The toes burn and tingle and sharp pains shoot into your legs. The bed sheets feel uncomfortable on the feet as you toss and turn, trying to get some rest. Your feet felt numb throughout the day, but now feel like they are on fire. Nothing seems to help as you watch the hours on the clock pass by, hoping to fall asleep.

Burning, numbness, tingling, hot and cold sensations, shooting and electrical pain are common sensations felt at rest in painful peripheral neuropathy. Neuropathy is an abnormality of the nervous system. There are many different types of neuropathy, but the most common neuropathy effecting diabetics is peripheral neuropathy.

Diabetic neuropathy is described as a loss of sensation that starts in the tips of the toes and gradually works its way up the legs, and in severe case into the hands. It is sometimes referred to as a stocking glove neuropathy because it progresses as if one was pulling on a stocking.

Sixty percent of diabetics have some type of neuropathy in their feet. Five percent of diabetics will experience painful diabetic neuropathy and the incidence increases with age. Over 45% of individuals who have had diabetes for over 25 years will experience some symptoms of painful diabetic neuropathy.

The cause of diabetic neuropathy is not clearly understood. Many believe that the damage to the small vessels surrounding the nerves, from the diabetes, causes damage to the nerves. Others believe the increase in blood sugar causes damage to the nerves. Despite the different theories, studies have shown better blood sugar control helps prevent progression of the neuropathy.

There are currently no treatments to help reverse diabetic neuropathy. There are no treatments which help reduce the numbness. But, there are many treatments to help decrease the pain associated with the neuropathy.

Your doctor may prescribe medications to help with the pain. There are many options, but until recently none were FDA approved for the treatment of painful neuropathy. Cymbalta®, duloxetine HCl, was recently approved by the FDA in September of 2004 for use in diabetic peripheral neuropathy at doses of 60 and 120 mg per day. This is the first drug approved for this use. Similar medications, like amitriptyline, desipramine and nortriptyline, have been used to help decrease pain and help with sleep.

Gabapentin, also known as Neurontin®, has been a successful treatment for painful diabetic neuropathy. Neurontin® was originally approved by the FDA for adjunctive use in seizures, but the benefits of this drug for other conditions, like neuropathy, soon became known. The manufacturers of Neurontin® were caught up in a controversy regarding their marketing tactics for this off label use. Many physicians still use this drug despite the controversy. Tegretol and Dilantin, common seizure medications, can be used in more severe cases. New treatments include lidocaine 5% cream, acetyl-L-canitine, nerve growth factor and Annodyne ®, infrared therapy.

To help treat painful peripheral neuropathy without prescription medications, consider the following tips:

1. Keep your blood sugar in control: Studies have shown that when blood sugars remain high, or roller coaster from high to low, peripheral neuropathy will worsen.

2. Exercise. This is probably the last thing you wanted to hear. Exercise helps increase circulation and stimulates the growth of new vessels which help slow the progression of the neuropathy. Exercising also helps to increase your pain threshold and to provide a distraction from the nerve pain in your feet.

3. Eat healthy. Besides helping to control your blood sugar, eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables will add anti-oxidants to your diet. Anti-oxidants will combat the damaging oxidative effects glucose has on your nerves. In particular, try dark-green, leafy vegetables, yellow, orange, and red fruits and vegetables, citrus fruits and tomatoes.

4. Try red pepper powder. Capsaicin is the active ingredient in chile peppers. When applied to the feet it acts as a counter-irritant and can help decrease neuropathic pain. Capsaicin can be purchased at your local drug store. If you cannot afford capsaicin, try mixing 1 tablespoon of dry chile powder with 2 tablespoons of baby powder. Place the mixture in a sock and use the socks at night.

5. Try alpha lipoic acid. ALA is an effective anti-oxidant that has been shown to relieve pain associated with neuropathy in multiple studies. To help relieve pain, the dose must be at least 600mg a day. It is advisable to start with a lower dose, as higher doses can cause nausea, stomach upset, fatigue, insomnia and can lower blood sugar. In general, ALA is a safe supplement.

6. Try gamma linolenic acid. GLA is an essential fatty acid found in evening primrose oil. Most of the studies have shown modest results, but the possibilities are still encouraging. Take 360mg/day. Many indications require higher dosages, but side effects with long term use at higher doses may include inflammation, thrombosis (blood clots), or decreased immune system functioning.

Treating painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy is very difficult and many of the above mentioned therapies should be tried and combined. Don’t expect any “cures” and make sure you give each therapy a chance to work.

Christine Dobrowolski is a podiatrist and the author of Those Aching Feet: Your Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment of Common Foot Problems. To learn more about Dr. Dobrowolski and her book visit skipublishing.com/ SkiPublishing. To learn more about diabetic foot care visit northcoastfootcare.com NorthcoastFootcare/diabetes

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Tags: diabetic, diet, sensations, sleep

Train yourself in Psychosexual skills for checking Premature Ejaculation

The following is an example of psychosexual skills training, you could follow with your partner, for treatment of Premature Ejaculation

You should start with your partner with about half an hour of lying around naked in a relaxed manner. During this time don’t involve in sexual act. Just relax, talk to each other, focus on your own sensations.

Then lie on your back as your partner caress your genitals and helps you gain an erection, if you’re not having it already. Take care not to reach too high on sensation. Control is everything.

Slowly begin the intercourse, The crucial part to take care of during intercourse, is to learn to Relax your Pelvic Muscle. When you are ready to begin intercourse, be sure your pelvic muscle (PM) is relaxed. You need to keep it in relaxed state during the intercourse. If you allow your PM to tighten, which usually happens due to reflex, you are going for an early ejaculation. Relaxing the PM muscle, especially during insertion will offer some reserve.

Keep the Pelvic Muscle relaxed while you insert in vagina slowly. Once inside, simply rest, enjoying the warmth and closeness. Focus on the pleasure in your penis. Do not move. It usually takes 10-15 minutes of resting in vagina for your penis to Get Acclimitized to warmth and sensousness, however this may vary between 7 to 25 minutes for individuals.

Wait calmly expecting to reach the physical pleasure ’saturation point’ where your penis acclimitizes to the warmth and sensuousness of your partner’s vagina. Move only minimally to maintain your erection.

Remain passive alternating your attention between maintaining Pelvic Muscle relaxation and focusing on the pleasure in your penis. It is important to focus on your senses rather than worrying about ejaculation throughout this step.

After reaching this point of acclimitization, you can begin to move slowly for more intense pleasure while you maintain ejaculatory control. You can enjoy at least fifteen minutes of relaxed intercourse then feel free to choose to ejaculate. Rest for a moment to catch your breath, then stay with your partner and pleasure her in whatever ways she prefers.

Continuing this exercise for a number of days, may be very helpful in treating your Premature Ejaculation. Not only this, you will get to learn to be intimate and more comfortable with your partner. This requires a great help from your partner, so involve her in discussion before beginning this exercise and explain the benefits.

Author is a Clinical Psychiatrist, practising in New Delhi, India. You can contact her mailto:doctor@nature-ally.com here.

Did this information help you, then visit our site for more information on
Natural remedies and cures for Premature Ejaculation.

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Tags: sensations

Malignant hypertension is the most serious form of hypertension and is a progressive rise in the blood pressure and rapidly leads to organ failure.

If not properly treated malignant hypertension is generally fatal within five years and death usually comes from kidney failure, heart failure or brain hemorrage.

Fortunately this form of hypertension is rare.

Malignant hypertension affects about 1% of those people already suffering with high blood pressure and more commonly affects persons of African descent, as well as those who smoke. It is also known to occur in younger people (even children), and also in women with toxemia of pregnancy.

Malignant hypertension is defined as high blood pressure with swelling of the optic nerve and is diagnosed by the presence of advanced retinopathy in the presence of a diastolic blood pressure of over 120 mm Hg.

Often times these symptoms are also accompanied with trouble or damage of other organs, kidneys, blood vessals, the spleen, heart or even the brain.

There is usually an increase in the blood pressure often for no apparent reason. As it is very difficult to reduce the blood pressure, it can and will cause the vital organs of the body irreparable harm.

Those suffering from malignant hypertension may also complain of

• Confusional periods
• Decreased urinary output
• Headaches
• Vomiting
• Abnormal sensations to the arms, legs and other areas
• Some visual problems
• Change in their mental state, ability to think and concentrate
• Restlessness and anxiety
• Decreased alertness and extreme fatigue
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath and cough

Any treatment given to a person suffering with malignant hypertension, should be given carefully as a sudden decrease in the blood pressure from very high levels can be just as dangerous as a blood pressure kept at a consistently high level.

Malignant blood pressure should be decreased (if possible) gradually over a period of at least a week with very carefully prescribed anti hypertensive drugs. Complete bed rest is also often prescribed to ensure complete rest is taken.

If it is treated correctly malignant hypertension can be controlled without any further complications. However those cases that are not correctly treated have often die within 5 years.

Mike Herman Is a Successful Webmaster and Publisher of 4HealthConcerns.com . He Has More For You About 4HealthConcerns.com/BloodPressure/hypertension-symptoms.html Hypertension Symptoms And Help In 4HealthConcerns.com/BloodPressure/how-to-lower-blood-pressure.html Lowering Your Blood Pressure That You Can Research While Relaxing at Home in Your Pajamas

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While the cause of fibromyalgia is not agreed upon in the medical community, belief that it derives from an oxygen metabolism dysfunction is mounting. The various proposed hypotheses about fibromyalgia’s origin are varied, ranging from an infectious viral agent to a sleep disorder to an emotional disturbance. From an atomic perspective, the smallest building blocks of life, all of the proposed theories behind fibromyalgia genesis can be understood. A system that isn’t metabolizing oxygen (the basis of life) properly, can manifest as fibromyalgia through each of the proposed causes.

Humans metabolize oxygen from air, food and water to create energy and fuel all body processes. According to some experts, impaired oxygen metabolism is the molecular basis of fibromyalgia’s primary symptoms (muscular pain, fatigue and concentration difficulties). Specifically, oxygen poorly metabolized causes fatigue and pain in muscles, memory disruption in the brain and impaired function of all of our body’s cells.

One aspect of this metabolic dysfunction occurs from oxidation’s creation of unstable molecules, also called free radicals. Oxidation is the loss of electrons occurring when oxygen breaks down a substance excessively. A natural process, oxidation is witnessed in our environment when iron rusts and fruit rots. In the human body, the damage incurred from free radicals contributes to aging and the development and perpetuation of chronic disease. Thus, preventing oxidative stress can significantly reduce fibromyalgia’s symptoms.

As published in Rheumatology International, researchers from Turkey studied 85 women with fibromyalgia and compared them to 80 healthy women, matched for age, weight and height. Each woman’s cellular damage by free radicals was evaluated. The results demonstrated that the women with fibromyalgia had significantly higher levels of cellular oxidation, compared to the controls.

Antioxidants can prevent cellular oxidation by scavenging (destroying) the unstable molecules before they wreck havoc. Though seemingly simple, incorporating antioxidants from the food supply or with nutritional supplementation can stop and prevent further cellular damage. Protecting the integrity of muscle and brain cells can end the fibromyalgia cycle of pain, fatigue and impaired concentration. Clinicians everywhere are recognizing this connection, and are prescribing various forms of antioxidant therapy to their clients with fibromyalgia.

Another aspect of oxygen metabolism dysfunction is a lack of available oxygen. Steps can be taken to increase oxygen’s availability for proper body functioning, although the reason behind its deficiency is currently unknown. An undisputed fact about fibromyalgia is the spectrum of breathing difficulties seen in people with this syndrome. Whether insufficiently drawing in breath or experiencing “oxygen hunger,” many individuals with fibromyalgia can’t seem to get enough air. Often physicians will
recommend avoidance of high-altitude locations to patients with fibromyalgia, due to the decreased availability of oxygen in these locations.

Decreased or inhibited blood flow means less oxygen can be delivered to the muscles, causing muscular fatigue and subsequent pain and stiffness. Occurring both in the skin above tender points and in the extremities, sensations of cold go hand-in-hand with a fibromyalgia diagnosis. It is no surprise that people with fibromyalgia typically have a general intolerance to cold temperatures. A decrease in local surface temperature can be the direct result of an absence of oxygen in the body’s blood supply.

Recent studies have confirmed that aerobic exercise benefits individuals with fibromyalgia. The connection between oxygen metabolic dysfunction and exercise is the increase of available oxygen in the body created with physical exertion. A study published in Arthritis and Rheumatology demonstrated that individuals with fibromyalgia improved their health-quality of life and strengthened their lower extremities following exercise in waist-high warm water. This specific type of physical activity is ideal for oxygen deficiency, because the activity increases muscular blood flow endogenously, while the warm temperature invigorates blood flow exogenously.

While fibromyalgia remains a complex, somewhat mysterious disorder, seeing the problem on the most essential of levels can shed light onto future treatments. Most of us take for granted the way in which our body metabolizes oxygen. However, evidence and logic suggest this very process we take for granted may be at fault in fibromyalgia syndrome. The good news is that something can be done about it, without medications or surgery. Preventing free radical oxidation can be accomplished by including a wide range of antioxidants in one’s diet. Increasing blood flow, and thus oxygen to all parts of the body occur with aerobic exercise and warm water immersion.
While these ideas may not be new, now everyone understands why they are so effective at reducing fibromyalgia’s symptoms.

References:

Ali, M, Ali O., Fibromyalgia: An oxidative-dysoxygenative disorder (ODD), J Integrative Medicine, 1999; 3:17-37.

Bagis S, Tamer L, Sahin G, Bilgin R, Guler H, Ercan B, Erdogan C., Free radicals and antioxidants in primary fibromyalgia: an oxidative stress disorder?, Rheumatol Int, Dec 20, 2003.

Gusi N, Tomas-Carus P, Hakkinen A, Hakkinen K, Ortega-Alonso A., Warm Water Exercise Decreases Pain, Strengthens FM Patients in Study, Arthritis Rheum. 2006 Feb;55(1):66-73.

Lund, N., Bengtsson A, Thorborg P., Muscle tissue oxygen pressure in primary fibromyalgia, Scand J Rheumatol. 1986; 15(2): 165-73.

www.majidali.com, Ali, M. Seven Aspects of Oxygen and Oxidation.

This article was prepared for fibromanage.com FibroManage.com. Visit us to learn more about fibromanage.com/symptoms.htm fibromyalgia, its symptoms and fibromanage.com/selfhelp.htm self help options.

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