10 Mysterious Pains You Shouldn't Ignore

by Discovery Health

All of us have experience with random, mysterious and sometimes lingering pains at some point in our
lives. Most of us shrug it off, and usually the pain leaves the same way it arrived -- on its own and
without explanation.

These pains aren't so different from the strange sounds your automobile makes from time to time.
Something clicks, whirrs or squeals, and then the noise vanishes as quickly as it arrived. Those of us who
aren't mechanically inclined may think nothing more of it. However, just like your automobile, your body's
aches and pains often get worse over time, or signal a much larger underlying problem. In these cases,
we ignore those warning signs at our own peril. Usually, doctors and mechanics alike wonder why we
didn't bring these problems to their attention sooner.

While not every pain you feel is indicative of a dire emergency, some mysterious pains simply shouldn't
be ignored. While few people are enthusiastic about going to a doctor, few doctors are enthusiastic about
treating a medical emergency that they could've detected or treated before the problem snowballed into
a potentially life-or-death matter.
So what mysterious pains shouldn't you ignore? Keep reading to find out.

10: More Than Chest Pain
While this section focuses on heart disease, chest pain isn't the only indication that something's wrong.
Take this scenario: It's a hot summer's day, and you're working up a sweat mowing your lawn, which
resembles a modest jungle. You stop to wipe your brow, when suddenly your jaw starts hurting. While
heart disease runs in your family, everyone has trained you to look out for the fabled chest pain. So you
think nothing of it. You reason that you may have clenched your jaw tightly while sleeping because of
stress at work.

Unfortunately, your aching jaw could be a sign that your heart is stressed. Your jaw pain could serve as
warning of an impending heart attack or a sign that one has just occurred.

Pain from a heart attack often shows up in places other than your chest: your shoulder, arm, abdomen,
lower jaw or throat. Ignore the mysterious pain in your jaw, and that overgrown lawn you're attempting
to tame could be your ultimate undoing. If you do experience a sudden pain in your shoulder or jaw area
-- especially if you are at risk of heart disease -- stop what you're doing, alert someone and seek medical
attention. There aren't many good reasons why your jaw or the length of your arm would suddenly start
throbbing with pain, and a doctor's investigation of what's happening could add years to your life.

9: Lower-back Pain
Pain in the lower back is one of the most common pains people encounter and, as such, ignore. Most
days, at least one person you know will complain of a bad back, and it makes it easy to deal with the
pain when it happens to you. In fact, back pain is the leading cause of job-related disability.

Every year, Americans spend nearly $50 billion trying to take care of their lower back pain [source:
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke]. The high price tag points not only to the
frequency of Americans' lower-back troubles, but also to the complexity of that region of our bodies. Our
backs contain most of our bodies' infrastructure -- muscles, tissues, nerve bundles, spines and vertebrae.
Without these structures, our bodies would resemble nothing so much as a pile of unstructured flesh, like
jellyfish.

But sometimes lower-back pain is a symptom related to kidney trouble. The pain may relate to the
formation of a kidney stone, which will usually pass (painfully) on its own. If your kidney is infected, it
will swell, causing the discomfort in your lower back. If a kidney tumor has grown large enough, it will
cause pain in the lower back, as well.

You should always get back pain checked out, since ignored problems with your back can become chronic
problems that only worsen over time. Being vigilant about finding the cause of pain in your lower back
could save your kidneys -- and your life.

8: Severe Abdominal Pain
When our stomachs start clenching and doing somersaults after we've eaten food that's been left out on
a buffet table for too long, there's no doubt what's causing the discomfort. But other times, there's no
clear cause for the pain. Your torso is a busy place, and an unusual pain in your abdominal area could be
a sign that any number of things has gone wrong.

Problems with nearby organs such as kidneys, lungs or the uterus could result in abdominal discomfort.
Pain in your lower-right abdomen may mean your appendix is inflamed, and that means a quick removal
is in order.
Upper-right-abdominal pain could signal a problem with your gall bladder. Upper-abdominal pain (along
with upper-back pain) may be a sign of pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas. Rest, intravenous
fluids and antibiotics may resolve this condition.

Abdominal pain also could point to an intestinal blockage. If not immediately treated, this can result in
death of intestinal tissue and other problems. And finally, a swollen liver due to hepatitis could cause the
excruciating pain in your gut. There are different forms of this viral disease, some of which (hepatitis C)
can cause liver failure.

Nothing causing abdominal pain is good news, but each condition is the type of bad news you want to
get sooner rather than later. If you have unexplained, recurring or sudden abdominal pain, see your
doctor immediately.

7: Calf Pain
Sore calves often mark the day after a good run (or a long climb up steep stairs). But sometimes calf
pain -- especially when not linked to any type of injury -- may mean something else is amiss, and it's
something you definitely don't want to ignore.

Your leg has a network of arteries and veins that move blood to and from your muscle and heart. The
veins you can see beneath your skin are called superficial veins, and they move blood farther into the
muscle itself, toward deep veins. Little valves inside the veins prevent blood from flowing the wrong way.
However, clots may form due to a rupture in the vein, damage to a valve or an injury to the leg. This is a
deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The pain stems from the clot's presence causing a blood flow blockage,
which results in swelling.

If a clot breaks loose -- an event called an embolism -- it could travel through your body, block an artery
in the lung or brain, and damage your lung -- a pulmonary embolism -- or cause stroke. This doesn't
usually happen, but when it does, it can be very serious and potentially deadly. Doctors usually prescribe
anticoagulation drugs and keep tabs on the clot to make sure it's not growing. People with DVT who are
overweight or who smoke should make lifestyle changes, as both of these factors increase the risk and
severity of DVT.

6: Burning Sensations in Hands or Feet
If you've ever left your legs crossed too long, you've likely experienced an almost-painful tingling
sensation in your legs and feet caused by decreased blood circulation. Fortunately, the tingling goes
away quickly once you're standing and moving about, but while it's there, it feels like a cruel combination
of pain and tickling.
If your feet or hands feel this way even when you haven't folded yourself up like a pretzel for too long in
front of the television, it could be sign of nerve damage. Symptoms such as tingling, numbness and a
burning sensation all point to peripheral neuropathy.

Peripheral neuropathy has many causes, including diabetes, alcohol abuse, vitamin B-12 deficiency and
other disorders such as shingles. Injury, infections and toxins can also cause nerve damage. Often --
though not always -- treating the underlying cause of the tingling causes the painful sensations in your
affected body parts to go away. Aspirin and over-the-counter analgesics sometimes help relieve
symptoms, but antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, physical therapy or surgery have a greater
chance of reducing or eliminating the burning sensation.
It's important to seek treatment for this condition because the reduced sensation means you'll be less
likely to notice injuries to your feet or hands. Injuries left unchecked can become infected, opening the
door to a completely new set of problems.

If you're diabetic, getting your blood sugar under control will prevent further nerve damage (among other
complications that arise from this disease) and may improve the existing symptoms of peripheral
neuropathy.

5: Vague, Random, Unexplained Pains
Usually pain in a certain part of your body signals that something in that area needs attention. In fact,
this is the how pain benefits us. Being the wise, nonprocrastinating person you are, you tell your family
doctor about this. Then, the unexpected (though not entirely unwelcome) occurs: Your doctor performs
tests like X-rays or an MRI, only to discover no obvious cause of the mysterious pains you're
experiencing.

You may have fibromyalgia, a mysterious condition that results in aches and pains, and affects more
women than men. Fibromyalgia seems to result in heightened sensitivity to physical pressure or pain, and
often involves sleep difficulties. Currently, no definitive test for fibromyalgia exists, but doctors will work
to rule out other possible causes of your pain before making a diagnosis. This condition is treatable with
physical therapy and analgesics, but researchers still have much to learn about it.

It's incredible, but depression can also cause "floating," random and otherwise unexplainable pains in
various parts of your body. This may manifest in the form of back pain, headaches and heightened
sensitivity to pain.

How can this be? It turns out that pain and emotion travel down some of the same neural pathways in
your brain. For some people, it seems that neurotransmitters carrying news of gloom and doom can jump
the tracks and result in actual physical pain. Usually, antidepressants, therapy or some combination of
the two helps to resolve the depression and, with it, the pain.

4: Testicular Pain
You should never ignore testicular pain, as it often indicates a condition that could get worse -- much
worse -- if ignored for too long. Anything from a hernia to cancer can cause testicular pain. The
spermatic cord could be twisted, causing testicular torsion, which causes excruciating, fall-to-your-knees
pain. Ignore it at your testicles' own blood-starved peril.

If you've taken a direct hit to the jewels lately, the pain may go away in the following days, or be a sign
of a hematocele, in which blood pools between the protective sacs of your scrotum. Inflammation of the
epididymis, a coiled tube located in the back of each testicle that serves as a storage and delivery system
for sperm, can also cause testicular pain. If the discomfort in your testicle accompanies a tactile sensation
that your scrotum is full of noodles, you've likely got varicose veins, known as varicoceles.

There's little in the way of good news if you suddenly feel testicular pain, and ignoring it in hopes it will
go away may cause you to lose a testicle. The thought of it is enough to give you a headache, which we'll
discuss next.

3: Thunderclap Headaches
While headaches often appear to come out of nowhere, some headaches descend incredibly fast, striking
like a clap of thunder. While they may soon pass as most headaches do, this mysterious and sudden
occurrence could be a sign of something much more serious than a headache. If your headache causes
nearly blinding pain, it could be a sign of stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA).

Strokes happen when a blood clot or piece of plaque in the body's veins or arteries breaks loose and
travels through the body, eventually making its way to the brain. When this happens, the clot may
temporarily or partially block an artery, resulting in a TIA, or it may fully block the blood flow, causing a
stroke.

In addition to a sudden headache, other signs of TIA and stroke involve neurological or cognitive
difficulties, such as trouble speaking or walking. In fact, people may suddenly fall while standing or
walking. In the case of TIA -- often referred to as a "mini-stroke" -- the symptoms include dizziness,
temporary visual problems or simply trouble holding a pen.

Either way, get immediate medical attention. Strokes call for clot-busting drugs to restore blood flow to
brain tissue, and TIA episodes are often followed at some point by a real stroke. Pain is your body's way
of telling you something's not right, so give your doctor a chance to discover what's wrong before it's too
late.

2: Pelvic Pain During Intercourse
If you're a woman, you've no doubt seen the warning found on any box of tampons: leave a tampon in
place too long, and complications may arise, including pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

One common symptom of PID is pain or discomfort in the pelvic region during sex. PID is a bacterial
infection of the uterus or fallopian tubes that results in red, swollen and painful tissue. The inflammation
can cause scarring, which can lead to problems such as infertility.

PID can also result in the formation of abscesses, or chronic pelvic pain. Sexually transmitted diseases --
most often chlamydia or gonorrhea -- or any source of bacteria that travels up to the reproductive organs
are the usual suspects for PID. Left unchecked, the infection can spread to the blood or other tissues of
the body. If a fallopian tube is infected and not treated, it could burst.

PID affects three-quarters of a million women each year, and one out of 10 becomes infertile as a result
[source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]. The pain may not be severe and may accompany
other symptoms like frequent urination or abdominal pain. Early detection is important since doctors
often can treat PID with antibiotics. However, in cases where the condition isn't detected early, surgery
may be required.
Ovarian cysts can also cause pelvic pain, and while cysts often go away on their own, they may require
medical intervention. Next, we'll look at a common ailment that sometimes has mysterious origins.

1: Persistent Joint Pain
Osteoarthritis -- generally age-related wear and tear to cartilage that causes bones to rub together -- is a
common source of joint pain, but it's not the only one.

Stiffness and swelling of the joints may be caused by lupus, a disease that cycles through periods of
flaring up and remission. Other symptoms of lupus include fatigue, hair loss and fever.

Hepatitis, a condition that affects the liver, also claims joint pain as a symptom. Need a good reason to
get that joint pain examined by a doctor? Hepatitis is responsible for more liver transplants than any
other condition [source: MedlinePlus]. Many other infectious diseases -- such as measles and chicken pox
-- can also cause joint pain.

Then again, it could be arthritis, but a more serious form of it: rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis
is an autoimmune disease, meaning that your immune system goes haywire and attacks your own tissue.
This causes inflammation of not only the joints themselves, but of tissue surrounding the joints and even
of other organs in your body. The result is pain and the breakdown of your joints. It's important to get
medical attention as soon as symptoms present themselves to limit damage to your body -- while
medications can alleviate discomfort and swelling, tissue damage is permanent.




Plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot. This tissue is called the
plantar fascia. It connects the heel bone to the toes and creates the arch of the foot.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
Plantar fasciitis occurs when the thick band of tissue on the bottom of the foot is overstretched or
overused. This can be painful and make walking more difficult.

You are more likely to get plantar fasciitis if you have:
Foot arch problems (both flat feet and high arches)
Long-distance running, especially running downhill or on uneven surfaces
Sudden weight gain or obesity
Tight Achilles tendon (the tendon connecting the calf muscles to the heel)
Shoes with poor arch support or soft soles
Plantar fasciitis is seen in both men and women. However, it most often affects active men ages 40 - 70.
It is one of the most common orthopedic complaints relating to the foot.

Plantar fasciitis is commonly thought of as being caused by a heel spur, but research has found that this
is not the case. On x-ray, heel spurs are seen in people with and without plantar fasciitis.
Symptoms

The most common complaint is pain and stiffness in the bottom of the heel. The heel pain may be dull or
sharp. The bottom of the foot may also ache or burn.

The pain is usually worse:
In the morning when you take your first steps
After standing or sitting for a while
When climbing stairs
After intense activity
The pain may develop slowly over time, or suddenly after intense activity.

Signs and tests
The health care provider will perform a physical exam. This may show:
Tenderness on the bottom of your foot
Flat feet or high arches
Mild foot swelling or redness
Stiffness or tightness of the arch in the bottom of your foot.

1. Wapner KL, Parekh SG. Heel pain. In: DeLee JC, Drez D Jr, Miller MD, eds. DeLee and Drezs
Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2009:section F.
2. Abu-Laban RV, Ho K. Ankle and foot. In: Marx JA, Hockberger RS, Walls RM, et al, eds. Rosens
Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2009:chap
55.
3. Silverstein JA, Moeller JL, Hutchinson MR.Common issues in orthopedics. In: Rakel RE, ed. Textbook of
Family Medicine. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2011:chap 30.
About kidneys

Everybody knows that some organs in the human body are necessary for survival: you need your brain,
your heart, your lungs, your kidneys...

KIDNEYS? Absolutely. Even though you won't find a Valentine's Day card with a kidney on the cover, the
kidneys are every bit as important as the heart. You need at least one kidney to live!

Kidneys normally come in pairs. If you've ever seen a kidney bean, then you have a pretty good idea
what the kidneys look like. Each kidney is about 5 inches (about 13 centimeters) long and about 3 inches
(about 8 centimeters) wide about the size of a computer mouse.

To locate your kidneys, put your hands on your hips, then slide your hands up until you can feel your
ribs. Now if you put your thumbs on your back, you will know where your kidneys are. You can't feel
them, but they are there. Read on to find out more about the cool kidneys.

Cleaning Up
One of the main jobs of the kidneys is to filter the waste out of the blood. How does the waste get in
your blood? Well, your blood delivers nutrients to your body. Chemical reactions occur in the cells of your
body to break down the nutrients. Some of the waste is the result of these chemical reactions. Some is
just stuff your body doesn't need because it already has enough. The waste has to go somewhere; this is
where the kidneys come in.

First, blood is carried into the kidneys by the renal artery (anything in the body related to the kidneys is
called "renal"). The average person has 1 to 1 gallons of blood circulating through his or her body. The
kidneys filter that blood as many as 400 times a day! More than 1 million tiny filters inside the kidneys
remove the waste. These filters, called nephrons (say: NEH-fronz), are so small you can see them only
with a high-powered microscope.

The Path of Pee
The waste that is collected combines with water (which is also filtered out of the kidneys) to make urine
(pee). As each kidney makes urine, the urine slides down a long tube called the ureter (say: yu-REE-ter)
and collects in the bladder, a storage sac that holds the urine. When the bladder is about halfway full,
your body tells you to go to the bathroom. When you pee, the urine goes from the bladder down another
tube called the urethra (say: yu-REE-thruh) and out of your body.

The kidneys, the bladder, and their tubes are called the urinary system. Here's a list of all of the parts of
the urinary system:
the kidneys: filters that take the waste out of the blood and make urine
the ureters: tubes that carry the urine from each kidney to the bladder
the bladder: a bag that collects the urine
the urethra: a tube that carries the urine from the bladder out of the body

Keeping a Balance
The kidneys also balance the volume of fluids and minerals in the body. This balance in the body is called
homeostasis (say: HOH-mee-oh-STAY-sus).

If you put all of the water that you take in on one side of a scale and all of the water your body gets rid
of on the other side of a scale, the sides of the scale would be balanced. Your body gets water when you
drink it or other liquids. You also get water from some foods, like fruits and vegetables.
Water leaves your body in several ways. It comes out of your skin when you sweat, out of your mouth
when you breathe, and out of your urethra in urine when you go to the bathroom. There is also water in
your bowel movements (poop).

When you feel thirsty, your brain is telling you to get more fluids to keep your body as balanced as
possible. If you don't have enough fluids in your body, the brain communicates with the kidneys by
sending out a hormone that tells the kidneys to hold on to some fluids. When you drink more, this
hormone level goes down, and the kidneys will let go of more fluids.

You might notice that sometimes your urine is darker in color than other times. Remember, urine is made
up of water plus the waste that is filtered out of the blood. If you don't take in a lot of fluids or if you're
exercising and sweating a lot, your urine has less water in it and it appears darker. If you're drinking lots
of fluids, the extra fluid comes out in your urine, and it will be lighter.

What Else Do Kidneys Do?
Kidneys are always busy. Besides filtering the blood and balancing fluids every second during the day, the
kidneys constantly react to hormones that the brain sends them. Kidneys even make some of their own
hormones. For example, the kidneys produce a hormone that tells the body to make red blood cells.

By KidsHealth & Yamini Durani, MD




About large intestine
The large intestine has a larger width but is only 1.5 m (5 feet) long. The large intestine is divided into 6
parts: cecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon, and rectum.

Most food products are absorbed in the small intestine. The large intestine is responsible for absorption
of water and excretion of solid waste material. Food and waste material are moved along the length of
the intestine by rhythmic contractions of intestinal muscles; these contractions are called peristaltic
movements. Waste is solid because most of the water has been removed by the intestines as it travels
through them.

Arteries of Large Intestine - By: Frank Henry Netter
About scoliosis

What Is Scoliosis? By KidsHealth.org
Your spine, or backbone, helps hold your body upright. Without it, you couldn't walk, run, or play sports.

If you look at yourself sideways in the mirror or look at a friend from the side, you'll notice that the back
isn't flat like a piece of board. Instead, it curves in and out between your neck and lower back. Despite
that gentle curve from the side, a healthy spine appears to run straight down the middle of the back. The
trouble for someone with scoliosis is that the spine curves from side to side.

What Is Scoliosis?
The word scoliosis (say: sko-lee-OH-sis) comes from a Greek word meaning crooked. If you have
scoliosis, you're not alone. About 3 out of every 100 people have some form of scoliosis, though for many
people it's not much of a problem. For a small number of people, the curve gets worse as they grow and
they may need a brace or an operation to correct it.

Someone with scoliosis may have a back that curves like an "S" or a "C." It may or may not be noticeable
to others. While small curves generally do not cause problems, larger curves can cause discomfort. The
X-ray image to the right shows what scoliosis looks like.

No one knows what causes the most common type of scoliosis called idiopathic (say: ih-dee-uh-PA-thik)
scoliosis. (Idiopathic is a fancy word for unknown cause.) Doctors do know that scoliosis can run in
families. So if a parent, sister, or brother had scoliosis, you might have it, too.

Most types of scoliosis are more common in girls than boys, and girls with scoliosis are more likely to
need treatment.

How Do Kids Find Out if They Have Scoliosis?
Sometimes scoliosis will be easily noticeable. A curved spine can cause someone's body to tilt to the left
or right. Many kids with scoliosis have one shoulder blade that's higher than the other or an uneven waist
with a tendency to lean to one side. These problems may be noticed when a kid is trying on new clothes.
If one pant leg is shorter than the other, a kid might have scoliosis. It's also possible that the kid does
not have scoliosis, but one leg may be slightly shorter than the other or the ribs may be uneven.

You might get examined for scoliosis at school or during a doctor visit. In the United States, about half of
the states require public schools to test for scoliosis. It's an easy test called the forward-bending test, and
it doesn't hurt at all. It involves bending over, with straight knees, and reaching your fingertips toward
your feet or the floor. Then, a doctor or nurse will look at your back to see if your spine curves or if your
ribs are uneven.

What if I Have It?
If a doctor says you have scoliosis, then the doctor and your parent can talk about whether treatment is
necessary, and then talk to you about what happens next. If the doctor wants to get a better look, he or
she may order X-rays of your spine. Sometimes the doctor will decide that the curve isn't serious enough
to need treatment.

If you do need treatment, you'll go to a special doctor called an orthopedist (say: or-tho-PEE-dist), or
orthopedic surgeon, who knows a lot about bones and how to treat scoliosis. The orthopedist will
probably start by figuring out how severe your spine's curve is. To do this, an orthopedist looks at X-rays
and measures the spine's curve in degrees, like you measure angles in math class.



What is Arthritis?
By Medical News Today

Arthritis affects the musculoskeletal system, specifically the joints. It is the main cause of disability
among people over fifty-five years of age in industrialized countries.

The word arthritis comes from the Greek arthron meaning "joint" and the Latin itis meaning
"inflammation". The plural of arthritis is arthritides.

Arthritis is not a single disease - it is a term that covers over 100 medical conditions. Osteoarthritis (OA)
is the most common form of arthritis and generally affects elderly patients. Some forms of arthritis can
affect people at a very early age.
What causes arthritis?

In order to better understand what is going on when a person suffers from some form of arthritis, let us
look at how a joint works.

Basically, a joint is where one bone moves on another bone. Ligaments hold the two bones together. The
ligaments are like elastic bands, while they keep the bones in place your muscles relax or contract to
make the joint move.

Cartilage covers the bone surface to stop the two bones from rubbing directly against each other. The
covering of cartilage allows the joint to work smoothly and painlessly.

A capsule surrounds the joint. The space within the joint - the joint cavity - has synovial fluid. Synovial
fluid nourishes the joint and the cartilage. The synovial fluid is produced by the synovium (synovial
membrane) which lines the joint cavity.

If you have arthritis something goes wrong with the joint(s). What goes wrong depends on what type of
arthritis you have. It could be that the cartilage is wearing away, a lack of fluid, autoimmunity (your body
attacking itself), infection, or a combination of many factors.

Does cracking knuckles cause arthritis?

Cracking the knuckles, also known as "popping", is a kind of joint manipulation that produces a cracking
sound. Cracking one's knuckles is a deliberate action.

In fact, humans are able to crack several joints, including the ankles, shoulders, feet, jaws, toes, neck
and back vertebrae, elbows, wrists and hips.

Two studies showed that chronic knuckle cracking does not appear to increase the risk of hand
osteoarthritis, but may reduce the strength of your grip.

Dr. Donald Unger won the Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine after spending 60 years cracking the knuckles on
his left hand but not his right. He reported that neither hand had arthritis after all that time, or other
problems.
Types of arthritis

There are over 100 types of arthritis. Here is a description of some common ones, together with the
causes:
Osteoarthritis - cartilage loses its elasticity. If the cartilage is stiff it becomes damaged more easily. The
cartilage, which acts as a shock absorber, will gradually wear away in some areas. As the cartilage
becomes damaged tendons and ligaments become stretched, causing pain. Eventually the bones may rub
against each other causing very severe pain.

Rheumatoid arthritis - this is an inflammatory form of arthritis. The synovial membrane (synovium) is
attacked, resulting in swelling and pain. If left untreated the arthritis can lead to deformity. Rheumatoid
arthritis is significantly more common in women than men and generally strikes when the patient is aged
between 40 and 60. However, children and much older people may also be affected. Swedish scientists
published their study in JAMA in October 2012, explaining that patients with rheumatoid arthritis have a
higher risk of blood clots in the first ten years after diagnosis.

Infectious arthritis (septic arthritic) - an infection in the synovial fluid and tissues of a joint. It is usually
caused by bacteria, but could also be caused by fungi or viruses. Bacteria, fungi or viruses may spread
through the bloodstream from infected tissue nearby, and infect a joint. Most susceptible people are
those who already have some form of arthritis and develop an infection that travels in the bloodstream.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) - means arthritis that affects a person aged 16 or less. JRA can be
various forms of arthritis; it basically means that a child has it. There are three main types:

1. Pauciarticular JRA, the most common and mildest. The child experiences pain in up to 4 joints.

2. Polyarticular JRA affects more joints and is more severe. As time goes by it tends to get worse.

3. Systemic JRA is the least common. Pain is experienced in many joints. It can spread to organs. This
can be the most serious JRA.

What are the signs and symptoms of arthritis?

The symptoms of arthritis depend on the type of arthritis, for example:
Osteoarthritis - The symptoms develop slowly and get worse as time goes by. There is pain in a joint,
either during or after use, or after a period of inactivity. There will be tenderness when pressure is
applied to the joint. The joint will be stiff, especially first thing in the morning. The patient may find it
harder to use the joint - it loses its flexibility. Some patients experience a grating sensation when they
use the joint. Hard lumps, or bone spurs may appear around the joint. In some cases the joint might
swell. The most common affected joints are in the hips, hands, knees and spine.

Rheumatoid arthritis - The patient often finds the same joints in each side of the body are painfully
swollen, inflamed, and stiff. The fingers, arms, legs and wrists are most commonly affected. Symptoms
are usually worst on waking up in the morning and the stiffness can last for 30 minutes at this time. The
joint is tender when touched. Hands may be red and puffy. There may be rheumatoid nodules (bumps of
tissue under the skin of the patient's arms). Many patients with rheumatoid arthritis feel tired most of the
time. Weight loss is common.

The smaller joints are usually noticeably affected first. Experts say patients with rheumatoid arthritis have
problems with several joints at the same time. As the arthritis progresses it spreads from the smaller
joints in your hands, wrists, ankles and feet to your elbows, knees, hips, neck, shoulders and jaw.

Infectious arthritis - The patient has a fever, joint inflammation and swelling. He will feel tenderness
and/or a sharp pain. Often these symptoms are linked to an injury or another illness. Most commonly
affected areas are the knee, shoulder, elbow, wrist and finger. In the majority of cases, just one joint is
affected.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis - The patient is a child. He will experience intermittent fevers which tend to
peak in the evening and then suddenly disappear. His appetite will be poor and he will lose weight. There
may be blotchy rashes on his arms and legs. Anemia is also common. The child may limp or have a sore
wrist, finger, or knee. A joint may suddenly swell and stay larger than it usually is. The child may
experience a stiff neck, hips or some other joint.










THE EYE
by Harvard Medical School

The eye has often been compared to a camera. It would be more appropriate to compare it to a TV
camera attached to an automatically tracking tripoda machine that is self-focusing, adjusts
automatically for light intensity, has a self-cleaning lens, and feeds into a computer with parallel-
processing capabilities so advanced that engineers are only just starting to consider similar strategies for
the hardware they design. The gigantic job of taking the light that falls on the two retinas and translating
it into a meaningful visual scene is often curiously ignored, as though all we needed in order to see was
an image of the external world perfectly focused on the retina. Although obtaining focused images is no
mean task, it is modest compared with the work of the nervous systemthe retina plus the brain. As we
shall see in this chapter, the contribution of the retina itself is impressive. By translating light into nerve
signals, it begins the job of extracting from the environment what is useful and ignoring what is
redundant. No human inventions, including computer-assisted cameras, can begin to rival the eye. This
chapter is mainly about the neural part of the eyethe retinabut I will begin with a short description of
the eyeball, the apparatus that houses the retina and supplies it with sharp images of the outside world.

THE EYEBALL
The collective function of the nonretinal parts of the eye is to keep a focused, clear image of the outside
world anchored on the two retinas. Each eye is positioned in its socket by the six small extraocular
muscles mentioned in Chapter 2. That there are six for each eye is no accident; they consist of three
pairs, with the muscles in each pair working in opposition, so as to take care of movements in one of
three orthogonal (perpendicular) planes. For both eyes, the job of tracking an object has to be done with
a precision of a few minutes of arcor else we see double. (To see how distressing that can be, try
looking at something and pressing on the side of one eye with your index finger.) Such precise
movements require a collection of finely tuned reflexes, including those that control head position.

The cornea (the transparent front part of the eye) and lens together form the equivalent of the camera
lens. About two-thirds of the bending of light necessary for focusing takes place at the air-cornea
interface, where the light enters the eye. The lens of the eye supplies the remaining third of the focusing
power, but its main job is to make the necessary adjustments to focus on objects at various distances. To
focus a camera you change the distance between lens and film; we focus our eye not by changing the
distance between lens and retina but by changing the shape of the rubbery, jellylike lensby pulling or
relaxing the tendons that hold it at its marginso that it goes from more spherical for near objects to
flatter for far ones. A set of radial muscles called ciliary muscles produces these changes in shape. (When
we get older than about 45, the lens becomes hard and we lose our power to focus. It was to circumvent
this major irritation of aging that Benjamin Franklin invented bifocal spectacles.)
The reflex that contracts these ciliary muscles in order to make the lens rounder depends on visual input
and is closely linked to the reflex controlling the concomitant turning in of the eyes.



The Earwax Post

What Is Earwax (Cerumen)? What Is Earwax Impaction? http://bit.ly/13Rj3Ab

The Good, the Bad and the Eww of Earwax Removal:http://on.wsj.com/13TQItk

Earwax Type: The Myth (full post dispelling the following myth here: http://bit.ly/16phB7N )

Some people have earwax that is wet, sticky and yellow or brown; other people's earwax is dry, crumbly
and grayish. Variation at a single gene determines which kind of earwax you have; the allele for wet
earwax is dominant over the allele for dry earwax. The allele for dry earwax appears to have originated
by mutation in northeastern Asia about 2,000 generations ago, then spread outwards because it was
favored by natural selection. It is very common in eastern Asia, becomes much less common towards
Europe, and is very rare in Africa.

Earwax type is not used very often to illustrate basic genetics, but unlike most human characters that are
used (tongue rolling, attached earlobes, etc.), it really is controlled by a single gene with two alleles. (full
post dispelling the myth here: http://bit.ly/16phB7N )


What Is a Motor Unit?

A motor unit consists of one alpha motor neuron together with all the muscle fibers it stimulates. Since
the human body contains, on average, 250,000,000 muscle cells and approximately 420,000 motor
neurons, a motor unit will generally consist of a single motor neuron paired with many muscle fibers. In
strength training, the early strength gains seen by novices are often not gains in size or number of
muscle fibers, but activation of motor units that had been previously dormant.

The motor neuron is a specialized type of nervous cell that runs between the central nervous system and
the muscles. Neurons typically consist of a cell body the axon and the dendrites. If a neuron were
to be seen as a tree, the axon would be analogous to the trunk and the dendrites to the branches.
Neurons found within the brain normally have relatively short axons, but neurons that are part of a motor
unit because they must connect to the muscles of the body have elongated axons that run through
the spinal cord, and out to the associated muscle fibers. Each muscle fiber is connected to a particular
dendrite, and it is through the dendrites that messages are relayed between the central nervous system
and the muscle fiber.

Muscle fibers are elongated cells, specialized to carry out the functions of the specific muscles of which
they are a part. This is true of the cardiac muscles of the heart, the smooth muscles that make up the
lining of many internal organs, and skeletal muscles. Only skeletal muscles, however, are under conscious
control. The size and shape of the muscle fiber is dependent upon its function, with the smooth muscle
cells being flattened and tile-like; skeletal muscle cells, long and rope-like; and cardiac muscle cells
having some properties of the other two.

A single muscle usually consists of a number of motor units working together, known as the motor pool.
When the central nervous system requires that a muscle contract, an electrical signal is sent along the
motor neuron, stimulating the muscle fibers to contract. Normally, each contraction is followed by a brief
period of relaxation of the muscle fibers, and this pattern repeats in a wave-like pattern, known as a
twitch. Skeletal muscle fibers can be divided into slow twitch and fast twitch fibers, depending on the
length of time required for contraction and relaxation to occur. Slow twitch fibers are associated with
endurance, while fast twitch muscle fibers are associated with power.

Individuals may have a preponderance of one type of muscle fiber or the other, or a combination of the
two. All the muscle fibers within a motor unit will be of a single type, meaning either fast twitch or slow
twitch. This may include up to 1,000 muscle fibers, as in the large quadriceps muscles of the thigh, or
fewer than ten, as seen in motor units requiring a high degree of precision, such as the muscles that
control eye movement.

Upon contraction, the smallest motor unit, that is, the one associated with the fewest muscle fibers, is
the normally the first activated. As the contraction progresses, larger motor units are brought into play.
Efficient muscle contraction depends on the motor units within a muscle working effectively together.
Regular physical training makes this kind of coordination easier.

Occasionally, a motor unit will receive a series of rapid contractile stimulations in such quick succession
that the motor pool has no time to enter the relaxation phase of each twitch. When this occurs, it can
build up to a state of maximal contraction, known as tetanic contraction. Significantly stronger than a
natural twitch, tetanic contraction can result from a number of causes, such as illness or an adverse drug
reaction. One of the more well-known reasons for this phenomenon is associated with tetanus infections.


All About Achilles Tendonitis
By Jonathan Cluett, M.D.

Achilles tendonitis is a condition of irritation and inflammation of the large tendon in the back of the
ankle.

Achilles tendonitis is a common injury that tends to occur in recreational athletes. Overuse of the Achilles
tendon can cause inflammation that can lead to pain and swelling. Achilles tendonitis is differentiated
from another common Achilles tendon condition called Achilles tendinosis. Patients with Achilles
tendinosis have chronic Achilles swelling and pain as a result of degenerative, microscopic tears within
the tendon.

Causes of Achilles Tendonitis
The two most common causes of Achilles tendonitis are:
Lack of flexibility
Overpronation

Other factors associated with Achilles tendonitis are recent changes in footwear, and changes in exercise
training schedules. Often long distance runners will have symptoms of Achilles tendonitis after increasing
their mileage or increasing the amount of hill training they are doing.
As people age, tendons, like other tissues in the body, become less flexible, more rigid, and more
susceptible to injury. Therefore, middle-age recreational athletes are most susceptible to Achilles
tendonitis.

Symptoms of Achilles Tendonitis

The main complaint associated with Achilles tendonitis is pain behind the heel. The pain is often most
prominent in an area about 2-4 centimeters above where the tendon attaches to the heel. In this
location, called the watershed zone of the tendon, the blood supply to the tendon makes this area
particularly susceptible. Patients with Achilles tendonitis usually experience the most significant pain after
periods of inactivity. Therefore patients tend to experience pain after first walking in the morning and
when getting up after sitting for long periods of time.

Patients will also experience pain while participating in activities, such as when running or jumping.
Achilles tendonitis pain associated with exercise is most significant when pushing off or jumping.

X-rays are usually normal in patients with Achilles tendonitis, but are performed to evaluate for other
possible conditions. Occasionally, an MRI is needed to evaluate a patient for tears within the tendon. If
there is a thought of surgical treatment an MRI may be helpful for preoperative evaluation and planning.

Treatment of Achilles Tendonitis
Treatment of Achilles tendonitis begins with resting the tendon to allow the inflammation to settle down.
In more serious situations, adequate rest may require crutches or immobilization of the ankle. There are
different treatments for Achilles tendonitis, including ice, manual therapies, medications, injections, and
surgery.

Sources:

Saltzman CL, Tearse DS. "Achilles tendon injuries" J. Am. Acad. Ortho. Surg., Sep 1998; 6: 316 - 325.

Schepsis, AA, et al. "Achilles Tendon Disorders in Athletes" Am. J. Sports Med., March 1, 2002; 30(2):
287 - 305.

van der Linden PD, et al. "Fluoroquinolones and risk of Achilles tendon disorders: case-control study" BMJ
2002;324:1306.



Just Breathe
The Simplest Means of Managing Stress

Our bodies arent shy about telling us that we are stressed out! Muscle tension, backaches, stomach
upset, headaches, burnout and other illness states are ways in which the body signals to us the need to
relax. Rather than run for that anti-anxiety medication, we can utilize our easiest, natural defense against
stress: our breathing. The way we breathe can affect our emotions and mental states as well as
determine how we physically respond to stress.

Fight or Flight Response vs. Relaxation Response

The general physiological response to stress is called the stress response or fight or flight response.
When we experience stress, hormones activated by the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous
system flood our bloodstream to signal a state of readiness against potential threats to our well being.
While these hormones serve to help us act quickly and with great strength during emergency situations,
they exemplify the concept that there can be too much of a good thing. Chronic stress results in excess
release of stress hormones, which can cause immune-system malfunction, gastrointestinal issues, and
blood vessel deterioration, among other health complications. Over time, such symptoms can evolve into
degenerative diseases like diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.

We can help preserve and enhance our health, though, by refusing to fall victim to chronic release of
stress hormones, even if we are not able to control when or how stressful situations challenge us. We
can learn to effectively manage our physiological reaction to stressors by teaching the body to induce a
relaxation response. A relaxation response counteracts the effects of the fight or flight response by
helping to boost immune system function, reduce blood pressure and cortisol levels, and protect tissues
from damage caused by stress-hormones.

Breathing and Relaxation Response

The way we breathe affects our autonomic nervous system (ANS), the branches of which signal
automatic physiological reactions in the body, like the fight or flight and relaxation responses. ANS
activity is outside of our conscious control. The ANS is responsible for managing our breathing, heart
rate, body temperature, digestion, and other basic processes necessary for survival. While the
sympathetic branch of the ANS initiates the stress response, the parasympathetic branch induces a
relaxation response. Our somatic nervous system, over which we do have conscious control, makes
possible the movements of our eyes, limbs, and mouths, for example, as well as how (not whether) we
breathe. Thus, we can, through somatic manipulation of our breath, affect which ANS branch remains
active, especially during moments of stress.
One of the best means of inducing a relaxation response is through diaphragmatic breathing: inhaling
deeply through the chest and virtually into the stomach. Engaging the diaphragm may be the key to
inducing a relaxation response through deep breathing because the diaphragms close proximity to the
vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is a cranial nerve which supplies approximately 75% of all parasympathetic
fibers to the rest of the body, and may be stimulated through diaphragmatic movement. Conversely,
thoracic breathing that is limited to the chest cavity is associated with the sympathetic branch stress
response.

Self-Empowerment through Breathing

Situations may catalyze stress for us when we are uncertain about them or unable to control their
outcome. We may feel helpless, overwhelmed, fearful, or forced into stifling our true feelings, and may
experience additional anxiety over our inability to control the resulting hormonal fight or flight response.
The key to stress management is recognition that while we may not be able to control the stressor, we
can always control our reaction to it. We have choices: whether to relax through diaphragmatic breathing
techniques until we feel ready to make beneficial decisions, or to just react while on sympathetic branch
automatic pilot. Even if we dont find a solution to the stressful situation, choosing to take time out to
breathe protects our bodies from detrimental effects of stress.

Upon experiencing fear or anxiety, our diaphragm involuntarily flattens and we breathe in a shallow
manner as our body prepares for action. Armed with the knowledge that we can create a counter-
response by breathing deeply, we can change any automatic course of action. When a stressor engages
us, we can consciously control the speed and fullness with which we inhale, trusting that a relaxation
response will happen as long as we keep breathing in this manner and do not lose patience. Recognizing
the need to breathe diaphragmatically is half the battle; actually doing it is what empowers and frees us.

Diaphragmatic Breathing Techniques

To practice diaphragmatic breathing, lie down on your back or sit in a comfortable cross-legged position
with your back as straight as possible (maybe against a wall) and close your eyes. Place your hands on
your abdomen. Slowly inhale, filling your lungs and what seems like your stomach, to the point where
your hands rise with the breath. Hold your breath for a few seconds, then slowly exhale completely.
Repeat this process for many breaths, savoring the recognition that you are sending life-sustaining
oxygen to all the cells of your body.
One of the keys to creating a relaxation response is to be the breath. Focusing on the breath helps you
be present. When thoughts enter your mind, acknowledge them, let them go, then refocus the mind on
the sound of your breath. Perhaps visualize a relaxing scene or imagine continuous ocean waves slowly
rolling into the shoreline. Maybe listening to peaceful music or repeating a mantra in your head that
brings you serenity will help you free your mind of distracting thoughts. Your memory is another tool you
have to facilitate relaxation. Recalling a time of great happiness can help you replace negative feelings
with pleasant ones. Tapping into your particular spiritual belief system at this time might also help you
relax; some people find that saying a prayer while breathing deeply can help decrease stress.

Diaphragmatic Breathing Offers Multidimensional Benefits

Bridging the mind and body through deep breathing is a multidimensional experience. Because the
sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the ANS are regulated by chemical messengers called
neurotransmitters, rather than neural impulses from the brain, brain stem and spinal cord, these
branches are influenced by our emotional responses to environmental stimuli. Neurotransmitters create
physiological reactions by relaying information based upon our feelings to various cells within the body.
The digestive tract is especially rich with neurotransmitter receptor sites, which may explain gut
feelings."

Fear, for example, initiates thoracic breathing associated with sympathetic branch activity. When we
breathe in a shallow manner, we utilize only half of the alveoli (air filled sacs) in our lungs. Diaphragmatic
breathing employs all the alveoli in our lungs while helping the body and mind relax. By repeatedly
expanding our lungs to full capacity, we improve our metabolism by increasing oxygen supply to the rest
of the body, promoting detoxification in the lungs, and enhancing digestion.

We may also be able to change the emotions which engendered the stress response by releasing their
power over us through the breath. Clear thinking and creative decision-making may follow and lead to
more positive emotions. The multidimensional effects of deep breathing illustrate the complex
connections between the mind and the body and enhance our understanding of stress-related disease
prevention and treatment.

When It Comes to Stress, Be Your Breath

The solution to stress lies within us. Nature has given us a defense mechanism with which to combat the
physical effects of stress: parasympathetic nervous system activity catalyzed by diaphragmatic breathing.
While breathing alone may not resolve the issue stressing us, it can empower us to healthfully adapt on
mental, emotional, physical, and even spiritual levels.

Consciously breathing is a core element of mind-body philosophies such as yoga, meditation and Tai Chi
(diaphragmatic breathing as described in this article most closely resembles meditation). Mind-body
disciplines, such as Yoga and Tai Chi, which embrace specific postures and/or fluid movements offer
added benefits of improved balance, flexibility and circulation. Regularly practicing diaphragmatic
breathing through any mind-body technique can help us establish a relaxation routine. When something
is routine, we can just do it (i.e. let our thoughts go because we dont need to think so much about
what we are doing). A movement based breathing practice may be the best means of relaxation for
more physically active people, and can be a great way for less-active folks to get some exercise.

For some, spirituality may permeate the mind-body breathing practice. The role of spirituality in stress
management may relate to how we perceive situations beyond our control. Wayne Dyer, an inspiration
guru, lectures and writes that we are eternal spiritual beings who are having temporary human
experiences, which seems like another way of saying dont sweat the small stuff. Believing in a higher
power (whatever that means to us individually) can relieve us of the perceived burden of always having
to handle things on our own.
Learning to cultivate a relaxation response may involve trying various methods until you discover the one
that works for you. Finding a technique that you enjoy is the key to making it a lifestyle habit. When you
feel the effects of stress just breathe.

References and Resources:

Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. Autonomic Nervous System: Introduction

Sinatra, S. Heartbreak and Heart Disease. Keats Publishing, 1999.

Stockdale B. You Can Beat the Odds: Surprising Factors Behind Chronic Illness and Cancer. Sentient
Publications, 2009.
The intestines
The intestines are a long, continuous tube running from the stomach to the anus. Most absorption of
nutrients and water happen in the intestines. The intestines include the small intestine, large intestine,
and rectum.

The small intestine (small bowel) is about 20 feet long and about an inch in diameter. Its job is to absorb
most of the nutrients from what we eat and drink. Velvety tissue lines the small intestine, which is
divided into the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.

The large intestine (colon or large bowel) is about 5 feet long and about 3 inches in diameter. The colon
absorbs water from wastes, creating stool. As stool enters the rectum, nerves there create the urge to
defecate.

Intestine Conditions
Stomach flu (enteritis): Inflammation of the small intestine. Infections (from viruses, bacteria, or
parasites) are the common cause.

Small intestine cancer: Rarely, cancer may affect the small intestine. There are multiple types of small
intestine cancer, causing about 1,100 deaths each year.

Celiac disease: An "allergy" to gluten (a protein in most breads) causes the small intestine not to absorb
nutrients properly. Abdominal pain and weight loss are usual symptoms.

Carcinoid tumor: A benign or malignant growth in the small intestine. Diarrhea and skin flushing are the
most common symptoms.

Intestinal obstruction: A section of either the small or large bowel can become blocked or twisted or just
stop working. Belly distension, pain, constipation, and vomiting are symptoms.

Colitis: Inflammation of the colon. Inflammatory bowel disease or infections are the most common
causes.

Diverticulosis: Small weak areas in the colon's muscular wall allow the colon's lining to protrude through,
forming tiny pouches called diverticuli. Diverticuli usually cause no problems, but can bleed or become
inflamed.

Diverticulitis: When diverticuli become inflamed or infected, diverticulitis results. Abdominal pain and
constipation are common symptoms.

Colon bleeding (hemorrhage): Multiple potential colon problems can cause bleeding. Rapid bleeding is
visible in the stool, but very slow bleeding might not be.

Inflammatory bowel disease: A name for either Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. Both conditions can
cause colon inflammation (colitis).

Crohn's disease: An inflammatory condition that usually affects the colon and intestines. Abdominal pain
and diarrhea (which may be bloody) are symptoms.

Ulcerative colitis: An inflammatory condition that usually affects the colon and rectum. Like Crohn's
disease, bloody diarrhea is a common symptom of ulcerative colitis.

Diarrhea: Stools that are frequent, loose, or watery are commonly called diarrhea. Most diarrhea is due to
self-limited, mild infections of the colon or small intestine.

Salmonellosis: Salmonella bacteria can contaminate food and infect the intestine. Salmonella causes
diarrhea and stomach cramps, which usually resolve without treatment.

Shigellosis: Shigella bacteria can contaminate food and infect the intestine. Symptoms include fever,
stomach cramps, and diarrhea, which may be bloody.

Traveler's diarrhea: Many different bacteria commonly contaminate water or food in developing countries.
Loose stools, sometimes with nausea and fever, are symptoms.

Colon polyps: Polyps are growths inside the colon. Colon cancer can often develop in these tumors after
many years.

Colon cancer: Cancer of the colon affects more than 100,000 Americans each year. Most colon cancer is
preventable through regular screening.

Rectal cancer: Colon and rectal cancer are similar in prognosis and treatment. Doctors often consider
them together as colorectal cancer.

Constipation: When bowel movements are infrequent or difficult.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): Irritable bowel syndrome, also known as IBS, is an intestinal disorder
that causes irritable abdominal pain or discomfort, cramping or bloating, and diarrhea or constipation.

Rectal prolapse: Part or all of the wall of the rectum can move out of position, sometimes coming out of
the anus, when straining during a bowel movement.

Intussusception: Occurring mostly in children, the small intestine can collapse into itself like a telescope.
It can become life-threatening if not treated.




How Hugging, Kissing And More Displays Of Affection Help
Your Health!

Good news, lovebirds! If you're planning to celebrate with your Valentine in the coming weeks, get ready
to toast to your health.

Earlier this week, a researcher at the Medical University of Vienna spread some good news in honor of
National Hug Day. He pointed out that hugging someone you care about can ease stress and anxiety,
lower blood pressure and even boost memory -- but hugging a stranger can have the opposite effect.

While the association between hugging and your health isn't new, it's especially relevant this time of year
-- with Valentine's Day on the horizon and many couples hurrying to cuddle away the frigid temperatures
sweeping across much of the nation.

Experts believe it all comes back to the hormone oxytocin. A simple embrace seems to increase levels of
the "love hormone," which has been linked to social bonding.

That oxytocin boost seems to have a greater calming effect on women than men, the BBC reported. In
one study, the stress-reducing effects of a brief hug in the morning carried throughout a tough work day,
USA Today reported.
Perhaps the best news of all is that hugging isn't the only way getting close to your Valentine can boost
your health. A few others also have big benefits:

Cuddling
Call it an extended hug -- cuddling also releases stress-easing oxytocin, which can reduce blood pressure
and bond you with your mate. But you may not have guessed that a little cuddle time can help you and
your partner communicate better. "Non-verbal communication can be a very powerful way to say to your
partner, 'I get you,'" marriage and family therapist David Klow told Shape magazine. "Cuddling is a way
of saying, 'I know how you feel.' It allows us to feel known by our partner in ways that words can't
convey."

Talking
Speaking of communication -- even just spending time together without touching can put you at ease
and lower blood pressure, compared to spending time with someone less significant, according to the
BBC. Not to mention that making the effort to communicate openly can only strengthen your relationship.

Kissing
Of course, kissing has also been shown to affect oxytocin and cortisol levels, and, just like hugging and
cuddling, can reduce stress. But one of the more surprising pros of puckering up is a cleaner kisser. The
increase in saliva production that comes along with a smooch can wash bacteria off teeth and help fight
plaque buildup.

Sex
In addition to relaxing you and burning some calories, some time between the sheets can help you fight
off germs (Hello, flu protection!). As long as your partner isn't already sick, a couple of sexy escapades a
week can boost a particular antibody that fights off colds, according to a 1999 study. Sex may also
promote better sleep, thanks to both the relaxing effects of that oxytocin and an increase in a hormone
called prolactin, which is normally higher during sleep, according to Women's Health.


Deep Muscles of the Neck
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Sub Occipital
suboccipital \-k-sip-t-l\ triangle noun
: a space of the suboccipital region on each side of the dorsal cervical region that is bounded superiorly
and medially by a muscle arising by a tendon from a spinous process of the axis and inserting into the
inferior nuchal line and the adjacent inferior region of the occipital bone, that is bounded superiorly and
laterally by the obliquus capitis superior, and that is bounded inferiorly and laterally by the obliquus
capitis inferior

Semispinalis
semispinalis noun \-sp-n-ls\
plural ; semispinales
: any of three muscles of the cervical and thoracic parts of the spinal column that arise from transverse
processes of the vertebrae and pass to spinous processes higher up and that help to form a layer
underneath the sacrospinalis muscle:

a : semispinalis thoracis

b : semispinalis cervicis

c : semispinalis capitis

Longissimus
longissimus noun \ln-jis-i-ms\
plural ; longissimi
: the intermediate division of the sacrospinalis muscle that consists of the longissimus capitis, longissimus
cervicis, and longissimus thoracis; also : any of these three muscles

Splenius Cervicis
splenius \-n-s\ cervicis noun \-sr-v-ss\
: a flat narrow muscle on each side of the back of the neck and the upper thoracic region that arises from
the spinous processes of the third to sixth thoracic vertebrae, is inserted into the transverse processes of
the first two or three cervical vertebrae, and acts to rotate the head to the side on which it is located and
with the help of the muscle on the opposite side to extend and arch the neck

Splenius Capitis
splenius \-n-s\ capitis noun \-kap-t-s\
: a flat muscle on each side of the back of the neck and the upper thoracic region that arises from the
caudal half of the ligamentum nuchae and the spinous processes of the seventh cervical and the first
three or four thoracic vertebrae, that is inserted into the occipital bone and the mastoid process of the
temporal bone, and that rotates the head to the side on which it is located and with the help of the
muscle on the opposite side extends it

Scalenes
scalenus noun \sk-l-ns\
plural ; scaleni (audio pronunciation)
: any of usually three deeply situated muscles on each side of the neck of which each extends from the
transverse processes of two or more cervical vertebrae to the first or second rib:

a : one arising from the transverse processes of the third to sixth cervical vertebrae, inserting on the
scalene tubercle of the first rib, and functioning to bend the neck forward and laterally and to rotate it to
the sidecalled also anterior scalene, scalenus anterior, scalenus anticus

b : one arising from the transverse processes of the lower six cervical vertebrae, inserting on the upper
surface of the first rib, and functioning similarly to the scalenus anteriorcalled also middle scalene,
scalenus medius

c : one arising from the transverse processes of the fourth to sixth cervical vertebrae, inserting on the
outer surface of the second rib, and functioning to raise the second rib and to bend and slightly rotate
the neckcalled also posterior scalene, scalenus posterior

Deep Muscles of the Spine

Interspinalis:
interspinalis noun
\int-r-sp-nal-s, -n-ls\
plural ; interspinales
: any of various short muscles that have their origin on the superior surface of the spinous process of one
vertebra and their insertion on the inferior surface of the contiguous vertebra above

Intertransversarii:
intertransversarii noun pl
\-tran(t)s-vr-ser--\
: a series of small muscles connecting the transverse processes of contiguous vertebrae and most highly
developed in the neck

Rotatores
rotator noun \r-tt-r also r-\
plural ; rotatorsor ; rotatores
: a muscle that partially rotates a part on its axis; specifically : any of several small muscles in the dorsal
region of the spine arising from the upper and back part of a transverse process and inserted into the
lamina of the vertebra above

Multifidus
multifidus noun \ml-tif--ds\
plural ; multifidi
: a muscle of the fifth and deepest layer of the back filling up the groove on each side of the spinous
processes of the vertebrae from the sacrum to the skull and consisting of many fasciculi that pass upward
and inward to the spinous processes and help to erect and rotate the spine

iliocostalis
iliocostalis noun \-ks-t-ls\
: the lateral division of the sacrospinalis muscle that helps to keep the trunk erect and consists of three
parts:

a : iliocostalis cervicis

b : iliocostalis lumborum

c : iliocostalis thoracis

Longissimus
longissimus noun \ln-jis-i-ms\
plural ; longissimi
: the intermediate division of the sacrospinalis muscle that consists of the longissimus capitis, longissimus
cervicis, and longissimus thoracis; also : any of these three muscles

Spinalis
spinalis noun \sp-n-ls, spi-na-lis\
plural ; spinales
: the most medial division of the sacrospinalis situated next to the spinal column and acting to extend it
or any of the three muscles making up this division:

a : spinalis thoracis

b : spinalis cervicis

c : spinalis capitis

Semispinalis
semispinalis noun \-sp-n-ls\
plural ; semispinales
: any of three muscles of the cervical and thoracic parts of the spinal column that arise from transverse
processes of the vertebrae and pass to spinous processes higher up and that help to form a layer
underneath the sacrospinalis muscle:

a : semispinalis thoracis

b : semispinalis cervicis

c : semispinalis capitis

Definitaions from Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Medical

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How do muscles grow?

Young sub Kwon, M.S. and Len Kravitz, Ph.D.
Article Reviewed:
Charge, S. B. P., and Rudnicki, M.A. (2004). Cellular and molecular regulation of muscle regeneration.
Physiological Reviews, Volume 84, 209-238.

Introduction
Personal trainers and fitness professionals often spend countless hours reading articles and research on
new training programs and exercise ideas for developing muscular fitness. However, largely because of
its physiological complexity, few fitness professionals are as well informed in how muscles actually adapt
and grow to the progressively increasing overload demands of exercise. In fact, skeletal muscle is the
most adaptable tissue in the human body and muscle hypertrophy (increase in size) is a vastly
researched topic, yet still considered a fertile area of research. This column will provide a brief update on
some of the intriguing cellular changes that occur leading to muscle growth, referred to as the satellite
cell theory of hypertrophy.

Trauma to the Muscle: Activating The Satellite Cells
When muscles undergo intense exercise, as from a resistance training bout, there is trauma to the
muscle fibers that is referred to as muscle injury or damage in scientific investigations. This disruption to
muscle cell organelles activates satellite cells, which are located on the outside of the muscle fibers
between the basal lamina (basement membrane) and the plasma membrane (sarcolemma) of muscles
fibers to proliferate to the injury site (Charge and Rudnicki 2004). In essence, a biological effort to repair
or replace damaged muscle fibers begins with the satellite cells fusing together and to the muscles fibers,
often leading to increases in muscle fiber cross-sectional area or hypertrophy. The satellite cells have only
one nucleus and can replicate by dividing. As the satellite cells multiply, some remain as organelles on
the muscle fiber where as the majority differentiate (the process cells undergo as they mature into
normal cells) and fuse to muscle fibers to form new muscle protein stands (or myofibrils) and/or repair
damaged fibers. Thus, the muscle cells myofibrils will increase in thickness and number. After fusion with
the muscle fiber, some satellite cells serve as a source of new nuclei to supplement the growing muscle
fiber. With these additional nuclei, the muscle fiber can synthesize more proteins and create more
contractile myofilaments, known as actin and myosin, in skeletal muscle cells. It is interesting to note that
high numbers of satellite cells are found associated within slow-twitch muscle fibers as compared to fast-
twitch muscle fibers within the same muscle, as they are regularly going through cell maintenance repair
from daily activities.

Growth factors
Growth factors are hormones or hormone-like compounds that stimulate satellite cells to produce the
gains in the muscle fiber size. These growth factors have been shown to affect muscle growth by
regulating satellite cell activity. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a key regulator of satellite cell activity.
It has been shown to be the active factor in damaged muscle and may also be responsible for causing
satellite cells to migrate to the damaged muscle area (Charge and Rudnicki 2004).
Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) is another important growth factor in muscle repair following exercise. The
role of FGF may be in the revascularization (forming new blood capillaries) process during muscle
regeneration (Charge and Rudnicki 2004).
A great deal of research has been focused on the role of insulin-like growth factor-I and II (IGFs) in
muscle growth. The IGFs play a primary role in regulating the amount of muscle mass growth, promoting
changes occurring in the DNA for protein synthesis, and promoting muscle cell repair.
Insulin also stimulates muscle growth by enhancing protein synthesis and facilitating the entry of glucose
into cells. The satellite cells use glucose as a fuel substrate, thus enabling their cell growth activities. And,
glucose is also used for intramuscular energy needs.

Growth hormone is also highly recognized for its role in muscle growth. Resistance exercise stimulates
the release of growth hormone from the anterior pituitary gland, with released levels being very
dependent on exercise intensity. Growth hormone helps to trigger fat metabolism for energy use in the
muscle growth process. As well, growth hormone stimulates the uptake and incorporation of amino acids
into protein in skeletal muscle.

Lastly, testosterone also affects muscle hypertrophy. This hormone can stimulate growth hormone
responses in the pituitary, which enhances cellular amino acid uptake and protein synthesis in skeletal
muscle. In addition, testosterone can increase the presence of neurotransmitters at the fiber site, which
can help to activate tissue growth. As a steroid hormone, testosterone can interact with nuclear receptors
on the DNA, resulting in protein synthesis. Testosterone may also have some type of regulatory effect on
satellite cells.

Muscle Growth: The Bigger Picture
The previous discussion clearly shows that muscle growth is a complex molecular biology cell process
involving the interplay of numerous cellular organelles and growth factors, occurring as a result of
resistance exercise. However, for client education some important applications need to be summarized.
Muscle growth occurs whenever the rate of muscle protein synthesis is greater than the rate of muscle
protein breakdown. Both, the synthesis and breakdown of proteins are controlled by complimentary
cellular mechanisms. Resistance exercise can profoundly stimulate muscle cell hypertrophy and the
resultant gain in strength. However, the time course for this hypertrophy is relatively slow, generally
taking several weeks or months to be apparent (Rasmussen and Phillips, 2003). Interestingly, a single
bout of exercise stimulates protein synthesis within 2-4 hours after the workout which may remain
elevated for up to 24 hours (Rasmussen and Phillips, 2003). Some specific factors that influence these
adaptations are helpful to highlight to your clients.

All studies show that men and women respond to a resistance training stimulus very similarly. However,
due to gender differences in body size, body composition and hormone levels, gender will have a varying
effect on the extent of hypertrophy one may possibly attain. As well, greater changes in muscle mass will
occur in individuals with more muscle mass at the start of a training program.

Aging also mediates cellular changes in muscle decreasing the actual muscle mass. This loss of muscle
mass is referred to as sarcopenia. Happily, the detrimental effects of aging on muscle have been shown
be restrained or even reversed with regular resistance exercise. Importantly, resistance exercise also
improves the connective tissue harness surrounding muscle, thus being most beneficial for injury
prevention and in physical rehabilitation therapy.

Heredity differentiates the percentage and amount of the two markedly different fiber types. In humans
the cardiovascular-type fibers have at different times been called red, tonic, Type I, slow-twitch (ST), or
slow-oxidative (SO) fibers. Contrariwise, the anaerobic-type fibers have been called the white, phasic,
Type II, fast-twitch (FT), or fast-glycolytic (FG) fibers. A further subdivision of Type II fibers is the IIa
(fast-oxidative-glycolytic) and IIb (fast-glycolytic) fibers. It is worthy of note to mention that the soleus, a
muscle involved in standing posture and gait, generally contains 25% to 40% more Type I fibers, while
the triceps has 10% to 30% more Type II fibers than the other arm muscles (Foss and Ketyian, 1998).
The proportions and types of muscle fibers vary greatly between adults. It is suggested that the new,
popular periodization models of exercise training, which include light, moderate and high intensity
training phases, satisfactorily overload the different muscle fiber types of the body while also providing
sufficient rest for protein synthesis to occur.

Muscle Hypertrophy Summary
Resistance training leads to trauma or injury of the cellular proteins in muscle. This prompts cell-signaling
messages to activate satellite cells to begin a cascade of events leading to muscle repair and growth.
Several growth factors are involved that regulate the mechanisms of change in protein number and size
within the muscle. The adaptation of muscle to the overload stress of resistance exercise begins
immediately after each exercise bout, but often takes weeks or months for it to physically manifest itself.
The most adaptable tissue in the human body is skeletal muscle, and it is remarkably remodeled after
continuous, and carefully designed, resistance exercise training programs.

Additional References:
Foss, M.L. and Keteyian, S.J. (1998). Foxs Physiological Basis for Exercise and Sport. WCB McGraw-Hill.
Rasmussen, R.B., and Phillips, S.M. (2003). Contractile and Nutritional Regulation of Human Muscle
Growth. Exercise and Sport Science Reviews. 31(3):127-131.

Biographies:
Young sub Kwon, MS, CSCS, is a doctoral student in the exercise science program at the University of
New Mexico, Albuquerque. He earned his master's degree in exercise physiology in 2001 and has
research interests in the field of resistance training and clinical exercise physiology. Before coming to the
U.S. he was an exercise specialist in a hospital in Korea.

Len Kravitz, PhD, is the program coordinator of exercise science and a researcher at UNMA, where he
won the 2004 Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award. He was also honored with the 1999 Canadian
Fitness Professionals International Presenter of the Year Award, and was the first person to win the IDEA
Fitness Instructor of the Year Award.


The Sciatic Nerve

The sciatic nerve is a large nerve that originates from the distal spinal cord and extends along nearly the
entire length of the hind limb. In most vertebrates, it's the major branch of the sacral plexus, a complex
mass comprised of neurons that exit the spinal column via spinal nerves L4 through S4. The sciatic nerve
innervates most of the hind limb. As is the case with many of the large nerves of the vertebrate nervous
system, the sciatic nerve is a mixed-function nerve, meaning it is made up of the axons of sensory and
motor neurons.

The sciatic nerve gives rise to branches as it progresses distally along the hind limb. Some of these
branches contain motor & sensory neurons involved in control of the muscle groups of the upper leg, and
the lower leg (both flexors and extensors). In addition, sensory receptors in the skin of the entire lower
leg and the posteriolateral surface of the upper leg transmit information to the brain via sciatic nerve
neurons.

Damage to, or irritation of, the sciatic nerve at any point can result in a number of symptoms, some of
them potentially serious. The malady we call sciatica is the result of inflammation of the sciatic nerve,
usually caused by chronic irritation of one or more of the spinal nerves L4 S4. The usual causes are
trauma to the intervertebral discs associated with the roots of spinal nerves L4 _ S4, but a number of
other causes, including improperly administered hypodermic injections into the gluteal muscle, have been
documented. Whatever the cause, sciatica is characterized by pain along the course of the sciatic nerve
through the hip and down the back of the leg.

Pressure, either chronic or acute, applied to the sciatic nerve's dorsal and/or ventral roots can result in a
number of symptoms in addition to pain. Impaired function of the motor neurons can result in weakness
in the lower leg muscles. In extreme cases, inability of the lower leg muscles to control the ankle and
foot can result in impaired gait due to foot drop (inability to dorsiflex the foot upward when stepping
forward). Similarly, interference with normal function of the afferent fibers results in sensory disturbances
such as paresthesia (a tingling or "pins and needles" sensation) or hyperthesia (increased or extreme
sensitivity of receptors, particularly touch, temperature, and pain receptors). Severe sciatica can even
result in wasting of the muscles of the lower leg as a result of a loss of normal stimulatory input to the
muscle fibers.

Categories of Sciatic Nerve Neurons
As with other nerves in the vertebrate body, the sciatic nerve is comprised of the axons of hundreds of
neurons. These axons vary greatly in diameter, from < 1 to 20 mm. Because conduction velocity is
proportional to axon diameter, the conduction velocity of the sciatic nerve neurons also varies widely,
from 0.2 to 150 m sec-1.

Neurons are often categroized on the basis of their morphology and/or function (e. g., sensory or motor).
However, neurophysiologists often employ an alternate approach that groups neurons (often referred to
as "fibers" in this context) according to their axon diameter and degree of myelination. So-called Type A
fibers, have large diameters, thick myelin sheaths and correspondingly high conduction velocities (30 _
150 m sec-1). These neurons are mostly motor (efferent) neurons that control activity of skeletal
muscles, or sensory (afferent) neurons that convey information from receptors in the muscles, joints, and
epidermal tissues to the spinal cord. Type B fibers have less well developed myelin sheaths and
conduction velocities in the range of about 3 _ 15 m sec-1. Most of these fibers are part of the autonomic
nervous system's efferent pathways that innervate internal organs and blood vessels and provide for
regulation of their activties. The smallest diameter fibers, termed Type C fibers, lack myelin sheaths and
have correspondingly low conduction velocities (< 2 m sec-1). Many of the Type C fibers are efferent
neurons of the sympathetic nervous system and afferent pain neurons.





Your Ribs
by Kids Health
Your heart, lungs, and liver are all very important, and luckily you've got ribs to keep them safe. Ribs act
like a cage of bones around your chest. It's easy to feel the bottom of this cage by running your fingers
along the sides and front of your body, a few inches below your heart. If you breathe in deeply, you can
easily feel your ribs right in the front of your body, too. Some thin kids can even see a few of their ribs
right through their skin.

Your ribs come in pairs, and the left and right sides of each pair are exactly the same. Most people have
12 pairs of ribs, but some people are born with one or more extra ribs, and some people might have one
pair less.

All 12 pairs of ribs attach in the back to the spine, where they are held in place by the thoracic vertebrae.
The first seven pairs of ribs attach in the front to the sternum (say: STUR-num), a strong bone in the
center of your chest that holds those ribs in place. The remaining sets of ribs don't attach to the sternum
directly. The next three pairs are held on with cartilage to the ribs above them.

The very last two sets of ribs are called floating ribs because they aren't connected to the sternum or the
ribs above them. But don't worry, these ribs can't ever float away. Like the rest of the ribs, they are
securely attached to the spine in the back.


Dysphagia

Introduction: Dysphagia is the medical term for difficulty swallowing, or the feeling that food is "sticking"
in your throat or chest. The feeling is actually in your esophagus, the tube that carries food from your
mouth to your stomach. You may experience dysphagia when swallowing solid foods, liquids, or both.

Oropharyngeal dysphagia is when you have trouble moving food from your mouth into your upper
esophagus. Esophageal dysphagia is when you have trouble moving food through your esophagus to
your stomach. It is the most common kind of dysphagia.
Dysphagia can strike at any age, although the risk increases with age.

Signs and Symptoms: Symptoms of oropharyngeal dysphagia include the following:
Difficulty trying to swallow
Choking or breathing saliva into your lungs while swallowing
Coughing while swallowing
Regurgitating liquid through your nose
Breathing in food while swallowing
Weak voice
Weight loss

Symptoms of esophageal dysphagia include the following:
Pressure sensation in your mid-chest area
Sensation of food stuck in your throat or chest
Chest pain
Pain with swallowing
Chronic heartburn
Belching
Sore throat

What Causes It?: Several conditions can cause dysphagia. In children, it is often due to physical
malformations, conditions such as cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy, or gastroesophageal reflux
disease (GERD). Dysphagia in adults may be due to tumors (benign or cancerous), conditions that cause
the esophagus to narrow, neuromuscular conditions, stroke, or GERD. It can also be caused when the
muscle in your esophagus doesn't relax enough to let food pass into your stomach. Other risk factors
include smoking, excessive alcohol use, certain medications, and teeth or dentures in poor condition.
What to Expect at Your Provider's Office: Your health care provider may ask about your symptoms and
eating habits. For infants and children, the health care provider may want to observe them eating. Your
provider may also listen to your heart, take your pulse, and ask about your medical history.

A variety of tests can be used for dysphagia:
In endoscopy or esophagoscopy, a tube is inserted into your esophagus to help your health care
provider evaluate the condition of your esophagus, and to try to open any parts that might be closed off.
In esophageal manometry, a tube is inserted into your stomach to measure pressure differences in
various regions.
X-rays of your neck, chest, or abdomen may be taken.
In a barium x-ray, moving picture or video x-rays are taken of your esophagus as you swallow barium,
which is visible on an x-ray.

Treatment Options:
Health care providers typically treat dysphagia with drugs, exercises, and procedures that open the
esophagus, or with surgery. Your treatment will depend on the cause, the seriousness, and any
complications you may be experiencing. You usually do not need to go to the hospital, as long as you are
able to eat enough and have a low risk of complications. If your esophagus is severely blocked, however,
you may be hospitalized. Infants and children with dysphagia are often hospitalized.
To treat oropharyngeal dysphagia, you may learn special exercises that help stimulate the nerves
involved in swallowing. You may also learn to position your head in ways that help you swallow.

For esophageal dysphagia involving an esophageal muscle that doesn't relax, your doctor may dilate your
esophagus with a balloon attached to an endoscope. If the problem is GERD, you will be given antacids
or proton pump inhibitors. Your physician may also prescribe medications that relax your esophagus and
prevent spasms. If dysphagia is due to a tumor or other obstruction, you may need surgery.

Complementary and Alternative Therapies
Herbs: Herbs are generally a safe way to strengthen and tone the body's systems. As with any therapy,
you should work with your health care provider before starting any treatment. You may use herbs as
dried extracts (capsules, powders, teas), glycerites (glycerine extracts), or tinctures (alcohol extracts).
Unless otherwise indicated, make teas with 1 tsp. herb per cup of hot water. Steep covered 5 - 10
minutes for leaf or flowers, and 10 - 20 minutes for roots. Drink 2 - 4 cups a day.

You may use the following tinctures, alone or in combination:
Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) standardized deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) extract, 250 mg 3 times
daily, taken either 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals, for reducing spasms and swelling and as a pain
reliever specifically for the gastrointestinal tract. DGL has a chemical removed from the licorice that has
been known to cause high blood pressure. Chewable lozenges may be the best form of licorice for
treating GERD.
Slippery elm (Ulmus fulva), as a tea, for demulcent (protects irritated tissues and promotes their
healing). One teaspoon of slippery elm powder may be mixed with water. Drink 3 - 4 times a day.
Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis), as a tea, for demulcent and emollient effects. The dose is one cup of
tea 3 times per day. To make tea, steep 2 - 5 g of dried leaf or 5 g dried root in one cup of boiling water.
Strain and cool. Avoid marshmallow if you have diabetes.
In addition, you may use a combination of 4 of the following herbs as a tea or tincture. Use equal parts
of the herbs, 1 tsp. of each per cup of water and steep 10 minutes 3 times a day; or equal parts of
tincture, 30 - 60 drops 3 times a day.
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) may improve digestion and help you relax, especially if you feel anxious
or depressed.
Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) for antispasmodic and sedative effects.
Linden flowers (Tilia cordata) for antispasmodic and as a mild diuretic.

Homeopathy: Few clinical studies have examined the effectiveness of specific homeopathic remedies.
However, a professional homeopath may recommend one or more of the following treatments for
dysphagia based on their knowledge and clinical experience. Before prescribing a remedy, homeopaths
take into account a person's constitutional type -- your physical, emotional, and intellectual makeup. An
experienced homeopath assesses all of these factors when determining the most appropriate remedy for
a particular individual.

The following are some of the most common remedies used for dysphagia:
Baptesia tinctoria if you can swallow only liquids, especially if have a red, inflamed throat that is
relatively pain free
Baryta carbonica if you have large tonsils
Carbo vegatabilis for bloating and indigestion that is worse when lying down, especially with flatulence
and fatigue
Ignatia for "lump in the throat," back spasms, cough, especially when symptoms appear after you have
experienced grief
Lachesis if you cannot stand to be touched around the throat (including clothing that is tight at the
neck)

Acupuncture: Several clinical studies have reported that acupuncture can stimulate the swallowing reflex
in people who have dysphagia due to stroke. However, other studies show no benefit. More research is
needed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of acupuncture on dysphagia after stroke.
Following Up: Dysphagia should not limit your activities, but your health care provider may restrict your
diet. If left untreated, dysphagia can lead to inadequate nutrition, dehydration, recurrent upper
respiratory infections, and even pneumonia.