Archive for March, 2008
Dr. Francis X. Murphy at ‘Whole Health Partners’ is a ‘Chiropractic Care’ and ‘Active Release Technique (ART)’ provider in Dallas, Texas. Along with other modern chiropractics and ART providers he works for helping people achieve and maintain health and vitality. Dr. Murphy has devised a new procedure to address the condition known as “Frozen Shoulder Syndrome (FSS)”.
In July of 2007, he reported that this new procedure brings immediate results to relieve the condition. Since then many people from all over the United States have been coming to Dallas, Texas to participate in the ongoing study and receive the treatment.
The study was focused on finding the underlying causes of “Frozen Shoulder Syndrome” and the efficacy of “Murphy Quick Release Procedure (MQRP)” and protocols in curing this condition. Before the participation, each participant was supposed to have been diagnosed with this condition by a registered physician.
According to Dr. Murphy, the reported clinical outcomes and video evidence substantiating the reported outcomes are “nothing short of phenomenal.”
Dr. Murphy’s report described “Frozen Shoulder Syndrome” to be a neurological disorder, which gets worsened by the efforts to bring back the mobility with the help of physical therapy, exercises, or forced passive (assisted) motion therapies. Usually it worsens the pain and stiffness. Dr. Murphy says that many of these therapies can be extremely effective only after the neurological condition has been dealt with.
The study has clearly identified two types of “Frozen Shoulder Syndrome” as reported by Dr. Murphy in his study, Types 1 and 2. His study revealed that most of the type 1 patients due to pain also assume that they are suffering from type 2 syndromes however the study clearly revealed that most of the patients were the type 1 cases.
The type 1 patients were able to respond quicker to the MQR procedure than type 2 patients. Both the male and female patients were able to raise their affected arms above their heads following the procedure. During the next three to four follow-up visits, they were treated for some small compensatory muscular changes and 75% reduction in the pain was seen among them within the first 24 hours.
Among the Type 2 patients, it was observed after the MQR procedure that both male and female patients were able to raise their arms considerably higher than before. There was however 60% to 80% increase abduction of the shoulder immediately following the procedure. The study says that type 2 patients need two to three times the follow-up treatment to achieve full recovery. However, some pain still hangs back, creating fair chance for backsliding. These patients display substantial improvement in the condition steadily with each follow-up visit. They are expected to cover at least 10 follow-up visits over period of four to five weeks.
This treatment devised by Dr. Murphy who is at present the only expert in this field, can help thousands suffering from “Frozen Should Syndrome”. Dr. Murphy is soon going to offer a complete curriculum to train doctors on MQR procedure this course would be available in 2008 to chiropractors’ currently carrying certification in Active Release Technique (ART) in the spine and upper extremity courses of study.
A Harvard led team has one of their studies scheduled to be published in the “American Journal of Epidemiology”. In this new study, they have indicated towards a clear association between tuna intake among pregnant women and birth of smarter children. The team has nine distinguished scientists from ‘Harvard’ and the ‘University of Michigan’.
They conducted two cognitive tests among a special group of children when they reached the age of 3; they found clearly that this group could score higher than the rest of the children. Their mothers ate more fish, more than 2 weekly servings during the second trimester of their pregnancies.
This new finding is found to be contrary to the common notion which says that fish intake could be dangerous especially among the women of childbearing age. This new Massachusetts-based study done among hundreds of mother-child pairs, who participated in “Project Viva”, has followed mothers since early pregnancy. It proved that the common view point of fish intake being considered unhealthy is wrong
Researchers found that 28 mothers, almost 8%, who reported eating canned tuna at least twice weekly had children with higher scores. On the other side, 130 mothers, almost 38%, who reported never eating tuna fish while pregnant reported no such results. David Martosko, Director ‘Center for Consumer Freedom Research’ said that this new study has provided powerful evidence that fish is still a healthy food.
This new study which refutes the conventional thought associated with the fish intake and that too arrived at a time when environmental activists are branding fish with skull and crossbones. No major incidences of mercury poisoning from eating fish have been reported so it is evidently clear that fish intake is good for the physical, mental and cognitive development of children. So avoiding eating fish clearly indicates towards putting the babies’ health at risk.
This new finding followed up the previous research conducted by “Project Viva” investigators which showed decline in the intake of fish among the pregnant women after 2001 warning issued by the ‘Environmental Protection Agency’ and the ‘Food and Drug Administration’ which found the fish intake to be dangerous for the pregnant women. Martosko says that this new study has been backed up with enough medical evidence to prove that the women who had higher level of intake of canned tuna gave birth to brainier children.
The environmental scientists have also been demonizing tuna for years. But this notion has done more harm that benefit. This notion had been highly misleading and brought remarkable downfall in the intake of tuna.
“Replens”, one of the most renowned manufacturing companies for feminine care products has recently come up with the first personal “Lubricant Mousse” for women. Already gained popularity in the US, it is now available in Canada.Women find the lubricants to be messy and distasteful so this new product has been produced after taking their ideas what they would like their lubricant to be like.
This new “Lubricant Mousse” comes with all the benefits like it is airy and light when taken out to apply and when it comes in contact, it is found to be silky and smooth. Right amount of mousse can be placed wherever is desired. So all the negatives of a sticky and messy lubricant have been eliminated.
Replens carried out a study conducted among 1,500 women and it was discovered that only 10.1% women over the age of 18 who used a lubricant in the past found it to be satisfactory. They scaled their satisfaction at 3 or below on the scale of 1 to 5.
The study reported five major negatives being felt while using the lubricants i.e. messiness, it leaves the bed messed up, it drips, when applied it is felt to be cold and also causes interruption during the intimate moments. These were the main factors being reported by women who have been using lubricants.
Jenny Fiorini who is the marketing manager for the ‘Intimate Options’ line says that women should have options that work for them. Keeping that in mind, they have introduced the lubricant in Canada which comes in mousse form.
She says “A mousse addresses all of the top 5 concerns women have with a personal lubricant.”
She further adds that lubricants can play an important role for women from a health point of view. It helps in combating women with stress, menopause, cancer and other conditions. These are the main factors which hampers the comfort level during the intimate moments.
“Lubricants can help spice up any relationship,” said Jenny. “Research shows that most women are not satisfied with the current offering of lubricants.”
The Lubricant Mousse is available in 3 sizes and comes both in unscented and with fragrances of vanilla and a hint of Vanilla Cinnamon.
In addition to this lubricant, Replens also has a Feminine Moisturizer which is long lasting and gynecologists all over the world recommend its usage.
“New England Journal of Medicine” published an article in November 30, 2006 which indicated that Replens “provided relief of vaginal (dryness) symptoms that was equivalent to that of vaginal estrogen.”
These products, lubricant and the Moisturizer Lil’ Drug Store Products is responsible for its production, sales and distribution. Lil’ Drug Store Products in alliance with Aurium Pharma works to make intimate Options Mousse now available to women in Canada.
Dr.Hendrik Weitkamp, Assistant Professor of Neonatology at the ‘Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital’ at Vanderbilt sheds light on a new protocol which has been successfully used to eliminate the risk of infection from the neonatal intensive care unit. The premature infants, specially born with extremely low weight are at the highest risk to catch fungal infection.‘Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) (NICU)’ is utilizing this new protocol to save the infants from the infections and in an effort to improve quality insurance; it has begun the use of a common antifungal medication for the infants.
Fungal infection among the babies can lead to serious illnesses. They might develop symptoms like radical change in blood pressure and organ failure as happens in case of sepsis. Contrary to the common belief where the symptoms of septic are credited to some bacterial infection, in most of the cases, the children were found infected by some fungal organism, ‘Candida Albicans’ being the most common among them.
It was decided to do assessment of the infection data and decision was made to begin a protocol that a preventive dose of ‘fluconazole’ would be administered to highest-risk babies. Highest risk babies here mean those weighing less than 750 grams at birth or fewer than 26 weeks gestation. This dose would be given twice a week for six weeks as during this period, they have invasive tubes which make them more prone to infections.
This was new as some hospitals which were already using ‘fluconazole’ for prevention had been following the standard of weighing all premature infants weighing less than 1,500 grams at birth as highest risk babies. This was twice the weight limit set by Vanderbilt’s NICU.
This new protocol was initiated by Vanderbilt in 2005. A team would conduct a comparative analysis of the first 42 babies administered prevention according to the new protocol with 44 babies of the same description from the previous year. This would be an attempt to prove that giving fluconazole as a preventive was of clear benefit to such tiny babies.
Weitkamp remarked that they do not have any data of infection for 40 babies who got prophylactic fluconazole for the previous year, however, among the comparison group, nine infants have been included who developed invasive ‘Candida Albicans Infection’.
‘Fluconazole’ might cause occasional mild kidney, blood or liver malfunctions. “We felt the results were a strong reason to continue to use the drug as a preventive in a targeted, highest-risk population,” Weitkamp said.
He further shared with pride that since the protocol has been started; they have been able to wipe out infections from their nursery. As compared to other children’s hospitals in the country, their infection rates have lessened to half, as been reported in one of the academic reports.
However there are still certain issues, which hang back like developing resistance against ‘fluconazole’. Weitkamp agrees to this saying that the question is just as important in the treatment of fungal infections. A careful monitoring of prophylaxis is being done for any signs that it could contribute to make it difficult for ‘Candida’ to flourish or could contribute in making ‘Candida Albicans Infection’ resistant to ‘fluconazole’ itself.
Music has been trying to set its feet in the field of medicine when it would be utilized to reduce anxiety and contribute towards improving the physical health.The therapeutic aspect of music can help in overcoming mental disorders like depression and even attacking the onset of certain malignant diseases.
At the ‘Institute for Music and Neurologic Function’ at the ‘Beth Abraham Family of Health Services’ in New York City, music therapy is an inherent part of the treatment of the Alzheimer’s patients; it helps them to remain calm and also assists in bringing improvement in their memories. At ‘Children’s Memorial Hospital’ in Chicago, board-certified music therapist Elizabeth Pociask puts music to a novel use for helping the new parents to calm their newly born kids.
It also helps in bringing calmness among the infants by distracting their minds from the thing which is upsetting them and putting them to sleep.
