The Stone Hawk drug addiction rehab programme

Hello all,
    Today, I’ll give you an insight into a topic which I’ve been yearning to write about for a long time, but never got time. But now, I’m being sponsored to write about it by the Stone Hawk programme, so its all the more better :)

    Drug Addiction, and treatment

    Addictions of various sorts, drug, alcohol, smoke, and so on, have plagued each and every one of us, either directly or indirectly. It is a curse on earth. It is pitiful to see otherwise cheerful people succumb into tension, frustration and solitude due to the evils of addiction.

    So, I consider Drug Rehabilitation programmes to be a boon! Natural rehab programmes, like the Narconon Stone Hawk programme treat drug addicts, not with medicines, but with natural remedies. Healthy diets of vitamins, minerals and lots of water, exercises and yoga, meditation and social service, and the maintenance of a lovely environment, help in the anti addiction of drug addicts. After the toxins are removed by constant natural exercises, the concerned are given individual counseling and life skill programs to give him or her the skills required to lead a successful drug free life.

    The Stone Hawk programme uses exercise, sauna detox treatments, and nutritional supplements to:

  • Control drug and alcohol cravings.
  • Control withdrawal symptoms associated with drug addiction and alcoholism. These can include depression, irritability, and fatigue.
  • Promotion of clear thinking.
  • Improve memory ability
  • Improve attention span .
  • Increase energy.
  • Allow a sense of well being.

    The natural drug treatment program also reduces side effects and helps the induvidual to control cravings and withdrawal symptoms. The programme has proved effective within 60 days(see the graph below).

    The Stone Hawk programme also have in store various methods to PAY for the rehab programme. They have a Patient Financing programme for loans and financial options given to individuals undergoing the treatment.

    They have various drug rehab programmes including short term and long term programmes. Short term programmes are 20-30 days in tenure. The most popular being 28 days. Long term programmes are 3-6 months, for advanced cases. The long-term programs offer many benefits and skills that an addict needs to recover from a drug or alcohol addiction. Many of these programs offer detoxification, counseling, problem resolution, life skills, and after care programs.

       So if you want a drug rehab, choose Stone Hawk! Simply call a toll free no. to avail their services -

1-888-227-9193

    The Stony Hawk programme has cured many an addict. There are countless success stories listed on their website! A 14 year old Cocaine addict writes…

I was 14 when I first tried coke. It was a stupid thing to do but all my friends were doing it at the time so I guess I just followed suit. It turned out to be the worst thing I’ve ever done in my whole life….

…I heard about Narconon Stonehawk through one of my other friends who was already there. I decided to bite the bullet and check it out. From the moment I stepped through the door, I felt welcome and loved, not persecuted. The staff there was great. They knew what they were talking about and helped me to understand my problem better.

There were always things to do to take my mind off the withdrawal symptoms and there was always someone I could talk to, anytime I needed. They also pointed me towards a good group counselling center that I still go to. It’s been 3 years now since I said goodbye to drugs, thanks to Narconon Stonehawk. I’d recommend it to anyone who has a problem with substance abuse.

    Good luck!


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April 21, 2007 | Filed Under General Healthcare, General World | 5 Comments 

Nothing but Nets…

Hey all,
    I came across this news in one of my friend’s blogs. I’m sure that all of you know Marc Williford, my dear blog pal.

    Anyway, this post caught my attention… It was about a porgramme called NothingButNets.

    Children in Africa are dying due to malaria, because of lack of mosquitoe nets. So, United Nations sponserd a programme named “Nothing But Nets” to which people can donate money, and this money is used to by mosquitoe nets for children in Africa. $20 buys a net. And a suprising amount of people have stepped in to dedicate money for these nets!

    So how did Marc come to know of this? He read it in Sports Illustrated! The famous Rick Reilly writes a column on the very last page of Sports Illustrated. A while back, Reilly wrote about this programme.

    Well, and now the news gets better. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has promised to contribute as much you contribute. i.e. Your contribution gets doubled by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation! So for every net YOU donate for, Bill Gates donates one too! How cool is that?

    Ofcourse, you can donate to this programme - click here to donate.

    Aaaaaand, you can do MORE than just donate!You can sign up to start a Net Raiser Team and recruit your friends, or you can just Find a Net Raiser Team to join. You can even join Rick Reilly’s team (which is what Marc is going to do). He’s raised over 100 grand.

    So anyway, if you do donate to Nothing But Nets, drop me a line, and you’ll get a post in BlogForPeace dedicated all for you/your website/anything else you choose. Thats a promise from me :) . I’ll mostly be donating sometime next month(a bit too tied up this month, see my earlier post). So, times ticking, and I have to go… And “I’ve got miles to go before I sleep” ;) Astalavista, babe :D

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January 14, 2007 | Filed Under General Healthcare, General World | 1 Comment 

World AIDS Day…

Hello all,
    Today is World AIDS Day… As you all know, this deadly disease is taking over our world due to the sheer fact of illiteracy. I don’t have to mention about, or talk about AIDS, because all of you are quite aware of what the disease is, how it is spread, and its problems…

    My only request is that, change your adverse opinion. i.e. If you have a bad opinion towards people affected by AIDS, rather than showing disgust, or even sympathy, show compassion, and care.

    If you have any questions about AIDS, visit the UN AIDS Site. Anyway, a few short questions, answered - courtesy UNAIDS.

1 What is HIV?

HIV
stands for ‘human immunodeficiency virus’. HIV is a retrovirus that
infects cells of the human immune system (mainly CD4 positive T cells
and macrophages—key components of the cellular immune system), and
destroys or impairs their function. Infection with this virus results
in the progressive depletion of the immune system, leading to ‘immune
deficiency’.

The immune system is considered deficient when
it can no longer fulfil its role of fighting off infection and
diseases. Immunodeficient people are much more vulnerable to a wide
range of infections, most of which are very rare among people without
immune deficiency. Diseases associated with severe immunodeficiency are
known as ‘opportunistic infections’, because they take advantage of a
weakened immune system.

2 What is AIDS?

AIDS
stands for ‘acquired immunodeficiency syndrome’ and describes the
collection of symptoms and infections associated with acquired
deficiency of the immune system. Infection with HIV has been
established as the underlying cause of AIDS. The level of HIV in the
body and the appearance of certain infections are used as indicators
that HIV infection has progressed to AIDS.

3 What are the symptoms of HIV?

Most
people infected with HIV do not know that they have become infected,
because no symptoms develop immediately after the initial infection.
Some people have a glandular fever-like illness (with fever, rash,
joint pains and enlarged lymph nodes), which can occur at the time of
seroconversion. Seroconversion refers to the development of antibodies
to HIV and usually takes place between 6 weeks and 3 months after an
infection has occurred.

Despite
the fact that HIV infection does not cause any initial symptoms, an
HIV-infected person is highly infectious and can transmit the virus to
another person. The only way to determine whether HIV is present in a person’s body is by taking an HIV test.

HIV
infection causes a gradual depletion and weakening of the immune
system. This results in an increased susceptibility of the body to
infections and can lead to the development of AIDS.

4 When does a person have AIDS?

The term AIDS applies to the most advanced stages of HIV infection.

The
majority of people infected with HIV, if not treated, develop signs of
AIDS within 8-10 years. AIDS is identified on the basis of certain
infections, grouped by the World Health Organization:

  • Stage 1 HIV disease is asymptomatic and not categorized as AIDS
  • Stage II (includes minor mucocutaneous manifestations and recurrent upper respiratory tract infections)
  • Stage III (includes unexplained chronic diarrhoea for longer than a month, severe bacterial infections and pulmonary tuberculosis) or
  • Stage IV
    (includes Toxoplasmosis of the brain, Candidiasis of the oesophagus,
    trachea, bronchi or lungs and Kaposi’s Sarcoma) HIV disease are used as
    indicators of AIDS.

Most of these conditions are opportunistic infections that can be treated easily in healthy people.

5 How quickly do people infected with HIV develop AIDS?

The
length of time can vary widely between individuals. With a healthy
lifestyle, the time between infection with HIV and becoming ill with
AIDS can be 10–15 years, sometimes longer. Antiretroviral therapy can
slow down the progression of AIDS by decreasing viral load in an
infected body.

The deadly HIV Virus…

    Much much much more information can be obtained from the above mentioned site… But remember… Attitude… :)


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December 1, 2006 | Filed Under General Healthcare, General World | Leave a Comment 

HEALTHCARE : Managing the mammoth hospitals…

Hello all,
    Today, I thought of asking your opinion on managing healthcare organizations of the present. In fact, hospitals today are not only a place of healing, but also a realm of tech and latest technology. It is a place where human lives are saved every day.

    Things that a hospital manager should know include various topics, including a good shot anatomy, equipments, accounts and management. Hospital succession management is one of the most important factors which affect the internal status of a hospital. It deals with the rungs of the hospital ladder :) It is important for efficient overall functioning of the hospital.

    Another hospital technique getting common nowadays is the role of Chief Medical Officer, to whom the Board turns to, for medical leadership. Also in the limelight, is the diversity in hospital work forces. Both these are important substances for the hospital, because these factors also influence the internal functioning of the hospital.

    But where do you gain information for all these? Waddle over to the Phillips DiPisa Thought Leadership Library. They provide all information required to effeciently manage a hospital. So if you are planning to manage a hospital, this library is a must read.

    Adios for now :)
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November 10, 2006 | Filed Under General Healthcare, General World | Leave a Comment 

HEALTHCARE : Lasik eyecare… All about it…

Hello all,
    This week, I’m featuring the much hyped Lasik technology as the Healthcare article.

    So what is Lasik?

LASIK, an acronym for Laser-assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, is a form of refractive laser eye surgery procedure performed by ophthalmologists intended for correcting myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.The procedure is usually a preferred alternative to photorefractive keratectomy, PRK, as it requires less time for full recovery, and the patient experiences less pain overall. Many patients choose LASIK as an alternative to wearing corrective glasses or contact lenses. While LASIK has the ability to provide acute vision, there is no benchmark to quantify the quality of the image a patient sees.

    In a nutshell, Lasik is a technology by which your eye problems can be corrected easily by laser surgery.

    I’m not biased towards or against Lasik. It has its own advantages and disadvantages. But for a more clear understanding of Lasik, and its advantages, I reccomend a website called USAeyes.org . USAeyes is a website which provides patient advocacy for no cost. They provide information on Lasik, and certify doctors who meet certain requirements. Please note that USAeyes DOES NOT provide surgery.

    The website is clean, well presented, understandable, and has the essential information about Lasik, where to do it, reccomended doctors, evaluation and certification of doctors etc. This website has a lot of information, but since I had read up on Lasik a long time back, I find this site a bit incomplete. It could do with a basic outline of the disadvantages. But the features which evaluate and certify doctors is very good, and its quite usefull when you’re looking for a good Doctor. I would definitely reccomend this site, and vouch that its a trustworthy source, since the information that IS present in the site is good. Its a site which people who are considering Lasik should look into. And I also reccomend their certified doctors.

    The above website provides pretty much all information on how to do, where to do, and doctors to choose for Lasik. Here, I list out the complications that can arise from Lasik -

    * Dry eyes
    * Overcorrection or undercorrection
    * Visual acuity fluctuation
    * Halos or starbursts around light sources at night
    * Light sensitivity
    * Ghosts or double vision
    * Wrinkles in flap (striae)
    * Decentered ablation
    * Debris or growth under flap
    * Thin or buttonhole flap
    * Induced astigmatism
    * Epithelium erosion
    * Posterior vitreous detachment
    * Macular hole

    But dont be afraid! Every thing has a positive side and a negative side. Lasik is cost efficient, quick and hassle free. You can be up and running within days, and you’ll never have to use specs! I personally use a pair of spectacles, and I havn’t done Lasik myself, but I would reccomend it to anyone who is too busy, or cant be bothered to use glasses or contact lens…

    I hope that you’ve got a pretty much good overview on Lasik, and its importance. Please feel free to mail me for more information, but  gaurantee you, the above website will provide all services and information you need to know :) Au Revoir for now ;)

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November 5, 2006 | Filed Under General Healthcare | Leave a Comment 

HEALTHCARE : Stopping Painkiller addiction the easy way…

Hey all,
    I found information about a new method for drug detoxification and thought I would share it with you via another General Healthcare article :)

    For all beginners out there, there are some quite powerful painkillers and drugs out there, which a person could be addicted to. To get rid of this addiction, a process called drug detox (drug detoxification) is undergone. Usually, this process takes over 30 days, and the course could be quite expensive, and available only in the top notch expensive hospitals.

    A new, less expensive, easier method, brand named Meditox Drug Detox Centers, offer an innovative people-friendly way to get rid of opiate or painkiller addiction( to  Methadone,  Oxycontin, Vicodin, Lortab, Hydrocodone, Percocet, and all Painkillers). These centres do not require you to spend 30 days in rehabilitation, and allows patients to get back to his studies/job/home immediately, if not quicker, after just one doctor visit!

    “The Meditox Method” employs a new drug called Suboxone (Buprenorphine) which allows the patient to withdraw peacefully and painlessly from his/her addictions… This method also works on a 1-on-1 client management principle for effecient and full recovery of all patients.

    If anyone you know is addicted, and wants an easy way out, Meditox is the one for you! Their areas of expertise are listed as -
Oxycontin Detox
Painkiller Addiction
Vicodin Detox
Vicodin Addiction
Lortab Detox
Hydrocodone Detox

    To contact Meditox, call them at 1-866-MEDITOX (1-866-633-4869) and ask about their OPT program.

    A testimonial quotes -


“I’m a stay-at-home Mom and couldn’t afford to leave my kids and
disappear into a treatment program. This was the perfect alternative.”

Mother of Two, 33

    There you have it folks! Easy detox and anti-drug-addiction therapy on a easy basis. For more information, the Meditox Dictionary is worth a read.

    Thats all for now… Adios amigos, and all that stuff :)

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October 20, 2006 | Filed Under General Healthcare | 7 Comments 

About Vasacor - an all natural cholestrol supplement

Hello all,
    Welcome to this week’s healthcare post :) Dedicated as we are to serve humanity better, we bring you a review of a once daily pill which claims to lower cholesterol, reduce cholesterol, etc (flexible).

    We had a close insight into the site, and the medicine ingredients and we found that it was quite safe, if not effective, against cholestrol. In layman’s terms, the ingredients of Vasacor work against the LDL (Low Density Lipoproteins) in your body - which is the main cause for arterial blocks.  There’s another fat - HDL (High Density Lipoproteins) which help reduce LDLs but does not clog arteries. Vasacor is a duel effect drug - it reduces LDL content while increasing HDL content! Thereby helping you in both ways :)

    Why is cholestrol dangerous, you might ask. Well, cholestrol is the amount of fat in your blood. More the fat, more the chances of it accumulating somewhere… More the chances of it accumulating, more the chances of heart-attack (myocardial infarction). So yeah, cholestrol IS dangerous!

    What can you do to prevent it? Reduce taking junk food, stick to non-fried food etc. Or, take pills like Vasacor. But please note : DO NOT TAKE PILLS IF YOU DONT HAVE CHOLESTROL! These pills are only controlling, not preventive. If you have a cholestrol of more than 200mgm, then take these pills, else, you’re safe, why take unnecessary risks?

    This once a day pill will help you to work wonders with your high cholestrol… Caio for now…

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October 16, 2006 | Filed Under General Healthcare | Leave a Comment 

WHAT ID CHIKUNGUNYA? Watch out!

Hey all…

A disease has been spreading its wings all over India the last month…. Read about it, and understand…

What is Chikungunya:

Aedes Aygepti

-
Chikungunya fever is a rare form of viral disease characterised by
fever, joint pains and spread by mosquitoes. It is caused by an
alphavirus that is spread by mosquito bites from the Aedes aegypti
mosquito.

- Though Chikungunya was not initially
considered fatal, in 2005-2006, 200 deaths have been associated with
the disease on Réunion island and a widespread outbreak in especially
in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Symptoms:

-
Chikungunya fever is characterised by high fever (101F-104F), headache,
vomiting, malaise, severe joint pains including wrist, knees and
ankles. The swollen and painful joints are painful to touch and are
characteristic of this disease.

- They can last from a
few days to few months. After 2-3 days of onset of fever a rash may be
noticed over trunk and the limbs. The disease is self limiting and
rarely fatal and unlike dengue fever the bleeding manifestation are not
common in this disease.

- In the present epidemic in Andhra Pradesh, high fever and crippling joint pain is the prevalent complaint.

-
Fever typically lasts for two days and abruptly comes down, however
joint pain, intense headache, insomnia and an extreme degree of
prostration lasts for a variable period, usually for about 5 to 7 days.

Treatment:

- There is no specific treatment for Chikungunya. The illness is usually self-limiting and will resolve with time.

- Symptomatic treatment is recommended after excluding other more dangerous diseases. A serological test is recommended.

Precautions:

- Get rid of any containers storing water such as buckets, old tyres,
flower vases, food cans and cover over-head tanks carefully.

- Keep
covered. Wear full-sleeve clothes and cover the legs, especially at
time of work, as it is a day-time mosquito which spreads the disease

- Cover all windows with mosquito preventive nets and apply mosquito repellents.

- Urge your local health authorities for urgent fogging of your area.

Recent cases:

- According to WHO, a mixed outbreak of chikungunya, with sporadic
cases of dengue has been reported in Andhra Pradesh. Between 1 December
2005 - 17 February 2006, 5671 cases of fever with arthralgia were
reported.

- High density of Aedes aegypti was observed in the area.
From 1-15 March, over 2000 cases of chikungunya have been reported from
Malegaon town in Nasik district, Maharashtra.

- In
Orissa state, India, 4904 cases of fever associated with myalgia and
headache have been reported between 27 February - 5 March 2006. These
signs are consistent with an arbovirus outbreak. Results of a
biological investigation are awaited.
SOURCE CNN IBN

So people, be wary of ChikunGunya… :)

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October 3, 2006 | Filed Under General Healthcare | 2 Comments 

Hip Replacemet - the details behind the scenes…

Hello everyone,
    Today, I’m featuring another healthcare article. This time, its about a very relevant topic, which might be useful to many of my more aged readers. It is about the hip replacement surgery.

    Why should anyone opt to remove their hips and substitute it with an artificial one? Simple! Because of unbearable pain. This pain can be derived from the most common arthritis. It can arise from tumours, injuries, necrosis etc. Medications and physiotherapy can be tried before the surgery. If the pain disappears after the medications, or physiotherapy, surgery can be avoided. But in cases where the pain does not disappear, hip replacement is the easy way out…

    As you all might know, the hip is like a nut and a spanner. The only difference is, here the nut shaped bone moves - the ball, and the lever shaped stays put - the socket.

The operation is not as complicated as it may seem. Its done in 1-2 hours, and doesnt carry anesthetic risks. The operation involves the insertion of an artificial ball and socket.

 The artificial components are made from metal alloys, and places high-performance bearing surface between the metal parts. Most commonly, the bearing surface is made from a very durable polyethylene plastic, but other materials including ceramics, newer plastics, or metals; have been used.

    Post-surgery requires the patient to spend a few days in the hospital. After this, he/she is free to go, and may attend to daily life chores and activities, though a rehabilitaion facility might help in the transition to normal life with the artificial hip. After the operation, physio-therapy will follow, and will continue for 4-6 weeks. The patient will have to use crutches for the first four to six weeks, and a cane is reccomended for the next 4-6 weeks. Fully recovery takes 3 to 6 months, after which the patient will most certainly retain his ability to fully utilize his/her legs, and lead his normal life.

The objective of hip replacement surgery is to perk up mobility by relieving pain and improving function in the hip joint. In the US alone, each year, there are more than 300,000 hip surgeries performed. http://www.stryker.com/ is one of the leading medical products companies in the world.

    For more information, I’ve found this site, which is quite informative and helpful. Visit the site if you want to know more about the hip replacement surgery, the procedure, medications etc. The site is : http://www.hip-replacement-care.com . Also note that STRYKER (www.stryker.com) is a leading medical products company in the world, which produces artificial hip joints. You can visit their website (www.stryker.com) for more info. (Check out http://www.stryker.com/jointreplacements/medprof/hiphome.php )

Thats all for this time…
Keeeeep reading, Blog For Peace! :)


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September 13, 2006 | Filed Under General Healthcare | 1 Comment 

The deadly enemy : Mesothelioma

    Hello all,
     This times heathcare issue is about a deadly disease, named Mesothelioma or asbetosis.

    Mesothelioma is an uncommon form of cancer, usually associated with previous exposure to asbestos. In this disease, malignant (cancerous) cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body’s internal organs. Its most common site is the pleura (outer lining of the lungs and chest cavity), but it may also occur in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity) or the pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart).

    Mesothelioma is one of the deadliest diseases known to man; the average life span of an inflicted person from the time of diagnosis until death is less than 24 months. It’s a disease that strikes approximately 3,000 United States citizens each and every year; hard working people who have labored for a lifetime to provide for their families, doing the work that keeps this country running and a great place to live. They worked in factories, at shipyards, in mines, for the US military, as engineers, as pipefitters, as steel workers, as auto mechanics, and in so many other professions. They came home to their loved ones exhausted and covered in dirt and dust; tired, but content that they had a job and were providing for their family. Content that they were putting food on the table and a house over their loved one’s heads. Content that they were working to make a better life for their families in this generation and the next…

    But what they didn’t know was that while they were working so hard, they were not only slowly killing themselves, but those that they were working so hard to help; their family, their loved ones.

    Mesothelioma is a disease that is almost 100% preventable; the only known cause is via exposure to the deadly mineral Asbestos. It comes from inhaling the particles of dust as the asbestos degrades; eating away at the lining of your lungs and developing into a deadly cancer. Dust that was inhaled in clouds of white powder, dust that was carried home on the clothes of the men who built this country, dust that was cleaned from the clothes by the wives and children who supported their sole provider at home, dust that was packed around the heating systems in houses and offices and schools, dust that carried a deadly price; and dust made a fortune in blood money for the companies that produced it.

Signs and symptoms

    Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.

    Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity). Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.

These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.

Diagnosis

    Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient’s medical history. A history of occupational exposure to asbestos may increase clinical suspicion for mesothelioma. A physical examination is performed, followed by chest X-ray and often lung function tests. The X-ray may reveal pleural thickening commonly seen after asbestos exposure and increases suspicion of mesothelioma. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI is usually performed. If a large amount of fluid is present, abnormal cells may be detected by cytology if this fluid is aspirated with a syringe. For pleural fluid this is done by a pleural tap or chest drain, in ascites with an paracentesis or ascitic drain and in a pericardial effusion with pericardiocentesis. While absence of malignant cells on cytology does not completely exclude mesothelioma, it makes it much more unlikely, especially if an alternative diagnosis can be made (e.g. tuberculosis, heart failure).

    If cytology is positive or a plaque is regarded as suspicious, a biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. A doctor removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a histopathologist. A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples.

    If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a laparoscopy. To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small opening in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.
Mesothelioma can be thus diagnised.

Treatment

    Treatment of Mesothelioma using conventional therapies has not proved successful and patients have a median survival time of 6 - 12 months after presentation. The clinical behaviour of the malignancy is affected by several factors including the continuous mesothelial surface of the pleural cavity which favours local metastasis via exfoliated cells, invasion to underlying tissue and other organs within the pleural cavity, and the extremely long latency period between asbestos exposure and development of the disease.

1.Surgery

Surgery, either by itself or used in combination with pre- and post-operative adjuvant therapies has proved disappointing with a 5 year survival rate of less than 10%. It is most useful for palliation. Not a very good choice of treatment for mesothelioma.

2.Radiation

Although the tumour is highly resistant to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, these regimens are sometimes used to relieve symptoms arising from tumour metastases such as obstruction of a major blood vessel(viz. symptoms of mesothelioma)

3.Immunotherapy

Treatment regimens involving immunotherapy have yielded variable results. Ttrials involving interferon alpha have proved more encouraging with 20% of patients experiencing a greater than 50% reduction in tumour mass combined with minimal side effects.

4.Heated Intraoperative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy

A procedure known as heated intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy was developed by Paul Sugarbaker at the Washington Cancer Institute[5]. This technique permits the administration of high concentrations of selected drugs into the abdominal and pelvic surfaces. Heating the chemotherapy treatment increases the penetration of the drugs into tissues. Also, heating itself damages the malignant cells more than the normal cells.

    We hope that this report has been helpful. This is just a general outlook of the deadly disease mesothelioma. For more information, visit the following websites -
http://www.mesolink.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesothelioma
The above given websites provided the content necessary to create this article about mesothelioma. We would like to acknowledge their help.

    If you are a victim of mesothelioma, or if you are a relative of a victim of mesothelioma, please feel free to email us at mohan@blogforpeace.org for counselling. Thank you for taking the time to read this lengthy article about mesothelioma.


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February 8, 2006 | Filed Under General Healthcare, General World | Leave a Comment 

The curses of Epilepsy…

Hello all,
    Today, we are featuring an article for our General Healthcare category. You can expect ONE health related post from now onwards every week. And today’s feature - Epilepsy&Seizure.

So says www.epilepsy.com :

Epilepsy is a neurological condition, which affects the nervous system. Epilepsy is also known as a seizure disorder. It is usually diagnosed after a person has had at least two seizures that were not caused by some known medical condition like alcohol withdrawal or extremely low blood sugar.

The seizures in epilepsy may be related to a brain injury or a family tendency, but most of the time the cause is unknown. The word "epilepsy" does not indicate anything about the cause of the person’s seizures, what type they are, or how severe they are.

    How do you know when you have a seizure?

  • Deja vu
  • Jamais vu
  • Smell
  • Sound
  • Taste
  • Visual loss or blurring
  • Racing thoughts
  • Stomach feelings
  • Strange feelings
  • Tingling feeling
  • Fear/Panic
  • Pleasant feeling
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Lightheadedness
  • Nausea
  • Numbness

For treatment, I advise you visit a qualified medical practitioner. But before that, you need to read this:
Facts and Myths about Epilepsy

  • People with epilepsy are not "epileptics."
  • A seizure disorder is epilepsy.
  • People with epilepsy are seldom brain-damaged.
  • People with epilepsy usually are not mentally handicapped.
  • People with epilepsy are not violent or crazy.

  • Seizures do not cause brain damage.
  • Epilepsy is not necessarily inherited.
  • Epilepsy is not a life-long disorder.
  • Epilepsy is not a curse.
  • Epilepsy should not be a barrier to success.


    Well, hope that this has been helpful. Comments/Suggestions are welcome… Thank you for your patience…
    Bye for now ;)

 


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February 4, 2006 | Filed Under General Healthcare | Leave a Comment 

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