hemorrhoids

What are hemorrhoids / hemroids? When the veins around the anus or in the rectum are swollen or inflamed the patient has hemorrhoids. They can occur for the following reasons:

• pregnancy
• aging
• chronic diarrhea
• chronic constipation
• straining to move stool (related to the previous one)
• sitting for long periods (especially sitting for long periods at a time in the toilet)
• anal intercourse
• obesity
• genetics - some people inherit a tendency to develop hemorrhoids Hemorrhoids can occur both inside and above the inside of the anus.

They can also appear externally, under the skin of the anus.

How can I prevent hemorrhoids from appearing in the first place?
If your stools are always soft your chances of developing hemorrhoids are greatly reduced.

Nutrition. If you eat lots of fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains, your stools will nearly always be soft. If you drink plenty of fluids your stools are more likely to be soft (this does not include alcohol).
Straining. When you go to the toilet try not to strain or hold your breath, as this creates pressure in the veins in the lower rectum. Go when you need to. If you have the urge to go to the toilet, go. Do not wait. The longer you wait, the drier the stools will be.
Be physically active. Physical inactivity, sitting or standing still for long periods puts pressure on the veins. Keep your bodyweight down.

Obesity an overweight significantly raise a person's risk of having hemorrhoids.

Avamys A New Nasal Spray For Allergic Rhinitis

Avamys (fluticasone furoate), a new intranasal steroid (INS) manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK),

Avamys has shown significant improvements in both nasal and ocular symptoms in adult and adolescent patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR).

Avamys has also demonstrated improvement in health-related quality of life domains, including eye and sleep related improvements.

Avamys is an easy and effective treatment to use, thanks to an award-winning spray device* which ensures comfort, a consistent dose, little or no drip down throat/nose and minimal or no aftertaste.

Avamys offers symptom relief for 24 hours at a time.1 A clinical study has shown preference for fluticasone furoate (Avamys) compared to fluticasone propionate (Flixonase) by patients with allergic rhinitis with respect to sensory attributes such as odour, taste, dripping down the throat, and nose runoff following single-dose administration.

Studies have shown that fluticasone furoate has low systemic bio availability, rapid clearance from the systemic circulation and 99% plasma protein binding, minimising systemic exposure to the 'free' drug

Avamys is generally well tolerated, with types of side effects that are typical of the INS class of medicines.

Desensitizing Children With Peanut Allergies

Daily dose of peanuts has been so successful as a therapy for peanut allergies that a select group of children is now off treatment and eating peanuts daily

This gives other parents and children hope that we'll soon have a safe, effective treatment that will halt allergies to certain foods." Long-term tolerance in children with peanut allergies was documented for the first time by the presence of key immunologic changes

About four million Americans have food allergies, and allergies to tree nuts and peanuts are the most common. Life-threatening reactions can occur from exposure to even a trace amount of peanuts, and nearly half of the 150 deaths attributed to food allergies each year are caused by peanut allergies. incremental doses of peanut protein could change how the body's immune system responds to its presence.

The doses start as small as 1/1000 of a peanut. Eight to 10 months later, the children are ingesting the equivalent of up to 15 peanuts per day. The children stay on that daily therapy for several years and are monitored closely.

some people are too sensitive to peanut allergens to be able to undergo the therapy.

Notes: The studies were funded by the National institute of Health, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, Food Allergy Project, Gerber Foundation and the Robins Family Foundation.

Daily Stints In Front Of The TV Linked To Doubled Childhood Asthma Risk

Young children who spend more than two hours glued to the TV every day double their subsequent risk of developing asthma, indicates research

The parents were quizzed annually on symptoms of wheezing among their offspring and whether a doctor had diagnosed asthma in their child by the time s/he was 7.5 years old, but not before the age of 3.5 years.

Parents were also asked to assess their children's TV viewing habits from the age of 3.5 years, and these were subsequently compared with those of their symptomless peers. The amount of time spent in front of the box was used as a proxy measure of sedentary behaviour, because personal computers and games consoles were not in widespread use at the time (mid 1990s).

The prevalence of asthma among children at the age of 11.5 years, who had no asthmatic symptoms when they were 3.5 years old was 6%. But children who watched TV for more than two hours a day were almost twice as likely to have been diagnosed with asthma as those who watched the box less.

By the time the children were 11.5 years old, there was little difference in levels of sedentary behaviour between those with asthma and those without. The results were not confined to one gender, nor were they related to current weight. The authors comment that the relationship between physical activity, sedentary behaviour and asthma is complex.

But they point out that recent research has suggested that breathing patterns in children may be associated with sedentary behaviour, sparking developmental changes in the lungs and subsequent wheezing

SPRING ARRIVES SO DO ALLERGIES

After a bitterly cold and snowy winter, many look forward to the warmer, breezy, sunny days of this new season, but along with the arrival of spring come the dreaded itchy eyes, scratchy ears and throat and sneezing, all symptoms of allergies.
"Tree pollen blown around by the wind is the allergen people will react to first this season, sometimes before you see the buds

Patients already are complaining about symptoms, including runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, itchy eyes, ears and throat, wheezing and shortness of breath.

"People may continue to experience those symptoms into May and June, a reaction to grass pollen, not blooming flowers.

"We've had enough precipitation for big and hardy blooms, but how much grass pollen is produced will depend upon the weather this spring.

Dry, windy days cause pollen to spread and result in more severe allergy symptoms.
Those beginning to experience symptoms should turn to appropriate medications before symptoms become severe.

"Don't wait until you're miserable".

"Try over-the-counter medications and, if those don't work, see your doctor, who can prescribe medication that may be more helpful."

"Don't give up on treatment because there is something out there that will help."
allergy sufferers avoid exposure to allergens.

"Keep windows closed, in the car and at home, and, if necessary, keep the air conditioner on,"

"If you have to be outside, wear sunglasses to shield your eyes from pollen, do activities later in the day, because pollen is released early,"

"And, when you return home, shower, wash your hair, and change your clothes because the pollen will stick to you."

Otherwise, avoid anything that may cause irritation, such as strong perfumes or tobacco smoke,

everyday medicines fuel obesity

Patients taking prescription medicines for everyday conditions are gaining dramatic amounts of weight as an unexpected side-effect, experts say.Drugs handed out for common ailments such as diabetes, epilepsy, depression, heart disease and high blood pressure are partly responsible for Britain's obesity epidemic, they claim.


Scientists who analysed data on more than 25,000 patients found some put on as much as 22lb a year because of their medication.Patients taking prescription medicines for everyday conditions are gaining dramatic amounts of weight as an unexpected side-effect .

Some of the drugs, such as those prescribed for heart disease and arthritis, are known to increase appetite or slow down a patient's metabolic rate, thus promoting weight gain.

But researchers from Glasgow University and Glasgow Royal Infirmary said more studies were needed to explain exactly why others, such as those for mental illnesses, also caused patients to put on weight.Olanzapine and clozapine, two drugs used for psychiatric conditions, resulted in the most weight gain, with some putting on up to 22lb in a year.

Insulin for type 2 diabetes was found to increase weight by up to 13lb per year, while some drugs for epilepsy added more than 12lb.Some medicines for depression added up to 8lb, while beta-blockers and other drugs used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease added between 5lb and 3lb.

In the UK around 2.6million have been diagnosed with coronary heart disease, while more than 400,000 have epilepsy and around 1.3million have type 1 or type 2 diabetes.In Scotland alone, the number of prescriptions dispensed for betablockers and tricyclic anti-depressants between 2004 and 2005 exceeded one million and two million respectively, the report said.

As a consequence, the researchers said, it was likely that prescription drugs were partly responsible for the increasing problem of obesity.They said unexpected weight gain could be a reason why some patients stopped taking their medicine and added that doctors should discuss with patients the risk of weight gain before they start treatment.

Children's medicines 'contain additives which trigger hyperactive behaviour'By

Top-selling children's medicines contain artificial additives which have been shown to trigger hyperactive behaviour

The campaign began after research at Southampton University found that a cocktail of food colourings - including tartrazine (E102), ponceau 4R (E124), sunset yellow (E110), carmoisine (E122), quinoline yellow (E104) and allura red AC (E129)- can lead to youngsters with no history of unruly behaviour becoming more animated, loud and impulsive.

Now concern is focused on children's medicines.
Among them is Calpol paracetamol. Its vivid pink colour is created with the red dye carmoisine.

Sudafed children's syrup has both the red dye ponceau 4R and sodium benzoate (E211), a preservative commonly used in soft drinks.
A number of Benylin and Tixylis brand cough medicines also contain sodium benzoate, which helps prolong their shelf-life.

The preservative has been linked to allergic reactions and is being phased out by many soft drinks firms.

Ian Tokelove, of the Food Commission, a campaign group, said: "The problem for parents with a sick child is that they often have an extremely limited range of medicines to choose from, which means they cannot always avoid these additives.

"That is not fair on parents, which is why the manufacturers must face up to their responsibilities and remove the questionable additives from their medicines now."

McNeil Products, which makes Calpol, said using the artificial colour was necessary to make the medicine more acceptable to children.

The average three-year-old consumed about 30mg of colouring a day from sweets and other foods and that the amount of additives in medicines was "tiny in comparison".

SOME CHINESE MEDICINES 'CONTAIN POISON'

Chinese medicines and herbal remedies can contain poisons which put users' health at risk, the Trading Standards Institute has warned.
Some traditional remedies contain arsenic, mercury or poisonous plants and may also be sourced from endangered species such as tiger bone or rhino horn

The legal medicines are used to treat conditions ranging from eczema and epilepsy to hair and weight loss.

Shoppers ARE WARNED not to buy products which are not labelled in English.
Some traditional Chinese medicine products contain dangerous ingredients and contravene legislation designed to protect consumers, public health and endangered species.

Chinese medicines are generally created from a mixture of herbs, minerals, animal and plant components. Some are taken orally while others are placed on the skin or hair.

HERBAL MEDICINES CONTAIN DANGEROUS LEVEL OF TOXIC METALS

It combines herbal medicine with oils, massage, yoga and meditation and is increasingly popular as an alternative to western medicines for a huge range of illnesses.

These were analysed for metal traces using a technique called X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, reported the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The highest levels of toxic metals were found in medicines used in a branch of Ayurveda called rasa shastra, which is used to treat serious illnesses including paralysis. It combines herbs with lead, iron and zinc, as well as minerals such as mica and gems such as pearls.

In total, around a fifth of the products contained lead, mercury or arsenic. The scientists said all exceeded 'one or more standards for acceptable daily metal intake'.

Lead was the most commonly found toxin, followed by mercury and arsenic.
Rasa shastra medicines were more than twice as likely as herbal-only medicines to contain the toxins, and had higher levels of lead and mercury.

Many rasa shastra medicines were elaborately prepared with various forms of metals including 'cinnabar' (mercuric sulphide), 'galena' (lead sulphide), 'realgar' (arsenic sulphide) and 'white arsenic' (arsenic trioxide).

Since 1978, more than 80 cases of lead poisoning have been linked to Ayurvedic medicines.
Dr Saper said the findings highlighted the need for proper regulation of dietary supplements.
'Our first priority must be the safety of the public,'

'Herbs and supplements with high levels of lead, mercury and arsenic should not be available for sale on the internet or elsewhere.'

'The medicines which are supposed to cure sickness should not promote another illness due to the presence of toxic materials such as lead.

Out-of-date medicines

Most of us would never consider eating food past its sell-by date, yet we use out-of-date medicines -without realising they could make us ill.

A survey published last week by Lloyds Pharmacy estimates there are more than 40 million out-of-date prescribed medicines and almost as many over-the-counter medicines in British homes

'There is an expiry date on every medicine, pill and plaster for a reason. Many medications contain preservatives which halt the growth of bacteria. Once it passes its use-by date, these become less effective and bacteria can start to grow.

do deteriorate with age, however, most people will suffer no ill results - although the older the medicine the greater the risk that they will. If someone has just taken a paracetamol a few days after the use-by date they should not panic.'

Use the list below to help make your medicine cupboard safer.

NASAL SPRAYS

Typical shelf life: Three months once opened; if sealed, two years, as long as stored below 30c in a cool area out of direct sunlight.
Health risk if exceeds shelf life: Sinus infection.

CHILDREN'S PAINKILLERS

Typical shelf life: In a bottle, three years; in a sachet, two years. Must be stored below 25c. If not shaken before use could lead to overdose.
Health risk if exceeds shelf life: Nausea.

ANTISEPTIC CREAMS

Typical shelf life: When stored below 25c, three years.
Health risk: Skin irritation.

NIT PRODUCTS

Typical shelf life: 18 months.
Health risk: Headlice become resistant and infestation increases.

EYE DROPS

Typical shelf life: Throw out four weeks after opening. Will keep for three years if unopened, but must be stored below 30c.
Health risk: Eye infection.

HEARTBURN REMEDIES

Typical shelf life: Liquids, two years unopened or six months after opening. Tablets can be kept for two years.
Health risk: Nausea.

Storing medicines incorrectly can be just as bad.
'A use-by date is relevant only if the medicine has been stored under ideal conditions, typically cool and dark with the lid closed,'

MORE BENEFITS FROM FOLIC ACID

Women who take folic acid supplements every day have a better chance of getting pregnant, say researchers.

Long known to safeguard the health of the unborn baby, this is the first time folic acid, a form of vitamin B, has been shown to aid conception too.
A study involving more than 18,000 women showed multivitamins - particularly folic acid - improve a woman's fertility.

Those taking a supplement regularly had a 40 per cent lower risk of suffering problems producing eggs - the second biggest cause of female infertility.

Those taking multivitamins, which included folic acid, for six days a week or more had a 40 per cent lower risk of ovulatory failure, compared with those who did not take a pill.
Women who took a pill on three to five days a week had a 30 per cent cut in risk, while those taking pills for two days or less were no better off than women not taking supplements.

'The beneficial effect on fertility continued to increase as women consumed higher amounts of folic acid.

'It looks like folic acid is a major player in reproduction.'
In the UK, 1mg of folic acid daily is regarded as the safe upper limit.

Women hoping to become pregnant are currently advised to take a 0.4mg supplement of folic acid every day after stopping contraception, and for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

It is still unclear how folic acid - the synthetic form of folate, a B vitamin - worked in securing pregnancy.

But research last year suggested it might help embryo survival.
The vitamin, which is critical in the womb for brain development, is found in citrus fruits, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables and wholegrains.

Deficiency can trigger severe brain and spinal birth defects such as spina bifida, in which the neural tube fails to close properly at the lower end causing paralysis or loss of bowel and bladder control.