Month: August 2011

Categories
Ailmemts & Remedies

Pleurisy

Alternative Name :Pleuritis

Definition:
Pleurisy  is an inflammation of the pleura,  the lining of the pleural cavity surrounding the lungs. Among other things, infections are the most common cause of pleurisy.

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The inflamed pleural layers rub against each other every time the lungs expand to breathe in air. This can cause severe sharp pain with inhalation (also called pleuritic chest pain).

Symptoms:
The main symptom of pleurisy is a sharp or stabbing pain in the chest that gets worse with deep breathing, coughing, sneezing or laughing. The pain may stay in one place, or it may spread to the shoulder or back. Sometimes it becomes a fairly constant dull ache.

Depending on its cause, pleurisy may be accompanied by other symptoms:

*Chest pain when you inhale and exhale (between breaths, you feel almost no pain)
*Shortness of breath
*Dry cough
*Fever and chills
*Rapid, shallow breathing
*Unexplained weight loss
*Sore throat followed by pain and swelling in the joints
*Diarrhea
*Ventricular tachycardia
*Erectile dysfunction
*Vomiting blood
*Vaginal discharge
*Loss of appetite

The sharp, fleeting pain in your chest that pleurisy causes is made worse by coughing, sneezing, moving and breathing, especially deep breathing. In some cases, pain may extend from your chest to your shoulder. You may find relief from pain when you hold your breath or when you apply pressure over the painful area.

When an accumulation of fluids (pleural effusion) is associated with pleurisy, the pain usually disappears because the fluid serves as a lubricant. However, if enough fluid accumulates, it puts pressure on your lungs, compressing and interfering with their normal function, causing shortness of breath. If the fluid becomes infected, the signs and symptoms of dry cough, fever and chills may appear. An infected pleural effusion is called an empyema.

Causes:
Viral infection is the most common cause of pleurisy. However, many different conditions can cause pleurisy:

*Pneumothorax
*Bacterial infections like pneumonia and tuberculosis
*Autoimmune disorders like systemic lupus erythematosus (or drug-induced lupus erythematosus) and rheumatoid arthritis
*Lung cancer and lymphoma
*Other lung diseases like Cystic Fibrosis, sarcoidosis, asbestosis, lymphangioleiomyomatosis, and mesothelioma
*Pulmonary embolism, a blood clot in the blood vessels that go into the lungs
*Inflammatory bowel disease
*Familial Mediterranean fever, an inherited condition that often causes fever and swelling in the abdomen or lung
*Infection from a fungus or parasite
*Heart surgery, especially coronary artery bypass grafting
*High blood pressure
*Chest injuries
*Aortic dissection
*Can occur with no illness or infection
*Some cases of pleurisy are idiopathic, meaning the cause cannot be determined.

Complications:
*Breathing difficulty
*Collapsed lung due to thoracentesis
*Complications from the original illness

Diagnosis:
Tests to diagnose the underlying cause of  symptoms may include:

*Medical history and physical exam. Doctor will ask detailed questions about your medical history, including other health problems, medications and your recent signs and symptoms. Your doctor may want to examine your chest with a stethoscope. If he or she hears a “snow crunching” sound over the area of your pain, that may be enough to diagnose pleurisy. You may even be able to feel the crunching with your hand. This sign isn’t always present with pleurisy, however.

*Blood tests. A blood test may tell your doctor if you have an infection and, if so, what type of infection you have. Other blood tests also may detect an autoimmune disorder, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, in which the initial sign is pleurisy.

Doctor may also order imaging tests or diagnostic procedures.

Imaging tests
Imaging tests to diagnose the underlying cause of pleurisy may include:

*Chest X-ray. A chest X-ray may show an area of inflammation in your lungs that indicates pneumonia. Sometimes doctors want a special type of chest X-ray in which you lie on your side where the pleurisy is to see if there’s any fluid that doesn’t appear on a standard chest X-ray. This type of X-ray is called a decubitus chest X-ray.

*Computerized tomography (CT) scan. Your doctor will want to investigate any unexplained abnormality seen on chest X-rays with additional imaging, usually beginning with a computerized tomography (CT) scan. In a CT scan, a computer translates information from X-rays into images of thin sections (slices) of your chest, producing more-detailed images.

*Ultrasound. This imaging method uses high-frequency sound waves to produce precise images of structures within your body. Your doctor may use ultrasound to determine whether you have a pleural effusion.

*Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) . Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), also called nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) scanning, uses powerful magnets to show pleural effusions and tumors.

*Arterial blood gas :In arterial blood gas sampling, a small amount of blood is taken from an artery, usually in the wrist. The blood is then checked for oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. This test shows how well the lungs are taking in oxygen.

Diagnostic procedures :-
In some cases,  doctor may remove fluid and tissue from the pleural space for testing. Procedures may include:

*Thoracentesis. To remove fluid for laboratory analysis, your doctor may suggest a procedure called thoracentesis. In this procedure, your doctor first injects a local anesthetic between your ribs to the area where fluid was seen on your imaging studies. Next your doctor then inserts a needle through your chest wall between your ribs to remove fluid for laboratory analysis. If only a small amount of fluid is present, your doctor may insert the needle with the help of ultrasound guidance over the site of the fluid.

*Pleural biopsy. If tuberculosis or lung cancer is a suspected cause of your condition,  doctor may perform thoracentesis with pleural biopsy — removal of a sample of tissue to be examined in a pathology laboratory. The biopsy needle has a small hook on the end that lifts away a small piece of tissue. Your doctor may use ultrasound guidance for this procedure as well.

*Thoracoscopy. This procedure, performed while you’re under a general anesthetic, allows a surgeon to see inside your chest and obtain a sample of pleural tissue. First, the surgeon makes one or more small incisions between your ribs. A tube with a tiny video camera is then inserted into your chest cavity – a procedure sometimes called video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Tools designed for this type of surgery allow your surgeon to cut away tissue for testing.
Treatment:
Treatment has several goals:

*Remove the fluid, air, or blood from the pleural space
*Relieve symptoms
*Treat the underlying condition

Procedures:
If large amounts of fluid, air, or blood are not removed from the pleural space, they may put pressure on the lung and cause it to collapse.

The surgical procedures used to drain fluid, air, or blood from the pleural space are as follows:

*During thoracentesis, a needle or a thin, hollow, plastic tube is inserted through the ribs in the back of the chest into the chest wall. A syringe is attached to draw fluid out of the chest. This procedure can remove more than 6 cups (1.5 litres) of fluid at a time.

*When larger amounts of fluid must be removed, a chest tube may be inserted through the chest wall. The doctor injects a local painkiller into the area of the chest wall outside where the fluid is. A plastic tube is then inserted into the chest between two ribs. The tube is connected to a box that suctions the fluid out. A chest x-ray is taken to check the tube’s position.

*A chest tube also is used to drain blood and air from the pleural space. This can take several days. The tube is left in place, and the patient usually stays in the hospital during this time.

*Sometimes the fluid contains thick pus or blood clots, or it may have formed a hard skin or peel. This makes it harder to drain the fluid. To help break up the pus or blood clots, the doctor may use the chest tube to put certain medicines into the pleural space. These medicines are called fibrinolytics. If the pus or blood clots still do not drain out, surgery may be necessary.

Medications:
A couple of medications are used to relieve pleurisy symptoms:

*Paracetamol (acetaminophen) or anti-inflammatory agents to control pain and decrease inflammation. Only indomethacin (brand name Indocin) has been studied with respect to relief of pleurisy.

*Codeine-based cough syrups to control a cough

There may be a role for the use of corticosteroids (for tuberculous pleurisy), tacrolimus (Prograf) and methotrexate (Trexall, Rheumatrex) in the treatment of pleurisy. Further studies are needed.

Alternative Treatmewnt:
A number of alternative or complementary medicines are being investigated for their anti-inflammatory properties, and their use in pleurisy. At this time, clinical trials of these compounds have not been performed.

Extracts from the Brazilian folk remedy Wilbrandia ebracteata (“Taiuia”) have been shown to reduce inflammation in the pleural cavity of mice.  The extract is thought to inhibit the same enzyme, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), as the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Similarly, an extract from the roots of the Brazilian Petiveria alliacea plant reduced inflammation in a rat model of pleurisy.  The extract also reduced pain sensations in the rats. An aqueous extract from Solidago chilensis has been shown to reduce inflammation in a mouse model of pleurisy

Lifestyle changes:
The following may be helpful in the management of pleurisy:

*Lie on your painful side. This may actually lessen your pain.

*Take OTC medicines such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) as needed to relieve pain and inflammation.

*Breathing deeply and coughing to clear mucus as the pain eases. Otherwise, pneumonia may develop.

*Get plenty of rest. Even when you start to feel better, be careful not to overdo it.

Prognosis:
Pleurisy and other disorders of the pleura can be serious, depending on what caused the inflammation in the pleura.

If the condition that caused the pleurisy or other pleural disorders isn’t too serious and is diagnosed and treated early, one usually can expect a full recovery.

Prevention:
Early treatment of bacterial respiratory infections can prevent pleurisy.

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advise or help. It is always best to consult with a Physician about serious health concerns. This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe remedies.This is purely for educational purpose.

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleurisy
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pleurisy/DS00244
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001371.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/pleurisy.shtml

http://www.webmd.com/lung/understanding-pleurisy-basics

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/pleurisy/pleurisy_whatare.html

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Categories
Herbs & Plants

Sambucus mexicana

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Botanical Name : Sambucus mexicana
Family: Adoxaceae
Genus: Sambucus
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Dipsacales
Syn: Sambucus cerulea var. cerulea
Common Names: elder or elderberry,Elder, Mexican,Blue Elderberry

Habitat : The genus is native in temperate-to-subtropical regions of both the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere. It is more widespread in the Northern Hemisphere; its Southern Hemisphere occurrence is restricted to parts of Australasia and South America.

Description:
Sambucus mexicana is a genus of between 5 and 30 species of shrubs or small trees.The leaves are pinnate with 5–9 leaflets (rarely 3 or 11). Each leaf is 5–30 cm (2.0–12 in) long, and the leaflets have serrated margins. They bear large clusters of small white or cream-colored flowers in late spring; these are followed by clusters of small black, blue-black, or red berries (rarely yellow or white).

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Flowers are inflorescence more or less flat-topped, not pyramidal; white to cream petals. Fruits  are dark blue-black and strongly white glaucous, appearing blue and leaves are pinnately compound; leaflets serrate, 3 to 20 cm long

Medicinal Uses:
An infusion of the blossoms has been used in the treatment of upset stomachs, fevers, sore throats, colds and flu. A decoction of the roots has been used in the treatment of constipation.  A widely used treatment for fever, combined with equal parts of Brook Mint or Pennyroyal as a tea.  A tea of the flowers and/or dried berries acts as a simple diuretic to treat water retention.  As a face wash for acne and pimples, use a tea of the flowers. Take as a tea up to 3 times a day.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://www.landscape-resources.com/portfolio/treesx/pages/Sambucus%20mexicana-1.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambucus
http://www.cwnp.org/photopgs/sdoc/samexicana.html

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Featured

Cuddling May Be Key to Long-Term Happy Relationship

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A new study that looked at middle-aged and older couples found that cuddling and caressing can boost satisfaction.  The study also revealed that:

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•Tenderness is more important to men than to women
•Men are more likely to report being happy in their relationship
•Women are more likely to be satisfied with their sex life
According to Yahoo Health:

“Both women and men were happier the longer they had been together and if they had higher levels of sexual functioning … Sexual satisfaction for both women and men was associated with frequent kissing and cuddling, sexual caressing by a partner, high sexual functioning, and frequent sex. For men, having had more sex partners in their lifetime was a predictor of less sexual satisfaction … Sexual satisfaction for women increased over time.”

Resources:
*Yahoo Health July 6, 2011

*Archives of Sexual Behavior August 2011; 40(4):741-53

Posted By Dr. Mercola | July 25 2011

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Herbs & Plants

Edelweiss

Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum)
Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum) (Photo credit: Franco Folini)

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Botanical Name : Leontopodium alpinum
Family: Asteraceae
Tribe: Gnaphalieae
Genus: Leontopodium
Species: L. alpinum
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales

Common Name :The common name comes from German edel, meaning “noble”, and weiß (also spelled weiss) “white”, thus signifying “noble whiteness”.

The scientific name Leontopodium is a Latin adaptation of Greek leontopódion    “lion’s paw”, from lé?n “lion” and pódion “foot” (diminutive of poús, podós “foot”).

The Romanian name, floarea reginei, means “Queen’s flower”. Also, another common name is floare de col? which means “the corner’s flower”.

The Persian name is gol-e-yax, which translates as “ice flower”

Habitat :Edelweiss is a favourite wildflower of the Swiss Alps, best suited to growing in a well-drained rock garden, scree or alpine trough.

The plant is unequally distributed and prefers rocky limestone places at 2000–2900 m altitude. It is not toxic, and has been used traditionally in folk medicine as a remedy against abdominal and respiratory diseases. The dense hair appears to be an adaptation to high altitudes, protecting the plant from cold, aridity and ultraviolet radiation.

Since it usually grows in inaccessible places, it is associated in many countries of the alpine region with mountaineering.

Description:
Plants form a low clump of silvery grey foliage, bearing odd clusters of woolly white flowers in early summer. These can be cut, or even dried. Short-lived in gardens, these will sometimes self seed when happy. Best in regions with cool summers. Drought-tolerant once established.

…YOU MAY CLICK TO SEE THE PICTURE

Leaves and flowers are covered with white hairs and appear woolly (tomentose). Flowering stalks of Edelweiss can grow to a size of 3–20 cm (in cultivation, up to 40 cm). Each bloom consisting of five to six small yellow flower heads (5 mm) surrounded by bracts in star formation. The flowers are in bloom between July and September……..CLICK & SEE  THE PICTURES

Cultivation:
Leontopodium alpinum is grown in gardens for its interesting inflorescence and silver foliage. The plants are short lived and can be grown from seed

Medicinal Uses:
It is not toxic, but has been used traditionally in folk medicine as a remedy against abdominal and respiratory diseases. Extracts and individual constituents of Leontopodium alpinum  were tested for their antimicrobial activity in two different assays. Extracts were screened in agar diffusion assays, whereas the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of single compounds were determined by the microbroth dilution method according to NCCLS criteria. Significant antimicrobial activities were found against various strains of Enterococcus faecium, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Streptococcus pyogenes strains. These results support the ethnomedicinal use of Leontopodium alpinum for the treatment of respiratory and abdominal disorders.

Symbolic uses:
*On the Austrian euro coins, a picture of Edelweiss is used on the two-euro-cent coins.

*It is the symbol of the Bulgarian Tourist Union

*It is also the symbol of the Swiss national tourism organisation

*On the Romanian 50 Lei banknote.

*Edelweiss Society

*In Austria, Edelweiß is also a brand of beer named after the flower.

*Edelweiss is the unofficial national flower of Switzerland.

*The Edelweiss is used in the logotypes of several alpine clubs such as the Deutscher Alpenverein (German Alpine Club) or the
*Österreichischer Alpenverein (Austrian Alpine Club). The Edelweiss is also used in the logotype of the Union of International
*Mountain Leader Associations (UIMLA).

*Edelweiss Air, an international airline based in Switzerland, is named after the flower, which also appears in its logo.

*The song “Edelweiss”, which is about the flower, is from Rodgers and Hammerstein‘s 1959 musical The Sound of Music, which takes place in Salzburg, Austria during World War II.

*”Bring me Edelweiss” is the best-known song of the music group Edelweiss.

*The Edelweiss was established 1907 as the sign of the Austrian-Hungarian alpine troops by Emperor Franz Joseph I. These original 3 Regiments wore their edelweiss on the collar of their uniform. During World War I (1915) the Edelweiss was granted to the
*German alpine troops, for their bravery. Today it is still the insignia of the Austrian, Polish, and German alpine troops.
Edelweiss was a badge of Edelweiss Pirates (Edelweisspiraten)—the anti-Nazi youth groups in Third Reich. It was worn on the clothes (e.g. a blouse or a suit).

*The Edelweiss flower was the symbol of Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS Gebirgsjäger, or mountain rangers, worn as a metal pin on the left side of the mountain cap, on the band of the service dress cap, and as a patch on the right sleeve. It is still the symbol of the Mountain division in the German army today.

*The World War II Luftwaffe unit, Kampfgeschwader 51 (51st Bomber Wing) was known as the Edelweiss Wing.

*The rank insignia of Swiss generals use eight-pointed stars representing the flower. A Korpskommandant for example (equivalent to a Lieutenant General in other countries) wears three Edelweiss stars on his collar.

*Polish professional ice hockey team MMKS Podhale Nowy Targ use an Edelweiss as their emblem.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-NUXJCggdWE/TS8DkPZjj0I/AAAAAAAAABY/rsRnmVzGC3M/s1600/edelweiss.jpg
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_DE.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leontopodium_alpinum
http://strivectin.ucan.us/edelweiss_extract.htm

 

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Herbs & Plants

Dulse

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Botanical Name : Rhodymenia palmata
Family: Palmariaceae
Genus: Palmaria
Species: P. palmata
Domain: Eukaryota
Division: Rhodophyta
Class: Florideophyceae
Order: Palmariales

Synonym:Palmaria palmata (Linnaeus) Kuntze

Common Name ;Dulse, dillisk, dilsk, red dulse, sea lettuce flakes or creathnach

Habitat : Dulse is the only species of Palmaria found on the coast of Atlantic Europe. It is to be found from Portugal to the B altic coasts also on the coasts of Iceland and the Faroe Islands. It also grows on the shores of Arctic Russia, Arctic Canada, Atlantic Canada, Alaska, Japan and Korea. The records from California are of Palmaria mollis which is considered a different species.

It grows on the northern coasts of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It is a well-known snack food, and in Iceland, where it is known as söl, it has been an important source of fiber throughout the centuries.

Description:
Dulse  grows attached by its discoid holdfast to the stipes of Laminaria or to rocks. It has a short stipe, the fronds are variable and vary in colour from deep-rose to reddish-purple and are rather leathery in texture. The flat foliose blade gradually expands and divides into broad segments ranging in size to 50 cm long and 30 – 8 cm in width which can bear flat wedge-shaped proliferations from the edge.

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Reddish brown, membranous or leathery, flattened fronds, 50-300 (rarely –1000) mm long, arising from a discoid base, usually with a small stipe expanding gradually to form simple or dichotomously and palmately divided fronds, often with characteristic marginal leaflets. Blade very variable in shape, having broadly ovate to narrowly linear segments.

The reference to Rhodymenia palmata var.mollis in Abbott & Hollenberg (1976), is now considered to refer to a different species: Palmaria mollis (Setchel et Gardner) van der Meer et Bird.

Dulse is similar to another seaweed Dilsea carnosa (Schmidel) Kuntze, Dilsea, however, is more leathery with blades up to 30 cm long and 20 cm wide. Unlike Palmaria palmata it is not branched and does not have proliferations or branches from the edge of the frond. The older blades may split however

Edible Uses;
Dulse is a good source of minerals and vitamins compared with other vegetables, contains all trace elements needed by humans, and has a high protein content.

It is commonly found from June to September and can be picked by hand when the tide is out. When picked, small snails, shell pieces and other small particles can be washed or shaken off and the plant then spread to dry. Some gatherers may turn it once and roll it into large bales to be packaged later. It is also used as fodder for animals in some countries.

Dulse is commonly used in Ireland, Iceland, Atlantic Canada and the Northeast United States both as food and medicine. It can be found in many health food stores or fish markets and can be ordered directly from local distributors. In Ballycastle, Ireland, it is traditionally sold at the Ould Lammas Fair. It is particularly popular along the Causeway Coast. Although a fast-dying tradition,[citation needed] there are many who still gather their own dulse. In South West Ireland, as in County Antrim, it is eaten dried and uncooked in a manner similar to that in which one would eat snacks at a drinks party. It is also used in cooking. (Its properties are similar to those of a flavor-enhancer). It is commonly referred to as dillisk on the west coast of Ireland. Dillisk is usually dried and sold as a snack food from stalls in seaside towns by periwinkle-sellers.

Waste pipes have spoiled some sites.

Fresh dulse can be eaten directly off the rocks before sun-drying. Sun-dried dulse is eaten as is or is ground to flakes or a powder. In Iceland the tradition is to eat it with butter. It can also be pan fried quickly into chips, baked in the oven covered with cheese, with salsa, or simply microwaved briefly. It can also be used in soups, chowders, sandwiches and salads, or added to bread/pizza dough. Finely diced, it can also be used as a flavour enhancer in meat dishes, such as chili, in place of monosodium glutamate.

Medicinal Uses:

Dulse contains iodine, which prevents goiter.

In several traditions of European herbal medicine, dulse was used to remove parasites, to relieve constipation, and as a treatment for scurvy. It is a superior source of the iodine the body needs to make the thyroid hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine which affect weight and metabolic rate.  The complex polysaccharides in the herb make it a gentle alternative to psyllium or senna in the treatment of constipation.

Externally, the fresh blades can be used to treat skin diseases, headaches, and to help expel placenta. It is used as a gentle laxative. Dulse has also been used to help prevent fibroid tumors of the breasts, the uterus or the ovaries and in cases of swollen lumps or enlargements of the intestinal area. Natural, organically-bond iodine extracts from Dulse are used for the treatment and prevention of thyroid disease, and clinical trials on daily molecular iodine supplementation have shown that cyclical breast lumps and cysts are completely resolved within two months. The iodine in Dulse can also prevent goiter.

Dulse has an alkalizing effect on the blood that neutralizes wastes that build up in the body and also aids in removing radioactive and heavy metals from the body. It also prevents the absorption from the gut by binding these elements, which include radioactive strontium, barium, and cadmium. This is done by transforming them into harmless salts (via a substance called alginic acid) that are easily eliminated. Dulse has elements to eliminate excess uric acid from the system and has been used for genitourinary problems such as kidney, bladder, prostrate, and uterus.  Clinical documentation shows that taking some each day can reduce enlarged prostrates in older men and urination can become painless.

Seaweeds may reduce the risk of poisoning from environmental pollution by providing fiber that increases fecal bulk and also reduces cholesterol levels through the retardation of bile acid absorption. Recent research has suggested that Dulse may help reverse hardening of the arteries, reduce high blood pressure, regress and prevent tumors  Research has shown that Dulse extracts inhibited HeLa cell proliferation that is found in human cervical adenocarcinoma and has also been found in animal studies to reduce the risk of intestinal and mammary cancer.

It has been used to treat the problems associated with thyroid malfunction. Liquid Dulse can help to soothe an irritated throat and mucous membranes. It has been used for enlarged thyroid and lymph nodes, swollen and painful testes and to reduce edema. Seaweeds are used to promote wound healing. New generation dressings such as the hydrocolloid dressings are seaweed base as they provide optimal conditions for healing to begin.  It is known to prevent seasickness. Thus it should be of value in other conditions where motion sickness is the cause such as vertigo and labrynthitis or Meniere’s Disease.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmaria_palmata
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_DE.htm

http://www.horta.uac.pt/species/Algae/Palmaria_palmata/Palmaria_palmata.htm

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