Let’s first learn how painkillers work inside the body.

When you pop a pill to stop that pain, what it does primarily is to deaden the nerves so that they cannot transmit pain signals to the brain. Therefore you do not feel the pain after you swallow a painkiller. The minimum time it takes to work is at least 30-40 minutes after you’ve taken it.

While almost every painkiller has some kind of proven side effect, Paracetamol is voted by experts as being the safest and the only one that can be taken without medical supervision. This painkiller can be given even to a new born baby without the danger of any side effects. And that is the only one that you should pop when you are in pain.

While a Disprin (containing aspirin) can lead to blood thinning, peptic ulcers and even Reyes Syndrome (multi organ seizure) in children alone with precipitating asthma in patients, a Voveran (containing diclosenac) can cause liver and kidney damage and even bleeding in the stomach.

Some like Nimesulide are the most dangerous because they can cause toxic liver failure among others. Most developed countries have banned them but in some countries it’s a different story.

Another common painkiller like Ibuprofen is to be avoided during pregnancy because it can cause gastro intestinal bleeding, skin reactions and also peptic ulcers. Pain is a day to day problem and it’s a good thing because it’s a kind of warning mechanism that the body uses to tell you that all is not well inside you. That’s when you should see a doctor to find out the reason for the pain.

And from what sales of OTC drugs show, you are clearly not alone in trying to play doctor. It’s a fallacy that only the uneducated misuse painkillers.

So if you don’t want to land up in a sick bed, think before popping that easy to reach painkiller.

Possible Side effects of painkillers

Aspirin: Intestinal hemorrhage, peptic ulcer, precipitates asthma.

Ibuprofen: Stomach ulcer, vomiting, skin reactions

Novalgin: Blood disorder

Voveran: Liver and kidney damage, water retention leading to high BP

Nimesulide: Toxic liver failure, kidney damage, blood in urine

Paracetamol: None

People take sleeping pills for a variety of disorders associated with lack of restful sleep. The most common is insomnia. While often insomnia is rare, only occurring once every three or four weeks it can sometimes become more common affecting a person’s sleep every three or four nights or even every night.

Other kinds of sleep problems are an inability to stay asleep for the full eight hours, inability to get to deep REM sleep and Sleep Apnea amongst others. If you have Sleep Apnea it is not a good idea to taking sleeping pills because Apnea is caused by an obstruction of the throat or a delay in the brain’s signal telling the body to breathe which requires you to wake up briefly.

Sleeping pills are sedatives/tranquilizers and it’s possible to become dependent on them so that once you try to stop using them it makes your inability to sleep worse. If you do use sleeping pills only use them for a short period of time. If you find they aren’t working after a few days stop use and seek professional assistance. If they do work, don’t keep using them. After you get a few nights rest try going to sleep without the aid of pills.

The short term effects of sleeping pills can include, relaxation, drowsiness, less tension, a feeling of well being and sleep. Some simple tips for trying to sleep are going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, whether you sleep or not and avoiding caffeine and other stimulants like the plague. Also if you’re having trouble getting to sleep, stop looking at the clock and counting how many hours you have left. It will only make you tense up and worry when you should be relaxed and calm. Lastly, remember its not forever and you will eventually sleep.

The common cold or flu is one of medicine’s greatest mysteries. While there are plenty of pharmaceutical products offered to help ease the symptoms of these illnesses, our local drug stores still offer us no opportunities to rid ourselves of the ailment itself. The pharmaceutical market offers such products as Vicks and Theraflu, but these products are only designed to make you feel better for the duration of your cold. While you may lose the coughing or running nose symptoms, there is still a sickness tugging at your body.

Herbal medicines for cold and flu ailments do not directly attack the viruses. They exist to help boost your immune system since only your own body can help you fight off these problems. Your immune system is the key to fending off viruses, and keeping it in working order can be key to keeping yourself healthy and well.

In traditional Chinese medicine, astragalus root is often used to help the immune system kick out the invaders. A renowned immune system enhancer, this root is also a building tonic. Mainly used for long-term disease prevention, astragalus root also helps in alleviating colds. Another Chinese remedy for the cold is a combination of herbs. Honeysuckle flower, forsythia fruit, platycodon root, peppermint, bamboo leaf, licorice root, schizonepeta, burdock root, and black soybean are used together in a substance referred to as “Yin Chao”. This combination fights off the symptoms of the cold while providing boosted immune system defense.

Elder flower and gentian root are also a classic herbal medicine for cold problems. In a university study, the effects of these herbs were measured against the effects of a leading antibiotic towards helping a cold. The herbs provided faster response, greater effects, and less side effects than their pharmaceutical opponent.

Clearly, using herbal medicine for cold and flu problems can be a great way to clear up your sickness. As an alternative to the modern medicine offered in drug stores today, these substances usually have a greater effect on the problem while resulting in less side effects.

Dr.Ryke Geerd Hamer, one time chief internist of the Cancer Clinic of Munich University Hospital met horrific tragedy when in 1978, his 19 year old son Dirk, was shot dead in front of his eyes! Shortly afterwards he developed testicular cancer and wondered why! His exploration brought him to a dramatic conclusion that he called “The Iron Rule of Cancer”!

The “Iron Rule” states that a sudden and unforeseen incident of a highly charged emotional nature leads to cancer. He continues by saying that the cancer can be cured once the emotional conflict is resolved. If it is not changed the patient will die! This he suggests is why so many conventional treatments are unsuccessful.

The same phenomenon occurs in the animal world. A sheep looses its lamb to a predator and goes on to develop teat cancer. The cancer disappears when the ewe falls pregnant once again.

The sudden shock or “Significant Emotional Event” (SEE) leads to what Hamer calls a”Dirk-Hamer-Syndrome” or DHS, which swiftly produces a cancerous growth or equivalent in a bodily organ. Hamer was able to trace this development by using CT scans. With the help of “Computerized Tomography”, Dr. Hamer was able to produce a chart that relates specific emotional traumas with the formation of lesions in the brain that result in cancerous tumors growing in predictable parts of the body. Taking breast cancer as an example, the doctor attributes the emotional cause to a separation issue in the patient’s life. In the case of left-handed woman who develops cancer as a result of a mother-daughter conflict there is likely to be a tumor on the right breast. With right-handed women this would reverse.

The manufacturers of the CT equipment, Siemens, testify that Geerd Hamer used over 6,000 CT scans in his work in developing this extraordinary theory. What he appears to be saying is that the cancer is a symptom of the real illness, which lies painfully embedded in the psyche and in the brain. He appears to have thoroughly researched his explanation to boot!

Hamer criticizes the orthodox medical treatment of cancer by saying that 98% of patients die from the treatment and not the disease. He claims: “Nowadays most people with cancer die from the affects of the medical diagnosis and prognosis. It is the diagnosis and prognosis which produces the supposed metastases.” He maintains there is no such thing as cancer spreading as conventionally supposed. Instead the metastasis is the growth of another cancer caused by yet another Significant Emotional Event. In this case the shock of the medical diagnosis and the physicians negative prognosis for the future development of the disease.

Dr Hamer does not offer solutions how these conflicts are to be resolved, but stresses resolution has to be gentle. Rough analytical abreactive therapies are to be discouraged because they might trigger another cancer causing Significant Emotional Event. However, many gentle therapies such as EFT abound today; they might just play a big part in resolving these cancer producing conflicts in what must be a milestone in Mind-Body Medicine.

The Ortho Evra Patch released by Ortho McNeil has recently come under fire for the patch’s contribution to serious thrombotic problems such as heart attack and stroke.

After its approval in November 2001, the Ortho Evra Birth Control Patch revolutionized birth control by allowing women to wear a patch directly on their body giving it the nickname the “Birth Control Band-Aid.” Following its release to the public in 2002 over 5 million women have tried the Ortho Evra contraceptive.

Recently, however, the Ortho Evra Patch has been linked to an increased risk of a number of serious thrombotic problems. These problems might include heart attack, stroke, blood clots, myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis.

Those problems have been shown to be caused by the constant level of estrogen and progestin absorbed by the body while the patch is in use. Oral contraceptives, as compared with the Ortho Evra Patch, give users 35 micrograms (mcg) of estrogen in a daily dose as opposed to the patch that provides 20 mcg continuously for a week.

A British study completed in 1969 found that the body could not receive estrogen in excess of 50 mcg without the risk of inflicting the user with serious blood clots. All companies selling estrogen with more than 50 mcg had taken their products off the market by 1988.

The problem with the Ortho Evra Patch is that, although it only is a 20 mcg dosage of estrogen, it provides it for a prolonged period of time. The FDA issued a new warning in November of last year, asserting that the Ortho Evra Patch exposes users to 60% more estrogen than those on the oral contraceptive.

Essentially, the patch actually floods the users system with a 56 mcg dosage of estrogen over a longer period of time

There have also been new studies that have been released indicating that progestin, another active ingredient in the Ortho Evra Patch, also poses dangers to health. An anti-throbotic, prostegin inhibits the user’s blood from forming clots. This is the opposite of estrogen, a pro-thrombotic, which causes blood to clot. It was thought that each would cancel the other out. What everyone failed to see was that the prostegin, which was a 3rd generation version of the drug, indicating that the drug actually allows for the creation of more blood clots. This combined with the increased dosage of estrogen puts women at serious risk for many clotting-related issues such as heart attacks and strokes.

It was discovered that the Ortho Evra Patch fails to warn women adequately of the risks imposed on them by the levels estrogen and progestin exposure.

Currently, there are many attorneys that are working on a class action lawsuit against Ortho McNeil, maker of Ortho Evra. You may qualify to join this lawsuit if you:

Have been prescribed the Ortho Evra Patch

Have taken oral contraceptives for an extended period of time prior to using the Ortho Evra Patch without incident.

Suffered from a serious thrombotic event like heart attack, stroke, pulmonary embolism, blood clot, etc.

Were forced to stay in a hospital for an extended period of time as a result of the thrombotic incident

Were forced to undergo surgery as a result of the thrombotic incident Have to undergo coagulant therapy for at least 6 months.

Stem cells, undifferentiated cells which have the ability to turn into specific cell types, hold promise to beneficially impact health problems such as diabetes, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, stroke, heart attack and spinal cord injury. Before his death, Christopher Reeve was a strong advocate of research in stem cells.

There has been controversy about certain types of stem cells. There are three sources of stem cells, of which one type, cells derived from early stage human embryos, has caused political division, because the creation of an embryonic stem cell “line” requires the destruction of a human embryo. Because of this, President Bush in 2001, stated his intention to “allow federal funds to be used for research on existing stem cell lines, where the life and death decision has already been made,” but no federal funds would be available for new stem cell lines. This choice has been debated. The television show “60 Minutes” reviewed the issue twice in the month of February 2006, on February 12 and on February 26.

In the state of New Jersey, the debate has been roughly on partisan lines, with Democrats favoring funding of stem reseach, and (some) Republicans opposed. However, there is a separate division as to “what kind” of stem cell research. Hedging its bets, New Jersey has proposed spending $150 million on cutting-edge research on stem cells, including the controversial embryonic stem cells, $50 million on research on less controversial research focused on stem cells from cord blood, placentas and other human tissue, and $50 million on a center directed to commercial applications and clinical trials of adult stem cells.

The area of commercial applications has created unanticipated problems in the brave new world of large-scale state-funding of research. A legal opinion in 2005 prepared for California State Treasurer Angelides suggested that tax-exempt bonds could not be used to fund research wherein the state would share in money generated by the research (specifically sharing in payments by people who used patents generated by the state-funded research). A meeting of stem cell people in March 2006 revealed a new problem. The holders of patents which already exist in the area want future researchers (such as those in California) to pay them for doing research utilizing their patents. Ironically, the demand was made by one state (Wisconsin’s WARF) against another state (California’s CIRM). With the announcement that South Korea will proceed with patent applications of the disgraced researcher Woo Suk Hwang, one realizes that there are likely to be many patent holders in the field, all seeking to cash in on the large amounts of money being made available by states such as California, New Jersey, Maryland, Connecticut, and Illinois. An important message to appreciate is that money from state-funding of stem cell research intended to create new horizons in medical treatment may be directed to paying off holders of already-created rights.

Some of the problems may be resolved. A recent decision by the Supreme Court (Merck v. Integra) defines a large safe harbor for those conducting research needed to obtain federal regulatory approval (e.g., FDA approval). This research exemption may moderate the impact of claims such as those by Wisconsin against California. However, expectations of tangible results on a short time scale may be unrealistic. One may question whether state funding will produce any FDA approved embryonic stem cell therapy in ten years. Patents issued in the next few years may be “too soon” in time because commercialization of embryonic stem cell work is a long way off. This is an exciting time in a promising area, but with the unknowns one must recognize that there will be bumps in the road.

The correct answer the question of what is a good arthritis medication is really dependant on what the specific requirements of your particular condition are. There is not a single medication that can deal with every aspect of arthritis since it is a very wide-ranging condition covering everything from rheumatoid arthritis to gout. There are a variety of medications available for arthritis that can be very effective when used on their own or in conjunction with other drugs and treatments. As well as providing pain relief, some of these drugs have anti-inflammatory properties that can be necessary since the inflammation of the joints can be a very painful problem for arthritis sufferers. Some of these non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen can be bought without prescription but can have a few minor and unpleasant side effects such as problems with the stomach. Although these sedative like effects can and do wear off after a while corticosteroids can be an alternative to the more popular anti-inflammatory drugs.

What is considered a good arthritis medication as far as the alternative medicines and natural cures is rather uncertain due to the fact that they are not always regulated in the same way as pharmaceuticals. However, some evidence suggest that massage, good diet and exercise are generally thought to have a beneficial effect on many patients provided you use a proper system of treatment that is devised by a healthcare professional. If you are not happy with the idea of taking a large amount of medication to ease your arthritis pain then it may be worth looking into this. Glucosamine is a natural substance that is derived from sea fish and crustations that some doctor’s think can aid pain relief. It is actually used in some hospitals and is available in a number of different ways such as powder capsule form and also as a liquid.

If you were wondering what is a good arthritis medication that can really help with pain relief then it is possible that painkilling injections may help. They are injected straight into the site of the pain and can last for a number of weeks. There are many different types of pain medication that are very effective for arthritis sufferers and it is very important to choose the right one for your condition.

The best person to ask what is a good arthritis medication is undoubtedly your doctor or health care specialists. It is not a good idea to try anything new without the proper medical advice and that way you can be sure that you are getting the very best treatment for your condition.

There was a time when being a doctor meant caring for your patient as the human being that they were. With the advent of increasing advances in medical technology doctors have allowed themselves to become seduced by several myths:

1. That the human body can be thought of a simply a machine that needs fixing when it breaks down.

2. That modern technology will eventually be able to fix human bodies in disrepair.

3. That the human being whose body it is is simply a passive and unimportant factor in the process of healing the body.

4. That the idea of there even being “a person” in that body is unscientific nonsense.

Interestingly however it seems that modern medicine has yet to explain an interesting and indisputable fact; the issue of an individual’s “will to live”.

In other words when an individual receives a poor prognosis one person might choose to accept it as gospel while another might instead choose not to accept it.

In the latter case one often experiences what some might consider unexplained even miraculous healing phenomena. Phenomena that puzzle doctors to no end. Yes puzzle them because the mechanical reductionist approach to healing that many physicians have adopted, pure and simple, leaves out the human being in that body.

Why does it do this? Well because the essence of an individual, what some consider the “life force” itself cannot be reduced to such a limited mechanical model. In this light it is my view that “modern” medicine will never realize its ultimate goal, that of healing others, unless it acknowledges and accepts the true healing element in the bodies they are attempting to heal, the human spirit itself.

It has been my experience that the power of the human spirit is capable of miracles as I described. Such miracles can only come about however if the human being in that body is acknowledged and given priority as the main healing force in that body.

One of the biggest changes in the American drug industry is implementing the new medicare system. The recent changes in January 2006, will allow everyone regardless of income, health status and prescription drug use, to have access to prescription drug coverage.

What does this mean for canadian pharmacies online, who have built up a network of clients in our neighbouring nation?

After looking at the medicare plan and analysing what their proposing it still may not be an effective choice for all your prescription drug needs. One of the major factors in the medicare plan is that before you can get the 95% of coverage you must spend a total of $3,600 on prescription meds.

Also if you don’t sign up for the medicare plan before March 15th, you could be looking at spending even more. There are many variables in the cost and coverage as well as convenience. You will have to find a pharmacy that is available in your area, and if you are unable to walk or get around you will have fewer options if the pharmacy is far. The final choice is of course the convenience of what your current coverage plan is against what medicare is offering with their new prescription plan.

Here is a few questions you may want to ask before you go forward with the new medicare plan:

How many prescriptions do I actually require a year and is this going to be the most cost effective way to retain those prescriptions?

If I require more than one prescription a month?

The best way to answer this question is to call your pharmacy and ask them to check and calculate the amount of money that it will actually cost for your prescription drugs.

The ultimate choice will always be the consumer in the end. The Canadian drug industry has always been a great alternative for getting quality prescription drugs. If you are purchasing a prescription over the internet, Canadian or not, please check that they have the following credentials:

- A Licence to administer medication
- A Real pharmacist you can talk to regarding your medications
- They require a prescription from your doctor.

What we perceive as “pain” is an interaction between several chemicals in the brain and spinal cord. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters conduct nerve impulses from one nerve cell to another, and on to the brain. They do this by stimulating receptors found on the surface of nerve and brain cells, which function somewhat like gates, opening and closing to allow messages to pass from one nerve cell to the next. Many pain-relieving drugs work by acting on these receptors.

Pain can be roughly divided in to two types: Acute pain, and chronic pain. Pain is described as acute when it basically doesn’t last very long – it is usually caused by an injury, illness, or surgery, and subsides as your body heals.

Chronic pain is usually said to persist for at least 6 months after your body has healed from the illness or injury that first caused the pain in question. There are forms of chronic pain that defy diagnosis. This usually adds to the emotional lows, anger, and self esteem problems that can already arise from experiencing the chronic pain in the first place. Many patients who experience chronic pain can also find that it interferes with the day to day activities of their lives.

Up to one-third of the entire population of the United States is affected by acute or chronic pain during the course of a year1.

Given the passage of a significant amount of time, all of these problems, compounded with anxiety, can lead to poor response to treatment, and set up a vicious cycle of unending discomfort.

You can, however, take steps to reclaim your life, and break the hold that pain can have over you!

Find, and Bond With Your Doctor

If you, like many other people, have had care from many different physicians, you may want to pick one, and stick with them. In addition to your family physician, you may want to consider also seeing a specialist, if you know what is causing your symptoms. If you don’t, you may want to consider a pain management specialist. Bear in mind that you will still need to have a primary care physician to coordinate care and manage your general health. This is especially important in avoiding harmful drug interactions or conflicts in therapy.

When you’re choosing a doctor, you’ll want to make sure that, besides being someone that you feel you can trust, they are also knowledgeable about chronic pain issues. Beyond that, they should encourage and allow you to ask questions, and even to disagree with them. You should have a positive, proactive outlook on the road ahead, and your doctor should also share that.

Tell Your Doctor Everything

Your doctor can only help you if you give him or her as much information about your pain as possible. You should explain to your doctor the nature of your pain, where it is, how bad it is, and how often it occurs. If there are triggers that cause your pain, explain them also. Also, tell your doctor if anything makes the pain better. Don’t forget to think about other, external factors that may not be readily apparent. Changes in your day-to-day schedule or even activities within the course of your day may be affecting you without your knowledge.

Your doctor will want to also go over other health problems with you. Besides directly affecting your pain, they may also affect his or her choice of treatment for you.

All of this will also assist in what is traditionally the first step in treating chronic pain: assessing the cause.

Treatment

Your doctor may prescribe various combinations of different therapies and medications to treat your pain. Generally, treatment can take the form of physical, behavioral, or occupational therapy, combined with various pain relievers, antidepressants, or anti-inflammatories. Physical therapy can include walking, biking, etc, according to your situation, while behavioral therapy can teach you other pain control methods, such as meditation. Occupational therapy involves teaching you to more safely and efficiently accomplish everyday tasks, to minimize the risk of injury.

A little about drugs:

There are many pain-relieving drugs being used today. Opioid drugs block pain by locking onto opioid receptors in the brain. Other drugs control pain outside the brain, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These drugs, including aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, inhibit hormones called prostaglandins, which stimulate nerves at the site of injury and cause inflammation and fever. Newer NSAIDs, including Celebrex (celecoxib) and Vioxx (rofecoxib) for rheumatoid arthritis, primarily block an enzyme called cyclooxygenase-2. Known as COX-2 inhibitors, these drugs may be less likely to cause the stomach problems associated with older NSAIDs, but their long-term effects are still being evaluated2. To learn more about purchasing prescription drugs online, please visit http://www.prescriptiondrugplanet.com

Lifestyle Changes

Lifestyle changes can be invaluable in the treatment of chronic pain. If you smoke, or drink alcohol fairly frequently, you may want to modify your behavior. Quit smoking and drinking, or at the very least, cut back drastically.

A healthy diet will help not only directly, but indirectly, by reducing the strain on your cardiovascular system, and reducing stress. Using recreational drugs can also impact your health in a myriad of ways that you could not possibly foresee.

Again, communication with your doctor is paramount. You and your primary care physician can map out all the things that you can do to try to reduce pain, and, if they work, you can modify your treatment accordingly. The key is to identify goals and obstacles to reducing pain, and tackling those goals and obstacles one at a time; then you can move on to the next challenge. Don’t set unrealistic goals, because this will only lead to failure and frustration.

It is most important for you to take a long, hard look at your life, and how your pain has affected the way you live it. Then, take the necessary steps to “take your life back’ – to change your behavior to reflect that you will no longer allow yourself to be controlled by pain.