Treating Whiplash With Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine

Most often associated with car accidents, whiplash is a condition that can be caused by falling down, car accidents, physical assault or sports and physical activities. While it's not an official medical term, it's often used to describe damage to the soft tissue of the neck. Usually this means tears in the muscle, tendons and/or ligaments and sometimes misalignment of the spine. This causes muscle spasms, pain with movement and can be painful to the touch. Common treatments for this condition are pain medications, muscle relaxants and chiropractics, but acupuncture is quickly becoming a chosen treatment because of its natural and effective healing ability.

Whiplash commonly occurs when there is a force on the head that takes the neck out of its normal range of motion. The whipping action the head makes when a person is rear ended in a car or a football player being blind-sided are examples of how this might happen. Sometimes the pain is immediate and the muscles instantly go into spasms. Other times, whiplash can move the cervical vertebrae instantly, without pain, but produce pain weeks later as the spine attempts to move back into alignment.

Acupuncture is a natural and effective way of treating whiplash. Allowing the muscles in the neck to relax helps the vertebrae to move back into its natural alignment. Also, acupuncture improves circulation to the area, which brings blood cells carry oxygen and nutrients, vital to healing. This is important since it aides in the healing process without causing any further damage to the area. Using chiropractics too soon after a neck injury could cause the torn muscles, ligaments and tendons to tear worse.

If you do have an accident or injury to your neck, it's crucial that you get an x-ray and/or MRI to make sure there's no damage or potential of damage to the spinal cord. Then find out what options you have in your area for treatments. Many acupuncturists will take personal injury case and worker compensation covers acupuncture in California, as well as many other states. Also, in the event of an automobile accident, your car insurance policy usually has medical coverage on there called Medpay that will cover medical expenses from car accidents.

Menopause Progesterone Cream Benefits

There are many women with hormonal imbalances who would like to use a menopause progesterone cream as opposed to the traditional hormone replacement therapy. Challenges and problems abound as it comes to drugs and replacing progesterone. First of all, it may take months to get the correct dosage and form of therapy for each individual woman. After that you have the challenge of remembering what time of day to take the pills and it can be a hassle to take the medication with you everywhere.

No wonder many women look for alternative menopause treatments. Moreover the stress of dealing with the hormone imbalance is enough without trying to manage medication. Before you make the decision to use progesterone cream, take a look at some of the benefits by using an all natural cream products.

Easy application

One of the biggest benefits of a progesterone cream for treating menopause is how easy it is to apply. Rather than constantly worrying about the time and correct dosage, you have the freedom and flexibility to simply apply the cream once or twice a day depending on the product's directions and your personal needs. It is important to remember not to try to apply a natural estrogen cream over perfumes or body lotions. They may interfere with the skin's ability to attract the healing ingredients.

No side effects of progesterone cream

Unlike hormone replacement therapy there are no known dangerous side effects of menopause progesterone cream. With traditional techniques of treating progesterone loss, some women experience unpleasant side effects or allergic reactions. Moreover there are also those disturbing reports about future health concerns regarding extended use of those drugs. At least with progesterone body cream, you totally can be assured that there won't be any nasty repercussions later.

Natural results

Many people are deciding that natural techniques and methods for healing are more beneficial to their health and well being than lab created drugs. With this kind of treatment for progesterone loss, you can be assured that the changes to your hormone balance will be natural and gentle. Your body won't be thrown into severe changes which further disrupt your activities and life.

Making the decision to apply a menopause progesterone cream rather than hormone replacement therapy is a personal one. Menopause treatment which mention in our website is a good choice to naturally and effectively regain your hormone balance. Moreover many women also have found success with natural menopause phytoestrogen cream.

Woman and Menopause: Symptoms and Treatment

Menopause is the stage in a woman's life when the menstrual cycle stops. This is not a disease; rather it is a natural process in a woman's life. However, the stage when a woman has her menopause could be a very painful and mentally debilitating stage. There could be several complications.

From an Ayurvedic point of view, menses is the flow of excess pitta from the woman's body. Menses is called as Raja in Ayurveda. For this reason, the stoppage of the menses flow permanently, i.e. menopause is called as Raja Nivrutti, which literally means retirement of menses.

Menopause is a culmination of all the three doshas of the woman's body. The menses themselves are pitta, while the woman may gain in her weight during this time. This indicates a kapha imbalance. Since the woman may become moody and even lose her sleep during menopause, there is a strong indication of the vata dosha at play also.

Menopause can occur in women after the age of 45 years, though this widely varies from one woman to another. The average menopausal age could be taken as 51 years. It must be made clear that menopause is not an abrupt end to the menses. The decline of the menstrual flow occurs gradually as the months progress. Generally, a woman is said to have had her menopause if there has been no menstrual flow for at least one year.

(1) Useful Herbs in the Treatment of Menopause

1. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)

Ashwagandha is more popularly known as Indian Ginseng for its believed aphrodisiacal properties. In the case of menopause, this herb is usually prescribed to cure insomnia and mood swings.

2. Beetroot (Beta vulgaris)

Beetroot is found to be extremely effective in making the menopausal experience less painful. It should be taken as a salad, in which the beetroots are boiled with their peel on. The peel must be removed before eating.

3. Indian Spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi)

Known popularly as the jatamansi in India, this is another herb prescribed to cure insomnia and mood swings. For such benefits, this herb is prescribed to be taken along with ashwagandha.

(2) Dietary Treatments for Menopause

The complications during menopause can be reduced by bringing about changes in the dietary patterns. There are some very beneficial points that can be followed:-

4. Bitter foods are good dietary indications. The dark green leafy vegetables are mostly bitter in taste. They must be regularly incorporated in the diet as a woman is moving towards her menopause.

5. Astringent foods are also advantageous. These foods include beans, soybeans, potatoes, cabbages and poultry foods. Both the bitter and the astringent foods help in reducing the excess heat in the woman's body that is produced during menopause.

6. Foods that are sour, salty and pungent are contra-indications for menopause. Onions, garlic, mustard and chilies are pungent foods. Tomatoes, tamarinds, vinegars and curds are sour foods. These must be avoided.

7. Consume foods that can provide some phyto-estrogens. Such foods are watermelon, berries, legumes, licorice and pomegranates.

During menopause, the need of the following nutrients increases:-

a) Vitamin D - obtained from egg yolk, milk and animal liver

b) Vitamin K - obtained from green vegetables, cereals and animal foods

c) Magnesium - obtained from nuts, bananas and dairy products

d) Manganese - obtained from cereal, bran, nuts and tea

e) Calcium - obtained from milk and milk products.

(3) Ayurvedic Treatments for Menopause

Chandraprabha is the tablet of choice that most physicians would provide for menopausal problems. This tablet helps in reducing the vata vitiation which is one of the foremost causes of menopausal problems. Along with this, Punarnavasava or Lodhrasava must be taken thrice in 15 milliliters doses for a month. In order to increase the strength of the body, Dashamoolarishta and Pradari Lauha are prescribed.

If there are hot flushes during menopause (which increase body temperature and then cause sudden chills), then Ashokarishta is given along with Useerasava.

For any irritations or infections that may occur in the vagina during menopause, Gokshuradi Guggulu is prescribed to be taken in doses of two pills twice a day.

Massaging the back with Chandanaadi taila helps to allay insomnia and mood swings which can occur due to vata vitiations during menopause.

(4) Home Remedies for Menopause

1. Licorice must be consumed in fair amounts during menopause. It has the phyto-estrogens that are necessary to correct the hormonal imbalances during menopause.

2. Have beetroot juice daily or include it in salads.

3. Another recipe is to boil a few carrot seeds in a glassful of milk. Consume this milk with carrot seeds in it on a daily basis.

4. During menopause, there is a chance of osteoporosis setting in due to loss of calcium. Hence take adequate care of your calcium intake. The foods mentioned above must be had in the proper amount to maintain calcium levels.

5. Maintain a healthy active regime. Sluggishness and a sedentary life will make the menopausal process quite difficult.

Thyroid Disease in Women - Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

Thyroid disease affect approximately 27 million people in the United States. More women than men are commonly found to suffer from thyroid symptoms. It is estimated that 4 out of 100 women have some type of autoimmune thyroid disease.

A thyroid that is underproducing thyroid hormone is termed hypothyroidism. It is characterized by insufficient levels of the primary thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Thyroxine is transformed into it's active form of triiodothyronine by the liver.

As women have a higher incidence of thyroid problems than men, hypothyroidism is the main diagnosis, resulting in fatigue, weight gain, depression, high cholesterol and other symptoms. By contrast, a smaller number of women develop hyperthyroidism, or an overproduction of thyroid hormone in the blood.

Symptoms of thyroid disease:

Hyperthyroidism:
Feeling warm
Increased perspiration
Weakness and fatigue
Trembling hands
Rapid heartbeat
Weight loss
Diarrhea
Irritability / anxiety
Eye discomfort
Menstrual changes
Inability to conceive

Hypothyroidism:
Fatigue
Depression
Sluggishness
Feeling cold
Weight gain of 5-10 pounds
Dry hair and skin
Constipation
Menstrual changes

Hormone Imbalance And Menopause:
Approximately 20% of menopausal women in the US are diagnosed with a problematic thyroid, and many women go undiagnosed. For women in their late 30's or 40's, hypothyroidism is indicative of being perimenopausal, which is the time of up to 15 years of before menopause. Some women experience menopause in their early 40s, especially if their mothers entered menopause at a relatively early age.

What causes a woman to develop hypothyroidism?
A hormone imbalance of estrogen and progesterone, as well as emotional and physical stresses can cause thyroid dysfunction. Perimenopause, menopause, and pregnancy are known culprits of hormone imbalance that can cause hypothyroidism. An imbalance of more estrogen than progesterone can cause the hypoactive thyroid to produce less thyroid hormones, resulting in hypothryoidism. This can be remedied by a prescription of progesterone supplements to bring this imbalance more into balance, thus alleviating symptoms of hypoactivity.

Other causes can include adrenal fatigue and insulin resistance. The adrenal glands are located on top of our kidneys and are responsible for releasing adrenaline, which is essential in the flight or fight response.
This is a stress response and if it goes on for too long, the adrenal glands can become fatigued. This can have a direct response on the thyroid gland and it's ability to function correctly, resulting in hypothyroidism.

Insulin resistance often goes hand in hand with underactive thyroid, which has a relationship with poor nutrition that can disrupt thyroid functionality. Women should be tested for insulin resistance if they have been diagnosed with a hypoactive thyroid.

In order for the thyroid to function normally, it is important to be able to manage stress, nutrition, and exercise, as well as the balance of the major hormones. They all work together for the common good of the body. The old saying "no man is an island", can be related to your thyroid too. It can not work alone, as it takes a concerted effort of the whole body for everything to work as it should.

Symptoms of an underactive thyroid can easily be mistaken for some other condition, which can cause a delay in much needed treatment. If thyroid malfunction is the cause of your symptoms, a simple blood test will bear this out. You will feel much better in a few weeks of starting thyroid therapy, if it has been determined that you indeed have a thyroid problem. Check with your physician to rule out any other underlying or more serious conditions.

Urinary Tract Infections - Natural Treatments for Chronic UTI's

Urinary tract infections can occur in any part of your urinary system, though most often they will happen in the bladder and urethra. They are more common in women, and while mild infections can cause pain and be a nuisance, more severe infections can become a serious health condition, especially if the infection spreads upwards to the ureters and kidneys. For this reason, it is important to treat UTI's as soon as you start having symptoms.

The common symptoms of a UTI include:

• Increased urge to urinate, with increased frequency


• Pain and burning with urination


• Cloudy or pink urine


• Strong smelling urine


• Pelvic pain, or abdominal pain


• With more severe infections that have reached the kidney - upper back pain, fever, chills, nausea or vomiting

UTI's are usually caused by the bacteria E. Coli transmitted from the digestive tract, though they can also be caused by other infectious agents. Because certain STD's can have symptoms similar to a UTI, it is important to see a physician to be tested if you have you are at risk for any sexually transmitted disease.

The urinary system has a natural defense mechanism against infection, but certain risk factors will increase your likelihood of getting a UTI. These include being female, being sexually active, using diaphragms or spermicides, having a weak immune system, having an enlarged prostate, or having kidney stones. Women going through menopause are also at a higher risk because decreased estrogen levels make the urinary tract more vulnerable to infection.

It is especially important to receive immediate treatment for a UTI if you are pregnant, as untreated infections are associated with low birth weight in infants. Also, young children with UTI's are more susceptible to kidney infection, so immediate treatment is important in these cases as well.

The conventional method for treating a common UTI is the use of antibiotics. There are a number of antibiotics used for treating UTI's, and generally symptoms will begin to clear within a few days of starting the medication. It is important to continue taking the antibiotic even if all symptoms are gone to be sure the infection is fully cleared.

Even with the use of antibiotics, some people will continue to have recurring UTI's. Usually it is women who experience this, and in these cases it is helpful to look to other areas of health that are leaving you more susceptible to infection, as repeated courses of antibiotics can lead to resistant strains of bacteria and make your immune system weaker. If you are suffering from chronic recurring urinary tract infections, there are a number of things you can do to reduce your risk and improve the health of your urinary tract.

Tips for Reducing Urinary Tract Infections

• For women, wiping from front to back after urination reduces the risk of infection.


• Urinating and washing soon after sexual intercourse helps flush bacteria that may have been acquired during sex.


• Drink a lot of water. This will help flush out the urinary system.


• Avoid food or drink in your diet which contain a lot of refined sugar. This weakens your immune response and provides food for bacterial growth


• Cranberry juice can be taken in supplement or juice form, and helps increase the acidity of your urinary tract and prevent bacteria of sticking to the cell walls. The best form of cranberry juice to drink is in pure, non-sweetened form, as the cranberry juice "cocktails" usually have sugar added to them.


• Vitamin C, and vitamin-C rich foods such as citrus fruits can increase the acidity of your urinary tract and boost immunity, which makes it more resistant to bacteria.


• Avoid intake of alcohol as this weakens the immune system.


• Caffeine, dairy, and processed foods may also trigger infections in certain people. If you notice UTI's tend to come on after certain things in your diet, avoid these foods or beverages.


• Feminine hygiene sprays and douches may cause irritation of the urethra and increase susceptibility to infection.

For recurring mild urinary tract infections, there are a number of natural medicines in addition to cranberry that may help reduce infection.

• Uva-Ursi: This is a herb with anti-bacterial properties that has an affinity for the urinary tract.


• D-Mannose: This is a simple sugar that helps to prevent bacteria from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract.


• Other remedies: Herbs such as Echinacea, goldenseal, and Oregon grape have immune boosting and anti-bacterial properties. Other herbs such as dandelion, stinging nettle or corn silk have diuretic properties which can soothe help flush out bacteria.


• Probiotics: Healthy bacteria are a normal component of the urinary and reproductive systems, and if these are decreased or out of balance it can lead to increased infection. Taking a probiotic supplement with acidophilus can help prevent and decrease infection. Probiotics are also important to take after any course of antibiotics, as antibiotics decrease the amount of healthy bacteria in our bodies. This will decrease the risk of recurring infection.


• Hormone Replacement: For women who are undergoing menopause, decreased estrogen levels can increase the incidence of UTI's. Hormone replacement with bio-identical hormones can help raise estrogen levels and reduce infections.

Many natural supplements are combination formulas which contain a number of the natural remedies listed here. If you looking for a natural route in treating a UTI, these can be helpful, along with following the other health tips, in clearing an infection.

Stress and Recurring UTI's

Stress is not just in your mind - it is really a physical thing and affects your health. Too much stress in the body can make pretty much any health condition worse, and UTI's are no exception. Many people will find that their UTI's occur much more commonly during times of stress. The hormones released by having too much stress can lead to a weakened immune system, leaving you much more susceptible to any type of infection. Stress hormones also raise blood sugar levels, which will causes bacteria to replicate and make infections worse.

Especially in dealing with chronic UTI's, it is important to address any areas in your life that may be increasing stress levels, as well as to examine behaviors caused by stress that may increase risk for an infection. For example, some people may eat more junk food or drink alcohol when stressed, and this will only make matters worse. Doing what you can to reduce stress in your life can go a long way in preventing chronic UTI's from happening.

In general, a UTI is more a nuisance than a serious health condition, though in serious cases it is important to receive immediate medical attention. In preventing chronic mild cases, rather than accept them as an inevitable and annoying part of life, it is possible to greatly reduce or even completely prevent them by following simple health care tips, reducing stress, and taking natural medicines.

Menopause Hot Flashes - The Bane Of Every Menopausal Woman's Existence

Menopause and the HOT FLASH. It has happened to virtually every woman who is sliding into menopause - you feel this sudden flush of warmth or heat traveling up your torso into your face and you think the temperature has just risen. Nope, chances are that you just experienced menopause hot flashes and while these episodes can occur on their own, there are some triggers that can set the events in motion for a stereotypical hot flash.

Defining Causes Of This "Heat"

One of the most agreed upon reasons for menopause hot flashes is the decrease in estrogen levels in the body. When a hot flash occurs, a fluctuation in these hormonal balances occurs in the part of the brain that controls body temperature. The results are menopause hot flashes that can feel like a pulsating wave of heat that starts from the upper torso area to your face. Sometimes, you may even sweat and can also be the cause of any night sweats that may occur.

Some things can trigger these menopausal hot flashes like hot or humid weather or even spicy or hot foods. Caffeine can raise body temperature to cause the hot flashes and alcohol can contribute to them as well. Taking hot baths or showers will exacerbate these flashes as well as stressful situations.

Facts And Statistics

The fact of the matter is that menopausal flashes are fairly common in as many as eighty percent of the women who are peri-menopausal or even full blown menopausal. These hot episodes can last as short a time as a few seconds or linger on for twenty to thirty minutes or longer. Typically, these menopausal hot flashes start several years before other symptoms of "the change" manifest themselves.

While many women may experience frequent menopausal hot flashes for a couple of years, some unlucky women suffer through them for five or more years. The norm is typically that women will see a decline in both intensity as well as frequency of these flashes of heat as they age.

Self Treatment

Because menopause hot flashes are a result in dropping levels of estrogen, you need to take herbal remedies that can somewhat substitute some of what you are missing with a plant-based estrogen. Black cohosh, evening primrose oil and even red clover have been known to help with supplementing and substituting in some of the lower estrogen levels in your body.

Additional Vitamin E will help as well as the consumption of soy products either through supplementation or through your diet more naturally. Yoga, acupuncture and exercise have also been known to alleviate menopausal hot flashes. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) should not be an option unless your symptoms are so severe that it requires a drastic treatment as HRT. Other hints to help cool your jets is to take a cool shower and dress in layers so that you have the option of taking layers off one at a time for comfort. Wear breathable cotton clothing and put all cotton sheets on your bed too. There are a number of little ways to make those menopause hot flashes more bearable.

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Female Menopause: How to Deal With Hot Flashes

If you ask women who have already gone through the menopause stage of their lives, they will usually describe that it is like having their very own personal sauna where they experience extreme heat on various parts of their body. When it is time for you to go through the menopausal stage, it is important that you should expect hot flashes to occur as a part of the signs and symptoms of menopause.

Menopause can be a very uncomfortable condition that will leave you irritable and extremely moody. So, here are some ways on how you can deal with it associated with menopause in order to go through it smoothly and with more comfort.

First off, the causes of this aren't actually known. Researchers suggest that menstrual may be associated with the constant fluctuations of the female hormones called the estrogen. During menopause, the female body will stop producing estrogen which causes an imbalance on hormones. Research has found that hormone imbalance is also one of the contributors during menopause.

There are actually no stopping this from occurring but there are simple ways on how you can effectively deal with it to decrease the discomfort that you will experience during attacks of it. First, simply doing some lifestyle changes can be very effective to treat it. One way to stop this from occurring frequently is by identifying what triggers it. Normally, most women who experienced this say that drinking hot beverages, such as hot tea and coffee is mainly the contributors. Also, stressful activities or just being in a situation that can be stressful to you can also produce hot flashes. So, the best way to minimize this is by avoiding these situations and other things that will trigger this.

Drinking alcohol and eating spicy foods are also one of the main contributors. Try avoiding these kinds of food and beverages in order to minimize the occurrence. When you are inside your home, try to turn the temperature down by turning on the air conditioning unit. A small fan may also come in handy when you are experiencing an attack of hot flashes.

Women who have gone through menopause say that adding more soy protein on their diet is also a great way to decrease the effects of hot flashes. However, it is very important to consult your doctor first before you make any changes in your diet.

When you go out, try going to cool places, such as the mall or by turning your car's air conditioning unit on. This will be helpful in decreasing the effects.

Other treatments may include the use of herb and vitamin supplements. Since this is usually associated with the decrease of estrogen, some recommends that you go through hormone replacement therapy. However, there are significant risks involved in hormone replacement therapy, such as increased risk of breast cancer.

Using one or a combination of the mentioned treatments will enable you to minimize the risk of hot flashes.

Always remember that this is a normal part of the menopausal period. Although there is no way that you can avoid experiencing this condition, there are effective treatments available that can alleviate the discomfort you experience.