Health Care

by Andrew Sims

Are your knees giving you problems?

If so, we can understand. At some point in almost everyone's life, they have had knee pain. Let's discuss some useful treatment options here. - This information can help.

The knee is one of the largest and most complicated joints in the human body. We use our knees for just about ever activity we perform. Even when we are sitting still, there can be pressure on the knee joint. Consequently, knee aches are nearly inevitable-and when the pain starts, knee ache remedies are a sought after commodity.

Many knee ache treatment options are not only helpful, but they are not invasive either. Each such remedy has its advantages and disadvantages. Some to consider are as follows:

1.) Ice/Heat: Ice therapy can be particularly helpful within the first 24 to 48 hours after a traumatic knee injury and there is swelling present, after which it is recommended that heat be applied instead (by some medical professionals). An ice pack can be applied to the area that is aching or swelling, but should never be applied directly to the skin, and should always be wrapped in a cloth or other protective covering. Similarly, with heat application, you should always have a protective layer between the skin and the heat source, making certain that the heat source is not hot enough to burn the skin underneath. When using heat, the temperature should be comfortably warm, but not hot enough to cause discomfort or redness over the area. However, whether using ice or heat, these knee ache remedies are temporary, and can be somewhat inconvenient. Ice and/or heat should be applied every 4 to 6 hours, and will not cure the underlying problem, but will only provide some degree of relief.

2.) Rest: Of course one of the most effective knee ache remedies is rest. Simply avoiding the activity that aggravates your knee aches may offer relief from the pain. However, this is not always a practical solution. The activity that aggravates your knee pain may be related to your job or other unavoidable obligation, and rest is simply not an option. Plus, the amount of rest you need may vary considerably depending upon the severity of the pain and, consequently, may not be a practical knee ache remedy depending upon your particular circumstances.

3.) Elevation: If you knee is swollen, then elevation may be one of the appropriate knee ache remedies to consider. Resting with your knee elevated helps reduce the swelling and the consequent ache. Again, though, this may not always be practical given your particular circumstances.

4.) Over-The-Counter Medication: Over-the-counter medication, such ibuprofen, acetaminophen or naproxen, may one of the knee ache remedies to consider. However, every mediation, even those sold over the counter, has side effects, and should be used sparingly, with caution. Since these types of medication likely provide only temporary relief, the temptation may be to overuse them, which, in the long run, may add to your problems.

5.) Knee Braces: Braces for the knee are one of the most helpful ways in which you can find long lasting support and pain reduction, when you need it. Supports for the knee are not hard to use, and come in a wide variety of styles to fit your particular needs. Even if the knee is swollen, many knee braces can be adjusted and re-adjusted accordingly, as the swelling diminishes. A knee brace helps to support the knee, helping to take the pressure and stress off of the joint and also helps keep the knee in a proper position, even when in use. Consequently, when used properly, a brace can help to significantly reduce your aches and pains for an extended period of time with no adverse side effects. Further, knee supports are convenient to use, readily available and relatively affordable.

If you think about it for a second, a knee support can be the answer for which you have been searching for... This might just be the turning point for you to help you get moving again with confidence and pain reduction in your very near future.

About the Author

If you have intense knee pain, then we can appreciate where you are coming from. Check us out online if you want to learn more about the knee or to find an affordable yet effective knee brace. Visit us online today at http://www.drbraceco.com

Dan Carlin

One of the most ridiculous fad diets ever invented is the cookie diet. In essence this diet claims that amino acids baked into cookies can control hunger.


Fad diets are short term diets in which people are to lose a lot of weight, and are popular because of their claims of great weight loss. Fad diets generally include some super food, like the cookie in the cookie diet, with miraculous weight loss properties. These diets rely on slick pitches that make it seem silly not to buy and try the diet.

Sanford Siegel created the cookie diet in 1975 while he was doing research for a nutrition book. To maintain the cookie diet people would eat six cookies a day, plus a regular dinner. People on the diet ate only 800 calories a day. The cookie diet exploded to 24 clinics around the world. In the middle 1980s over 200 doctors were prescribing Dr. Siegel's cookie diet in their own practices. The clever doctor came out with soups and shakes that also contained the amino acids needed to control hunger.

Later Hollywood grabbed the cookie diet. The diet benefited from the media efforts of all the stars who tried it to lose weight. Like the original cookie diet this Hollywood version replaced breakfast and lunch with cookies, then allowed a reasonable dinner. The four cookies allowed on this diet consisted of a combined 600 calories and various vitamins.

If you're thinking of the cookie diet take Donnie Brasco's advice – forget about it. If you want to lose weight, or maintain a healthy eating lifestyle, simply lower the amount of calories you eat from everyday foods and add some exercise. Forget miracle foods even if a star tells you to try them.

Please visit my website to find out more about the cookie and weight loss - you can also download your 3 FREE fat busting reports!

By:Graham Drage

Stem cells are cells found in most, if not all, multi-cellular organisms. They are the building blocks of the body which have the ability to renew themselves through mitotic cell division and differentiate into a diverse range of specialised cell types such as muscle or nerve cells. Scientists are learning how to 'tweak' stem cells so that they can be used to treat degenerative diseases etc.

When IVF was first announced it was frowned upon but now it is accepted as being a normal and fairly routine procedure. Given enough time to raise awareness of the benefits of stem cell therapy it is anticipated that, like IVF, it will become accepted practice. In fact, cell therapy is currently being used for the treatment of patients with leukaemia so already there is a certain level of public acceptance for this type of treatment.

Patient groups such as the Parkinson's Society are encouraging the use of stem cell therapy by the very nature of the disease itself. It is those people suffering from slowly degenerative diseases who are most likely to push for clinical trials in man. It may be too late to help them but they are keen to help treat subsequent sufferers with the aim of eradicating the disease altogether. In addition, we have an ageing population which is yet another reason why there is a greater demand for research into cell and organ replacement therapies.

The commercial aspect of stem cell therapy should not be overlooked. There are existing treatments which, in the future, could be replaced with stem cell therapy. For example, the current treatment for patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a 4 to 6 weekly injection in the diseased eye at a cost of £1,200 per injection. These injections could be replaced with the use of embryonic stem cells. A procedure which would take 40 minutes and last 2 to 3 years at an approximate cost of £5,000.[1] This one example demonstrates a considerable saving and most importantly, improvement to the patient's quality of life.

Stem cell activities are regulated by different professional bodies within the EU which has resulted in a somewhat fragmented approach with decisions having to be made on a national basis. This is time consuming, inefficient and costly. Currently there are proposals being debated in the European Parliament which, hopefully, will go some way to resolving this. It has taken many years to get to where we are today and it is likely to take at least another decade before we reach any level of true harmonisation.

Europe isn't on its own in having a fragmented approach to stem cell therapies. America's regulations vary considerably from State to State and under the Bush administration federal funding for stem cell medical research has been extremely limited. The new US President, Barack Obama, however, has stated that he will lift the restrictions imposed by President Bush. "I believe that the restrictions that President Bush has placed on funding of human embryonic stem cell research have handcuffed our scientists and hindered our ability to compete with other nations," he said. As president, Obama says he will guarantee that all research on stem cells is conducted "ethically and with rigorous oversight."[2] Europe is waiting to see what happens with Obama at the helm of the US because it is likely that whatever happens in America will also have an impact on regulations within the EEC.

In the meantime, it is important that we do not lose sight of the fact that the research and development of stem cell therapies has huge potential for human health. It took many years for IVF to become a normal part of our healthcare system. Given enough time to raise public awareness and to harmonise legal and regulatory systems, stem cell therapy will also become accepted treatment. In the transition phase regulatory compliance consultants like GRS continue to monitor and offer advice to organisations at the leading edge of healthcare technology.

[1] Source: Professor P Coffey, The London Project to Cure Blindness: Stemming Vision Loss with Stem Cells

[2] Source: San Francisco Chronicle, 29 November 2008

Greer Deal is the Founder and CEO of Global Regulatory Services Ltd. which has been created to offer regulatory advice and services to a wide range of industry sectors. Her website is www.globalregulatoryservices.com and she can be contacted on +44(0) 1353 774000.

Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_784536_17.html

By: Nathan Wei

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common conditions leading to disability and impaired quality of life in the Western world.

Ironically, while more effective disease-modifying therapies have been developed for rheumatoid arthritis, particularly within the last 10-15 years, rheumatologists still treat osteoarthritis with symptomatic and supportive therapies.

As a result, the inexorable progression of this disease results in the performance of more than half a million joint replacements annually in the United States. While joint replacement surgery has made gigantic strides, it is still a major surgical procedure.

Risk factors for the development of OA include: genetic factors, obesity, joint injury, surgery, and the presence of associated metabolic disease.

It is clear from the research that OA is a disease that involves not only the cartilage- the gristle that caps the end of long bones and cushions the joint, but also the synovium- the tissue lining the joint- as well as the bone that underlies cartilage.

While genetic factors play a significant role in the incidence of osteoarthritis, the damage that occurs is a result of a complex interaction of inflammatory messengers. Among these are cytokines, prostaglandins, nitric oxide, growth factors, and proteases.

These substances, which are produced by chondrocytes (cartilage cells) that are subjected to abnormal forces lead to a situation where there is premature aging and destruction of cartilage substance.

The production of these inflammatory proteins also contributes to inflammation of the synovium and excessive amounts of bone growth.

Present therapies, as issued by guidelines proposed by the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI), are clearly aimed at symptom relief. These treatments include: analgesics, non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), topical agents (“rubs”), and joint injections with either glucocorticoids (“cortisone”), or hylauronic acid lubricants.

Current research has been aimed at finding the triggers that cause inflammation to start and also to identify specific markers that might identify those patients who are at greatest risk for rapid progression of disease. These markers would also be useful in measuring improvement once newer drugs that can slow down disease progression in OA can be discovered.

However, all of these investigations are futile unless and until specific disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADS) – drugs that slow down the rate of cartilage loss- can be developed.

Drugs aimed at inhibiting cytokine and protease function show some promise but it is still too early to tell whether they will have the desired effect. Examples of these drugs include: matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors, drugs that block interleukin 1, bisphosphonates, calcitonin, as well as nutritional supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin.

And it may not be enough to find drugs that simply slow disease progression.

The “holy grail” is still the treatment(s) that will rebuild cartilage. The type of therapy that shows the greatest promise to date is the use of autologous stem cells. These are stem cells harvested from the patient and reintroduced into the affected joint along with a specific matrix to which the stem cells can adhere and grow.

Early results look promising. For more information about stem cell treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee, contact the Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center of Maryland at (301) 694-5800

About the Author
Nathan Wei, MD FACP FACR is a nationally known, board-certified rheumatologist. For more info: Arthritis Treatment and Tendonitis Treatment Tips