Medicrit – Medicare

Archive for December, 2010

When I was a boy my mom used to get really bad migraine headaches. She would lock herself in her room and not come out all night sometimes. A few times, the pain was so bad I had to take her to the emergency room to get an injection. Now that I’m grown up, my girlfriend Jessica also gets frequent migraines. She will often have to stay home from work or sometimes go to the emergency room as well. Since two of the most important people in my life are afflicted with these painful headaches, I found myself wanting to know more about migraines in the hopes that I can do something to help. Both my mom and Jessica have taken prescription medications for their migraines in the past with differing results. None of the medications end up being a permanent solution. Often these medications are expensive and come with unwanted side effects, plus I just don’t my loved ones taking more medication, so I want to avoid conventional medicine and stick to homeopathic treatments if possible.

So what makes a migraine? What causes them? Why do some people get them and others don’t? What can be done to prevent them naturally, without medication? I have found that there are numerous causes for migraines. These headaches are well researched, and there are many natural remedies and dietary suggestions for preventing them. In order for people to stop their migraines they need to analyze their lifestyle and dietary habits that cause them. In this essay I will explore the causes of migraines and what can be done to prevent them without conventional modern medicines.

First I’d like to clarify exactly what a migraine headache is. The best definition I found was in an article on MedicalNewsToday.com titled “What is Migraine? What Causes Migraines?”, which defines a migraine as, “a severe, painful headache that is often preceded or accompanied by sensory warning signs such as flashes of light, blind spots, tingling in the arms and legs, nausea, vomiting, and increased sensitivity to light and sound.” Now that we know what a migraine is, let’s continue exploring what causes them and how they can be prevented.

Migraine headaches are difficult to study scientifically because they deal with pain, which is subjective, and varies from person to person. Not everyone feels pain equally and there is no real scientific method of properly and consistently measuring the pain of a headache. Because of this, not all experts agree about exactly what causes a migraine (“Causes & Treatments”). We do know that the majority of migraine sufferers are women (“Migraine Headache”). We also know that the cause of the physical pain from a migraine headache is the enlargement of blood vessels just underneath the skin of the head. The blood vessels enlarge and the nerves surrounding these blood vessels release chemicals which cause pain, inflammation, and further enlargement of the blood vessels (“What is Migraine”). The pain of a migraine can last for hours or even days.

Although we know what causes the physical pain of these headaches, the triggers for migraines are numerous and the true underlying cause of is still unknown. Some people get them from previous head injuries, some only get them at certain times on certain days, and some only when they eat specific foods (“Migraine Headaches”). The possible triggers for migraines are so numerous, in fact, that they can be split into seven different categories. An article on Berkely.edu titled “Migraine Triggers” lists the seven categories of migraine triggers as dietary, sleep, hormonal, environmental, stress, stress letdown, and physical. There are many possible reasons a person will get a migraine and it’s difficult to tell which trigger is setting off a particular person’s headache. A migraine could be set off by someone skipping a meal; taking a certain medication; changing their sleep pattern; being around bright lights, odors, pollutions, smoke; or being put under mental or physical stress. Obviously migraines can be set off by a lot of different factors. So what can we do to prevent them?

Just as there are numerous amounts of possible triggers for migraines, there are also quite a lot of prevention measures that sufferers can take to avoid getting these painful headaches. Even better, there are a lot of measures you can take that do not involve taking medication. First, let’s talk about dietary suggestions to prevent migraines. Food triggers do not affect everyone equally and some triggers will affect a person only on occasion (“Migraine”). Some examples of foods known to cause migraines are beverages with chocolate, cocoa, alcohol, and caffeine; fruits like figs, raisins, avocados, papayas, and overripe bananas; vegetables like beans, sauerkraut, green beans, peas, garlic, olives; and the list of foods to avoid goes on and on. Some migraine sufferers will see an increase in headache frequency after eating these foods. However, it’s important for each individual to learn which foods trigger the headaches for themselves, since the triggers vary from person to person. Luckily there are many natural remedies for migraines, such as drinking ground up grapes, grinding lemon rinds into a paste and placing on the forehead, drinking vegetable juices, and applying a cabbage leaf compress to the forehead among others (“Migraine”). It’s clear that the causes of migraine headaches are numerous and vary widely among the people who suffer from them. So in order to determine the best way to avoid the headaches for themselves, migraine sufferers need to analyze their dietary and lifestyle habits to identify their particular triggers.

Now that I have found this wealth of information of possible causes and prevention methods for migraines, I plan to talk to Jessica and my mom about their headaches a bit more. I know both of them know some triggers that cause their migraines; for example, Jessica knows she’ll get migraines if she drinks coffee too much. However, both my mom and Jessica get migraines somewhat frequently, so I suspect neither of them know all of their triggers. I think it’s going to take time and a bit of effort for both of them to really get to the bottom of these headaches, but now they’ve got me to help them figure it out and armed with this new information, we should be able to figure it out together.

I started out researching this essay wanting to know what exactly causes migraines and what can be done to prevent them. I figured it was a straightforward question, with, more than likely, an equally straight forward answer. On the contrary, I found that the possible causes for these headaches are numerous and their true source is still unknown. Luckily though, the numerous food triggers and natural remedies for migraines are well documented. Using this information any migraine sufferer can analyze their lifestyle and dietary habits to determine their own personal migraine triggers and hopefully prevent the migraines altogether by avoiding these triggers. In the end it’s up to each migraine sufferer to work out for themselves why they get the headaches and how to prevent them as much as possible.

Works Cited

“Causes and Treatments of Migraine and Related Headaches”. emedicinehealth.com. 11 Oct. 2005. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.
Law, Kristy. “Migraine Headache: Symptoms, Causes, and Triggers”. health.learninginfo.org. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.
“Migraines”. home-remedies-for-you.com. 2008. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.
“Migraine Triggers”. uhs.berkeley.edu. Web. 29 Nov 2010.
“What is Migraine? What Causes Migraines?”. medicalnewstoday.com. 30 Apr. 2009. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.



The ovary is a female reproductive organ which also releases the two most important hormones in girls – estrogen and progesterone. These are actually extremely small organs – about the size of an almond nut – and found on either side of the uterus connected by the fallopian tubes.

The cysts on ovaries are actually caused by a collection of fluid around or within it. This will lead to an abnormal enlargement of the organs if not immediately diagnosed and treated. Although there are cases wherein the cysts may remain as diminutive as a pea, there are other cases wherein it can swell as big as your fist.

Most cysts on ovaries are benign, the small ones won’t be noticed that much. However, if this abnormality progresses into an uncontrollable state, it may cause tremendous pain and bleeding.

Symptoms of Cyst on Ovaries

There are several symptoms of ovarian cyst. If you are experiencing most of these and you are in your reproductive stage, visit your OB-GYN as soon as possible.

Firstly, patients suffering from this condition will have severe pain in the lower back and/or pelvic region. The woman may also experience tenderness during and after urination and sexual intercourse.

Other signs and symptoms include irregular monthly flow. For instance, menstruation may occur once in three months or several times in one month. Spotting or bleeding is also a possibility even if it is not your time of the month. This caused by the pressure of the enlarged cyst on the uterus and other organs surrounding it.

Infertility may either be a temporary symptom or a direct consequence of this condition. Treating this may yield positive results for your fertility problems. Again, consult with your physician.

Diagnosing Ovarian Cysts

There several ways of finding out if fluid has indeed accumulated within your ovaries.

Imaging device such as the ultrasound, MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and CT (Computerized Tomography) Scan are great ways to assess the extent of the condition.

Experts can also do Laparoscopy, where a tiny scope is inserted within the incision created in your abdomen. This will allow the doctor to look immediately into the organ. They can also test the hormonal levels of the woman since changes in the amount produced are certainly inevitable.

Medical Management

Treating this condition depends on what kind you have in the first place. This is the main reason of going on a check-up. Functional Ovarian cysts rarely affect the physiology of the body negatively due to its size. Often, this is resolved on its own.

Those which have grown too big surely require careful surgery. Most of the time, the doctor takes a small sample before deciding on the right path. Don’t hesitate to give your physician a visit if you have suspicions.

It’s bad enough to have an occasional Chronic Urinary Tract Infections and Interstitial Cystitisurinary tract infection. Imagine what it would be like to have one of the chronic conditions such as chronic urinary tract infections and interstitial cystitis, another chronic bladder disorder. Both conditions may feel much the same but there are important differences you need to know about.

Chronic cystitis is when a person has a bacterial or yeast infection of the bladder that doesn’t get better despite multiple antibiotics or anti-yeast medications. It is most common in women who have some sort of immunological disorder or who have a deformity of the bladder and ureters such that the bacteria keep flushing up inside the ureter, only to come down into the bladder and cause bladder infection symptoms after treatment has been resolved. Bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics, especially when many different antibiotics have been used so that they don’t get killed off, even with the strongest oral antibiotics. Sometimes doctors need to use multiple IV antibiotics to kill off the bacteria found in the bladder so that the infection is killed off. Unfortunately, if there is a deformity of the ureters or a double ureter, infections tend to come back again unless surgery is done to correct the deformity.

Interstitial cystitis feels a lot like chronic cystitis but there are no actual bacteria in the urine and the urine is sterile when checked with a urine culture. People with this condition are mostly women (90 percent) who feel exactly like they have a bladder infection, with frequency of urination, burning on urination and chronic urethral pain. They do not tend to have any kidney symptoms nor do they have a fever. The urinalysis is usually normal. The diagnosis is made when the symptoms of bladder infection are there but there are no laboratory findings to support a bladder infection.

Doctors sometimes call interstitial cystitis “painful bladder syndrome” because there is often pelvic pain that feels like pain in the bladder. Painful bladder syndrome is diagnosed when there are bladder symptoms that do not meet the exact diagnostic criteria for interstitial cystitis. About a million people in the US suffer from interstitial cystitis and it is particularly annoying because there is no good treatment for it. The average age of onset of the disorder is aged 40 but it can occur at other ages as well. People with interstitial cystitis are more likely to suffer from lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, vulvodynia (pain in the female genital area), fibromyalgia and endometriosis. There is, however, no reason to believe that any of these conditions are causative of interstitial cystitis.

There are two types of interstitial cystitis. One is ulcerative interstitial cystitis and another is non-ulcerative interstitial cystitis. This distinction occurs during a cystoscopy, where ulcerations of the bladder are seen in ulcerative IC and no ulcerations are seen in non-ulcerative IC. Ulcerative IC is also termed “classical” IC even though it is not the most common form of the disease. The ulcerations are star-shaped and are also known as Hunner’s ulcers. Damage and scarring of the bladder wall can eventually occur with this disorder.

It’s a mouthful to say: gastroenterology is the field of medicine concerned with the human digestive system. Including the stomach, the esophagus, and more, doctors in the field are well versed in handling illnesses and ailments which might cause interruption and problems with the digestive process. As they are doctors, their initial education path is not different in any meaningful way from any other medical doctor. They must attend medical school and follow that up with a residency in their chosen specialty.

Doctors of gastroenterology are among the highest paid professions in the United States (though this can be said of nearly any medical doctor). The average salary in the field is just over $160,000 when taking all of the country’s data into account. According to sources such as the government’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job growth in this field is expected to prosper, growing upwards of 15 percent between 2006 and 2010.

As specialists in the field of digestion, doctors of gastroenterology are called upon to both diagnose and treat conditions, illnesses, and diseases which affect the human body’s digestive system. This may include some preliminary diagnosis of certain cancers of the stomach and esophagus, though these may be treated more fully by a more specific doctor of oncology (who may be a gastroenterologist himself). As with any medical doctor, most individuals in this field can expect to work long hours and to be on call for much of their leisure time in the event of an emergency.

In addition to their work with patients, those doctors who choose to go into private practice must wear a second hat: that of a business professional. A practice is sometimes difficult to get up off the ground and it requires not only a knowledge of how to run a business, but how to promote it as well. This, in addition to their regular duties in the field of gastroenterology. Because of the enormous strain this can put on a doctor, they often make it one of the primary goals to hire someone who can run the business side of the practice.

If you need to schedule an appointment with a doctor of gastroenterology, make it your first goals to find someone who is respected and well liked in the community. With the advent of the internet and review sites, this shouldn’t be too difficult. Find out what people are saying about the various doctors in your area and get a referral from your primary physician if you can.

By now you’ve probably heard about the hCG diet, a program developed as the result of study perform Should You Choose a Fad Diet Plan?ed by the late Dr. Simeons of Britain. This diet is based on the hCG or Human Chorionic Gonadotropin hormone which is naturally found in the placenta of women who are pregnant. This hormone is noted for helping to balance the body and jump start one’s metabolism. This can make all the difference when it comes to years of frustration with your weight, and people are flocking to what can be a quick approach to losing weight.

The diet plan is made up of three distinct phases, each of which has its own set of “rules” and time period. Phase one of the plan includes eating pretty much anything that you want that is high in calories and fat. Though this may be counter intuitive to losing weight, there is a purpose for this somewhat fun part of the plan. This increase in calories will jump start your metabolism as you prepare to enter phase two of the strict diet.

Phase two is a sever restriction in calories at 500 calories per day. There are only certain foods that you are allowed to eat during this phase of the diet and this is when the actual hormone is introduced into the plan.

The hormone hCG was originally administered as an injection, but as one can imagine the introduction of another form of taking the hormone was more appealing to those who have an aversion to shots. Today, you can choose to purchase and take in the hCG as either an injection or by oral drops which is the preferred method by many people as it is obviously less painful and easier to handle.

You can purchase these drops from homeopathic web sites and you should note that there are some differences between taking the hCG orally rather than via injection. This version of the hormone is diluted and you would take it in the form of sublingual drops which means that you would place it under your tongue. Typically you would take the drops from 3 to 5 or six times throughout the day.

Taking the hormone several times throughout the day helps to get the same benefits or dosage that you would receive from taking the hCG as an injection instead. Many people prefer to take this less invasive approach because it is not as scary or painful as administering a shot.

Phase two of the diet can take up to 40 days or so depending on how much weight you need to lose. Phase two of the plan would probably be considered the most difficult of the stages due to the severe calorie restriction. To make your foods and meals a bit more interesting, you should note that there are a lot of good recipe guides and suggestions online to help add flavor and spice to what could be a very bland diet.

Phase three is the maintenance stage of the hCG plan and it is here that you get to increase your calories and food options significantly. If you make it to phase three, you will be delighted as many people swear by the lasting effects of this diet plan once they’ve completed the three phases successfully.

To quit smoking can be quite difficult. There are plenty of good reasons to quit smoking these days. Individuals around the globe wish to quit however, discovering the dependence on smoking therefore are so, powerful these people drop back to the habit of smoking quite easily.

It is all about will Power

It requires will power in order to quit, by yourself when you go cold turkey. This is the method I did it however, it had been difficult to manage my thoughts as well as body through the technique of pure nicotine withdrawal.

Let’s talk about kicking the habit

The good thing is the fact that kicking the habit of cigarette smoking and going cold turkey can be achieved. I am existing evidence, I am in no way return to the habit and I also really feel, far better in wellness. Personally, cigarette smoking had been simply, not well worth the cost. The morning when I considered stopping, I actually made an important promise to help myself and that I would stick to it.

Is it all about determination?

My personal reasoning had been determined by the theory of, In the event that some others can easily quit smoking cigarettes, I’m able to quit as well. My very own mental nature truly solved the problem as soon as I actually made the actual resolve for the persistence to quit smoking.

Did I really need to smoke?

No chance! After that, at any time I needed to smoke cigarettes, I actually recalled my very own promise as well as declined to give in towards the craving. The majority of points in everyday life along with genuine benefit aren’t simple to attain.

Short term health improvements

Over time, short term problems I actually encountered following giving up would be a little investment to get the future health improvements. The body will start to recuperate shortly after and several health problems reduce with time. It really is worthwhile to stop cigarette smoking these days.

The plan to stop smoking

Great job if it turns out right, now will be the moment you actually plan to stop smoking. Whatever your views regarding cigarette smoking change, your mind is changed. When one’s own thoughts are transformed, that you are transformed.

Nicotine dependency

Indeed, you will have problems simply because smoking can be a dependency and also enemy for your achievement. The body can tell you that you need to have it however, you don’t have to be able to have pure nicotine to live.

Life is way too valuable

It is simply the opposite. Write off this lifestyle stealing substance out of your life and become rewarded with a sensation of well-being and health. Every day life is way too valuable for you to throw away. Think about your loved ones and people you may enjoy much more experiences with, if you’re alive to share time together.

The results of quitting cigarettes

The actual results of giving up cigarette smoking include things like, saving the cash spent on smoking, much better uninterrupted sleep, healthier bones, ability to taste, much better blood circulation, firmer skin, certainly no yellow-coloured fingertips, as well you are less likely to obtain severe smoking related conditions.