"The results of the comparison of titration periods reviewed in the poster suggest that patients may benefit from rapid titration to optimal analgesia without increased risk of side effects using our product"
Labopharm Inc. today announced that it will present a poster discussing the dose titration of its once-daily formulation of tramadol at the 3rd International Forum on Pain Medicine to be held June 28 to July 1, ...
, an abnormally low level of potassium in the circulating blood, is not an obscure or rare condition, but actually a common occurence. It may be asymptomatic when mild, but the symptoms of moderate hypokalemia are all too familiar - muscle weakness, muscle pain (myalgia), fatigue and mild cognitive impairment similar to brain-fog. Hypokalemia is a fluctuating condition, present usually due to excessive loss of potassium, or less commonly, due to insufficient consumption of potassium. Hypokalemia can be acute or chronic, and when chronic, the symptoms also become chronic - chronic fatigue, chronic muscle weakness, chronic generalised pain and chronic brain-fog.
The causes of hypokalemia:
Excessive loss of fluid, commonly caused by vomiting, diarrhoea or excessive sweating, seen in athletes or those suffering from hyperhidrosis.
Laxatives and diuretics, particularly thiazide or loop diuretics.
, characterized by self-induced vomiting and excessive use of laxatives.
Hereditary conditions, like or Gitelman Syndrome.
Diseases that lead to abnormally high aldosterone levels, like or adrenal gland tumours.
.
, an anti-fungal medication.
, like Salbutamol and Salmetarol used to treat asthma, particularly relevent in exercise-induced asthma where salbutamol use and activity leading to increased sweating is combined.
, another common condition with multiple causes, including increased levels of stress, excess coffee or tea intake, medication like certain antibiotics, GI causes and diabetes.
Hypokalemia is a treatable condition, first by removing the causes, secondly by increasing dietary intake of potassium and/or supplementing potassium orally or intravenously and thirdly by supplementing magnesium if hypomagnesemia is the cause.
Although Joint Hypermobility Syndrome is a non-inflammatory, non-progressive connective tissue disorder, symptoms may worsen under accumulated stress and due to the aging process. Getting better does not equate to becoming symptom free, but effective management of symptoms can improve life quality and lessen associated pain.
Lifestyle modifications: If it hurts, don't do it. Repetitive or vigorous activities can worsen joint pain, so can excessive joint movement. Avoiding activities which induce or aggravate symptoms is a limiting, but valuable strategy.
Exercise: Stick to an exercise regime that is supportive rather than straining. Swimming and cycling trumps jogging and stretching isolated muscles are infinitely better than stretching joints.
Helpful Aids: Orthotics, taping and supportive splints can all aid joint stability. Aids can be a wonderful help. If you have wrist problems, look into helpful aids that could alleviate wrist strain, such as modified utensils. Support and protect weight baring joints by using the correct mobility aid when you need it. It's never too soon to invest in protecting your joints against wear and tear.
is a common complaint, common symptom and common condition. Headache are staggering: "46% for headache in general, 11% for migraine, 42% for tension-type headache and 3% for chronic daily headache." Headaches are under-diagnosed and under-treated, partially due to the fact that patients do not consult their doctor about their headaches, and partially due to the lack of a blood test or any other objective signs. Although diagnostic criteria exist, it is not employed uniformly and the subjectivity and variability of symptoms, combined with multiple sub-categories, makes it a difficult diagnosis to make.
Headaches are often highly variable and frequently misunderstood. There are different types of headaches allowing for very different concepts surrounding what a headache actually is like, and then there are variable levels of intensity, which does not necessarily remain the same from one attack to the next. Some people will have only one headache in their lifetime, whilst others are plagues with chronic daily pain. The level of variability makes comparison difficult. That one headache may have been excruciating or hardly noticeable, and for someone with chronic daily headaches the pain may also be mild, moderate or severe.
One headache diagnosis does not translate well into another, but this is not the place for 'mine is bigger than yours'. There will always be someone with less pain making a lot of noise, and someone with more pain, making less noise than you. The next time you have a headache and feel resentful towards people who have milder headaches than you but feel that they are on equal footing, or you feel misunderstood by those surrounding you, remember that most people genuinely have good intentions and their lack of understanding is partially your fault for not explaining your headaches better. Also think of the poor person one step above you on the pain ladder, who may be looking down at you wondering what all the fuss is about when obviously, your pain is so much less than theirs.
Chronic pain is not a competition. Resentment gets you nowhere. Believe in karma - give a little compassion and maybe the next time you are the one lying in a dark room contemplating your misery, someone will have a little more compassion for you.
We've all experienced the inconvenience of a computer crash at work, but the body is one machine you can't do without. Backs, necks, shoulders and upper extremities are common sore spots for deskbound workers; if you don't want them to go on strike, you'd better make a move—literally. Taking movement breaks throughout the day (ideally five minutes out of every 30 to 60 minutes at your desk) can energize you and ease common office aches. Researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found that not only did workers who took more frequent breaks feel better, they accomplished the same amount of work as those who took less time out.
Body Out of Balance
Extended periods of sitting cause lamer back compression while upper back muscles become weak and over-stretched. Poor posture (like your neck toward a computer screen) and repetitive motions like mouse clicking aggravate the imbalances. According to a recent Spine-Health.com poll, 70% of respondents' backs felt worse at the end of the workday. Over time, minor aches and pains can morph into full blown musculoskeletal disorders—a leading cause of pain, suffering and disability in American workplaces according ro the federal government. Studies have documented the prevalence of neck tension and carpal tunnel syndromes among other conditions related to computer work.
Deskbound workers are susceptible to more serious conditions too. A recent study led by Professor Richard Beasley of the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand revealed that workers in sedentary professions are prone to developing potentially fatal blood clots in their legs, a condition known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). That alone is a good reason to get up and moving at work!
A New Routine
Taking stretch breaks instead of coffee or that afternoon snack you don't really need works out the kinks and gives you a natural and sustainable energy boost, rather than the peak and subsequent drop that many people experience with caffeine or sugar. And don't forget to shift your sitting posture regularly to avoid the muscular fatigue and tension that comes with maintaining a static position.
To make sure everything gets properly loosened up, try the following exercise sequence (if you have injuries or experience pain, consult your practitioner first).
Shoulder Rolls and Neck Tilts - Roll your shoulders in a circular motion: front, up, back and down. Repeat six to eight times. Tilt your head toward the right shoulder. Keep your shoulder blades down and hold for at least three breaths, return to center and do the other side. Benefits: Stretches and strengthens shoulder and neck muscles, and releases tension.
Spinal Roll - Stand with your back straight. Move your chin toward your chest, then round your shoulders forward so your upper back curves. Next bend forward at the waist and allow your knees to bend. Let your head hang and look toward your stomach. If you want more of a stretch, bend deeper at the waist so your hands touch the floor and you are looking toward your knees. Hold for a few breaths, then roll up and repeat three times. Inhale deeply and move slowly as you roll up to prevent dizziness. Benefits: Reduces stress, improves circulation and lengthens back and leg muscles.
Spinal Twist - Sit sideways facing the right side your chair, with your right hand on the chair back. Make your spine vertical, not slumped. Slowly rotate your abdomen, ribs, shoulders and head toward the right, gently pulling the right hand against the chair for leverage. Enjoy your maximum stretch for a few breaths and then slowly unwind. Sit for a few moments with a neutral spine before doing the other side. Benefits: Relieves a sore lower back and helps wring out accumulated toxins.
Wrist Flexion - Extend your arms in front of you; flex your wrists while spreading out your fingers (as if you are pushing against a wall). Hold that position for a few seconds, then release; repeat eight to 12 times. Benefits: Eases compression of the median nerve and tendons at the wrist; may help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.
Rows - Start with your arms extended in front of you. Pull your elbows back as if you are rowing a boat. Draw your shoulder blades towards each other and down your back while keeping a neutral spine (Don't let your back arch or your ribs jut forward.) Return to starting position and repeat eight to 12 times. Benefits: Stretches pectoral muscles, strengthens upper back. Helps correct poor posture and muscular imbalances from hunching over a desk or computer.
We humans aren't made for sitting all day. Pain is your body calling, so don't just plow through it—take time to move. Not only will your injury risk drop, but those tight will breathe a . -- Tepper
A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further.
So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.
The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shrivelled wings.
The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.
Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shrivelled wings. It never was able to fly.
What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us.
We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!
Author Unknown
Pain can seem to be an unbearable obstacle with no purpose, but perhaps we cannot see the purpose as we are struggling. We also cannot see what we are becoming. Only God can truly see. Sometimes all we have to hold onto is Faith.
It begins so innocently: A tender spot in a muscle, weird tingling sensations in a hand, numbness in a couple of fingers... and always after a long day at the keyboard or cash register or assembly line. But over time the discomfort grows and the throbbing becomes more severe, cutting into your sleep and severely hampering your job performance—until you realize that you're in intolerable pain, day in and day out.
Welcome to the world of repetitive strain injury (RSI). While it may not be a comforting thought, you do have plenty of company—about 7% of the US population, according to the federal government. That makes RSI not only the most common occupational hazard but, at $20 billion a year in workers' compensation costs alone, the most expensive as well.
Graduated Misery
"RSI is not a diagnosis, but a term used to describe a very complicated, many-faceted soft tissue problem," explains RSI expert Dr. Emil Pascarelli, author of Dr. Pascarelli's Complete Guide to Repetitive Strain Injury (Wiley). "One reason it's so complicated is that the symptom site is not necessarily where the problem lies." Nerve compression, originating at either the spine or further along down the arm, is a key factor; using a computer mouse at an awkward angle can clamp down on nerves in your neck, shoulder, elbow and/or wrist—which can wind up causing pain and numbness in your fingers. Other symptoms include spasms, weakness, swelling and tingling.
The disconnect between injury and symptom also helps explain why carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), the best-known RSI, isn't as common as you might think. CTS, in which the nerve that serves the hand is compressed as it passes through the wrist, is "by no means the major culprit," Pascarelli says. "In fact, a study of 485 of my most recent patients shows that only 8% of them actually had CTS." Problems that people will self-diagnose as CTS often fall into other RSI categories such as thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), which originates in the neck; cubital tunnel syndrome, a nerve impingement at the elbow; and DeQuervain's tenosynovitis, a tendon irritation involving the thumb.
The unnatural practices of modern employment lie at the heart of RSI; the human body was not meant to remain relatively immobile for hours doing the same thing repeatedly. (See "BlackBerry Thumb.") As a result, repetitive strain difficulties are "extremely common" among the people Jocelyn Joy, LAc, treats at Joy Acupuncture in San Diego, California. "Most of the cases I see involve typing—long hours at the keyboard and poor posture," she notes. "I do occasionally get people with more physical jobs, such as mechanics." Pascarelli also sees hurting musicians: "We are losing many talented musicians to injury early in their careers."
Relaxing RSI's Grip
Making RSI go away is one thing; keeping it from returning is another. "It's not all that difficult to treat— what's difficult is not having it recur," says Joy. "If you don't change how you're doing things, it's likely that the problem will come back."
The first step, according to Pascarelli, is to get an accurate diagnosis: "I have spent as many as two hours on each first-patient visit to do a full history and complete upper-body examination." He recommends making that visit more productive by coming with notes: When and how your symptoms began, the type and intensity of the work you do and the type of equipment you use (as well as any repetitive home or recreational activities), your stress levels and emotional state, and what tasks you are no longer capable of performing.
Physical therapy, including a targeted exercise program, is the key to recovery. Dutch researchers have found that exercise even trumps such ergonomic changes as properly adjusted chairs and keyboards. Work with someone who has a background in RSI rehab. "I've been trained in a little bit of physical rehabilitation, but I often need to work with somebody who's very good at isolating muscle groups and coming up with exercises for those muscles," Joy says. But don't place all the responsibility on that person's shoulders. "You must rely on your own awareness," says Pascarelli. "Relying on the therapist to carry the workload of , your recovery means that you will not recover." The temptation is to push hard in an effort to get back to normal as quickly as possible. Don't. As Joy puts it, "Slower is faster and less is more."
Both acupuncture and massage can help relieve the pain. Regarding acupuncture Joy says, "As a general rule I like to go anywhere from six to 12 treatments, usually twice a week. That usually results in the problem being almost completely resolved, depending on what other areas are affected." And in one study, people with early CTS who received a professional massage once a week—and learned how to perform a self-massage each evening—saw their symptoms abate.
Though heat relaxes muscles, cold can also relieve RSI pain. Icing "is most effective if the ice is put in direct contact with the skin for 40 to 60 seconds," Pascarelli says. "Move it over painful tissues until the skin gets slightly numb and reddish." Supplements (and ) can help, too. "I often prescribe magnesium to help with muscle cramping and tightness," says Joy. "I use supplement formulas that include turmeric and I also recommend omega-3 fatty acids— they really do help with inflammation. For acute inflammation I generally prescribe 3,000 or 4,000 milligrams a day (you might have to work up from 1,000 mg); always take it with food. After the acute problem is over, I'd say 2,000 mg would be great." (If arthritic aches aggravate your RSI, add glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM to the mix.)
To stop recurrences Pascarelli suggests a multi-step prevention plan: Assessing your injury risk by noting daily activities at work and at home, faithfully doing all recommended stretches and exercises, thinking ergonomically by fitting your equipment to your body and not the other way around, and pushing the healthcare system, including your insurance company, for the help you need.
Don't let RSI cramp your style. Get better and then do everything you can to keep the pain at bay.
History Of Migraines Associated With Increased Risk Of Retinopathy
Science Daily — Middle-aged men and women with a history of migraine and other headaches are more likely to have retinopathy, damage to the retina of the eye which can lead to severe vision problems or blindness, than those without a history of headaches, according to a study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
For the study, published in the May 15, 2007, issue of Neurology, researchers reviewed the headache history and eye health of 10,902 men and women who participated in the Arteriosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Participants, who were from communities in Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi and North Carolina, were black and white and between the ages of 51 and 71 at the time of their examination.
Twenty-two percent of the participants had a history of migraine or other headaches. Those with a history of headaches were slightly younger, more likely to be female, and more likely to be white than those without a history of headaches.
The study found people with headaches were between 1.3 and 1.5 times more likely to have retinopathy than those without headaches. Among participants who did not have a history of diabetes or hypertension, the association was stronger and limited to those with migraine headaches and other headaches with aura (visual disturbances).
"Middle-aged people with a history of migraine and other headaches are more likely to have retinopathy," said the study's lead author Kathryn M. Rose, research assistant professor of epidemiology at the UNC School of Public Health. "This association persisted after controlling for diabetes, glucose levels, cigarette smoking, blood pressure and use of blood pressure medications."
"Our findings suggest that problems in the circulatory system of small blood vessels may be an underlying factor. This is possible given that anatomically and physiologically small blood vessels in the retina and brain are similar," said Rose. "Our findings are also consistent with previous studies linking migraine and retinopathy with the occurrence of stroke."
Other study authors are: Dr. Tien Yin Wong, professor of ophthalmology, Centre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne; April P. Carson, former postdoctoral fellow, and David Couper, biostatistics associate professor, UNC School of Public Health; Dr. Ronald Klein, professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences, University of Wisconsin Medical School; Dr. A Richey Sharrett, adjunct professor of epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.
The ARIC study was supported by the National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute of the National Institutes of Health.
Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The type of pain experienced often give a clue as to the cause and the type of structures involved. Although this can be misleading at times when questioning someone else as to their type of pain, it is still a very useful tool to initiate any investigation into pain. There are different types of pain, including nerve, bone, joint, muscle and vascular pain. Each tend to have it's own quality of pain:
Nerve pain: Sharp, stabbing or shooting pain distributing along , characterized at times by a burning or pins and needle sensation. Nerve pain feels like repeatedly being stabbed by a needle, stung by a bee or subjected to electric shock.
Bone pain: Deep, boring pain and poorly localized, i.e. it's feels non-specific and difficult to locate.
Joint pain: Superficial and localized, but can also refer pain to other areas. Joint pain is recognized by its location more so than its exactly quality, since joints are complicated structures involving bones, muscles and other tissues.
Muscle pain: Dull, aching and poorly localised pain. Muscle pain can refer pain to other areas.
Vascular pain: Diffuse, aching or throbbing and poorly localised. Vascular pain, like joint and muscle pain, also refers pain to other areas.
Pain does not necessarily fall into one category only. Migraine pain is usually a combination of vascular and muscular pain. Type casting pain is difficult for those new to pain, but for those with ample experience, it can be invaluable.
There has been a lot of press about Iran's new laws regarding the death penalty for those engaged in producing Internet porn and equally draconian penalties for those possessing or surfing for it. Now you really have to ask what is their real social interest in such laws. I mean after all, Muhammad who was the most perfect example of all men claimed to have the sexual prowess of 40 men and had about a dozen wifes who he slept with in rotation to satisfy all. His followers were urged to take as many wives as needed, they could satisfy and that they could afford including all the children they may have. If they couldn't afford a wife and children, they could satisfy themselves with slaves or concubines. Certainly sex and sensuality are not the issues.
Prior to this blog, I had never even conceived of the concept of Arab, Muslim or Islamic porn. Even now, it's not a big concern and I probably would never written about it because this blog has little to do with porn and a whole lot to do with fabricated evidence. What changed my mind is when I went to a law enforcement Honeypot called Femalesex.com which had been spawned by younbabes.com doing something with youngsex.com. The first few times I visited, nothing much happened and my first reports were that it was a boring and very uninteresting cop site with models that were fully clothed and old when the design was first done about five years ago and they are probably all grandmothers by now.
After I got stalked by the FBI's carnivore, the portal changed. On one machine, I was offered “sexual child abuse” and on another one on the same network I was offered Arab porn. Now there was really no attraction in going to the child sexual abuse sites as I had seen the pictures at trial and like the Holocaust pictures, they remain embedded in your mind with no need for a refresher.
I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the Arab porn I was referred to. For those who are not familiar with arabstreethookers.com, it is ranked 37,878 globally and it is in the top 25,000 sites in Lebanon, Palestinian Territory, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, Algeria, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, India, Israel, United Arab Emirates and Malaysia.
Actually, it is a quality site designed by cops and lawyers who have some taste for a change. All of the child access porn blockers are on the portal page and the testimony about all models being above 18 is there, along with a politically correct statement about non-defamation. As previously reported, the models are mature (30+) Mediterranean types with full figures and olive complexion, - just the type that makes me start dribbling down my chin and acting like a fool.
When you track the site from foreign servers, it sort of ends up in New York behind firewalls that block your knowledge of the exact location and when you track it from America it seems like it's in Atlanta. None of the code appears to be terribly malicious and this appears to be a passive information gathering Honeypot.
Now I'm pretty sure because of the begot from femalesex.com, is more a cop/spy site than it is an Arab pornsite, so it really shouldn't be counted as Arab porn. Still, if you are a connoisseur of porn and are not Arab, this could be considered a pleasing set of eyecandy for a quick visit.
Now the only real Arab porn site I tripped across was which is just one of those nasty 1950 type porn publications with black and white type pictures, airbrushed over at the appropriate place. Only one model is used on a dozen affiliated sites as they could probably only find one Egyptian slut in the world. She is obese and those who like obese sex might be attracted to this site as all that cellulite and fat might put a whole new wrinkle on sex. I'm not sure the death penalty is appropriate for this type of tasteless crap, but some punishment is deserved for accidentally exposing me to it.
I'm totally amazed that in Egypt, Yemen, Palestinian Territory, Syrian Arab Republic, Bahrain, Sudan and Pakistan this site is ranked in the top 25,000 and it has a global rank 214,722.
Go figure, their is no accounting for taste.
There are no apparent honeypots along the route to this site and no obvious malicious code. So put a little middle eastern spice in your life and sneak-a-peak.
As the kid's say:
It's soooooooooo bad.
