Categories
Animal Hide, Shell & Others

Gelatinum Asini

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Latin Plant Name:  Gelatinum Asini
Pinyin Mandarin Name: E Jiao
Pin Yin: ejiao-
Common English Name: Gelatin from the skin of an Ass
Common name:
ass hide glue
Other names: A Jiao, Yuan E Jiao, Chen E Jiao, Lu Pi Jiao, Lu E Jiao, Dong E Jiao, Ah Jao
Botanical family: (animal) Equidae
Botanical name: Equs asinus L.
Part of Plant Used: Prepared gelatin
Primary action: Supplement Blood
Secondary actions: Stop Bleeding; Supplement Yin
Temperature: neutral
Nature: Neutral
Taste: Sweet
Entering Channel: Lu, Lv, Kd

Meridians Entered: Lungs, Liver, Kidneys
YOU MAY CLICK TO SEE..>…..(01)..(1)…….(2).…..
Common Usages : This herb is used to stop chronic bleeding and enhance recovery from excessive bleeding. It is most often used in formulas that treat anemia, tuberculosis, dry cough with bloody sputum, bleeding fibroids, and endometriosis; also used to raise blood platelet count, and to stop bleeding and spotting during pregnancy (TCM: builds Lung Yin and nourishes Blood).

Nourishes Blood; used especially for dizziness, palpitations, and dry skin.
Stops bleeding of all types, especially in conditions of chronic wasting illnesses and Vacuity of Yin or Blood.
Supplements Yin and moistens Lungs, especially useful for the aftermath of feverish illness.

Traditional Usages and Functions
: Nourishes Blood; nourishes Blood and stops bleeding; nourishes Yin and moistens Lungs.

Common Formulas Used In : Leonuris and Achyranthes.

Processing Required : Can be used after processing

Remarks
Dissolve the gelatin in warm water before adding it to tea, or use alone after straining.

Cautions in Use
Do not use this herb where there is an exterior excess condition. Use with caution if there is deficent Spleen and/or Stomach.

You may click to see:->
The Official MartinZ Blog :

Resources:
http://www.acupuncture-and-chinese-medicine.com/gelatinum-asini.html
http://www.chineseherbacademy.org/databases/hb-db/asini.html
http://www.tcmassistant.com/herbs/e-jiao.html

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Categories
Healthy Tips

Home Therapy For Varicose Vein

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Regular exercise and use of compression stockings can  give relief to patients with  varicose veins....CLICK & SEE

click to see the picture

Varicose veins see the picturens occur when there are defective valves in the veins and weakened vein walls. In normal veins, one-way valves in the veins help keep blood flowing efficiently towards the heart. However, when these valves become faulty, blood pools within the veins, building pressure and causing the veins to become weakened, twisted and enlarged.

Different medical options are there for the patients with Varicose veins depending on the severity of the condition. Most patients will also be advised to practice home-care treatment aimed at improving circulation to complement their medical varicose vein therapy. Here are some proven home-based therapies.

Varicose Vein Stockings:  -Support stockings or compression stockings work very well for most patients because they put external pressure on the legs and help the veins circulate blood more efficiently. When blood flows smoothly, there will be a marked reduction in the veins’ bulging and twisted appearance.

These days, compression stockings come in different styles, lengths and colors – making them more appealing. They are easily available at pharmacies. However, be sure to buy support stockings that fit properly. They should be strong but not too tight…..click & see

Exercises to Reduce Varicose Veins:– Leg elevation exercise – raising the legs above the heart level – for 10 to 15 minutes, three to four times each day can help improve blood circulation in the veins. You can do leg elevation by lying down with the legs resting on three to four pillows…..click & see

Other exercises that help the blood keep moving will be useful as well. Walking, bicycling, swimming or even dancing can all encourage good blood circulation and strengthen the heart at the same time. Exercises also help reduce excessive body weight, another contributing factor in the development of varicose veins…..click & see

Healthy Eating:-  Eating a good and balanced diet is a good way to lose weight as well. Choose high-fiber and low-fat, low-sugar and low-salt food choices. Include plenty of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meat and white poultry in the daily diet. Cutting down on salt also reduces fluid retention and swelling in the legs and ankles – areas susceptible to the development of varicose veins.

Suitable Clothing and Shoes:- Don’t wear clothes that can restrict blood flow. So avoid tight clothes around the waist, legs or groin. High heels are not suitable either. Opt for low-heeled shoes as these work leg muscles more, improving circulation.
Other Ways to Encourage Blood Flow

* Avoid standing or sitting for long periods of time. Walk around every half an hour to keep the blood moving.
* Avoid sitting with the legs crossed.->.

Natural Medicine
In recent years, horse chestnut seed extract has also been used effectively in treating conditions associated with varicose veins. The herb extract helps reduce swelling, pain and discomfort caused by leg veins. However,you should always  consult your doctor first before starting on any herbal supplement to ease varicose veins.

In addition to medical treatment, patients with varicose veins should practice routines such as wearing compression stockings, exercising regularly, eating healthily and avoiding tight clothing to boost venous circulation. While these home-based therapies may not be able to remove varicose veins completely, they certainly can provide a lot of relief.

Sources:- http://common-patient-ailments.suite101.com/article.cfm/varicose_vein_therapy_at_home#ixzz0BfqOhzTa

Categories
Diagnonistic Test

Venous Ultrasound of the Legs (Lower Extremity Doppler)

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Definition:
This type of ultrasound shows if there is a blockage in a leg vein. Such blockages are usually caused by blood clots, which can be dangerous and even lifethreatening if they break loose and travel through the blood to the lungs. If you have pain or swelling in one leg, your doctor may order an ultrasound to determine whether your symptoms are caused by a blockage.

Click for the picture

The importance of the Venous Doppler examination of the lower extremities cannot be underestimated. Careful mapping of the lower extremity venous system prior to treatment is essential to a good clinical outcome. While many patients present with large, clinically obvious bulging varicose veins other individuals may have significant “silent” large vein disease (reflux), which can only be detected by Doppler vein mapping. Venous Doppler not only provides a detailed picture of your venous system, but can show abnormal direction blood flow (reflux) in diseased veins. Successful treatment of leg veins requires accurate diagnosis with treatment of abnormal large veins followed by touch-up treatment of smaller veins…………...click & see

An example of a Venous Doppler procedure is a scan which shows the vein with the blood flow direction indicated by the colored space inside the vein wall. The surrounding tissues look like images on weather radar. When the venous duplex test is performed, multiple pictures are taken to document the status of the vein and to select the optimal treatment plan for your veins. Venous Doppler is also performed at the time of Endovenous Laser Treatment as well as in follow up after EVLT

How to prepare for the test?
No preparation is necessary.

What happens when the test is performed?
After squirting some clear jelly onto the inside of one of your thighs to help the ultrasound sensor slide around easily, a technician or doctor places the sensor against your skin. Once it’s in place, an image appears on a video screen, and the technician or doctor moves the sensor up and down along your leg – from the groin to the calf – to view the veins from different angles. The examiner presses the sensor into your skin firmly every few inches to see if the veins change shape under pressure. He or she then checks your other leg in the same way. As the machine measures the blood flowing through a vein, it makes a swishing noise in time with the rhythm of your heartbeat. This test usually takes 15-30 minutes.Most people don’t feel any discomfort, but if your leg was swollen and sensitive to the touch before the test, the pressure of the sensor might cause some tenderness.

Risk Factors:
There are no risks.
Must you do anything special after the test is over?
Nothing.

How long is it before the result of the test is known?
A radiologist reviews a videotape of your ultrasound and checks for signs of blockages in the veins.Your doctor should receive a report within a few hours to a day.

Resources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/diagnostics/venous-ultrasound-of-the-legs.shtml
http://www.amarillovein.com/AboutUltrasound.php

Categories
Diagnonistic Test

Electrophysiological Testing of the Heart

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Definition:
An electrophysiology (EP) study is a test that records the electrical activity and the electrical pathways of your heart. This test is used to help determine the cause of your heart rhythm disturbance and the best treatment for you. During the EP study, your doctor will safely reproduce your abnormal heart rhythm and then may give you different medications to see which one controls it best or to determine the best procedure or device to treat your heart rhythm.
CLICK & SEE.
Sometimes doctors will recommend a treatment called ablation that can be done during EPS testing. Ablation uses electricity to kill the cells in the heart muscle that seem to cause the abnormal rhythm.

You may click to see:->Electrophysiology Study

 

Why Do you Need an Electrophysiology Study?
*To determine the cause of an abnormal heart rhythm.

*To locate the site of origin of an abnormal heart rhythm.

*To decide the best treatment for an abnormal heart rhythm.

Sometimes an EP study is conducted before implantable cardioverter/defibrillator (ICD) placement to determine which device is best and afterwards to monitor treatment success.

How do you prepare for the test?
*You will need to sign a consent form giving your doctor permission to perform this test. Tell your doctor if you have ever had an allergic reaction to lidocaine or the numbing medicine used at the dentist’s office. Also tell your doctor if you have ever had an allergic reaction to any heart medicines.

*Talk with your doctor ahead of time if you are taking insulin, or if you take aspirin, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, or other medicines that affect blood clotting. It may be necessary to stop or adjust the dose of these medicines before your test. Most people need to have a blood test done some time before the procedure to make sure they are not at high risk for bleeding complications.

*Your doctor may tell you not to eat anything for 12 or more hours before the test. A few people require an anti-anxiety medicine which occasionally causes nausea, and therefore some doctors prefer to have you come with an empty stomach. You might need to plan to spend the night in the hospital afterwards for recovery.

*Ask your doctor what medications you are allowed to take. Your doctor may ask you to stop certain medications one to five days before your EP study. If you have diabetes, ask your doctor how you should adjust your diabetes medications.

*Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the evening before the EP study. If you must take medications, take them only with a small sip of water.

*When you come to the hospital, wear comfortable clothes. You will change into a hospital gown for the procedure. Leave all jewelry or valuables at home.

*Your doctor will tell you if you can go home or must stay in the hospital after the procedure. If you are able to go home, bring a companion to drive you home.

What happens when the test is performed?
The test is done by a specialist using equipment and cameras in the cardiology department. You wear a hospital gown and lie on your back during the procedure. You have an IV (intravenous) line placed in a vein in case you need medicines or fluid during the procedure. Your heart is monitored during the test.

A catheter (a hollow, sterile tube that resembles spaghetti) is inserted through the skin into a blood vessel-typically in your groin, but possibly in the neck or arm. Before the catheter is placed, medicine through a small needle is used to numb the skin and the tissue underneath the skin in that area. The numbing medicine usually stings for a second. A needle on a syringe is then inserted, and some blood is drawn into the syringe, so that the doctor knows exactly where the blood vessel is located. One end of a wire is threaded into the blood vessel through the needle and the needle is pulled out, leaving the wire temporarily in place. This wire is several feet long, but only a small part of it is inside your blood vessel. The catheter can then be slipped over the outside end of the wire and moved forward along it like a long bead on a string, until it is in place with one end inside the blood vessel. The wire is pulled out of the catheter, leaving the catheter in place. Now the catheter can be moved easily forwards and backwards inside your blood vessel by the doctor, who holds the outside end of the catheter while using special controls to point the tip of the catheter in different directions. The doctor carefully moves the catheter to the large blood vessels in your chest and into the chambers of your heart.

As your physician maneuvers the catheter, he or she watches a live video x-ray to know exactly where the catheter is. Instruments on the tip of the catheter allow it to sense electrical patterns from your heart and also to deliver small electrical shocks to the heart muscle (or a stronger electrical burn if you are having ablation). The electrical shocks, too small for you to feel, are used to “tickle” the heart muscle in different places to see if your abnormal rhythm is triggered by one sensitive area of your heart. If the rhythm changes, your doctor gives you small doses of different medicines through this catheter to see which ones work best to change the rhythm back to normal. In some cases the doctor may need to give your heart some additional mild shocks to get it back into a normal rhythm. Because this catheter is in place inside your heart and can give the shocks directly to the heart muscle, very small amounts of electricity are used.

After the catheter has been pulled out, a pressure bandage (basically a thick lump of gauze) is taped tightly to your groin to reduce bleeding. The test usually requires one to two hours to perform.

Many patients are able to feel palpitations (an irregular or fast heartbeat) from the rhythm changes. A few patients also experience shortness of breath or dizziness when they are not in a normal heart rhythm. Other than the brief sting of the numbing medicine and some soreness in your groin area afterward, you are not likely to feel any pain. For some people, the procedure provokes anxiety. Some patients also have a difficult time lying still for the time it takes to perform this test.
What Can you Expect During the Electrophysiology Study?
*You will lie on a bed and the nurse will start an intravenous (IV) line into your arm or hand. This is so you can receive medications and fluids during the electrophysiology study. You will be given a medication through your IV to relax you and make you drowsy, but it will not put you to sleep.

*The nurse will connect you to several monitors.
Your groin will be shaved and cleansed with an antiseptic solution. Sterile drapes are used to cover you, from your neck to your feet. A soft strap will be placed across your waist and arms to prevent your hands from coming in contact with the sterile field.

An electrophysiologist (a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of abnormal heart rhythms) will numb your groin with medication and then insert several catheters into the vein in your groin. Guided by the fluoroscopy machine, the catheters are threaded to your heart. The catheters sense the electrical activity in your heart and are used to evaluate your heart’s conduction system. The doctor will use a pacemaker to deliver the electrical impulses through one of the catheters to increase your heart rate.

You may feel your heart beating faster or stronger. Your nurses and doctor will want to know about any symptoms you are feeling. If your arrhythmia occurs, your doctor may give you medications through your IV to test their effectiveness in controlling it. If necessary, a small amount of energy may be delivered by the patches on your chest to bring back a normal heart rhythm. Based on the information collected during the study, the doctor may continue with an ablation procedure or device implant (pacemaker or ICD).

The EP study takes about two to four hours to perform. However, it can take longer if additional treatments such as catheter ablation are performed at the same time.

Risk Factors:
There are significant risks from this procedure. Most important, some abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia) can be life-threatening, and your doctors will purposefully cause you to go through a few extra episodes of arrhythmia during the testing. If your doctors recommend electrophysiologic testing, they feel that this is a risk worth taking because it will allow them to take better care of you in the future. Because you are right in the lab and attached to a monitor while you undergo the rhythm changes, it is easy for them to treat you should your arrhythmia occur and cause you symptoms.

Ablation has some additional risks, because it intentionally causes some scarring of a small part of the heart muscle. Complications are rare, but new rhythm changes can occur. A very rare complication occurs if the ablation instrument burns a hole through the heart muscle. This causes bleeding and may require immediate surgery.

There are some more minor risks from the test. Among them is bleeding from the place where the catheter was inserted. If bleeding occurs but the blood collects under the skin, it can form a large painful bruise called a hematoma. A few people are allergic to the medicines used in the procedure, and this can cause a rash or other symptoms.

Must you do anything special after the test is over?
You will need to lie flat for around six hours after this procedure. If you received anti-anxiety medicine through your IV during the procedure, you might feel sleepy at the end of the procedure and you might not remember much of the test. You should not drive or drink alcohol for the rest of the day.

Depending on what happened during your test, you might need to wear a heart monitor in the hospital for a few hours or overnight.

What Happens After the EP Study?
The doctor will remove the catheters from your groin and apply pressure to the site, to prevent bleeding. You will be on bed rest for about one to two hours.

An EP study can be frightening, but this test allows the doctor to decide the best treatment for you. In many cases, EP testing and the therapy following can greatly reduce the likelihood of spontaneous arrhythmia. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask your doctor or nurse.

How long is it before the result of the test is known?
Your doctors can tell you how the testing went as soon as it is over. If you had ablation done, the results will not be certain until you have had some time to see if your arrhythmia seems to be under control after the treatment.

Resources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/diagnostics/electrophysiological-testing-of-the-heart.shtml
http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/diagnosing-electrophysiology

http://www.londoncardiac.ca/pages/bfs.html

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Categories
Diagnonistic Test Health Problems & Solutions

Cardiac Catheterization

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Alternative Name: Catheterization – cardiac; Heart catheterization

Definition:
Cardiac catheterization with coronary angiogram takes pictures of the blood vessels in your heart, to evaluate the health of your heart and detect any narrowing of the blood vessels or other problems. The catheterization is performed by a cardiologist (or sometimes a radiologist) who is a specialist in doing this type of test.
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This process involves passing a catheter (a thin flexible tube) into the right or left side of the heart. In general, this procedure is performed to obtain diagnostic information about the heart or its blood vessels or to provide treatment in certain types of heart conditions.

Cardiac catheterization can be used to determine pressure and blood flow in the heart’s chambers, collect blood samples from the heart, and examine the arteries of the heart with an x-ray technique called fluoroscopy. Fluoroscopy provides immediate (“real-time”) visualization of the x-ray images on a screen and provides a permanent record of the procedure.
Why the Test is Performed ?
Cardiac catheterization is usually performed to evaluate heart valves, heart function and blood supply, or heart abnormalities in newborns. It may also be used to determine the need for heart surgery.

Therapeutic catheterization may be used to repair certain types of heart defects, open a stenotic heart valve, and open blocked arteries or grafts in the heart.
How the Test is Performed:
You lie on your back as a medical technician connects you to a heart monitor. An intravenous (IV) line is inserted into one of the blood vessels in your arm, neck, or groin after the site has been cleansed and numbed with a local anesthetic.. You may be given a sedative through the IV so that you are relaxed during the test.

First, the doctor injects a local anesthetic into the skin. This might sting momentarily. After the skin is numb, the cardiologist inserts a catheter (a thin, hollow plastic tube) into a large artery-usually in your groin but possibly in your arm or wrist.

Using live x-rays displayed on a video monitor as a guide, your doctor moves the catheter along the artery until it reaches your aorta (the large blood vessel that carries blood from your heart to the rest of your body). The tip of the catheter is pushed up the aorta until it reaches the heart and then gently pushed into the coronary arteries that supply blood directly to your heart muscle.When the tip of the catheter reaches one of the coronary arteries, the doctor injects contrast dye through the catheter. The dye illuminates the artery, allowing the doctor to see if it is blocked or narrowed. The procedure is repeated to visualize the other coronary arteries.

X-ray pictures are taken while the dye travels down the arteries. The arteries look like thick lines on the x-ray; a narrowing or blockage in an artery appears as a thinner line (see Figure 1). Your doctor might also inject some contrast medium into the left ventricle of your heart to show how forcefully your heart is pumping. The entire procedure usually takes from one to several hours.

How you Prepare for the Test:
Food and fluid are restricted 6 to 8 hours before the test. The procedure takes place in the hospital and you will be asked to wear a hospital gown. Sometimes, admission the night before the test is required. Otherwise, you will be admitted as an outpatient or an inpatient the morning of the procedure.

Your health care provider should explain the procedure and its risks. A witnessed, signed consent for the procedure is required.

Tell your doctor if you are allergic to seafood, if you have had a bad reaction to contrast material in the past, if you are taking Viagra, or if you might be pregnant.

During this procedure, local anesthetics (numbing agents) are used to minimize pain. Tell the cardiologist if you have ever had an allergic reaction to a local anesthetic or to contrast dyes. Also let your doctor know if you could be pregnant, since the x-rays used during this procedure can damage a fetus.

. Tell the cardiologist if you’re taking a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) or other medicines that affect blood clotting and could increase the chance of bleeding from the procedure. You should also tell your doctor if you take insulin shots or blood sugar-lowering pills so that you can take steps to avoid dangerously low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia.

How the Test Will Feel?
The study is carried out in a laboratory by a trained cardiologist or radiologist and technicians or nurses.

You will be awake and able to follow instructions during the catheterization. A mild sedative is usually given 30 minutes before the procedure to help you relax. The procedure may last from 1 to several hours.

You may feel some discomfort at the site where the IV is placed. Local anesthesia will be used to numb the site, so the only sensation should be one of pressure at the site. You may experience some discomfort from having to remain still for a long time.

After the test, the catheter is removed. You might feel a firm pressure at the insertion site, used to prevent bleeding. If the IV is placed in your groin, you will usually be asked to lie flat on your back for a few hours after the test to avoid bleeding. This may cause some mild back discomfort.

Risk Factors:
There are several potential risks. First, the catheter can irritate the heart, in rare cases causing a disturbance in the heart rhythm. Should this happen, the doctor can immediately use devices and medicines to restore a normal heart rhythm. The catheter occasionally can cause the coronary artery to go into spasm, temporarily reducing the blood flow and causing chest pain. For this reason, alert the doctors and nurses if you develop any chest discomfort, trouble breathing, or any other problem during the test.

In addition, the contrast medium can sometimes impair kidney function. This effect is almost always temporary, but some people have permanent damage. Another possible complication is bleeding at the place where the catheter was inserted. If blood collects under the skin, it can form a large painful bruise called a hematoma. This usually resolves on its own, without requiring additional treatment. Occasionally, people are allergic to the contrast dye and develop a rash, hives, or difficulty breathing after the dye is injected. If this should occur, the medical staff in the catheterization laboratory have medicines available to treat the allergic reaction.

The amount of radiation from this test is too small to be likely to cause harm.
Cardiac catheterization carries a slightly increased risk when compared with other heart tests. However, the test is very safe when performed by an experienced team.

Generally, the risk of serious complications ranges from 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 500. The risks include the following:
*Cardiac arrhythmias
*Cardiac tamponade
*Trauma to the artery caused by hematoma
*Low blood pressure
*Reaction to contrast medium
*Hemorrhage
*Stroke
*Heart attack
Must you do anything special after the test is over?
You should lie flat for a few hours after this procedure. Often, a small plug or stitch is used to prevent bleeding from the artery that was entered to perform the catheterization. If you received a sedative, you might feel sleepy and shouldn’t drive or drink alcohol for one day after the catheterization.

What Abnormal Results Mean

The procedure can identify heart defects or disease, such as coronary artery disease, valve problems, ventricular aneurysms, or heart enlargement.

The procedure also may be performed for the following:
*Primary pulmonary hypertension
*Pulmonary valve stenosis
*Pulmonary embolism
*Tetralogy of Fallot
*Transposition of the great vessels
*Tricuspid regurgitation
*Ventricular septal defect

How long is it before the result of the test is known?
Your doctor will have your results as soon as the test is completed. In particular, the doctor can tell you if you have any blockages in the coronary arteries, how many and how severe they are, and the best way to treat them. In some cases, your doctor is even able to remove any blockages immediately by performing an intervention known as a coronary angioplasty, a procedure that uses a tiny inflatable balloon to reopen the artery.

Resources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/diagnostics/cardiac-catheterization.shtml
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003419.htm

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