The next in this week’s series of blog post on first aid looks at strokes.
When have covered some of this area before so you might be interested in our previous posts which you can find here.
What to do when someone has a stroke [Infographic] by the team at imperative training
Acupuncture
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Acupuncture is a treatment derived from ancient Chinese medicine in which fine needles are inserted at certain sites in the body for therapeutic or preventative purposes.
It is often seen as a form of complementary or alternative medicine (CAM), although it is used in many NHS general practices, as well as the majority of pain clinics and hospices in the UK.
Western medical acupuncture is the use of acupuncture after a proper medical diagnosis. It is based on scientific evidence that shows the treatment can stimulate nerves under the skin and in muscle tissue.
This results in the body producing pain-relieving substances, such as endorphins. It is likely these substances are responsible for any beneficial effects seen with this form of acupuncture.
Traditional acupuncture is based on the belief that an energy, or “life force”, flows through the body in channels called meridians. This life force is known as Qi (pronounced “chee”).
Practitioners who adhere to traditional beliefs about acupuncture believe that when Qi does not flow freely through the body, this can cause illness. They also believe acupuncture can restore the flow of Qi, and so restore health.
Read more about what happens during acupuncture.
Acupuncture practitioners – sometimes called acupuncturists – use acupuncture to treat a wide range of health conditions.
It is often used to treat pain conditions such as headache, lower back pain and osteoarthritis, but is also sometimes used in an attempt to help people with conditions ranging from infertility to anxiety and asthma.
Acupuncture is occasionally available on the NHS, although access is limited. Most acupuncture patients pay for private treatment.
Read more about the common uses of acupuncture.
Currently, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) only recommends considering acupuncture as a treatment option for chronic lower back pain, chronic tension-type headaches and migraines. NICE makes these recommendations on the basis of scientific evidence.
There is also some evidence that acupuncture works for a small number of other problems, including neck pain and post-chemotherapy nausea and vomiting.
Acupuncture is sometimes used for a variety of other conditions as well, but the evidence is not conclusive for many of these uses.
Read more about the evidence for and against acupuncture.
When it is carried out by a qualified practitioner, acupuncture is generally very safe. Some people experience side effects such as feeling drowsy or dizzy, but these are usually mild and short-lived.
If you choose to have acupuncture, make sure your acupuncture practitioner is either a regulated healthcare professional or a member of a recognised national acupuncture organisation.
Read more about acupuncture safety and regulation.
There is some scientific evidence acupuncture has a beneficial effect for a number of health conditions.
However, there is less clear scientific evidence about the benefits of acupuncture in the majority of conditions it is often used for.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) only recommends considering acupuncture as a treatment option for chronic lower back pain, chronic tension-type headaches and migraine.
One of the best ways researchers can assess the evidence behind a particular treatment is by carrying out a systematic review. This is a “study of studies” that combines findings from separate but similar studies to come up with an overall conclusion.
Systematic reviews are an important part of health research because they can identify findings that might otherwise be missed in individual studies. They can also help distinguish the effects of treatment from the effects of chance.
It is important to remember that when we use a treatment and feel better, this can be because of a phenomenon called the placebo effect and not because of the treatment itself. Systematic reviews can help reduce the potential influence of the placebo effect.
While systematic reviews cannot always determine conclusively whether a treatment does or does not work, they can be useful in assessing how a particular treatment (such as acupuncture) compares to another (such as “sham” acupuncture or medication).
However, even this can be challenging – both acupuncture and placebo treatments can stimulate the release of natural painkilling substances called endorphins, which can make it difficult to distinguish between them.
One of the largest and most respected organisations that carries out and publishes systematic reviews into the effectiveness of medical treatments is The Cochrane Collaboration.
A number of systematic reviews into the effectiveness of acupuncture have been published by The Cochrane Collaboration, and the basic results are summarised below.
Systematic reviews carried out by The Cochrane Collaboration have found there is some evidence acupuncture may have a beneficial effect on the following conditions:
However, because of disagreements over the way acupuncture trials should be carried out and over what their results mean, the existence of some positive evidence does not mean acupuncture definitely works for these conditions.
In many cases, the evidence appears contradictory. For example, some high-quality studies may suggest acupuncture is no better than “sham” acupuncture, whereas some lower-quality studies may suggest acupuncture is better than an established medical treatment.
The issue is sometimes also further complicated by the fact some “sham interventions” include active needling and are therefore not true placebos.
In addition, it can be difficult to make sure the patients involved in acupuncture studies are unaware of the specific treatment they are receiving (known as “blinding”).
This is because it is obvious whether you are receiving a conventional medical treatment such as medication or if you are receiving acupuncture, for example. This is a problem as it means the preconceptions of the person being treated may influence the result.
Some systematic reviews, however, have demonstrated the effects of acupuncture over sham treatment in studies where patients are unaware whether they are having real acupuncture or sham treatment.
For example, one large meta-analysis (a type of systematic review) not carried out by The Cochrane Collaboration included data from more than 17,000 patients. It compared acupuncture to sham acupuncture or no acupuncture without patients being aware of whether they had received real or sham treatment.
This review found acupuncture to be superior to both sham and no treatment for headaches, osteoarthritis, back pain and neck pain.
In many conditions where acupuncture is used, there is not enough good quality evidence to draw any clear conclusions over its relative effectiveness compared with other treatments.
For example, systematic reviews published by The Cochrane Collaboration have suggested more research is needed to assess whether acupuncture is effective for: asthma, glaucoma, schizophrenia, depression, shoulder, pain, elbow, pain, rheumatoid arthritis, Bell’s palsy, restless legs syndrome, insomnia vascular ,dementia, stroke, stroke rehabilitation and swallowing problems caused by stroke
More research is needed to establish whether acupuncture is better or worse than best standard treatments for these conditions.
If you want to find out more about studies into acupuncture, you can search for high-quality research using the NHS Evidence and Cochrane Library websites.
6 Things Your Eyes Say About Your Health
Eyes are considered as mirrors to your soul, but they can also be described as mirror to your health. Your eyes reflect everything that’s going on in your body. And you have probably noticed that; for example when you’re healthy your eyes have that “sparkle”, on the other hand, when you’re feeling sick your eyes seem heavy and sick as well. Throughout this article, we’ll list things that your eyes say about your health.
If you notice that outer third of your eyebrows (parts closest to your ears) is slowly disappearing, without plucking etc., then you might have a thyroid disease: either overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) or underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). Thyroid gland is essential for your overall health as it regulates your metabolism. Furthermore, thyroid hormones are crucial for hair production.
Problems with thyroid disease usually include loss of hair on different parts of body, but since eyebrows are prominent, this occurrence is usually noticed here first. If you notice your eyebrows are thinning, you should consult your health-care provider or dermatologist. Furthermore, before your appointment, list all body changes that occurred recently.
Small, slightly raised, and sometimes reddish bump that you notice along the inner or outer eyelid margin is, in fact, a stye. They aren’t dangerous. However, if this little bump is persistent and won’t go away even after three months then you might have a form of a rare cancer, sebaceous gland carcinoma.
How to tell them apart? That’s easy, although they look quite similar; styes go away within a month. On the other hand, carcinoma is persistent. You should consult an appointment and consult your ophthalmologist.
If you, or someone you know, developed a grey ring around your cornea it could indicate problems with cholesterol and higher levels of triglycerides. The arcus senilis, the grey ring, could mean you have high chances of suffering from cardiovascular diseases or stroke. Ideally, you should do a blood test to check for elevated blood lipids.
Noticing cloud-like formation in one or both of your eyes indicates cataract. The condition is more prevalent in older people and can be successfully eliminated through surgical procedure. However, in some cases younger people can develop cataracts as well. It usually happens due to side effects of some medications, diabetes, tumors etc.
If you notice that your eyelids became droopy and pupils have different sizes, you should definitely consult your doctor immediately. These symptoms could indicate presence of Homer’s syndrome which is associated with aneurysms and tumors in your neck.
When you feel like your eye is twitching, and you can’t really control it, it’s quite uncomfortable and annoying, but nothing dangerous. Twitching usually occurs when you are stressed out, sleep-deprived, or if you had too much coffee during the day. Twitching usually goes away by itself. However, if you feel like parts of your face are twitching with your eye, then you should consult your doctor as problem could be more severe.
Tips for healthy and younger-looking eyes
When we’re getting ready to go to work or go out on Saturday night, we spend most of our time making our eyes pop. When we’re not going out, we use masks or cucumber slices to relax the sensitive skin around the eyes. Healthy and pretty eyes are crucial for the overall appearance. Here are some tips that you could find useful:
Conclusion
Your eyes reflect all changes that happen in your body. Therefore, as soon as you notice some changes in or around your eyes you should consult your health-care provider as these changes could be a sign of an underlying medical problem. Ideally, lifestyle fitness, healthy nutrition, and products formulated for your eyes are ideal for making them look healthy and pretty at all times.
Must watch this video: 3 Wonderful Tips for Long and Luscious Eyelashes You Should Know
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References
1. http://goweloveit.info/general/how-to-accelerate-the-growth-of-your-eyelashes/
2. http://www.mybeautygym.com/5-tips-eyelashes-longer/
Author Bio
Margaux Diaz is Health and Beauty Expert. She has interest in building knowledge and self – confidence of people who really want to improve their Life by proper Health guide and stay fit for life time. She is an inspirational writer and has written numerous Articles related to Health and Beauty. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter
Brain health
Physical activity is important for overall health. It helps you lose weight or maintain the healthy weight you already have, and it’s good for your heart as well. But benefits of physical activity go beyond that, it’s of crucial importance for the optimal brain health. In fact, regular aerobic exercise boosts your daily intellectual performance and significantly lowers risk for dementia. Even just walking for 30 minutes can do the trick.
What you eat directly impacts your brain as well. After all, your brain requires vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to function properly. A healthy diet is associated with lower risk for dementia. Furthermore, healthy weight with a low ratio of body fat lowers your risk for memory disorders. And the best thing is you don’t need to buy some supplements or other products to improve your memory. You can do so by consumption of fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods such as foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Additionally, reduce consumption of alcohol and caffeine.
We all experience loss of concentration and focus from time to time, particularly when we study for an important exam or try to finish an important work project. The truth is, healthy brain and focus go hand in hand. To be able to concentrate and focus on everything you do, you have to make sure your brain is healthy and strong to process information. One way to do so is through mental stimulation. To function properly, your brain needs to be challenged. You can train your brain and improve your focus in number of ways, such as:
High blood pressure is a quite common condition in which the long-term force of the blood against your artery walls is abnormal. Hypertension affects 74 million Americans, which is 1 in 3 adults. It is also responsible for every six deaths in American adults according to the Harvard Medical School. It is largely believed that high blood pressure has damaging consequences on your heart only.
Because hypertension involves heart and blood vessels, it is classified as a cardiovascular disease, but arteries are essential for the health of all our organs, which means that hypertension can be defined as multisystem disease. It can impact your brain, kidneys, eyes, and especially the brain. One of the most severe consequences of hypertension is a stroke. Noticing symptoms of high blood pressure and consulting your doctor can save your life.
Symptoms of high blood pressure include:
In some cases, individual doesn’t even experience some symptoms of hypertension that is of extreme importance to control your blood pressure regularly. Furthermore, healthy lifestyle is the best way of preventing hypertension and possibly stroke.
Learning to recognize symptoms of stroke in yourself or other people is highly important. Getting early treatment can minimize the damage and save your life. Symptoms include:
Although dizziness doesn’t always mean something is wrong, in some cases it could be a symptom of the underlying problem. If you experience persistent dizziness make sure you see your doctor who will make a diagnosis and inform you whether the problem is your brain or some other organ in your body.
Positive thinking isn’t just an excuse for motivational speakers to earn more money. Thinking positively can have a beneficial impact on your brain. If you believe you have a good memory or that you can improve it, then you will. Scientists explain this phenomenon with the fact that positive thinking reduces stress.
Chronic stress destroys healthy brain cells and disrupts your memory among many other things. Finding your unique way of keeping stress at bay is of extreme importance for your brain health.
Video:
Conclusion
To stay functional and healthy, our brain requires healthy lifestyle. Eating healthy foods and regular physical activity can protect the body and the brain from various diseases. Remember to challenge your brain to keep it sharp.
References
Author Bio
Kathy Mitchell was born and raised in the USA. She has done MA in English literature. She loves to write articles on health and beauty. Also she is contributing to consumer health digest since 2011.Her articles are both professional and creative. She loves to read health product reviews online. You can contact her on Facebook and Twitter.
Stroke Awareness
So we thought it would be a good idea to share Donnee Spencer’s brilliant stroke awareness butterfly. It would be great if you could share this with your freinds and famil
A as a way of reducing the risk of a stroke you may well wish to lower your cholesterol intake as well as your salt and sodium usage. Check out this article for some great tips on how to do so here.
