During the past decade, research has suggested three main reasons for the widespread neglect of the signs of heart disease in women: (1) physicians may often be gender-biased in their delivery of health care, tending to concentrate on women’s reproductive organs rather than on the whole woman; (2) physicians tend to view male heart disease as a more severe problem because men have traditionally had a higher incidence of the disease; and (3) women decline major procedures more often than men do. Here are other possible explanations for the diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties encountered by women with heart disease:
- Delay in diagnosing a possible heart attack
- The complexity involved in interpreting chest pain in women
- Typically less aggressive treatment of women who are heart attack victims
- Their older age, on average, and more frequent comorbidities (other diseases/problems)
- The fact that women’s coronary arteries are often smaller than men’s, making surgical or diagnostic procedures more difficult technically
- Their increased incidence of postinfarction angina and heart failure
Although there is much debate about whether women have actually been ignored by past research concerning cardiovascular diseases, at least one study points out that the differences in treatment of suspected acute cardiac ischemia in men cannot be applied directly to women. More important, at least one study suggests that these differences may reflect overtreatment of men rather than under-treatment of women.
*43/277/5*
Blisters are small, fluid-filled bubbles that often break, becoming open sores filled with clear fluid or pus. Blisters can occur in groups in one specific area of the skin, or they can be distributed all over the skin.
Like red rashes, blistering rashes can be caused by adverse reactions to drugs. The most common causes of blistering rash in people with HIV infection, however, are two related viruses, herpes simplex and herpes zoster.
Herpes zoster, or shingles-Herpes zoster is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. Like herpes simplex, the herpes zoster virus stays dormant in the nerve cells. The virus recurs many years or decades after the original bout with chickenpox, causing a disease galled shingles. Shingles is common not only in people with HIV infection, but in the elderly and in others as well.
The symptoms of shingles are blisters that are identical to those seen with chickenpox. The blisters are small and filled with a watery fluid; later, the blisters break, the fluid becomes pus, scabs form, and the skin heals. Unlike the blisters of chickenpox, however, the blisters of shingles are often extremely painful. In addition, they are not spread all over the body, but instead are distributed in bands or lines on the chest, the abdomen, down the leg, on the arm, or on the face. In all cases, the blisters occur on only one side of the body and stop abruptly at the middle of the body. The blisters follow this pattern because they are following the path of the nerve in which the virus is living, and each nerve serves only one side of the body.
The worst complication of this infection is pain. The pain may come before the blisters appear, or it may accompany the blisters. The pain may also occur once the blisters are gone and the skin is healed; this pain is called post-herpetic neuralgia. Fortunately, people with HIV infection who get shingles simply do not often develop post-herpetic neuralgia.
A note about transmission: the blisters contain the virus that causes herpes zoster. Adults who have had chickenpox already have this virus, have antibodies to it, and are not susceptible when exposed to someone with chickenpox or shingles. However, young children and the rare adult who has escaped chickenpox could become infected with the virus that causes herpes zoster. These people may acquire chickenpox by contact with the blisters or by inhaling it. To prevent transmission, people who have not had chickenpox should carefully avoid contact and should even avoid being present in the same room. People who are hospitalized should expect strict isolation precautions—gloves, mask, and gowns—to be taken, to prevent transmission to the health care workers.
Shingles is not life-threatening and inevitably cures itself. But it can be especially severe in people with HIV, so treatment is generally recommended. Shingles can be treated with acyclovir, and other drugs may be given to control the pain. Acyclovir may be given by mouth, but the doses required are unusually large, and hospitalization for intravenous treatment is sometimes advocated.
*113\191\2*
People are used to the idea of mobility of the joints of the body, but they rarely think in similar terms when they consider the skin and its functions. Yet it is true to say that one of the most important signs of a healthy skin is its free movement over the underlying parts. Just in direct ratio to the loss of this function may we estimate its ill-health and lack of resistance. As it tightens up and becomes more adherent to the other tissues, so it loses the circulation which gives it its integrity.
The reason for this is that this part of the body is very rich in connective tissue, and through this the lymph is constantly moving. On this movement depend the two vital functions of all living tissues: the carrying of nutriment, and the disposal of waste products. Without this movement life is in jeopardy. In the stagnation that follows congestion all forms of disease may arise and every known activity of germs may be seen. The lack of movement through these tissues means stagnation in the “sea-water” of the system, and physical disaster is bound to follow.
The healthy skin plays a very important part in maintaining this movement because it affords constant stimulation to the connective tissues. The healthy skin is therefore mobile because it is healthy and healthy because it is mobile. With this idea in mind we can help to preserve the tone and efficiency of the skin because we can do much to keep it in this condition.
It is a valuable test, and at the same time the most useful of all forms of exercise, to examine the skin from time to time to see if this function is impaired. The healthy skin may be taken between the fingers and moved vigorously in all directions. By doing this one stimulates the connective tissues lying immediately underneath and stirs up the intercellular fluid. If this freedom of movement appears to be lost in any part of the body – on the scalp is usually the first place – it may be greatly helped by daily stimulation.
*13/154/5*
The colon is the largest perpetrator of disease of any organ of the body. It is said to be the initiator of 80 per cent of all critical illnesses. Many people go around permanently constipated, and because they know no different, take headaches, lethargy and general depletion for granted. They simply do not remember what it is like to have a healthy colon and a feeling of well-being.
Constipation occurs when any waste material is retained by the colon. Instead of their natural smooth state, the walls of the colon become encrusted with this accumulated faecal matter which is similar to hard black rubber; it builds up year after year. Since the encrusted faeces form a barrier, the colon is unable to absorb or eliminate properly. The muscles cannot move to make the wave-like actions to move waste along. Toxins from fermentation, putrefaction and wastes from the blood stream which should normally be drawn through the colon and eliminated are reabsorbed by the body along with incompletely digested food. Remember if you suffer regular diarrhoea you are as constipated as the person who does not eliminate regularly. A loose stool can rush through and still leave the old residue on the walls of the bowel. Good health is as much a function of how we eliminate from our bodies as to as what we take in. Yet $50 million in annual laxative sales in the United States indicates that elimination is a problem for many people. At least five million people in the United Kingdom suffer from constipation, colitis, diverticulitis, and ileitis and 200,000 each year have a colostomy. Cancer of the colon is second only to heart disease as the most common cause of death in the United Kingdom. This need not be so.
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When compared to the variations of hormone levels during menstruation, with oestrogen and progesterone peaking and troughing every four weeks or so, pregnancy and breast-feeding can actually be a mercifully peaceful interlude for the female breast. Western women’s lifestyle, with early onset of menstruation and relatively few pregnancies, contrasts starkly with the way of life in developing countries where there is generally a much later onset of menstruation and more pregnancies. Both these factors have a profound effect on the incidence of breast cancer. With each pregnancy a woman is exposed to progesterone and oestriol (E3), both of which have a protective effect against breast cancer.
The differences can be quite striking: a girl in the West who starts menstruating at the age of eleven, and has, on average, two full-term pregnancies, will have about 400 menstrual cycles during her reproductive life. On the other hand, a South American woman whose puberty is delayed to around the age of sixteen, and has repeated pregnancies throughout her life, may have fewer than 100 menstrual cycles, due to the pregnancies followed by prolonged breast-feeding, which inhibits the return of menstruation. These differences account, at least in part, for the higher incidence of breast cancer in the West, and this is one of the few ‘defmites’ about breast cancer. Women who have no children at all, for instance nuns, are considered high-risk as they consistently have higher oestrogen levels than women who have borne children.
*57\240\2*
Miss Jacob used to get skin eruptions in every rainy season, and she could noteven go to school sometimes due to these eruptions.
Nat-sulph, a homoeopathic medicine, would give relief of acute conditions, but the trouble would re-erupt whenever the rains came.
Walnut T.D.S. was regularly given for 3 months, and the eruptions did not occur in the next season.
When Mr. Gian Parkash was transferred to Madras, he was very much upset. He could not countenance absence from home even for one day. How could he live in Madras where everything would be different. Food, water, environment, language, atmosphere, all things would change, and he was so sensitive to change that if he travelled away from home even for one day he would get constipated. Fear gripped him at the thought of leaving for Madras. Fortunately he had been allowed one month as joining period.
Mimulus (for fear) and Walnut (for breaking old habits) given T.D.S for 1 month made him fit to join duty at Madras without any difficulty.
*199\308\8*
Contributed by Paul Lambeth
Shiatsu is a Japanese word literally translated as ‘finger pressure’. It developed from traditional oriental massage practised in the home by the ‘barefoot doctors’ over 3,000 years ago, and today its evolution continues to adapt to our constantly changing lifestyles.
Shiatsu is based upon an understanding of the human body as a system of energy. Just as when we place a magnet below a piece of paper with iron filings on top we see a pattern expressing the magnetic energy field, so too there is order to the electromagnetic field of the human body. This energy circulates through our body in channels called meridians, activating and charging our internal organs and their functions.
The activities of modern life distort our pattern of energy and these channels become blocked and imbalanced, affecting us both physically and emotionally. During shiatsu hands and thumbs are applied with varying degrees of pressure and the body may be stretched or kneaded so that areas of tension are relaxed, and points of weakness revitalized. This stimulates and harmonizes the flow of our energy, and the body’s natural healing force is awakened to restore well-being. Relief can be gained from such symptoms are back pain, stress, asthma, stiffness, headaches, insomnia and so on.
Pressure on specific points not only releases hormones including natural pain-killers, but also improves the circulation of blood lymph and affects the nervous system. Receiving shiatsu is a special experience which is both relaxing and rejuvenating. How often you have shiatsu will depend upon your own personal needs and goals. Whether for instance you wish to maintain or regain your health, and upon your body’s individual self healing capacity.
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Pulsatilla
Someone needing Pulsatilla may complain that their mouth feels dry, but they are not thirsty. This sensation may follow eating an overly fatty meal. The tongue may be coated with a thick white or yellow deposit, while there may be a stone-like sensation in the stomach. Accompanying nausea may be aggravated by warm liquids and relieved by cold drinks. There may be a bad taste in the mouth on waking, and the taste of food previously eaten may come up with burping – this may remain in the mouth for a long time. Pain of flatulence is made worse by the jarring of a misstep while walking. Generally may feel worse resting and better for a gentle motion. Although chilly, may desire fresh air.
Nux Vomica
Digestive disturbance following overindulgence in rich food, alcohol, or smoking. Disturbance may also be related to toxicity from overuse of drugs such as painkillers or laxatives, or lack of sleep from burning the candle at both ends. Flatulence is likely to be related to constipation, which may be habitual as a result of bad eating habits. Food lies in the stomach feeling like a heavy knot and may give rise to hiccups. Burps taste sour and are difficult to bring up. The person needing Nux Vomica may feel hungry but also averse to food at the same time. Colicky pain in the abdomen is relieved once a bowel movement has been achieved.
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While the EEG does not diagnose seizures, certain abnormalities on the EEG are commonly associated with certain seizure types and can help your physician determine your child’s treatment and the probable outcome. Thus, just as classification of seizures is useful, so classification of the EEG is useful also.
Roger is in the third grade and has been a very good student. But in the second half of the year the teacher sends you a note that Roger is not working up to his ability. He is not paying attention in class; he often daydreams. Sometimes, when he’s asked a question, he claims that he didn’t hear the question or that he has forgotten the answer. What’s happening to Roger? Is he bored and daydreaming? Is he not smart enough to understand the new work and, consequently, confused? Is he upset or depressed by events at home or school? Is he having staring spells (absence seizures)?
*80\208\8*
One of the personality trait that appears associated with BDD is perfectionism or unusually high standards for oneself. Some people with BDD say that they want to look perfect and that they expect perfectionism in other areas of their life as well. “I have very high standards for myself,” a college student said to me. “I expect much more from myself than from anyone else, in terms of my appearance and everything else. It’s hard to live up to it.” Indeed, one study found that a majority of 50 people with BDD said that they “must have perfection in their appearance.” It isn’t clear, however, whether this applies just to the perceived defect or to appearance more generally. Using the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, Dr. Sabine Wilhelm found that people with BDD had significantly higher levels of perfectionism than healthy controls in areas unrelated to appearance. Might perfectionism contribute to the development and maintenance of BDD? As discussed earlier in this chapter, from an evolutionary perspective trying to look perfect and symmetrical may be adaptive. However, in BDD, demands for perfection might lead to excessive and selective attention to minor asymmetries and appearance flaws, as well as un-realistically high appearance standards.
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