Archive for the ‘Health Procedures’ Category

Is It Safe to Have Sex During Pregnancy?

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Posted 05 May 2012 — by admin
Category Health Procedures, Keeping Healthy

By the time that you have found out that you were pregnant, you must have been very excited about the fact of having a new baby. It is usual for expectant mothers to assure that every single thing that they do will be safe for her and for her developing baby.

It might have crossed your mind if it is safe to have sex during pregnancy. Intimacy between you and your partner is important to both of you. However, you must also assure that if you engage in sex during pregnancy, it will not harm your child.

When health professionals such as obstetricians-gynecologists are being sought for advice regarding sex during pregnancy, they can discuss many factors related to the changes that occur to a woman’s body during the course of her pregnancy.

First, they say that the fluctuating hormonal levels occurring during pregnancy can influence a woman’s desire to engage in sex during pregnancy. Some women reportedly lose their desire to engage in sex during pregnancy, especially during the last months of their pregnancy, when their bodies enlarge and there are positions that are awkward to do because of the enlarging belly.

If this is the case for you, it is important that you establish open communication with your partner that you might just find other ways to express your intimacy other than sexual intercourse.

Another thing that medical professionals can discuss with you about sex during pregnancy is the importance of knowing if your pregnancy has low-risk or high-risk for complications. If you have low-risk for complications, then you can be assured that you it is safe for you to have sex during pregnancy.

Rest assured that for low-risk pregnancies, the fetus cannot be harmed by sex during pregnancy because it is protected by the amniotic sac and the muscles of the uterus.

However, if you find out that you are at a high-risk for complications, then you must decide to abstain from sex during pregnancy. The following are signs that you have a high-risk pregnancy:

  • Having multiple fetuses
  • Having an incompetent cervix, wherein the cervix of the uterus is weak and prematurely dilates
  • Experiencing unexplained uterine cramps, vaginal bleeding or abnormal vaginal discharge
  • History of previous miscarriages or threatened abortions
  • Placenta previa

You can discuss your concerns about sex during pregnancy further with your medical doctor for you to be properly advised if your pregnancy is low-risk or high-risk and for you to be educated on the positions that will be more appropriate for you.

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Natural Remedies to Back Pain

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Posted 03 May 2012 — by admin
Category Alternative Medicine, Health Procedures, Home Remedies, Keeping Healthy

By: Alleluia Reyes, PTRP

Back pain, either acute or chronic causes much discomfort and may disrupt a person’s functional ability. Many people who complain of back pain also complain that it decreases their productivity at work, with some people even opting to take a day off just to rest their painful backs. If you are experiencing back pain, it will be more practical for you to learn about the natural remedies to back pain so that you will know how to ease yourself even at the comfort of your own home.

Furthermore, you need not purchase many different medications just to relieve your back pain once you have tried the different available natural remedies to back pain. The following is a list of the most effective natural remedies to back pain. Most of these remedies are cost-effective, easily available and as effective as pharmacological treatment.

Back Exercises

There are particular exercises for the back that helps to relieve back pain. These exercises have components that either stretch the tight muscles of your back or strengthen your core muscles. These are both important in maintaining a healthy back. Thus, these exercises are considered as natural remedies to back pain because they can assure that your back muscles have a lesser tendency to experience pain and injury even during activity.

Cold compress

When your back pain is acute, you can apply cold compress for an analgesic effect. You may use ice chips placed in plastic bags and cover it with a thin towel. Applying it on the area that is painful for 5-15 minutes can also be one of the very effective natural remedies to back pain.

Hot compress

This is effective for the chronic types of back pain. Hot compress is one of the natural remedies to back pain because it can provide muscle relaxation to the muscles of your back. It also has a natural soothing effect that can help relieve you from aches and muscle spasms. You can use a heating pad if you have purchased one or you may simply use a towel dipped in hot water. You may apply the hot compress on the affected area for around 20-25 minutes.

Massage

This is one of the natural remedies to back pain that is considered as a favorite to many. Massaging the area that is painful can also relax the muscles and provide immediate relief to the back. Make sure to apply oil or lotion over the skin when massaging the muscles so as to prevent discomfort caused by friction on the skin as you massage the muscles underneath.

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Causes of Myofascial Syndrome

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Posted 05 Jan 2012 — by admin
Category Diseases and Conditions, Health Procedures, Keeping Healthy

By: Arvie Vitente, MPH, PTRP

Have you already experienced frequent cramping pain on your muscles mostly at the upper back area? That even with enough rest and massage the pain still persists? Maybe you are suffering from myofascial syndrome. Myofascial syndrome is included in the long list of chronic musculoskeletal pain disorder. In myofascial syndrome, there are palpable nodules in the muscles that are called the trigger points that cause pain upon application of pressure on them. This could also be felt in other parts of the body.

Causes of Myofascial Syndrome

Myofascial syndrome classically occurs among individuals with chronic faulty posture in which the muscles are contracting repetitively resulting initially to simple muscle soreness, then later on to a bothersome condition, which is the condition myofascial syndrome.

Clinically, the exact cause of myofascial syndrome is still not known. There is a theory associating it to connective tissue diseases but this is much generalized. Other theories state that this could be due to accumulation of lactic acid in muscles among individuals with jobs or other activities that require repetitive motions like in carpentry, typist, among others.

Another probable cause of myofascial syndrome are stress-related conditions. Individuals working in the academe are particularly prone to myofascial syndrome since aside from their true job, which is to prepare lessons and deliver these in their classes, they still have other school-related responsibilities which come with great pressure that would in turn result to muscle tension. Likewise, bank managers, typists and bus drivers are also prone to myofascial syndrome.

Difference between Myofascial Syndrome and Fibromyalgia

Myofascial syndrome and fibromyalgia both affect skeletal muscles but the difference is that, myofascial syndrome affects muscles on one side of the body that radiates on other parts, which include the neck and shoulder areas, while fibromyalgia affects muscles on a broader distribution.

Red Flags of Myofascial Syndrome

The signs and symptoms of myofascial syndrome may include deep, aching and cramping in the muscles involved. The description of pain in myofascial syndrome is usually pain that persists and is aggravating. The pain is elicited by applying pressure on the muscles affected which are called the trigger points. Patients with myofascial syndrome mostly complain of having a hard time to sleep primarily because of pain. If these symptoms are present, make an appointment with your doctor.

Treatment

Mostly, patients with myofascial syndrome are advised to undergo physical therapy and trigger point injections. Oral analgesics and relaxation techniques are also included in the treatment options.

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Anxiety: How to Cope with It

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Posted 01 Jan 2012 — by admin
Category Alternative Medicine, Health Procedures, Keeping Healthy

Anxiety and how to cope with it, is a common dilemma nowadays. This is because anxiety has become a common occurrence as a result of the increasing demands in the home front, coupled with the fast pace of doing work in a very competitive arena. Before you attempt to use some of the techniques, you must understand first what is causing your anxiety.

Accept that you suffer from anxiety

Once you recognized that you are suffering from anxiety, determine what triggers your anxiety and look for ways to treat it. There are many causes of anxiety, and how to cope with it can sometimes be individualized. You can read further for a better understanding on the subject thereby giving you the leverage to treat yours.

Do simple relaxing activities

Breathe deeply and slowly release the air. It relaxes the body. Veer away from negative thoughts. Indulge yourself. You can go dancing, listen to music, go to the beach, and go hiking, joy riding. There are arrays of happy things you can do if you love to do it. These will help you ease away your anxiety.

Engage in physical exercises and body relaxation

Go physical for 30 minutes 3 times a week. This would help you release the tension from your body and mind. There are relaxing exercises such as yoga and tai chi that you can do.

Meditate

Meditation relaxes the body and mind that leads to lesser tension and calm mind. When meditating put your mind in a “blank” state, in that way your mind is free of all thoughts that may trigger tension.
Talk to a Friend about it or Write it down

Talk to a friend about your situation, it would help release the tension. You can also do a diary on how you feel every time anxiety attacks, this way you are easing away tension and you might develop a strategy on how to combat it when it attacks.

Use Herbal Remedies

Aromatherapy is known to have soothing effects to the body that causes you to relax. When you relax, the tension eases out of your body leaving it worry-free.

“Anxiety and How to Cope with It” books and manuals include among others herbal remedies to address anxiety, specifically aromatherapy.

Observe proper and balanced diet

Intake of proper diet helps the body function at its optimum. Stay away from caffeine and sweets it increases tension in the body.

Boost your Confidence

The common cause of anxiety is lack of confidence in yourself and in your capabilities. When you feel this way, your mind reacts to it resulting to an inferiority feeling that tends to agitate and stress you.

With the tips discussed on Anxiety and how to cope with it, it is hoped that you gained knowledge on how to manage yours and find a fulfilling life.

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How to Prevent Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness When Exercising

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Posted 29 Oct 2011 — by admin
Category Diseases and Conditions, Health Procedures, Keeping Healthy

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness or DOMS is described as muscle pain that occurs 12-48 hours after the muscles were subjected to vigorous exercise. It can be more frequently experienced when you exercise at a particular intensity that the body is not yet used to, like when you initiate a new exercise regimen or when you progress your usual exercise to a heightened intensity or duration.

The reason why you experience DOMS is because of microscopic tearing of the smaller components of your muscles called muscle fibers. Aside from the tearing, swelling can also occur at the muscle fibers, causing you to experience muscle pain. Studies say that the greater the intensity of exercise, the greater will the microscopic tearing be, and so it also follows that the soreness of the muscles will be of a greater extent. There are studies that further say that eccentric or lengthening contractions of muscles are more likely to cause DOMS. Examples of activities that require eccentric muscle contractions are slowly lowering of weights after you have lifted it and the downward motion that you perform during squats and push-ups.

Although DOMS can largely cause discomfort, rest assured that it is a normal phenomenon. It is actually expected that when you subject the muscles to strenuous exercise, DOMS will eventually occur in a few days. However, there are measures that you can do to prevent the occurrence of DOMS. To avoid the discomfort of having that dull, aching type of pain days after you exercise, follow these three important measures:

  • Include a warm-up exercise for at least 10-15 minutes before your actual exercise regimen.

Gentle stretching of your muscles prior to your high intensity exercise can lower the tendency for you to experience DOMS. When you stretch prior to exercise, the muscles get more prepared for the actual exercise regimen.

  • Perform a cool-down exercise for at least 10-15 minutes after the actual exercise regimen.

Having a cool-down exercise after vigorous exercise, rather than suddenly stopping, can help in preventing the occurrence of DOMS. Cool-down can be in a form of gentle stretching or low-intensity activities such as walking or marching in place.

  • Progress your exercise gradually, not drastically.

With regards to progression of exercise, follow the ten percent rule. Progress the duration or intensity of your exercise only by ten percent a week. Also, be aware not to make sudden changes to your exercise regimen.

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Different Stress Relievers That You Should Learn About

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Posted 27 Oct 2011 — by admin
Category Alternative Medicine, Diseases and Conditions, Health Procedures, Home Remedies, Keeping Healthy

Most lifestyles today are full of deadlines, hectic schedules or quotas. That is why stress is a common experience for most of us today. The fact that some people consider stress as a natural thing is not a good idea. This is because, people might not be aware of how much stress is creeping into their systems and affecting their health. When stress becomes chronic without you doing anything about it, it may greatly affect your mental, physical and social health. This is why; stress relievers must be learned by you before stress takes its toll on your body.

Studies say that a large percentage of primary care consultation to physicians is due to stress-related issues. Come to think of it, these medical consultations could have been minimized if people know how to deal with stress on their own. If you think you are stressed now, you should learn some techniques that are known to be effective stress relievers. Do not let stress damage your health and well-being. You should do something about it now!

Find time to exit from the pressures of your daily routine. Try these different stress relievers and save yourself from the long-term adverse effects of stress.

  • Studies reveal that quiet reflection is one of the most effective stress relievers. This is done by stopping for a while, despite how fast paced the day is, and just think of thoughts that will be relaxing to you. It may be in a form of imagination of a serene place or reminiscing on a favorite memory. Studies further say that doing this for 10-20 minutes is the most effective duration that will help you relieve your stress.
  • Make a to-do list in chronological order based on the weight of priority of the tasks. To-do lists are also very effective stress relievers. Not only will they help you organize the things that you have to do, they will also decrease your tendency to mind-race. After you have listed the things that you should do in a day, cut your list into half. This means that you need only to do the “top priority tasks” in a span of one day.
  • Have a regular exercise regimen. Exercise helps your body to release the happy hormones called endorphins. These hormones are proven by many studies to reduce stress. In addition to this, endorphins cause a positive or euphoric feeling in the body that can help you have a renewed feeling of energy that will help you cope with the daily hassles that you will encounter.
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Know, Manage and Avoid the Harmful Effects of Stress

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Posted 26 Oct 2011 — by admin
Category Alternative Medicine, Health Procedures, Home Remedies

Know, Manage and Avoid the Harmful Effects of Stress

Many studies have proven how a stressful life can hurt your health. According to experts, stress causes some disruptions to the chemical activities in the brain. This is the rationale how stress can cause adverse effects to your health. That is why, if you feel that you are experiencing chronic stress, you must be alarmed about the harmful effects of stress and make a lifestyle modification to minimize the stressors in your daily life. Whatever the stressor is, it should be dealt with properly before it’s too late.

What causes stress?

Before getting to know the harmful effects of stress, you must first get acquainted with the idea of stress itself. Stress is something that we cannot totally eradicate in our life. In fact there is a point wherein stress is still considered as healthy. A small dose of stress can actually motivate a person to learn how to perform with grace under pressure.

Stress is the body’s mechanism to be able to cope that is why, at some level, it is favorable for the body. However, it is when stress becomes heightened and chronic will the body experience the harmful effects of stress.

Any change in your usual routine, whether it is a good or bad change, can cause stress. It may be a life-changing event, a physical state of health or any environmental change. There is always a negative connotation to stress, thinking that stressors are always in negative forms like deadlines, financial obligations or relationship problems. However, positive changes that happen in your life such as getting married, receiving a job promotion or having a new baby can also cause stress.

How does stress creep in the body

The question is, at what extent will the harmful effects of stress occur? The body responds to stress in a way that the body is being prepared for a “fight or flight” reaction. This is made possible by the activation of the sympathetic nervous system. Imagine the body undergoing chronic stress, there is an experience of a prolonged “fight or flight” situation which can possibly disrupt the physiologic processes of almost all the systems of the body.

To avoid reaching to a point that the body experiences the harmful effects of stress, you must be conscious of the red flags that will alert you that you are already experiencing chronic stress. Among these red flags are the following:

  • Drastic physical changes such as body aches, headaches, unexplained weight changes, hormonal imbalances, heart palpitations and insomnia
  • Mental and emotional symptoms like constantly having racing thoughts, forgetfulness, irritability, restlessness and short temper
  • Changes in functional level to a point where productivity is already being altered to a great extent
  • Social and behavioral manifestations such as nervous behaviors (nail biting, pacing or fidgeting), isolation and picking on other people

What illnesses are correlated to stress?

The most dangerous of all harmful effects of stress is the fact that stress is correlated to many types of illnesses. Stress is found to lower the body’s immune system, making you more prone to have colds or infections. Other illnesses related to stress are cardiovascular diseases and cancers.

Aside from these, additional harmful effects of stress are disruptions in fertility, which may cause a woman to experience difficulty in conceiving a child. Aside from other sexual dysfunctions caused by stress, it can also cause vaginal dryness, absence of menstruations and decreased sexual drive.

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Common Sources of Stress

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Posted 06 Apr 2011 — by admin
Category Diseases and Conditions, Health Procedures, Keeping Healthy

The world you live in has continuous demands from you. Whether you are working or you are still in school, the stressors come in different ways. Although stress may be good, too much of it can also be a bad sign. Thus, it is recommended that you at least minimize them. The best way to reduce the stress in your life is to be aware of their common sources.

Interpersonal Relationships

Maintaining a good interpersonal relationship with the significant people around you entails effort and time. The key in keeping the harmony with your family and friends is an open line of communication. Generally, simple misunderstandings can lead to big arguments if you do not communicate well.

Life Adjustment

If your body is accustomed to your daily routine, changing your regular schedule can cause significant stress in your life. If you have been used in working, enjoying financial abundance, and physical wellness, a sudden change in these situations can put pressure to you. Loss of employment, economic crisis and illness require life adjustment. If you are not ready for these and you lose support from your family, you might end up feeling depressed.

Because changes are constant in life, you need to be ready for them. The best way to prepare for the adverse situations is by keeping an intact interpersonal relationship with others

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Benefits of Exercises for Pregnant Women

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Posted 30 Mar 2011 — by admin
Category Diseases and Conditions, Health Procedures

Exercises for pregnant women have been proven to be beneficial to in preparing a woman’s body for child birth and childcare. For those women who have been physically active prior to being pregnant, you might be wondering if there are still exercises that you can do even during this time that you are pregnant.

However, there might be a lot of hesitations with regards to the safety of performing exercises for pregnant women. There might be a lot of questions that will run on a pregnant woman’s mind. Is this exercise not harmful for my baby? How do I know the intensity and frequency of exercise? What would be the benefits of this exercise?

First of all, it is important to consider if your pregnancy is an uncomplicated one. Your willingness to participate in exercises for pregnant women may be consulted to your obstetrician-gynecologist during your regular prenatal check-ups. Some women, especially those who are experiencing a threatened abortion are contraindicated for exercise. Thus, a clearance from your doctor should be acquired first.

The benefits that you can obtain from exercises for pregnant women are:

1.      Increased strength of the pelvic floor muscles

- This is good for you because the pelvic floor muscles support the contents of the abdominal cavity

-When these muscles are strong, there would be better support for the growing baby on your womb.

-Studies say that when pelvic floor muscles are toned, it also increases sexual pleasure for both the woman and her partner.

2.      Awareness of contraction and relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles

-          This would be beneficial, especially for first time moms, because they might not yet be aware of the feeling of contraction and relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles.

-          Being able to control contraction and relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles can help you have ease during delivery.

3.      Increased strength of the abdominal muscles

-          Abdominal muscles are overstretched during pregnancy, and thus, they have the tendency to weaken.

-          Strengthening your abdominal muscles reduces strain on your back and helps you to avoid back pain, which is a common complaint during pregnancy.

4.      Increased strength and flexibility of upper extremity muscles

-          This is good for you because it prepares you for the increased physical demands that you have to meet during child care.

For you to determine the procedures, intensity and duration of the exercises for pregnant women, it is advised to seek for the expertise of a physical therapist. These professionals may give you advice on the right parameters of exercises for you.

As you now know that there would be a great deal of benefits that you will get by performing exercises for pregnant women, also keep in mind two things: compliance & safety. First, compliance is important for an exercise to be effective. Second, do not overdo whatever among the exercises for pregnant women that you perform, because two much stress on your body might increase uterine contractions and that might be harmful for you and your baby.

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Enhancing Brain Power by Lifestyle Modification

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Posted 27 Mar 2011 — by admin
Category Health Procedures, Home Remedies, Keeping Healthy

In today’s very competitive world wherein brain power is a major element for somebody to be on top, it is important to enhance the brain’s maximum potential. In school or even in the corporate arena, brain power is one big asset that is good to invest on. Furthermore, knowing that studies about aging say that our brain functioning slows down as we age, we must aim for keeping our brain healthy while we are still young, to diminish the rate of decline of brain power during old age.

Before learning how to enhance brain power, it is more important to know how to protect our brain from decline. As the saying goes, “first, do no harm”. The two most important measures in preventing brain power decline are avoiding frequent alcohol intake and quitting smoking. Alcohol has very harmful effects to the brain. It kills neurons, which are the cells found on the brain. These neurons are classified as permanent cells. Thus, they are types of cells that do not regenerate once they die. The more you take alcohol, the more neurons are killed and thus, the more decline in brain power can occur. On the other hand, smoking increases nicotine in the body. Nicotine causes our blood vessels to constrict, which may cause a decrease blood supply to the brain.

Enhancing our brain power is ideally a multi-factorial approach which narrows down to one idea: living a healthy lifestyle. When we say “living a healthy lifestyle”, it all includes regular exercise, balanced diet, enough sleep and having just the right amount of stress. These are all very basic, but also indeed very ideal. And we all know that in this very busy world, some cannot afford to exercise three to four times a week or even to sleep eight hours a day. But definitely, even the busiest of people love to eat. It is suggested now that we can eat different types of food that can enhance brain power.

Food that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like fish and walnuts, are said to be brain enhancers because omega-3 fatty acids help maintain a good blood supply to the brain by keeping its blood vessels clear. Foods that are rich in antioxidants are also good for the brain because they decrease the free radicals in the brain. Examples of food rich in antioxidants are guavas, blueberries and dark chocolate. Dark chocolate also has caffeine, which is a natural brain stimulant. Caffeine is good for the brain if taken in regulated amounts. Lastly, since glucose is the major fuel that makes the brain work, foods that are rich in carbohydrates are also advised. Take note however that these are complex carbohydrates, so that a steady, not a fluctuating blood sugar supply is given to the brain. Examples of complex carbohydrates are whole grain bread, brown rice and oats.

One should invest on enhancing brain power now. It could be done by lifestyle modification.

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