The Best Stretch Mark Cream is Herbal
Trying to determine which stretch mark product is the best stretch mark cream on the market can be a daunting task. Some manufacturers make extraordinary claims about how they can fade stretch marks in a matter of days, while others claim to be the answer to all of your skin care challenges.
Can You Eliminate Stretch Marks Completely?
Well the truth be known, even the best stretch mark creams can only fade stretch marks and result in a less conspicuous skin imperfection. A great deal of the more popular creams and lotions can effectively make your stretch marks almost invisible, but the usual depression where the skin has torn can still be felt. The workings behind most lotions is to rejuvenate the damaged skin with new, lighter colored skin cells that blend with the surrounding area.
If you feel that you must totally remove your stretch marks, your only option is plastic surgery. With this procedure, the area of damaged skin is actually removed, totally removing the stretch marks. The downside of plastic surgery is that it is invasive surgery and costs can be prohibitive.
Can You Avoid Stretch Marks Altogether?
Talking with a number of women who used a stretch mark cream or lotion to reduce stretch marks during pregnancy, many people believed that the treatments made a meaningful difference in the number and severity of their stretch marks. According to clinical tests about the efficacy of herbal stretch mark creams in pregnant women over their entire pregnancy period, it was concluded that the overall occurence of stretch marks occurring in pregnant women was almost 3 times lower when a herbal stretch mark cream was used. The conclusion was that the natural stretch mark lotion penetrated the skin and worked its way into the deeper layers. This increased the elasticity of the skin from within, allowing the skin to cope effectively with the extreme strecthing during pregnancy.
A Natural Remedy for Stretch Marks May Be the Answer
Based on testimonials and cost versus benefit analyses, the best stretch mark cream for avoiding stretch marks during pregnancy is a product made by Barmon. The Barmon Stretch Mark Cream is an all-natural product that has been marketed for over thirty years with a large base of satisfied customers, many of whom are pregnant mothers. There are other products that claim to prevent the development of stretch marks, but the costs are considerably higher.
A convincing aspect of the natural stretch mark product is there are no known side effects when it is applied topically. This is not to say that a very small number of users may experience skin irritation similar to an allergic reaction, but this is generally true with any topical cream or lotion. So, for a very reasonable cost, an individual can make use of natural stretch mark lotions and guarantee that their occurence of stretch marks will either be avoided altogether or drastically reduced.
Causes Of Migraine Headaches
Migraine headaches can very easily cause a person to lose daily function and enjoyment of life. Preventing and treating migraine headaches, however, is certainly possible with the right combination of medicine and therapy. The exact causes of migraine headaches are still something of a mystery in the medical community, but it is usually accepted that serotonin plays a large role in migraine. Low serotonin levels are usually accompanied by a migraine headache.
A migraine headache can oftentimes be accompanied by an “aura.” An aura occurs with what are called classic migraine headaches. In a classic migraine attack, the patient may note changes in vision and mood. Tenderness in the scalp is usually a sign of a developing migraine episode. Alterations in mood can also occur, such as depression or irritability. These subtle symptoms can manifest as early as a day before the episode. The following migraine headaches are typically fairly intense, but do not last very long.
Common migraine headache are a more prolonged variation of the problem, and can last for long periods of time. This can be seriously debilitating, and can make daily functioning difficult. Luckily, there are many medications out there that can both reduce pain and help to prevent the onset of migraines. Sleep and plenty of fluids are crucial factors in migraine episode prevention. During an attack, go to a quiet and dimly lit area. Use a cold compress to reduce the tension, and massage the scalp with a fair amount of pressure. Emotional and physical stress are known to play a role in migraine development.
Some foods are also believed to be behind causes of migraine headaches.
Physicians recommend, for example, that sufferers consider avoiding red wine altogether. Canned and processed meat are also known as frequent causes of migraine headaches. cause of headaches can also include excess amounts of caffeine, aged cheese, or cultured dairy products. Chronic migraine episodes are reason to see a doctor or specialist about the potential causes.
July 2, 2009
AN INTRODUCTION TO LOWER BACK MUSCLE PAIN
AN INTRODUCTION TO LOWER BACK MUSCLE PAIN
Many musculoskeletal problemsare often easily diagnosed and successfully treated, unfortunately lower back muscle pain is not one of them. Causes of lower back pain can be elusive, leading to incorrect diagnosis and then wrong treatment.
PAIN AND WHAT IT TELLS YOU
“Pain is a signal something is wrong.”
It the lower back pain is short lasting and mild it may be nothing to worry about, on the flip side if it severe and lasts for a few days up to a week or more, you body is most likely trying to tell you something is not right. Failing to listen to your body’s signals can aggravate issues, extending the duration of low back pain, often for unnecessary periods.
General keys as to when to refer to a doctor are:
If the pain is severe
If there is swelling
If you hear a cracking or snapping at the time of the injury
If you cannot perform your normal day to day duties
If there is nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, paralysis, weakness or disturbed function following an accident or injury.
If the pain continues beyond 7-10 days.1
WHAT IS LOWER BACK MUSCLE PAIN?
Lower back painaffects the muscles in the lower part of the back. It can be described as:
· Acute if it is less than 6 weeks
· Sub-acute if it 6-12 weeks
· Chronic if it is more than 12 weeks
Many people suffer from lower back muscle pain, costing millions in lost work as well as medical and insurance resources. Lower back muscle pain is a very common back complaint, affecting four out of five people at some point in their lives. Although most low back pain will fix itself out within a few days to a few weeks.
LOWER BACK MUSCLE PAIN – AMERICAN STATISTICS
· 80% of society will suffer back pain of some type
Low back pain
· 88% will be asymptomatic in 6 weeks
· 98% in 24 weeks
· 99% in 52 weeks
· 97% of causes are unknown
· 2% attributed to disc problems
· 29% will require conservative treatment only
· 1% will require surgery
· The rest will recover spontaneously2
RISK FACTORS – LOW BACK PAIN
Postural deformities and leg length, in general, don’t seem to predispose to low back pain. Studies of static work postures indicate an increased risk of low back pain sitting with a bent over working posture seems to carry significant risk, for example sitting in a car for more than half a work day can lead to three times the risk of disc herniation.3
· Physically heavy, static work postures
· Frequent bending and twisting, lifting and forceful movements
· Repetitive work and vibrations
· Tallness leads to increased risk
· Sciatica is more frequent in obese people
· Weak trunk muscles and decreased endurance
· Coughing – leading to decreased blood supply to essential areas
· Social factors i.e alcoholism, history of divorce, level of education, history of depression.4
SYMPTOMS OF LOWER BACK PAIN
Lower back pain means a pain or ache somewhere between the bottom of the ribs at the back and the top of the legs. That may begin suddenly or follow obvious strain or injury or it can come ‘out of the blue’.
It is possible that pain may also travel for example down the buttocks to the foot. It can be worse bending and is often worse when sitting. Agonizing pain can be experienced when rolling over in bed or sitting up. Sneezing or coughing can aggravate the pain. Back muscles can also go into painful spasms.
Lower back muscle pain may be combined with pain in the leg traveling down the knee. This is otherwise known as sciatica, because the main nerve in the leg (the sciatica nerve) is being irritated by pressure on it..
If in doubt consult a health care practitioner such as a doctor, chiropractor, physiotherapist an osteopath or myotherapist.
GUIDELINES
The first thing to rule out is other obvious conditions which may cause back pain. Watch out for ‘red flags’ or warning signs, which can be factors that may need more rapid treatment. They may point to something more serious than a mechanical problem. If any of these apply to you it is recommended please make sure you see your doctor.
· You are younger than 2o when you first get back pain
· You are older than 55 when you first get back pain
· The pain follows a violent injury
· The pain is constant and getting worse
· You have had or have cancer
· You are on steroids
· You are drug abuser
· You have HIV
· You are generally unwell
· You have significant and unexplained weight loss
· You have significant trouble bending forward over a period of time
· You have developed nervous system problems – numbness, loss of power etc
· You have developed an obvious structural deformities
· If the pain continues over 4 weeks
CONCLUSION
If you are concerned about lower back muscle pain please consult your health care practitioner or doctor. To find out more information please visit YourBackHealth.com
1 Listen to Your Pain. B, Benjamin. Penguin Books. P6
2 Ibid
3 Ibid P543
4 Ibid P544
July 1, 2009
What are the Most Common Food Allergies
Data from the Mayo Clinic suggests that around 2 percent of the adult population in America suffer from some form of food allergy. Additionally, child food allergies account for another 6%. While those numbers may look small, in a total population in excess of 300 million in the United States that translates to six million and eighteen million people, respectively.
Like other allergic reactions, a food allergy occurs when the immune system overreacts to an allergen. Common food allergens include, but are not limited to, dairy based items such as milk, seafood, shellfish, peanuts and eggs.
Because the body sees the intake of any of these foods as a foreign invader instead of nutrition, it releases an antibody called Immunoglobulin E or IgE for short in order to fight the perceived invader. The antibodies stimulate the release of histamine, prostaglandins and some other substances that bring about the symptoms.
When compared with other allergies, common food allergy symptoms are normally much more comprehensive. Sinus congestion and watery eyes are possible. But, they are typically accompanied with or overtaken by urticaria (itchy red welts that form on the skin), swelling of the lips, tongue or pharynx, wheezing, nausea and pain in the abdomen.
Anaphylactic shock can be the result in more severe cases. Anaphylaxis is a systemic (overall body) allergic reaction. It involves several serious symptoms such as lightheadedness, constricted airways resulting in breathing problems and a dramatic decrease in blood pressure. It happens very fast and if not treated immediately, can result in death. Upwards of two hundred deaths per year in the U.S are as a result of anaphylaxis.
In some cases, food allergy reactions are localized. For instance, some folks will experience a tingling sensation in their mouth after eating fresh fruit or vegetables. The reason is thought to be proteins much the same as those found in ragweed pollen.
Professional diagnosis by an allergist is the only way to discover if somebody suffers from food intolerance or a food allergy.
To ascertain if somebody has an allergy to particular foods, the allergist will perform an allergy skin prick test. The doctor takes a minute quantity of the suspect substance and exposes the individual to it by inserting a small amount under the skin with a lancet. The area of skin is then observed for some half an hour to determine if any itchiness or swelling takes place as a result of any response to the suspect substance.
In order to measure the amount of IgE produced by the body as a result of ingesting a particular food, it may be necessary for a blood test to be made although this does not always give a definitive answer.
Lactose intolerance, for example, is stimulated by the genetically induced lack of the digestive enzyme needed to safely process cow’s milk. The symptoms may be similar, but this is not an allergic reaction.
Eliminating the problematic food from the diet and environment is the optimum and best line of defense. Even though it is maybe a simplistic response, an individual who has an allergy to egg based products should avoid eating such foods. The same applies to a person that is allergic to peanuts or products that contain traces of them.
Since there is no cure yet for food allergies, avoidance is the best medicine. However, it is not always possible to avoid some substances, despite your best efforts and in that scenario, symptom relief is available in the form of antihistamines. It’s also good to have on hand an EpiPen or similar device that lets allergy sufferers to inject a small quantity of ephinephrine in an energency situation. A serious attack of anaphylaxis can be headed off until professional medical help can be found.