Severe problems with eyes should always be referred to a specialist, but alternative therapies can support orthodox treatment and may be very useful in conditions that affect the eyelids and tear glands. When treating infections and inflammations of the eyes, wash your hands between treating each eye, and use fresh materials so that you do not transfer infection from eye to eye.

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis symptoms are red, itchy eyes; a yellow discharge; and inflammation around the eye or eyelid. It is normally caused by infection or allergy and is not serious except in newborn babies.

Treatment

Herbal Medicine Herbal eye baths made from infusions of eyebright (euphrasia), chickweed, elderflower, or camomile flowers are a soothing, effective treatment.

Consult a qualified practitioner/therapist for:

Homeopathy A homeopath may prescribe Argentum nit. 6c for “gritty eyes” or Pulsatilla 6c for itchy eyes with a discharge.

Eyesight Problems

Hazy vision, difficulty in reading, tired eyes, headaches are all types of eyesight problems. They may be the result of vision problems, high blood pressure, and eyestrain, among other factors.

Treatment

Yoga Candle gazing is a beneficial yoga exercise for eyestrain. Sit comfortably and gaze at a candle about 3ft/1m away, without blinking, for ten seconds. Palm for 30 seconds, then resume gazing with one eye only then the other, then together, turning the head Gradually increase the time (20 then 30 seconds) over several weeks.

Consult a qualified practitioner/therapist for:

Homeopathy Specifie remedies to be taken for eyestrain include: Arnica, when the muscles, are tired; Natrum mur., when eyes ache upon looking lip down or around; Ruta grav., when the eyes burn or feel strained after close work or reading; Phosphorus, tired eyes are associated with great nervousness and apprehension.

The Bates Method This is designed to strengthen the eye muscles and rectify vision problems as a natural alternative to wearing glasses.

Cataracts

Cataracts cause cloudy, distorted vision resulting from, changes in the protein makeup of the lens. They are most common in old age, but may be caused by iritis, babies are born with cataracts.

Treatment

Diet And Nutrition Research suggests that vitamins B2 and C can help improve the condition in which sight deteriorates as the lens becomes opaque. Supplementing with vitamin E and the antioxidant mineral selenium can help rectify dietary deficiencies that can exacerbate the condition.

Homeopathy Specific remedies include Phosphorus, when there is a sensation of mist being pulled across the eyes; Calcarea, for the early stages, with circular lines visible in the lens; Silica, for the later stages, when cataract begins to interfere with sight.

Glaucoma

Gradual loss of vision, aching pain in and above the eyes, seeing “rings” around lights are the symptoms of glaucoma. The disease is caused by a buildup of fluid in the front chamber of the eye. Glaucoma may be asymptomatic and vision may be lost before the sufferer is aware of the disease. If there is a family history of glaucoma, ensure regular screening by an optician.

Treatment

Hydrotherapy Home hydrotherapy treatment offers immediate relid - place alternate hot and cold face towels over the eyes.

The Bates Method These exercises can also be used to treat this condition.

Homeopathy Take Belladonna 30c every 15 minutes for up to ten doses when symptoms start.

Squint

Squint is the inward or outward turning of the eye or eyes. In adults, squint is normally caused by damage to the eye muscles or the motor nerves that control the eye muscles, usually the result of diabetes, high blood pressure, brain tumor, or brain injury. In children, squint should be treated before the affected eye becomes lazy and ineffective.

Treatment

The Bates Method Minor squints can be successfully treated with the Bates Method.

Yoga Palming relaxes the eye muscles and improves squints. Rest with your arms on a table and rub your hands together. Cup hands over closed eyes, shutting out all light, and relax for 20 seconds while being aware of visual sensations. Repeat at least twice a day.

Homeopathy Specific remedies include Gelsemium 6c and Alumina 6c.

Before taking in any medication or undergoing any treatment to bring relief to your aching head, make sure that you know first what are the different types of headache and possible causes of the common illness.

HOW ARE HEADACHES CATEGORIZED

Studies show that 90 percent of all types of headaches are classified as tension and muscle contraction. However, there most experts would agree that headache could be further classified into two broad categories: the primary and the secondary.

Primary headache includes migraine, cluster, and tension headache. Migraine headache are usually characterized by throbbing pain on one side of the head, queasiness, over sensitivity to light and sound especially to bright lights and loud noises. Statistics say that 18 to 28 million Americans suffer from migraines and majority of which is women.

Aside from throbbing or pulsing pain, migraine is also characterized by visual disturbances, numbness of the face, nausea, and heavy vomiting. Usually triggered by food, stress, heat or cold temperature, strong smells, emotions, fatigue, or hormonal fluctuations, experts say that people who are anxious and depressed are more prone to migraine.

Tension headache, on the other hand, is considered as the common type of headache people suffer from. Characterized by a tight band of pressure around a person’s head, heavy throbbing of temples, light and sound sensitivity, vomiting, general muscle aches, difficulty in falling asleep and staying asleep, chronic fatigue, irritability and disturbed concentration, tension headache is said is traced from physical or emotional stress.

Major lifestyle adjustments like having a regular physical activity or exercise, proper and balanced diet, proper stress management and maintaining good posture can help a person a lot to avoid tension headache.

If tension headache is the most common type of headache, cluster headache is the least common of all types. Greatly affecting men instead of women, cluster headaches are characterized by severe pain usually centered in one eye that leads to swelling and watering of the affected area and severe and unbearable pain in the head.

Triggered by alcohol and cigarettes, experts say that there is no concrete cause of this type yet. Treatment may include taking in medications similar to those used for migraine like sumatriptan, triptans, and the like.

The other classification of headache is called secondary headaches. Usually triggered by an underlying or existing disorder like infection, injury, or tumor, secondary headaches are known to be results major illnesses.

Secondary headaches are also considered as side effects of various disorders like a recent head injury, meningitis, sinus infection, brain tumor, eye diseases, spinal injury, arthritis, and the inflammation of the arteries or temporal arteritis.

In order to treat any type of headache, experts advise that you must know the possible causes first. Studies show that all types of headaches are usually chemical, emotional, or structural related problems.

1. Dental problems. One of the most common reasons of headaches is dental problem. Findings prove that if the teeth of a person’s upper and lower jaw fail to meet properly, this can result to muscle tension that leads to headache.

Another dental-related cause of headache is the grinding or clenching of the teeth at night or bruxism. Because of the strain caused by heavy chewing or grinding, certain bones and muscles in the jaw are greatly stimulated that triggers headache.

What you can do is to increase your calcium and magnesium intake or use a plastic mouthpiece to reduce clenching and grinding. Aside from bruxism, another headache-related dental problem is known as temporomandibular disorder (TMD) cycle of pain, muscle spasms, and joint imbalance that involves the jaw and the skull and results to interruption of bones, cartilage and muscle activity. You can ask your dentist to evaluate this situation and recommend treatment options to solve the problem.

2. Chemical sensitivities. Chemicals found in different gadgets such as computers are one of the major triggers of headaches such as migraine.

Caffeine that is usually found in sodas, coffee, tea, chocolate, and some over the counter painkillers can also cause headaches. Try to eliminate all the sources of caffeine from your diet.

3. Magnesium deficiency. If a person suffers from magnesium deficiency, he/she may likely suffer from headaches compared to those who are not.

In order to maintain enough magnesium supply, avoid too much mental stress, drinking lots of coffee, eating sugary foods, a high sodium, carbohydrate and calcium diet, alcohol intake, drinking sodas, cigarette smoking, diuretics, and taking in drugs of all types.

4. Infections and bacterial disease. Infections in the different areas of the body such as the nose, throat, and ear can cause major headache.

Characterized by fever, nausea, muscle aches, chills, and diarrhea, Bacterial disease such as ehrlichiosis can be a major cause of headache. Make sure that you visit your physician to get proper treatment.

5. Muscle tension caused by stress and anxiety. Tensioned muscles usually cause headaches. What you can do is to veer away from things that can cause you stress and anxiety in order to avoid recurrent muscle tension.

6. Musculoskeletal system problems. Misalignments of a person’s spine and neck can greatly affect his/her poor posture and muscle tension that lead to headache. Try chiropractic, osteopathy, and physiotherapy treatments to solve this problem.

7. Eye problems. Various eye problems greatly contribute to headache. Visit your optometrist or ophthalmologist is your eyes need glasses or contact lenses already.

8. Lack of sleep and bad sleeping habits. Without enough sleep, your body is always tired. Muscle tension can build up which leads to headaches. Try to get enough hours of sleep and make sure that you eliminate bad sleeping habits such as using too many pillow or pulling a blanket over your to avoid having a headache.

9. Menstruation. Fluctuations of female’s hormone levels can also cause a great deal of headache. You can ask your doctor for helpful vitamins and supplements to solve this cause.

10. Neurological problems. Although it is a rare cause of headache, ask neurologists to examine you for possible brain tumors.

By conducting a series of tests such as CT or MRI, you can trace the possible cause of your recurrent headache. Other causes include migraine, sinusitis, fevers, glaucoma, and neuralgia. Other serious causes of headache may include meningitis, sub-arachnoid haemorrhage, stroke, blood pressure, brain tumor, and temporal arteritis.

Efficacy of pulse dye laser therapy for the treatment of ulcerated haemangioma s: a revie w of 78 patients. This pulsed dye laser technology is regarded as the gold standard treatment for removing vascular lesions in children and adults. Long-term results in the treatment of childhood hemangioma with the flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye laser: An evaluation of 617 cases. Background The pulsed dye laser delivers energy at a wavelength and duration that has been optimized for the selective treatment of vascular lesions. Use of a 585 nm pulsed dye laser for the treatment of morphea. Unlike drugs, pulse dye laser treatments are non-systemic.

Before you decide on laser treatment for your psoriasis, here are some things you should know about the Cynosure pulse dye laser. Pulse dye laser treatments are less messy than the daily application of creams and lotions. Flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye laser for port-wine stains in infancy: earlier versus later treatment. The treatment of port-wine stains by the pulsed dye laser: analysis of pulse duration and long-term therapy. Tunable dye laser (577 nm) treatment of port wine stains. Clinical efficacy of pulsed dye laser in the treatment of vascular lesions. Pulsed dye laser treatment of vascular lesions for children. Anatomical differences of port-wine stains in response to treatment with the pulsed dye laser. (2) Patients were randomized to receive a single low fluence pulsed dye laser treatment or sham treatment.

If it works, the laser treatment could eliminate acne permanently by partially destroying the troublesome glands. Years ago when lasers were suggested as a form of treatment for acne, the results were not as good as dermatologists wanted. The advancement of laser treatment and technology has brought therapy into the new century and is the suggested treatment for acne and acne scarring. When an acne patient faces pitting, or deep holes, in the skin as a result of acne, there is a treatment called laser resurfacing. pages you find information on acne laser treatment, including the different types of acne, and how … I have not tried the new laser treatments for acne, but hear they do not work very well.

Near infrared (NIR) diode laser low-intensity (soft) phototherapy with the topical application of indocyanine green (ICG) has been suggested for treatment of acne vulgaris. Acne scarring, formerly treated with excision and dermabrasion, has benefitted from newer alternatives, such as fillers and non-ablative laser treatments. The prinicpal advantage of laser and light-based treatment of acne is safety. Whether or not laser treatments should be used as first-line treatment for acne, or even for prevention of acne, remains unclear at this time.

Any vision that is already lost prior to the laser treatment, in general, will not return. In general, loss of vision after a laser treatment is usually FROM progression of the glaucoma disease and not FROM the laser per se. However, the immediate vision loss caused by laser treatment must be measured against the more severe vision loss that could result from untreated retinopathy. However, the vision loss caused by laser treatment is mild compared with the vision loss that may be caused by untreated retinopathy. Following the laser treatment the vision is quite blurred for about a week and after that vision largely recovers. Some people will notice decreased side vision or decreased night vision after laser treatment to stop bleeding. Therefore, floaters or spots in your vision will not necessarily go away after laser treatment.

Immediately after the laser, your vision will be blurred because of the bright lights and jelly used for the special laser treatment lens. Peripheral, color or night vision may be reduced after surgery from widespread laser treatment, but the majority of sight can be saved. Even if vision cannot be improved, laser surgery may help to limit visual loss and minimize damage that would have occurred without treatment. It is important to realize that laser treatment does not usually improve vision, but is aimed at prevention of further visual loss.

This is common with laser treatment and may either take the form of lightening of the skin (Hypo-pigmentation) or darkening (Hyper-pigmentation). During the next three to four days after laser treatment: avoid hot water on the treated skin avoid hot environment e.g. Patients with tanned or those with darker skin types will less favourable with this form of laser treatment. While loss of pigmentation (vitiligo) is unsightly and problematic, the laser goes deeper into the skin than the light treatments. He was very confident and optimistic about what he could achieve by laser treatment to various skin problems I had.

Non-ablative laser treatment uses an intense beam of light to gently stimulate the production of new collagen while bypassing the outer layer of skin. to receive laser treatment for removing port wine stains from their skin. This technique is not effective for treatment of deeper wrinkles and sagging skin treated with laser resurfacing and traditional surgical techniques. Areas of lightened skin, with a visible line of demarcation between treated and untreated areas, were significantly more common with CO2-laser treatment. We have been performing laser hair removal since the 1990s along with laser treatments of skin lesions, pigmentation, veins, tattoos, and scars. This laser is much kinder to dark skin than the Alexandrite laser, and pigmentation problems after treatment are much less common. Tired of the hair war Hi, I don’t have dark skin but have had extensive laser hair treatment on my bikini line and underarms. The effect of cooling the surface of the skin serves to minimize discomfort during treatment while increasing the effectiveness of the laser treatments. The clinician has expressed surprise at the evidently strange way my skin reacts to the laser treatment.
http://www.laser-vision.info/laser-treatment/

Being overweight, drinking a lot of alcohol and not eating right contribute to high blood pressure. The person may not notice anything wrong now but in a few years, this will come in the form of a stroke that could either kill or leave anyone paralyzed.

Studies reveal that this affects more than 50 million Americans with about 30% still unaware what could happen in the future.

There are no symptoms to tell that a person has high blood pressure. Going to the doctor regularly can prevent this but those who don’t will experience things such as headaches, dizziness and nose bleeds which could already mean something is wrong.

Pain in other parts of the body is another warning of imminent danger. Other red flags are excessive sweating, frequent urination, muscle cramps or even palpitations. Should any of these happen to the person, it will be a good idea to visit a physician to find out what is the problem.

Doctors can check on the blood pressure by wrapping a machine on the upper arm, inflating the cuff and listening to the flow of blood using a stethoscope. Normal blood pressure is around 120 over 80. Should this be 140 over 90 or higher, the person has hypertension. It isn’t hard to tell one has high blood pressure given the size of the patient. This is because doctors have a standard given an individual’s gender, height and age so those who are above that are at risk of high blood pressure.

The doctor has to go through the standard operating procedure of asking some personal questions, which includes the individual’s medical history. If this runs in the family and a blood test has confirmed the suspicions of the physician, a solution can be planned before it is too late. The only way to lower the high blood pressure will be for the person to make some lifestyle changes. This usually includes eating healthy, and exercising with the objective of losing those excess pounds so the good cholesterol in the body is balanced against the bad cholesterol.

The person will also have to quit smoking and giving up the daily consumption of alcohol. Headaches lead to dizziness up to the point that some people feel nauseated or want to just faint. This can be fatigue or high blood pressure that is a warning of something bad that could happen if proper action is not taken so change must happen to make the blood pressure normal.

WHEN HEADACHE BECOMES SEVERE

Although headache is quite common to many people, experts say that people should not ignore headaches especially if they become severe. Based on medical findings, the most common symptom of severe headache is related to a migraine attack caused by the dilation of blood vessels on the brain.

Severe headache usually leads to vomiting, distorted vision, nausea, dizziness, and the like. What you can do is to take over-the-counter medication such as oral analgesics like aspirin, ibuprofen, or paracetamol can provide relief and are best if taken as soon as symptoms start to occur.

But when the headache becomes worse, make sure that you visit your health care provider because it can also be an indication of more serious illnesses like meningitis or the inflammation of the meninges or membrane around a person’s brain; sub-arachnoid haemorrhage due a bleeding in the space between the brain and the arachnoid layer of the meninges, stroke, blood pressure, brain tumor, and temporal arteritis due to the inflammation of the arteries in the scalp.

Other causes of severe headache migraine, a condition that occurs and recurs in patterns; sinusitis that is a severe pain experienced behind your cheek bones or above the bridge of your nose usually associated with a blocked nose. steam and painkillers that should relieve the symptoms but if taken in wrong dosages can lead to severe and throbbing pain, fevers that are untreated like flu, tonsillitis, chest infections and the like, neuralgia or due to the irritation of the nerve that produces pain sensation in response to outside activities, and glaucoma or other acute eye problems that most of the time lead to severe frontal headaches and deteriorating eyesight.

Heath care experts agree that using any medication should only be part of a wellness program. They also agree that successful treatment of chronic headaches should be combined approaches of medication and life-style changes like avoiding any listed headache triggers, personal and family counseling, stress management, and relaxation therapies.

In order to treat any type of headache, it is a must that you know what causes it. Before taking in any painkillers or undergoing any headache treatment procedure, make sure that you have consulted with your physician or health care provider first so he/she can give you the appropriate prescription or can give you a referral to appropriate experts if your headache is caused by any other disorder.

Poor memory in menopause is one condition for which ginkgo biloba is well worth trying.

In Germany ginkgo biloba is one of the top selling products among all medicines — not just herbs! Purposes for which ginkgo is used include general brain insufficiency (memory, blood circulation), cold hands and feet, Alzheimer’s disease, tinnitus, depression, eye function in glaucoma, reduced sexual function — for men or women, and to help reduce free radicals, which cause damage to cells.

Ginkgo: Background
Ginkgo biloba was called a “living fossil” by Charles Darwin. This was because its unusual wedge-shaped leaves have remained almost identical for millions of years — now known to be about 250 million years. Ginkgo is s slow-growing and hardy tree growing to a height of 60-120 feet (18-36m). Ginkgo’s green, fan-shaped leaves turn golden in the autumn.
Ginko biloba produces catkins and small green flowers. The latter turn into unpleasant smelling fruits. Where ginkgo biloba trees are cultivated — especially in China, France and USA — the leaves are harvested by hand or by mechanical means.

Ginkgo And Memory
Ginkgo is thought to be helpful for the poor memory many post menopausal women complain of because firstly it is thought to improve the circulation to the brain at the cellular level, and secondly ginkgo is known to be a powerful anti-oxidant. An anti-oxidant reduces cell damage caused by aging, and the effects of a less-than-perfect diet.

Another possible cause of poor memory during menopause is the effect of lowered oestrogen levels at this time; but this notwithstanding, it is worth trying ginkgo anyway for poor memory in menopause because of its good safety record. It’s benefits as an anti-oxidant make it worthwhile for most people to take for a course of few months every year. This anti-oxidant effect may also help memory indirectly.

Another benefit of ginkgo at menopause time is that it improve libido for both sexes — and reduced libido is something a fairly high proportion of woman complain of at menopause time.

Gingko has been used by millions of people over the past few decades for memory and other reasons and it is clear that it is a safe herb with very few adverse reactions or side effects reported.

Cautions
The only concern reported with ginkgo is that it is suggested that ginkgo may increase the chance of bleeding if blood-thinning herbs, such as Warfarin, are being taken. Therefore it is suggested that ginkgo is avoided if such herbs are being taken, and also if you are due to have a surgical operation.

Ginkgo and Menopause
Menopause brings memory issues for many women. Given its widely accepted effects in raising brain function and improving memory as well as its reputation for improving mood, many women will find ginkgo well worth trying at menopause time.

To give it a fair try, use it for 2-3 months and assess the benefits for you.

Max Hill has been a practitioner in natural healthcare for over 20 years. He loves sharing what he knows about natural healing. For example, on his website www.herbal-menopause.com he gives comprehensive information about menopause symptoms as well as covering specific herbs such as ginkgo and menopause. There is additional information about other herbs in menopause, as well as about diet, exercise and relaxation especially related to menopause time. Take a look today - and get the benefit of Max’s valuable knowledge and experience.

Benzodiazepines are potentially dangerous when used in combination with alcohol, and some medications, like the ulcer medication cimetidine, can slow the metabolism of the benzodiazepine.

This type of medication can be highly addictive.? When you stop taking this medication, you will probably have some withdrawl symptoms.? Withdrawal symptoms usually occur after prolonged use and indicate dependence. They can last one to three weeks after stopping the drug and may include the following:

??? ?Gastrointestinal distress.

??? ?Sweating.

??? ?Disturbed heart rhythm.

In severe cases, patients might hallucinate or experience seizures, even a week or more after the drug has been stopped.

Rebound insomnia, which often occurs after withdrawal, typically includes one to two nights of sleep disturbance, daytime sleepiness, and anxiety. In some cases patients may experience the return of original severe insomnia. The chances for rebound are higher with the short-acting benzodiazepines than with the longer-acting ones.

In addition, the following precautions are important in taking sleeping pills:

??? ?Start with non-prescription medication.

??? ?If prescription hypnotics are required, start with as low a dose as possible.

??? ?In general, do not take either prescription nor non-prescription sleeping pills on consecutive days or for more than two to four days a week.

??? ?If insomnia is still a problem after stopping the drug and continuing with good sleep hygiene, this pattern can be repeated again, but for no longer than four weeks.

??? ?Medication should be withdrawn gradually and the patient should be aware of the possibility of rebound insomnia when stopping medication.

??? ?Alcohol intensifies the side effects of all sleeping medication and should be avoided.

If chronic insomnia is a companion to depression or anxiety, treating these problems first may be the best approach. Some newer antidepressants may be effective at treating both depression and insomnia at once.
Over-the-counter and prescription sleeping medications are very commonly used medications.

Antihistamines cause drowsiness and many over-the-counter preparations are available that might help transient insomnia.? Most over the counter sleep aids use antihistamines ingredients, most commonly diphenhydramine. They may simply contain diphenhydramine alone (Nytol, Sleep-Eez, Sominex) or contain combinations of diphenhydramine with pain relievers (Anacin P.M., Exedrin P.M., Tylenol P.M.).? Doxylamine (Unison) is another antihistamine used in sleep medications.

Unfortunately, most of these drugs can leave patients drowsy the next day and may not be very effective in providing restful sleep. Side effects include daytime sleepiness, dizziness, drunken movement, blurred vision, and dry mouth and throat.

In general, these types of medications should be avoided by people with angina, heart arrhythmias, glaucoma, problems urinating, or while taking medications to prevent nausea or motion sickness. Some, such as those containing doxylamine should also be avoided by patients with chronic lung disease.