work to strengthen your foot and ankle while helping to improve toe mobility.

6. Understand that special foot exercises are also commonly prescribed by physical therapists to patients who have undergone bunionectomy procedures. While surgery can remove a bunion, there is no guarantee that the condition will not recur. You must be diligent about correcting the imperfections that contributed to your bunion in the first place.

7. Follow your physical therapist's instructions closely. Do not attempt more repetitions of an exercise than are suggested. Doing so may cause potentially serious muscle, joint and bone complications.

Tags: physical therapist, your physical, your physical therapist, your bunion, your foot, bunion These

Improve Your Critical Thinking Skills

Improve Your Critical Thinking Skills

Like anything else in life in order to improve your critical thinking skills you have to think critically. Just like exercise or the lack thereof -- jogging everyday improves the efficiency of all the muscles in your body that are involved when you jog; likewise, not using those muscles causes them to deteriorate and become less efficient. So how do you exercise your critical thinking skills? That's what I'll explain below here.

Instructions

1. ~Read Books~

The benefits of reading are vast and incredible. Reading improves memory by requiring the reader to remember plot, event, setting, and character details. It improves creativity by requiring the reader to imagine many of the details for his or herself. It also increases your vocabulary and ability to focus. All of these things add up to making you into a more efficient thinker so go get a library card and dive in.

2. ~Solve Crosswords~

Crossword solving shares many of the benefits that reading does such as creativity, memory, and vocabulary. But it also causes the solver to think in a connective way forcing him or her to pave neurological in their brain that may not have existed prior to then. The result is a more efficient brain and improved critical thinking capacity. You can find crosswords in just about any printed newspaper available today as well as online and bought separately in crossword books.

3. ~Play Sudoku~

One of the most amazing feats of the human brain is its capacity to create systems for absorbing familiar types of information with ease. Sudoku is a purely logical, systematic exercise for the brain. It causes one to program their brain to recognize a massive array of possibilities with the numbers 1-9 in a 9x9 little square -- this game can really flex your pure cold intellect. Like crosswords, Sudoku can be found in most printed newspapers available today as well as online and bought separately in Sudoku books.

4. ~Play Strategy Games~

More specifically, strategy games involving two or more players. This way the players must attempt to think like their opponent(s) through reaction and adaptation in order to win. Many strategy games work for this effect but strategy board games like Chess and Risk seem to stand out the best.

Tags: critical thinking, available today, available today well, books ~Play, bought separately, Critical Thinking

Magnet Work

How Does a Magnet Work?

Magnetic Fields

A magnet is an object that attracts certain metals by use of it's magnetic field. These metals include iron, cobalt and nickel. The space around the magnet contains the magnetic field, which is created by the movement of negatively charged electrons. Electrons have mass, and a slight charge. In magnetic metals, the electrons are unpaired, and spin in the same direction, creating magnetic domains, or lines of force, that travel in the same direction.

Magnetic Lines of Force

The magnetic field of a magnet is the boundaries of it's magnetic lines of force. These are the north to south lines in a magnetic field. Magnetic lines of force always start at the north end of a magnet and end on the south end, just like the Earth's axis. Any magnet will set itself parallel to the lines of force, which is how compasses work, and why magnets repel or attract magnetic materials, depending on the north-south position of the magnetic lines of force.

Magnetic lines of force draw near each other when the come close to the north and south poles, or ends, of the magnetic, but grow farther from each other as they move away from the poles. They do not cross over each other.

Types of Magnets

There are three types of magnets. Hard, or permanent, magnets are just like their name, permanently magnetic. They make their own magnetic fields constantly. Soft, or temporary, magnets only create magnetic fields when they are under the influence of a hard magnet's field. They will continue producing a magnetic field for a short while after leaving the field of a permanent magnet.

Electromagnets are artificial magnets that create a magnetic field only when electricity travels through them. They are made with wire coils. When the electricity moves through them, electrons are created and their movement makes a magnetic field. The size of the field can be controlled by the amount of wire coils and the amount of electricity that is sent through them.

Tags: magnetic field, lines force, each other, through them, create magnetic, just like, lines force

Keep Asthma Under Control

Asthma is a chronic lung condition which affects your ability to breathe. During an asthma attack it is harder to exhale than it is to inhale. If you have asthma, your illness may be related to allergies, stress or chronic inflammation, which is bronchitis. Asthma never goes away. It can only be controlled with medication, knowledge of your triggers and common-sense management of your daily symptoms.Babies, children and adults can all be diagnosed with asthma. Parents of children who are so diagnosed must learn what triggers their children's asthma and teach their child to handle those triggers.

Instructions

1. Call your doctor. When you notice that you are experiencing symptoms, such as difficulty in breathing, especially during the fall or spring, increased coughing, sometimes with phlegm or mucous production, and feelings of tiredness or exhaustion, call your doctor and make an appointment. Your doctor will perform several tests, such as the lung function test, to determine the percentage at which your lungs are functioning. He may also order allergy testing to find out if your symptoms are related to allergies. If he determines that you are suffering from asthma, he will prescribe at least one medication, which will be an inhaler. This will be your "rescue" inhaler, usually Albuterol. Depending on how serious your condition is, you may also be prescribed a long-acting inhaler like Symbicort or Advair. These medications may contain corticosteroids which will reduce the inflammation and swelling in your lungs, which will help you to breathe better.

2. Listen to your doctor and use your new medication(s) as he orders. If he prescribes a peak flow meter, use it. A peak flow meter is a small device which measures how much air you are able to force out of your lungs in one exhalation. If you score a high number, you're doing well. If you score a low number, get your inhaler and use it. If your symptoms persist after using your inhaler--or if your numbers go even lower--call your doctor or go to the emergency room right away.

3. Depending on what you have been prescribed, use it precisely as your doctor orders. If you find you are using your inhaler more often then he prescribes, let him know. You may need other medications. Do NOT use the Albuterol more than is prescribed. This medication stimulates your cardiovascular system, which causes your heart to beat harder and more rapidly. This can cause a potential cardiac arrest. Children with asthma who use their inhalers without adult supervision sometimes spray way too much medication into their lungs.

4. Monitor your lung capacity daily or as often as your doctor orders. To do this, use your peak flow meter. Inhale until your lungs are as full of air as you can breathe in. Place your lips around the mouthpiece of your meter and FORCEFULLY blow the air out of your lungs. Keep blowing until you've emptied the air fully out of your lungs. Write down the measurement and repeat this process two more times. Write down each result. Your doctor will tell you which numbers indicate you are doing well, which numbers indicate you need to increase your medication and which numbers indicate you need to call him right away or go to the emergency room or urgent care. You will eventually become comfortable and know from the numbers you get, and by how you feel, when you need to call your doctor.

5. Report occurrences. If you experience any unusual or sudden symptoms when you use your medications, let your doctor know right away. You may be experiencing a side effect which may be simply annoying; or you could be experiencing a life-threatening side effect. This cannot be stated often enough--use your medications exactly as ordered by your doctor!

6. Exercise, which is beneficial to asthmatics. There are some precautions you should know about and use before you exercise. First, use your rescue inhaler about 45 minutes before beginning exercise. Take your inhaler to your exercise session, because you may need it. Stop your exercise session if you don't respond to your rescue inhaler.Bicycling, swimming and walking are all good forms of exercise which help to increase your cardiovascular endurance. You will have more energy; you will also breathe better. If you need to lose weight, your weight loss will result in more comfortable breathing.

Tags: your doctor, your lungs, flow meter, numbers indicate, peak flow, peak flow meter

Apothecary Jars And Crafts

Apothecary refers to a pharmacist who prepares medicines.

Apothecary jars are jars with lids that come in a variety of sizes. Pharmacists, or apothecaries, used the jars to store wet and dry items for prescriptions. Today, you can use apothecary jars in your home for decorative storage, holiday displays and to create one-of-a-kind gifts.

Stained Glass Jars

Give an apothecary jar a stained glass look with acrylic or enamel paints for glass. Wash the jar and lid with soap and water and dry with a soft cotton towel. Work with one color at a time and allow it to dry thoroughly before applying another color. This prevents the paints from mixing together and creating an unwanted color. For a deeper shade, apply an additional coat of each color.

Floral Jar

Create a floral apothecary jar by gluing a small piece of crafting foam in the bottom of the jar. Surround the foam with polished river rock or colored marbles. If necessary, cut the silk flower stems to fit inside the jar. Push them into the foam and place the lid on top.

Another idea for a floral apothecary jar is to clip the stems off enough roses to fill the entire jar. Push them in tightly but not so tight that they become misshapen. Replace the lid on the jar and tie a silk bow around the top. Hot glue two or three smaller roses in the center of the ribbon.

http://www.michaels.com

Lighted Jar

Remove the pointed end of a solar light and apply hot glue around the flat end. Carefully slide the glued end into the bottom of the jar and hold in place until the glue sets. Fill the jar to the bottom of the solar light with seashells, rock, buttons, marbles or small ceramic items. Replace the lid and wrap it with rope or ribbon.

Seasonal Jars

Use apothecary jars for displaying holiday items. Glue a tapered candle in the bottom of the jar and fill it halfway with party blowers or confetti for a New Year's celebration. Celebrate spring by filling an apothecary jar with a bird nest and faux eggs. Jelly beans are another good option. For an Independence Day celebration, fill jars with small flags, star-shaped confetti or layer them with colored candies. Fill a jar for Halloween with a small plastic skull or skeleton and surround it with red gelatin. Fill jars with ornaments or colored candies for a Christmas display.

Tags: jars with, apothecary jars, colored candies, floral apothecary, Push them, solar light

Treat Canker Sores With Goldenseal Tea

Goldenseal is a plant touted for its medicinal properties. It contains hydrazine and berberine, mild astringents and antiseptics that may soothe canker sores. By simply swishing this strong tea in your mouth, you can dull the intense pain often associated with these mouth ulcers. Be careful not to swallow this tea, as it can be toxic in large quantities or over a long period of time. Pregnant women should not treat themselves with goldenseal.

What Is An Antacid

An antacid is a medication taken to reduce stomach acidity, typically to relieve pain from heartburn or indigestion. Antacids also help relieve the pain of stomach and duodenal ulcers. Available in various forms, antacids can be purchased without a prescription, but people are advised to talk with a physician about their use.

Function

Antacids are designed to raise the pH level of the stomach from a too-acidic state. Neutral pH is 7, while the normal stomach acid level usually is 2 to 4.

Main Ingredients

Antacids contain sodium, calcium, magnesium or aluminum, or a combination of these. Any of these ingredients can raise pH levels by neutralizing stomach acid.

Additional Ingredients

Some antacids also contain simethicone, to relieve excess gas.

Types

Antacids are available in tablets, capsules, granules, wafers, powders and liquids.

Brands

Some brands of antacids include Mylanta, Pepto Bismol, Phillips Milk of Magnesia, Rolaids and Tums.

Other Use

Physicians may recommend antacids with aluminum carbonate or aluminum hydroxide to treat excess blood phosphate, which can cause kidney stones.

Tags: relieve pain, stomach acid

Reduce Scar Discoloration

If you have old scars or new scars, keloid scars or hypertrophic scars, the marks that are left after an injury or surgery can be a real pain to live with. There are many options out there to try to reduce the appearance of a scar, but there are no guarantees. Every person heals differently, and some options may work for you while others may not.

Instructions

1. Buy a bottle of decent quality vitamin E capsules. Break open a capsule and apply the oil directly to the scar daily. You might also try a similar regimen with mineral oil or even fresh aloe cut directly from an aloe houseplant.

2. Opt for a product like Mederma or Bio-Oil. You can buy these products at your local drugstore. These two products are designed to help minimize the appearance of scars, and work very well for some people, while others say it had no effect. It's very much a trial and error process.

3. Try prescription or over the counter silicone based pads. You wear these pads as a patch over a scar and, over time, it is supposed to reduce the puffiness and discoloration of a scar, especially with hypertrophic and keloid type scarring.

4. Let time heal your wound. Often, scars look the worst 4 to 8 months after the initial injury. This means that your skin could have healed nicely and then all of a sudden start looking worse. The reality is that it can take a few years for your skin to heal completely, and the scar may or may not fade over time. Every person heals at their own rate, and so your scar may just need more time to heal so it's wise not to rush into surgical options if you can help it.

5. Consult with a plastic surgeon as a last resort. There are a few different procedures for scar removal, including Z-plasty, tissue expansion, skin grafting, flap surgery, radiation therapy, and steroid applications and injections. Laser can also be used to help minimize discoloration, but all of these treatments pose some risks and may not work in every case.

Tags: Every person, Every person heals, help minimize, over time, person heals, time heal, while others

Turn Off Ease Of Access Options In Windows Vista

The "Ease of Access Center" is a built-in Microsoft Windows Vista feature that controls accessibility settings and programs. With "Ease of Access," it is easier to see, hear and use the computer. It is designed for people with visual difficulties, hearing loss, discomfort in their hands or arms or reasoning and cognitive issues. However, if you do not need this feature, you can turn it off from the log-on screen. Note that you will need administrative rights to disable "Ease of Access."

Instructions

1. Restart your computer. Wait until your computer boots and the log-on screen appears.

2. Locate the "Ease of Access" button in the lower left-hand corner of the log-on screen. It should say "Ease of Access" when you hover the mouse over the button.

3. Click the button to launch the "Ease of Access" dialog box.

4. Click to remove the check next to "Hear text on screen read aloud (Narrator)."

5. Remove the check next to "Make items on the screen larger (Magnifier)" by clicking on the check box.

6. Click to remove the check next to "See more contrast in colors (High Contrast)."

7. Remove the check next to "Type without the keyboard (On-Screen keyboard)."

8. Click to remove the check next to "Press keyboard shortcuts one key at a time (Sticky Keys)."

9. Remove the check next to "If I press keys repeatedly, ignore extra presses (Filter Keys)" by clicking in the check box.

10. Click "Apply" followed by "OK." Reboot your computer. You will not find the "Ease of Access" button on your log-on screen.

Tags: Ease Access, check next, log-on screen, Click remove, Click remove check, Remove check next, remove check next

List Of Healing Herbs

Healing herbs have been used to treat health conditions for thousands of years. With the help of leaves, flowers, roots and berries, the plant world offers a variety of healing herbs that boosts the immune system, fights infection and naturally remedies disease. Today, you can make herbal remedies at home or purchase over-the-counter medications at your local pharmacy.

Fennel

Native to the Mediterranean region, fennel is a healing herb possessing anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Fennel essential oil and seeds (gathered in autumn) create remedies to treat morning sickness, nausea and stomach spasms. Prepare a gargle with fennel seeds to ease sore throats, use as eyewash for pink eye or make an infusion to treat indigestion. Safe for children, fennel also provides relief to colicky and teething babies.

Echinacea

With a reputation for containing active components that heal a body fighting the common cold--the roots, leaves and purple flowers of the echinacea plant have a stimulating effect on the immune system. Use the root to make decoctions for throat infections and tinctures to treat chronic infections. Follow Native American medicine and choose echinacea to treat toothaches. Create a healing herbal tea with the leaves and flowers to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Other conditions that respond to echinacea include cold sores, acne, fungal infections and canker sores.

Ginger

Available as an extract or eaten raw, cooked, crystallized or pickled, ginger is one of the most versatile of healing herbs--known for its natural anti-inflammatory effects. During the cold season, use ginger to treat congestion and kill the viruses that cause the flu and strep throat. Heal an upset stomach associated with pregnancy, motion sickness or chemotherapy with ginger. According to a Department of Environmental Medicine study conducted by Odense University in Denmark, powdered ginger relieves pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and muscle ailments.

Garlic

Leading the double life of a popular cooking ingredient and medicinal miracle worker, garlic packs an anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-parasitic punch. Cloves of garlic contain volatile oil--a common element found in antiseptic and antibiotic healing herbs. Providing an immunity boost, garlic shows promise in taming colds, flu and other common infections. Garlic also cleanses the digestive system, kills internal parasites, and aids digestion. Common preparations include capsules, tablets, syrups and freshly chopped cloves.

Aloe Vera

With a history that traces back to Africa, the reputation of aloe vera as an effective choice in topical wound healing includes treatments for skin ulcers, minor burns, eczema, canker sores and seborrheic dermatitis. Today, home healers and modern medical practitioners use the potted plants for instant access to the clear gel in the leaves and a yellow sap (called 'bitter aloes') at the base of the leaf. To extract aloe vera gel--break off a leaf, split open and run a knife across the exposed leaf to collect.

Ginseng

Whether you choose American, Korean or Siberian, all types of ginseng assist in the healing process of illnesses, treat low energy and support the central nervous system. Use ginseng to improve feverish conditions and ease the pain of inflammatory conditions. The herb also improves physical strength, soothes a difficult childbirth and relieves symptoms of blood diseases. Dried and fresh ginseng root harvested after four years provides the highest concentration of the healing herb.

Tags: canker sores, healing herb, immune system, leaves flowers

Treatment For Pleomorphic Adenoma

A pleomorphic adenoma is a benign tumor in the salivary glands that appears as a firm and painless mass. In rare cases these tumors can sometimes become malignant (carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma) and will grow rapidly, cause pain and could become life-threatening. Treatment of the benign tumor is essential is preventing a malignant tumor from occurring.

Complete Surgical Excision

The most common and effective treatment for pleomorphic adenoma is a complete surgical excision of the tumor itself, according to the World Journal of Surgical Oncology (WJSO). The procedure involves the removal of the entire tumor and some surrounding tissue to prevent recurrence. A considerable amount of extra tissue may need to be removed, as these types of tumors are known to have finger-like extensions that grow into the area surrounding them.

A superficial parotidectomy is done under general anesthesia and takes approximately three to four hours to complete, according to Georgetown University Hospital. The surgeon makes an incision on the neck and near the ear. It typically heals with minimal scarring and without damaging the facial nerve.

Risks

The surgical risks involved in the removal of the tumor vary with the tumor itself. A smaller, more confined tumor will be easier to remove and therefore be less likely to cause damage to the facial nerve located nearby. A tumor that extends to a wider area may carry heavier risk. According to Georgetown University Hospital, surgeons are extremely careful in working near the facial nerve and most patients heal normally and do not experience any abnormal function.

Nerve weakness could occur for up to four months after surgery, but this generally does not require any therapy. Permanent nerve damage rarely occurs.

The possibility of infection exists with any surgical wounds, but can be treated with antibiotics. In addition, saliva may ooze from the incision after surgery. The surgeon should be notified, but usually this will only be temporary and should not require further treatment.

Radiotherapy

In some cases, doctors may feel that follow-up radiation treatment is necessary. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) do not recommend radiation therapy in all cases and suggest that it is reserved for specific patients with surgical difficulties. According to the NIH, radiation therapy could increase the likelihood that any recurring tumors become malignant. The WJSO reports that studies have shown a 6 to 7 percent recurrence rate for patients with benign pleomorphic adenoma.

Tags: facial nerve, after surgery, become malignant, benign tumor, Georgetown University, Georgetown University Hospital, patients with

Hepatitis C Alternative Treatments

The hepatitis C virus silently attacks the liver. Most people who are infected with hepatitis C are not even aware they have the virus because it produces no symptoms. The liver damage usually shows up in a routine medical test decades after hepatitis C has begun. The virus causes inflammation of the liver, interfering with its functioning and eventually leading to liver failure, cirrhosis or cancer of the liver. Hepatitis C is transmitted through contaminated blood. The disease can be treated with drugs, but alternative treatments for hepatitis C are also available.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a method for treating pain and disease through the strategic placement of tiny needles on the patient's body. The premise of acupuncture is that correcting the balance of energy in the body will restore it to a disease-free state. Acupuncture has had some success with pain and disease control in some patients, but it remains to be seen if it can cure advanced hepatitis C.

Chiropractic Treatment

Some hepatitis C patients seek treatment from chiropractors. A chiropractor treats musculosketal and nervous system disorders but operates under the assumption that all body functions and systems are connected, and the healing process of any disease involves the entire body. Chiropractors will not prescribe drugs or perform surgery. They will attempt to cure the hepatitis C by manipulating joints. Results are not available for the effect of chiropractic treatment specifically for hepatitis C.

Herbal Remedies

Of all the alternative methods available to treat hepatitis C, herbal remedies might offer the most promise.

Milk thistle is often the first herb mentioned in treating hepatitis C. It contains solitarian, which is thought to contain medicinal properties. Studies directly related to milk thistle's effect on hepatitis C are currently being conducted at the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, but results have not yet been published . So far, scientists have not found clear evidence that treating hepatitis C with milk thistle is beneficial. The herb is sold in tablets and capsules.

Licorice root contains glycyrrhizin, which has shown the potential to reduce the long-term effects and complications of hepatitis C. According to the United Stated Department of Veterans Affairs, there is already some evidence to suggest that using glycyrrhizin long-term might help to prevent patients with hepatitis C from getting liver cancer. Several clinical studies determined that taking the glycyrrhizin lowered levels of liver enzymes but did not lower the quantity of hepatitis C in the blood. Hepatitis C sufferers should talk to their doctors before taking licorice root because it interacts with some medications. And taking the herb for a long time can cause side effects, such as headaches, sluggishness and high blood pressure. Licorice root is available in liquid extracts and capsules.

Tags: pain disease, treating hepatitis, with hepatitis

Guide To Semiprecious Stones

Guide to Semi-Precious Stones

Stones can be categorized as either precious or semi-precious. Precious stones, like diamonds and rubies, are more rare and expensive than their semi-precious counterparts. Though semi-precious stones are not as valuable, they are prized for their beauty, and many ancient civilizations used them to make jewelry. Semi-precious stones are still used in jewelry and ornament crafting today, and their various colors allow artisans to be creative in their designs.

Amethyst

Amethyst is among the most valuable of semi-precious stones. A completely pure and perfect amethyst is transparent and has no color, but most people desire amethysts for their more common purple hues. Typical amethysts have a range of purple colors, some of them more red-purple, and some more blue-purple, and all variations are used for jewelry. The amethyst has been popular and desired throughout history partially because purple used to be the color reserved for royalty. Many rulers owned jewelry made with amethysts, and the collection of British Crown Jewels contains some amethysts. There are myths dating back to ancient Greece that claim amethysts have healing and protective properties, and that they can ward off intoxication. Some Latin American cultures believe that certain amethyst artifacts have psychic abilities.

Moonstone

Moonstone has a range of potential physical characteristics. These stones are soft and gentle in appearance, and are usually milky white or pink. They can be transparent or transluscent, and they are usually slightly irridescent. This sheen causes moonstones to reflect silvery-blue light, reminiscent of the full moon. Ancient Romans loved moonstones, especially since they believed these stones were crafted by the moonlight itself. India still considers moonstone to be sacred, and a perfect gift for lovers to give to each other. Moonstone is also popular with Wiccans and people who practice forms of New Age spirituality because mooonstone is said to have powers of healing and protection.

Iolite

Iolite is a transparent gem that occurs in various shades of blue. It has a crystaline structure, and one of the interesting characteristics of Iolite is that it appears to change colors depending on how the light hits its surface. Iolite is sometimes called "The Vikings' Compass" because ancient Viking sailors used navigation tools made with lenses of iolite to determine the exact position of the sun. Iolite has been used in jewelry making for centuries, most traditionally in pendants.

Turquoise

Turquoise ranges in color from blue to green, and most stones are teal in color. They are completely opaque, and usually have black or gray veins running through them. Turquoise stones are often left unfinished, and their irregular shapes heighten their beauty and mysticism. Oftentimes, turquoise is set in sterling silver since silver accents the blue-green of the turquoise more beautifully than other metals. Turquoise has been used throughout history by many civilizations, including the Ottoman Turks, the Egyptians, the Persians and the Native Americans. Turquoise bracelets have even been found on the mummies of Egyptian pharaohs. Some Native American tribes regarded this stone as sacred. Many believed it had healing powers, and some tribes used turquoise jewelry as part of ceremonial garb.

Lapis Lazuli

Lapis lazuli is a deep-blue rock that has been labeled as a semi-precious stone for millenia. Completely pure lapis lazuli stones are an even, uniform blue in color, but most stones have flecks or swirls of yellow, white or gold in them. Lapis lazuli was worn by royalty in ancient Egypt and Babylon, and people of the Persian empire regarded it as a sacred stone. Lapis lazuli has been used for jewelry for thousands of years, but it has also been carved into decorative sculptures and used in Italian renaissance-era mosaics.

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Treatments Using Ayurvedic Herbs

Ayurveda is a holistic system for good health, developed in India and used worldwide, that treats common illnesses and ailments with herbal remedies. Ayurveda employs herbal healing to balance the body's energies, which is a basic principle of Ayurvedic herbal medicine, but herbs should not be used on their own to treat serious conditions.

Identification

The Ayurvedic system is a whole-body approach to health. Ayurveda incorporates diet, exercise, routine, psychotherapy, herbal medicine and a variety of other treatments to achieve and maintain complete health. According to "The Way of Ayurvedic Herbs" by Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa and Michael Tierra, the basis of Ayurvedic care is the maintenance of good health. However, when sickness does occur, the most commonly prescribed medicine in Ayurvedic practice is herbal medicine.

Energy Balance