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Archive for December, 2010

Lupus is a complex autoimmune disease that can affect many parts of the body by causing inflammation and damage to the tissues of the skin, joints, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels and brain.

For the majority of lupus victims, the disease is only mildly evident touching just a few body organs, but for others lupus can be disabling and even life-threatening.

Who can get Lupus? More women than men can get lupus. It is more common in women of African-American, Native American, Hispanic and Asian descent rather than in Caucasian women. Lupus can be inherited as studies have revealed that many lupus victims have one or two family members with the disease. The defective gene responsible for lupus is yet being identified by the medical community.

Diagnosing lupus can be very tricky because it can be mistaken for other diseases like fibromyalgia, depression, or chronic fatigue syndrome. These signs and symptoms can give a warning of the onset of this disease:

Butterfly rash across the nose and cheeks Intense fatigue Painful or swollen joints Unexplained fever Skin rashes on other body parts Unusual hair loss Chest pain Kidney problems Pale or violet fingers due to cold or stress Low red blood cell count Seizures Sensitivity to sun Cardiovascular disease Ulcers on mouth or nose The medical field has not yet discovered a cure for lupus at this time. Doctors can only control the flares and prevent consequent complications especially when the condition touches major organs of the body. But on a more hopeful outlook, with early detection and a suitable treatment plan, it is possible for over-all symptoms to be managed, and for victims to survive healthy lives.

Scalp pimples often are actually small inflammatory areas around hair follicles and are pimples on the scalp that are different to pimples / acne of the face which is associated with the oil glands that open directly on the surface of the skin.

On the scalp, the oil glands open into the hair follicles and often you will get a little inflammation around the hair follicle. Generally the use one of the ordinary medicated tar shampoos will control it nicely. They are not true pimples such as acne on the face but simply folliculitis or inflammation of the hair follicle.

The disorder can vary in nature and basically all variations result in small, itchy pustules that are generally first noticed while combing / brushing the hair. Such pimples can get infected quickly and become a problem.

The cause of scalp pimples is not clear but generally it is micro-organisms such as yeast, mites and staph bacterium that thrive on the scalp and can lead to scalp pimples.

Sometimes yeast may infect the crown and result in a small, red rash that stubbornly hangs on when treated with a variety of lotions and shampoos. Treatment with topical antibiotics may be necessary and in more severe infestations steroids may be needed, but usually simple and unrelenting scalp hygiene will solve the problem. Sometimes the doctor may prescribe an oral as well as a topical medication to eradicate scalp pimples caused by yeast infection.

The mild forms of scalp pimples are a nuisance but nothing to worry about. The affected area usually responds to the application of a salicylic acid solution (tar shampoo) but care in use of such preparation should be taken due to the extreme dehydrating and stripping action of compounds like benzoyl peroxide that can have an adverse and permanent effect on the actual hair.

Scalp hygiene should be improved if scalp pimples become evident and persist. Any hypoallergenic shampoo calibrated for oily skin types will definitely be of benefit as they will limit the production of sebum which is the naturally produced oil on the skin.

Note that the above information refers to to adults and not the scalp pimples that can be found on babies. Scalp pimples are sometimes the result of exposure to their mother’s hormones during the birthing process and simply keeping the area dry over a period of days will allow the area to generally clear up on its own.

Cradle cap may be part of an overall skin issue that can be addressed readily by rubbing baby oil onto the head and then combing through it with a small comb; this will loosen the yellowish-brown ‘cap’ that is somewhat attached to the skin. Sometimes small red bumps are part of the cradle cap, but it is nothing to be too concerned with as long as they are disappearing within a few days after birth.

Complete and continued cleanliness of the hair and the skin is necessary to fully eliminate serious pimples on the scalp. Many people deal with milder conditions that are merely irritating and inconvenient, but do not pose a health threat. In these cases, there are numerous over-the-counter shampoos and scalp treatments that treat scalp pimples.

There are many medications that are available to cure cold sore but which is the best cold sore medicine that will show its effect quickly. The best medicine should have the components not only to cure but also to prevent reappearance of such painful situation.

The medicine will help to control the formation of the blisters. The usual occurrence is mainly due to the HSV-1 virus. The choices of medicines available for cold sores are not much.

So you have to choose very tactfully but for that you have to know more about the medicines.

Abreva, Benzocaine, Docosanol, Zovirax and Lidocaine are some of the medicines that are available for curing acute cold sore. Abreva, a FDA approved drug, has some fan following while for some patients this drug is completely useless.

This drug is available for a very small quantity of .07 ounce at a comparatively high price of $16 to $20. Zovirax can be crowned as an effective medicine but the $120.00 for the 5g tube can be too much for many.

It shows the effects very quickly and soothes the tingling and pain that it is coupled with.

The blisters will be cured if Zovirax is applied as soon as it appears. You can also consider Docosanol because it has proved to be effective for many people. It will ease the symptoms.

In the same way the medicines like Acetaminophen, Benzocaine, Ibuprofen and Lidocaine are also more or less effective agents that can cure the blisters and lessen the pain.

Among all these I will recommend Zovirax as the best cold sore medicine though the price is quite high for this medication.

To speed the wound healing process, you need to understand what is involved in wound healing. There are three phases: the inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling phases. What happens in the healing process is a growth of millions of tiny blood vessels producing new capillaries. Wound edges are then pulled together and in the last phase, new collagen forms. Time may heal all wounds. But to encourage this to happen faster, there are several things that can be done.

How to heal open wounds faster? First aid guidelines…

Most wounds do not require emergency medical treatment. However, watch for signs of severity.
If the wound is either too deep, infected, if you can’t control the bleeding, if there are still remaining debris after cleaning or if the wound is located on sensitive skin, medical wound care is usually much needed. You may also need steri strips or sutures to help close the wound and heal faster.

For any open wound, your main focus should be to reduce the bleeding and avoid infection by applying pressure on the wound. Next wrap a sterile and absorbent cloth (or a compress) around it.
To reduce bleeding, you can also raise the injured part above the level of the heart.
When the bleeding is controlled, an ice pack wrapped in a towel can be applied until it begins to feel numb. This helps constrict blood vessels.To clean the wound, rinse it out with clear water. Do not use soap because it can irritate the wound, so try to keep it out of the actual wound. Wound cleaning reduces the risk of infection and tetanus.

Fastest and safest wound treatments? Natural remedies…

In case of superficial open wounds, there are many natural remedies that can be used to help fight against the infection and regenerate new cells.

Colloidal silver to avoid further infection

Colloidal silver helps kill bacteria without damaging newly forming skin cells. It does not sting or burn. Other antiseptics sting when applied to a wound because they are killing the surrounding wall tissue cells. Colloidal silver does not harm the surrounding cells or tissue. Use a spray and sprinkle the colloidal silver over the affected area.

Herbal remedies and essential oils

If infection is still likely to happen, it is best to avoid applying aloe vera or any essential oils on the wound at this stage. Essential oils, such as tea tree or clove oil, provide excellent treatment to heal faster when infection is unlikely. Comfrey or calendula ointments can also be used topically.

Other tips to heal open wounds faster

Wounds heal faster if there is no pressure on them and if they are kept relatively motionless. Movement disrupts the formation of the new blood vessels. Bandages keep the wound clean, keep harmful bacteria out, and maintain moisture to prevent your skin from drying out. Bandages should be changed daily. However, after the wound has healed enough to make infection unlikely, exposure to the air will speed wound healing.

Other natural ways to heal an open wound? Nutrition…

Nutrition is definitely something to focus on. Whereas good nutrition facilitates healing, malnutrition can delay, inhibits and complicate the process.
Protein is required as part of the inflammatory process, in the immune response and in the development of tissue. The amino acid arginine is also important because it is abundant in the structure of collagen. Carbohydrates are needed for a healthy inflammatory response. Essential fatty acids are essential for skin membrane function. However, some studies show that fish oil supplements could slow down wound healing. Omega-3s from fish oil are anti-inflammatory, but you might want to avoid it for a while. Vitamin B, E, A, C, zinc and copper play key roles in wound healing.

Nuts, seeds, polyunsaturated oils such as flax, olive, or hemp oil, whole grains and beans should be part of your diet. Eat vegetables and fruits to get plenty of vitamins and minerals. A wound Diet Supplementation can also help heal faster. A study (Rohrich’s study) shows that taking a herbal supplement called InflammEnz can heal a wound 20% faster. This herbal product combines several antioxidants, nutrients and enzymes, including calcium and potassium. But there are four in particular that are suspected of boosting the healing process : vitamin C, bromelain, rutin, and grape seed extract.

Important notice:
The information provided is for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for the advice of an appropriately qualified and licensed practitioner.

French chemist Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) has to be ranked up there as one of the greatest contributors to the areas of microbiology and infectious diseases.

A painter and a teacher, Pasteur studied chemistry in his spare time which eventually led to professorships at several French universities and contributions to the wine and silkworm industries.

Refuting spontaneous generation

The famous “swan necked” flask experiment that Pasteur used in refuting spontaneous generation worked like this: a fermentable juice was placed in a “swan neck” flask, and after sterilization the neck was heated and drawn out as a thin tube taking a gentle downward then upward arc, resembling the neck of a swan. The end of neck was then sealed. As long as it was sealed, the contents remained unchanged.

If the flask was opened by nipping off the end of the neck, air could enter the flask, but the microbes and dust could not reach the liquid, being trapped in the curved neck of the flask, which remained sterile despite exposure to air.

Silkworms

While studying silkworms, he discovered several diseases that were killing off the silkworms in the cocoon and damaging the silk industry. He was able to examine the worms microscopically and used only uninfected worms for breeding. He taught silkworm farmers how to detect infected worms with a microscope so they could select disease free worms. His work in the silkworm industry was an important step in proving the germ theory of disease.

Alcohol fermentation and Pasteurization

He discovered that carefully selected yeasts made good wine, but that mixtures of other microorganisms competed with the yeast for sugar and made the wine taste oily and sour. His work in the wine industry later lead to his namesake method called pasteurization. This technique of heating the liquid that spoils easily, milk for example, heated to kill most bacteria and molds already present within them.

Rabies

He did a lot of work in the field of vaccines, but he is most well known for his work with rabies. He used dried spinal cord from rabbits infected with the disease. He tested it on animals with success but wanted to test it on a human.

In 1885, a 9 year old boy who was severely mauled by a rabid dog and his mother showed up to Pasteur’s lab. The boy, who was doomed to die the horrible death from rabies, was the first person to get immunized against rabies. He survived and remained in good health for the rest of his life. Pasteur became a legend as newspapers from around the world reported this and others saved by his rabies vaccine.

The list could go on and on with Louis Pasteur. He later became director of the famous Pasteur Institute in 1894. He died the next year as a national hero.

Menopause Migraines – Treatments for the Afflicted
Women who are going through menopause experience many different changes within the body and sometimes emotional stability can become disrupted as well. Along with the usual symptoms of menopause including hot flashes, night sweats, heighten anxiety and irritability many women experience menopause migraines. With the changing of hormone levels at this time in a woman’s life, these symptoms of menopause can often be serious and even debilitating. Many women experience migraines in early years that are often noticed to be associated with menstruation and some women’s migraines actually decrease with menopause while others experience more severe migraines during this change in life.

Migraines are very distinct from regular headaches. The pain of a migraine is usually isolated to one side of the head and most experience a throbbing type pain. These types of headaches can last for hours and sometimes even days. Symptoms associated with menopause migraines can include nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity and noise sensitivity. The pain may be more severe while bending or doing any kind of physical movement. They also can make a woman feel very tired and weak. Some women experience auras before the onset of a migraine. This neurological phenomenon is usually experienced as a visual disturbance, which is characterized as lights, perhaps shimmering around objects or zigzag lines that disrupt the field of vision. Some women experience hallucinations or wavy images while others may have total vision loss for a short amount of time.

Finding an effective treatment for these types of migraines can be challenging as most common headache pain relievers often have no effect on this type of severe headache. Doctor prescribed medications such as Imitrex, Zomig, Frova and Maxalt have been reported to be very effective in some women. The most effective treatment for menopause migraines is hormone replacement therapy. Choosing this form of treatment balances the hormones thus relieving the symptoms. Women who experience menopause migraines should speak with their physicians about the best possible treatment choices for them.