Health Articles

Dr. Ron Nusbaum is the Director of Back Clinics of Canada. He has been in practice for 21 years, helping those suffering from severe, chronic back pain and neck pain achieve a pain-free life and regain vitality and strength. Dr. Nusbaum has performed more than 4,000 Spinal Decompression sessions over the last two years, and his patients experience an unprecedented success rate when they follow his program of care.

Back Clinics of Canada serves primarily the Southern Ontario Region, but patients do come from across Canada and the United States, and sometimes from overseas.

Swine influenza also known as the pig or hog flu is a disease of the pigs spread through any one of the several strains of the influenza virus. The virus known as SIV or Swine Influenza Virus has many sub-types of its strain. These are known as H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, H2N3 and H3N1.

The virus gets transmitted from pigs to human beings and gets assimilated in the human blood to create antibodies. Swine flu is common among the pigs that are human-bred world over but it does not always cause influenza or sickness in humans. Many from the pig population die through the virulent swine flu and even vaccinations are injected to protect the home-bred pigs that are bred in huge quantities.

The symptoms of Swine flu are similar to the normal influenza in human beings, therefore detection in some cases take some time. Though his strain of the swine flu virus is not as dangerous as a few others, it is deadly enough to kill a person if not detected early. Some of the symptoms of Swine flu in human beings include chills, coughs, body aches, diarrhoea, headache, sore throat, temperature, vomiting and tiredness.

To protect yourself from the H1N1 virus you should maintain some personal protection and precaution like you should try to maintain health and fitness and get enough of sleep, try to manage stress and do exercise, eat a well balanced diet with plenty of fibre and liquids. You should most importantly be careful in public and not get in touch with sick people and should wash your hands regularly with antiseptic soap or alcoholic hand sanitizers.
Swine Flu Immunity
Besides, there are other precautions to be kept in mind if you or your friend gets infected like you should cover your mouth while sneezing, clean all surfaces since sometimes small droplets containing the influenza virus can remain behind and also to maintain minimal social contact. The virus also can be stubbed by vaccinating the pigs in the pig farms properly.The farmers who look after them and remain in regular direct or indirect contact with the pigs are more susceptible to acquire the virus and should therefore maintain certain measures like smoking the area and wearing gloves since they are the ones who come in contact with the infected pigs on a daily basis and may lead to human to human transmission of the virus.

The H1N1 virus had spread to many countries and had taken many lives in the past from 1976 to 2009 and will continue to do so in future since the virus can mutate and remain dormant for several years to again emerge in the form of a different strain. Pigs can be infected by both human and avian influenza strains which in turn create new strains. The best way is to ensure your own protection by being aware of the influenza virus and its workings. You can gain information from online health care information. A health guide can also bail you out, if you are confused about the Swine flu and its virus.

Merry christmas and Happy holidays

by Health Articles autors!

Type 2 diabetes formerly known as non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus or adult onset diabetes is a condition that is characterized by high blood sugar levels. Initially this type of diabetic disease can be managed with a controlled diet and exercise. However, when symptoms become evident, this condition requires medication to keep the blood sugar levels under control. Research shows that 90% of those affected by diabetes have Type 2 diabetes. This is the most common type of diabetes that affects people above forty years of age. With rising child obesity rates, Type 2 diabetes is found to affect children too. Obese and overweight people are easy targets for this type of diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when your body does not respond in a proper manner to insulin. When muscle, liver and fat cells do not respond to insulin, the result is known as insulin resistance. The blood sugar, which should get in to the cells remains in the blood stream thus resulting in increased blood sugar levels. Increased sugar levels may have some serious impacts on your health in the end.

Cause for this type of diabetic condition: There is no specific cause that can be identified for Type 2 diabetes. Studies indicate certain general causes such as:
Natural Treatment of type 2 diabetes
• Obesity and over weight
• Family history and genetics
• Age factor
• Poor diet
• Low activity level

Symptoms of this type of Diabetic Condition. Generally, people suffering from this diabetic condition exhibit no apparent symptoms. Certain symptoms that may indicate the presence of this diabetic condition:

• Erectile dysfunction
• Slow healing infection
• Fatigue
• Blurred vision
• Increased appetite and thirst
• Increased urination

Treatment for this type of disease. The main goal of treatment for this type of disease is to lower the blood sugar levels. Apart from this, treatment must also ensure that any undue complications related to diabetes must be completely eliminated. Doctors prescribe a proper diabetic diet and routine exercise for this type of diabetes.

Those suffering from diabetes should learn the basic skills of managing the condition. This knowledge will help avoid future complications and help in preventing the requirement for frequent medical assistance. The basic necessary skills include:

• The right type of food to be eaten and regular meal timings.
• How to test blood sugar level and how to record it.
• How to recognize low and high blood sugar levels.
• How to give immediate treatment for both low and high blood sugar levels.
• How to take medication.
• Where and how to store diabetes supplies.

It may take several months to learn these basic skills, but it is essential to gain knowledge on this as it will be helpful during times of emergency. Educating yourself about Type 2 diabetes and treatment options will definitely help you prevent complications. The most important aspect to ensure for an individual suffering from Type 2 diabetic condition is to learn to lead a quality life. It is simple and easy living with diabetes, when you are equipped with comprehensive information on the condition.

Pollen is the first thing that comes to our mind when we speak of allergies. Another major type is pet allergies. It is not often that we discuss chemical allergies as so common. Nevertheless, these conditions are vastly becoming common as the technology improves in every field.

Think of an allergy to a chemical such as formaldehyde, or even towards an acrylic. These were never considered so common before the advent of technology in various fields.

Most of the people with the sensitivity to dust or pollen undergo medical treatment. There are people with pet allergies who totally get rid of pets to avoid allergy-related problems. But think of the problems that you have to encounter if you are sensitive to a chemical substance that is present in many things that you use daily. How would you treat such kind of sensitivity? Common examples would be dyes, nail paint, detergents and so on, which contain a chemical called Formaldehyde.

The sensitivity that happens as a result of this simple ‘touch’ is called Contact Dermatitis. The name implies that this occurs when you touch something with a chemical that you are sensitive to. A common example is chemical like acrylic. Almost everything that we use daily contains acrylic. Most of the wall paints contain acrylic. There are trophies that are made of acrylic. Even dental products such as crowns use acrylic as a component. It is also found in certain types of tapes and glues.

In case of such contact dermatitis, your hands may need steroids to get alright. It is not that other parts of the body will catch this allergy. Even after your hands are alright, your feet might start cracking as a reaction to the acrylic that is used in the floor mats and carpets. You may have to shed quite a big amount to completely get rid of this condition and also the surrounding that create such a medical condition. You may have to relocate to a totally new surrounding and redo the entire house keeping in mind the cause of the said condition.

Even then, you should stay away from the pace until the work is absolutely over. Or else, you may end up with an asthma attack while the painting or carpeting is going on. Once your allergy is proven, then chances are that you will get the same problem wherever you go. While people with sensitivities to dust and dander only have to stay away from such surroundings, imagine people with chemical allergies! How can someone possibly keep away from all substances that contain acrylic everyday?

Some people with chemical allergies will have to adopt the go-green phenomenon and turn the house completely green. This will include using hard wood floors and furniture. Laminated flooring has acrylic in it. Some people actually end up staying in a rented space until the renovation is complete, or else the sensitivity may reappear. It is alarming that these types of chemical sensitivity are only increasing with technology.

If you live in the north, then you are no doubt aware that fall and winter bring the flu season.Most recently, the Swine flu has gotten the spotlight. It is so famous that the vaccine is sold out as soon as it arrives in the medical centers. Health officials claim that 5 to 20% of the US get the flu and 200,000 of them are hospitalized; 36,000, they say, will die from it this year.

But when the hype dies down, the medical community has to admit that the Swine flu is no worse than other flus. Even the above statistics may not be fully honest. For example, many of the 36,000 who die from the flu were already weakened by other health issues. No doubt the possibility of catching the flu is a much greater fear to these.
Common cold virus
Recently I was sent a link giving 9 reasons why not to give your children to flu vaccine. These included, a) prior flu vaccination programs have proved to be worthless; b) Swine flu is just another flu, not something unusually lethal; c) the consequences may be more dangerous than getting the flu itself; d) The vaccine has not been proved that it works; e) over-vaccinating children is a common problem. But in spite of misleading statements about Swine flu, no one wants to get sick.

Let’s consider some common sense measures anyone can take to greatly reduce their chances of getting the flu. Wash your hands thoroughly using liquid soap and running water. (Antibacterial soap does not work better than regular liquid soap.) A dishwasher is good because it washes the dishes in water too hot for hands to handle and this kills more germs. If someone does get the flu, isolate them and keep your family away from others who show flu-like symptoms.

Drinking water is a common way for bacteria and viruses to spread. No doubt your source of drinking water has been tested for purity. City water has a minimum standard and is tested often, and well water should also be tested. However, especially during this season, additional filtering is highly recommended. It is surprising how viruses can spread, even in drinking water and a little contamination goes a long way. By filtering your drinking water, you can be sure pathogens are not present.

For example, the Black Berkey water filters were tested by adding more than 10,000 times the concentration of pathogens per liter than would be used in standard testing. Normally the result would include 100,000 or more pathogens per liter present. The report is here quoted verbatim: “Incredibly the purification elements removed 100% of the pathogens. Absolutely no pathogens were cultured from the effluent or were able to be detected, even under an electron microscope, setting a new standard in water purification.” This amazing result might nudge many into taking the step of filtering their drinking water to be safe.

These activated charcoal filter rods have been tested to remove Klebsiella, E. Coli, Pseudomonas, Giardia, Aeriginousis, and Cryptosporitium resulting in non-detectable levels. That list may not mean anything to you, but suffice it to say that any have the ability to cause serious illness if found in drinking water. The promise of removing them to non-detectable levels is certainly reassuring.

The flu season won’t go away. Many options face us as to how we can avoid getting sick. Hopefully these simple suggestions will keep you and your family healthier as you follow them carefully.

Anyone who sits at a desk studying or using a computer, has probably had student syndrome. Sitting in any position for a prolonged period of time can cause neck, midback, or lower back pain. Most people however, suffer through and wait for it to disappear, which it eventually will, that is, until the next time. To understand how to treat these aches and pains it is important to understand what is actually happening.

When students sit for prolonged periods they strain muscles, ligaments and joints of their spine. This usually occurs because of the lack of strength in the stabilizing muscles of the spine, combined with bad posture. Most people do not strengthen the proper muscles in their daily workouts, and many students do not exercise at all. The result of this is that spinal joints and ligaments take the majority of the force being put on the spine.

Just as in a sprained ankle, the joints swell up and there is a very active inflammatory process that occurs. The surrounding muscles sense that there is an injury, and they contract to protect the area from any further damage. Now there are two problems, the tight muscles and the strained joints.

If no treatment is done, and the area is left to rest, the pain will eventually go away, but the area is not healed. When inflammation settles it becomes scar tissue. Scar tissue can restrict the motion of joints, as well as reduce the amount of blood flow,oxygen and nutrients to the area. Scar tissue is also much weaker than healthy muscle or ligamentous tissue. So, you can see how important it is to get rid of any scar tissue to allow the body to heal properly.

Treatment goals would be to reduce pain, regain motion and strengthen the stabilizing muscles of your spine. Reducing pain and increasing motion can be accomplished with spinal adjustments. An adjustment releases endorphins which help kill the pain, but it will also help reduce the scar tissue, by regaining the range of motion and natural mobility. This enables the body to heal naturally. When sufficient healing has occurred, exercises are added and proper stretching should be done throughout the entire course of treatment. Eventually, stretching should become a daily habit.

As a chiropractor I have to be realistic. I know that patients are leaving my office to go home and do the same type of things that caused the problem in the first place. Most patients, after a series of treatments, realize that they can use chiropractic care as a tool. In busy times they will come weekly, or every other week to help them get through the tough times. As long as the same stimulus is there, it is hard to cure the problem, but in most cases it is controllable. One last hint: Have an icepack handy, it will help reduce the inflammation and pain.
Myths About the Swine Flu

Head lice are parasitic insects that live in the hair on the head and neck. The belief that the cause of head lice is dirty hair is a myth. One generally gets lice from someone who already has it in their hair and is most commonly transmitted through the use of the same comb, but that is not the only means by which it is transmitted.

Head lice can be really exasperating but fortunately they are not harmful nor do they cause any sort of infections. They are more of a bother because they make you feel itchy in the scalp and when you scratch too much you tend to bleed in the scalp, but generally this condition can be quite easily remedied.

Trying to get rid of an excessive growth of head lice can be time consuming, but it definitely can be done provided you make use of the right treatment. Many pharmaceuticals have come up with different products to get rid of it.

The mechanical method of eliminating these parasites involves ridding the head of lice and nits by combing the hair with the use of fine toothed combs that trap the lice as you comb the hair right from the roots to the tip. Done regularly and consistently this helps to eradicate head lice.

Chemical products are also used to rid the head of lice, but these have to be used cautiously as they can damage the hair and scalp. Such products generally have insecticide as a primary ingredient.

The best treatment to get rid of these parasitic insects is the use of natural remedies that are safe to use and are capable of really cleansing the head of the menace. Special shampoos consisting of natural ingredients to eradicate head lice are very commonly used these days as they are very convenient. Vinegar is said to be one of the best and most preferred cures for getting rid of lice in the head. A good search on the internet can give you any number of remedies for head louse treatment.

If you have tingling, pain, and numbness in your hands or wrists, especially in the middle, index, ring fingers or thumb, you could have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This condition also features weakness and loss of feeling in the hands and fingers.

Repetitive hand and finger use are thought to cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The median nerve gets compressed where it passes through the carpal tunnel, which is a constricted passageway of ligaments and bones underneath the wrist.

One of the ways this syndrome can be treated is by acupuncture. The acupuncture treatment points for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome are on the hands, wrists, arm neck, thumb, upper back and leg.

The amount of acupuncture treatments you will need for relief vary and depend upon things like the severity of your condition, how much you use your hands, wrists, and arms, and your overall health.

Laser acupuncture can also be used for treatment of this ailment.

Acupressure is another treatment option. This works very similarly to acupuncture, only it does not rely on needles or lasers. Instead, pressure is applied to certain points of the body. This pressure is thought to result in increased blood flow to the affected areas, thereby reducing swelling and pain. Acupressure points for Carpal Tunnel syndrome are the hands, wrists, and forearms.

In some studies, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome has been related to Vitamin B6 deficiencies. Therefore, it may be effective to treat the condition through an increased intake of Vitamin B6. Bok choy, chic peas, salmon, pork, turkey, chicken, potatoes, avocados, sunflower seeds, brown rice, bananas, barley, and mangoes are foods naturally rich in levels of Vitamin B6. You can also take 50mg of Vitamin B6 from two to three times a day as a treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Eating more pineapple can actually help in the treatment of the condition, since pineapples are a natural source of the enzyme, bromelain. Bromelain may help to decrease the swelling that comes with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

There are many other treatments available to you if you suffer with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. It is always advised to consult with a physician before you start any course of treatment for any disease or condition. Tell your doctor if you desire to try natural homeopathic or holistic treatments for your condition. Most doctors will respect your desire to want to treat your condition in a natural or holistic doctor. If your physician is pressing you to immediately medicate for your condition, ask why. Perhaps, your situation is particularly or he or she has a very valid reason for refusing the natural option for your treatment.

While Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be painful and restrictive, it is not life threatening. Therefore, your doctor should be reasonable enough to allow you to try natural therapies for this particular ailment. If your physician is not responsive to your desire to treat your ailment naturally, you might want to seek out the advice of another doctor.

There are plenty of doctors around these days who are responsive to natural healing and treatment.

Get hair growing in your bald spot. The fact is, due to the causes of balding in men, the chances of rubbing something into your scalp and miraculously seeing hair start to grow is about zero. 95% of all men who suffer from hair loss have a genetic condition known as Androgenetic Alopecia or Male Pattern Baldness (MPB). The results of this condition are that the hair follicles, the part that grows the hair, are rendered useless by a substance called DHT. This DHT bonds with receptors on the follicle and causes it to slowly stop functioning.

Once enough of this substance has attached itself to the hair follicles they can no longer produce hair shaft material and the hair itself turns thin and whispy and eventually falls out. Although there are two FDA approved drugs, Finasteride and Minoxidil, that will help a little with this condition, once the follicle stops operating it is usually never going to produce hair again.

The only proven technique for getting hair to grow on a bald spot is to utilize hair implants in a hair transplantation procedure. A cosmetic surgeon performs this treatment which involves removing growing hair follicles from an area that still has good hair growth, usually the posterior, and inserting them into the bald area. If you are interested in this method of getting you hair back then you need to be aware of the different types of hair implants also called hair grafts.

The largest implant is known as the strip graft. This is comprised of a slice of scalp with about 30 hairs. It is removed from the donor area and then placed in an incision in the patient’s scalp at the balding area. This graft type is very noticeable because the hairs are in a straight line. The next type is also noticeable. The plug graft is a round section of scalp with about 12 hairs. When these are inserted into the scalp they tend to look like the hair on a cheap dolls head, tufts of hair growing every which way.

The mini-graft is usually comprised of about four follicles in a group. These are almost unnoticeable when inserted by a surgeon. Close inspection of the scalp can give away the fact that you had implants though. The best and most natural looking is the micro-graft. This techniques involves dealing with individual follicles or small groups of two or three growing in a natural cluster. The surgeon can insert these small grafts in such a way as the match the growth direction of surrounding hairs giving you a look that is as good as your natural hair.
Once you have lost the hair in a spot on your head the only real solution is to have a hair implants procedure performed by a qualified surgeon.