Parsteiner Blog

Archive for June, 2009

Allergies is a condition which affect thousands of people in the world. One of them could be your friend or loved one. Imagine how sad it is when you took time to carefully choose the perfect gift for your loved ones, only to learn soon after that your gift just trigger a bad case of allergy for him/ her. The last thing you want is to spoil someone’s joy just because you did not take his/her allergy into consideration when buying gifts. Here are some tips and ideas for buying gift for someone who are prone to allergies. Your loved ones will appreciate the extra thought that goes into buying a gift for them.

(1)Toys for children

Stuffed toys are the favorites among children but they can be dangerous to the allergy prone. When buying toys for children with allergies, you have to be extra careful. These are some of the things you should bear in mind:

Avoid stuffed animals with real fur as fur is more prone to dust and mold. A safer choice is to choose stuffed animals with polyester filling that is easy to wash and dry. Avoid latex toys. Latex allergy is becoming more common recently and may even fatal in more severe cases.
Wooden and metal toys are a safer choice. Wooden toys are recommended for children with allergies as they do not collect dust or mold, thus are not a suitable breeding ground for dust mite . Some toys are certified as asthma friendly. Get these toys instead.

(2) Products for cleaner indoor air

A good quality vacuum cleaner that contains a true HEPA filter. A true HEPA filter captures over 99.9% of dust mites, pollens and ragweed. Controlling the humidity level in the home is important to anyone with respiratory sensitivities as well as skin disorder such as eczema. A good way to know what the current level is is through a hygrometer. Even those with allergies can enjoy the soft romantic glow of candles with Solar powered rechargeable candles that are soot free.

For someone with a green thumb, a plant ‘watering’ meter would come in handy to help reduce the chance of over watering plants that often leads to mould growth. A carbon monoxide detector placed near fireplaces, space heaters and garages, is a great gift and could save lives.

(3) If you are buying jewelry for someone with allergies, you have to be aware if the jewelry will trigger a reaction. Nickel is known to cause a reaction for those with eczema and psoriasis. Look for nickel free jewelry to be on the safe side.

(4) Conventional skin care products often contains chemicals which are too harsh for sensitive skin and might cause an allergy reactions. A totally natural skin care set made from only the purest organic ingredients is a great gift for someone who is prone to skin allergies.

(5)For those who have dairy allergies, a soy, rice or almond milk maker is a great gift. Soy, rice or almond milk have the same goodness as dairy and with the milk maker, one can enjoy the fresh non dairy milk as well as use it for baking and cooking. Soyquick soy milk maker is recommended as it can be used to make, not only soy milk, but rice, almond, and oat milk.

(6) Juicing is a great way to detoxify the body, and many believe large intake of fresh organic juice helps to relieve allergy symptoms. What can you get fresher juice than juice you make yourself? A powerful, easy to clean and handy juicer might be just what your loved one needs.

(7) Allergy free linens, covers or bedding

Down feather bedding is recommended for people with allergies as it is actually less allergenic than synthetic ones. Choose those which offers anti-microbial shield to protect against bacteria, mold, dust mites, pollen and mildew. The range of comforters and bedding from Allergy Shield is Allergist Recommended & Medically Evaluated, thus can be safely used. It can prevent symptoms of asthma, nasal allergy, sinusitis and eczema.

Dust mite protective covers for pillows, mattresses and box springs are also an excellent gift for those who are allergic to dust mites. Many individuals with asthma also have other conditions such as eczema, a skin condition that is made worse when in contact with some fabrics, such as wool. Cotton clothing and bedding is always a good choice for people with eczema.

(8)Books

Allergies and AsthmaBooks are great for books lovers. There are many great books on coping life with allergies. One of which should be in every home is Jeffrey C. May’s My House Is Killing Me!: The Home Guide for Families with Allergies and Asthma.

Allergies are very common nowadays. Eventhough a person is allergy prone, it does not mean he or she deserves the right to celebrate any occasion like any normal person. It only take a little extra thought and considerations to avoid potential problems. I hope these allergy free gift buying tips have given you some valuable ideas of buying the perfect gift for your loved ones.

There are a lot of men from all parts of the globe who are continuing their fight against male impotence. Also known as erectile dysfunction, this condition is characterized by man’s inability to sustain an erection during sexual intercourse. When this happens, it won’t only cause you shame, but it could possibly hurt you and your partner’s relationship. Today, there are a number of male sex pills that you can try to fight male impotence. Some of the more effective ones are Viagra and Cialis but there are some alternatives like horny goat weed, maca or safed musli.

Viagra is a male sex pill that you can only purchase with a prescription while safed musli is a non-prescription herbal medicine. Safed musli is recommended for those people who want all natural ingredients and abhor synthetic drugs. Because this male sex pill contains only natural ingredients, there are no known side effects upon taking the drug.

Even before Pfizer invented Viagra, ancient people already found their way of treating male impotence. The main ingredients of safed musli are 25 different alkaloids, vitamins and minerals. All these components can increase a person’s sex drive, endurance, and mental clarity. Safed musli it’s a time tested ayurvedic aphrodisiac.

Safed musli basically works by unleashing a man’s testosterone, which is the key player in achieving a good erection. Testosterone release can increase a person’s sex drive and endurance in bed. This herbal Viagra is also known to be adaptogen, a component that can effectively regulate one’s level of enzymes and hormones making the male genitalia to function properly. This medicine can also alleviate depression and tiredness.

For any kind of male sex pills to work, you should be able to leave a healthier lifestyle and cut on your vices. Did you know that a cigarette smoke is more likely to acquire male impotence than a non-smoker? Aside from avoiding cigarettes, it would be best to avoid taking prohibited drugs. Take less alcoholic drinks. Eat healthy foods and take a sleep whenever you feel tired. Getting regular exercise can also increase your endurance in bed.

It also recommended to abstain from sexual intercourse for 3-5 days. This way, you can increase your semen count and improve semen potency but remember that prolonged abstinence is not good for the body. Eating vitamin-c enriched foods and fruits like orange and lemons can improve the condition of your sperm cells. Drinking lots and lots of water can also do wonders for your over-all performance and health.

Failure to obtain biopsies during endoscopy misses important treatable intestinal conditions

Thousands of people are undergoing endoscopic exams daily without having tissue samples obtained. Sadly, though their exams may visually appear normal, under the microscope there are often microscopic findings that explain the symptoms that will respond to directed therapy. The gut is lined with superficial cells that contain a few immune cells that release chemical mediators that attract other cells to the area and fight off foreign invaders.

Several cells only seen microscopically play a role in digestive symptoms


Lymphocytes, eosinophils and mast cells are the immune cells that are normally present in small numbers in the surface cells of the gastrointestinal tract. A few lymphocytes are present in the tips of the surface cells that are a type of epithelial cell. These lymphocytes act as the body’s scouts. They survey the barrier of the gut to the inside of the body, looking for signs of potential invading infectious agents. Once an attack is perceived, they signal reinforcements to join them on the front lines.

Lymphocytes are immune cells detected early in celiac disease and cause bowel symptoms

When persistent increased numbers of lymphocytes are present in the surface cells, a chronic inflammatory condition of the gut exists. In the duodenum, autoimmune reaction to gluten in genetically susceptible individuals is a common but frequently missed cause of chronic inflammation known more commonly as celiac disease or Sprue.

Eosinophils and mast cells are allergy cells that cause bowel inflammation often due to food



Eosinophils and mast cells are types of immune cells involved in allergy reactions in the body. They are less commonly present in the gastrointestinal lining except when there are parasites, food allergies, or chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders are less common and a newly recognized condition, mastocytic enterocolitis, is diagnosed when excess mast cells are present in the small bowel and colon. However, mast cells may be difficult to see on biopsies without a special stain for tryptase, an enzyme present in mast cells that are immunologically activated.

Allergic esophagus condition may mimic reflux but is due to food and eosinophils

The esophagus normally contains no eosinophils. The two exceptions gastroesophageal acid reflux in which small numbers, up to 6-7 usually and no more than 10-12 per high power field (40X magnification) are found in the lower esophagus only not in the mid or upper esophagus. Allergic eosinophilic esophagitis is diagnosed when 15 or more eosinophils per high power field are found in more than two fields or more than 20 to 24 per high power field in one field are seen or lesser numbers are present in the upper esophagus. Mast cells that are activated have also been found associated with allergic eosinophilic esophagitis and their presence supports allergic esophagitis over reflux as the cause of the increase eosinophils though it is believed some people have both conditions coexisting.

Allergy and immune cells in the stomach and intestines found microscopically cause symptoms

In the stomach and small intestine more than 10 eosinophils per high power field defines eosinophilic gastroenteritis. In the small intestine and colon more than 20 mast cells per high power field found in association with otherwise unexplained diarrhea is now termed mastocytic enterocolitis. This newly recognized and described entity is previously unrecognized cause of diarrhea in some patients diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome who may have been told they have a normal colon exam though no biopsies were done. Similarly, more than 20 lymphocytes per 100 epithelial cells in the colon are found in lymphocytic colitis, another form of microscopic inflammation of the intestine resulting in diarrhea that may be inappropriately diagnosed as IBS.


Gluten grains wheat, barley and rye cause increased lymphocytes with normal blood tests



In many of these patients, gluten sensitivity is to blame and the lymphocytic colitis is felt to represent a colonic form of celiac disease. In celiac disease, 30 or more lymphocytes in the tips of the villi per 100 epithelial cells is the earliest sign of gluten injury occurring before the villi become flattened or blunted. This finding may noted before the specific blood tests, anti-endomysial (EMA) and anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTG) antibodies appear in the blood even though the intestine is damaged enough to result in nutrient malabsorption and diarrhea. Anti-gliadin antibodies are often present however when significant intra-epithelial lymphocytosis is present along with symptoms that respond to gluten free diet. Lesser degrees of intra-epithelial lymphocytosis have been proposed as highly suggestive of early celiac disease and or gluten sensitivity, in the range of 20-25 per 100 epithelial cells.

Colon can be affected early with microscopic signs only



In the colon, the presence of eosinophils is considered one of the earliest findings of chronic inflammatory bowel disease. In the right colon more than 20 eosinophils per high power field and in the left colon greater than 20 per high power field is considered abnormal and suggests eosinophilic colitis, chronic inflammatory bowel disease or a parasitic infection.

Allergy cells release chemicals causing pain, diarrhea, and sometimes constipation

Eosinophils and mast cells release chemicals that irritate the bowel, increase permeability (cause leaky gut), increase contractions of the gut, increase intestinal secretions and heighten pain. Both cells are related to allergies including food allergies. It is therefore not difficult to conceive of a link to adverse food reactions in the development of intestinal irritation.

Most digestive symptoms should be evaluated by scope examination and blood tests


The important point to be aware of if you have gastrointestinal symptoms and are undergoing or have undergone an endoscopic examination is that a normal appearing intestinal lining does not exclude the presence of damage or irritation sufficient to cause symptoms of pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea nor exclude impaired digestion and absorption. Blood tests exist that can help screen for celiac disease, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis but biopsies of intestinal lining is usually required for definitive diagnosis.

Normal appearing gut lining may not be normal, make sure you get biopsies

Only through obtaining tissue samples that are examined under the microscope can abnormal types and number of inflammatory cells be identified. It is through biopsies of normal appearing intestinal lining that the correct diagnosis of various microscopic forms of gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases is confirmed. So, if you are preparing to undergo an endoscopic exam, I encourage you to insist that your doctor perform biopsies even they believe your exam looks normal. Based on the information I have reviewed above, a normal exam should be tip off that one of these microscopic conditions might be to blame for your symptoms.

References:

Al-Haddad S, and Ridell RH. “The role of eosinophils in inflammatory bowel disease.” Gut 2005; 54:1674-1675.

Guilarte M et al. “Diarrhoea-predominant IBS patients show mast cell activation and hyperplasia in the jejunum.” Gut 2007; 56:203-209.

Jakarte S et al. “Mastocytic enterocolitis. “Increased mucosal mast cells in chronic intractable diarrhea.” Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2006; 130:362-367.

Kirsch R et al. “Activated mucosal mast cells differentiate eosinophilic (allergic) esophagitis from gastroesophageal reflux disease.” Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 2007; 44: 20-26.

Liacouras CA. “Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders.” Practical Gastroenterology March 2007. 53-67.

Rubio CA et al. “Lymphocytic esophagitis: a histologic subset of chronic esophagitis.” Am J Clin Pathol. 2006; 125(3): 432-437.

Yousef MM et al. “Duodenal intraepithelial lymphocytes in disorders of the esophagus and stomach.” Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2006; 4:631-634.

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According to many oral surgeons, selective dental implant failure may be a consequence of bacteria collecting in a patient’s jawbone prior to the implant surgery. The bacteria will lie dormant until the implant is actually inserted, when the surgeon screwing the implant rod releases them into the bone and gum tissue around the implant site.

If all the other implants being done at the same time are placed in germ-free bone tissue, they will heal rapidly and with no inflammation or infection. But the implant placed in the germ-infested bone will refuse to heal, and will sooner or later fail.

Dental Implant Rejection

Implant injection, on the other hand, has nothing to do with the condition of a patient’s jawbone. Titanium is the metal used in implants, because it is an inert metal which will almost never cause negative side effects when implanted in human tissue, and has been used for hip replacements for almost four decades. As long as the titanium from which implants are made is pure, it will cause neither allergies not rejection.

There is a chance of a titanium dental becoming contaminated before it leaves the factory, however, even though all companies which make implants are required to adhere to FDA-mandated quality control and sanitation procedures. It could also be exposed to unsanitary conditions either in the dentist’s office or during the implant surgery, in spite of the high sanitation standards to which we expect oral surgeons to adhere.

Minimizing Your Risk Of Dental Implant Failure
Regardless of why a dental failure occurs, symptoms that failure is occurring will usually surface soon after the implant procedure. If you’ve recently had a implant and are having what you think is excessive bleeding or pain, tell your dentist immediately.

But anyone recovering from dental surgery is responsible for following his or her dentist’s instructions regarding followup care. The dentist will certainly provide explicit instructions on how to maintain the new implant, and it is critical that the patient follow them.

If, however, an individual sticks to the care regimen provided and still experiences inflammation and swelling at the implant site, there is a possibility that the implant has become infected.

One other possible cause of dental implant failure is improper positioning of the implant. When an implant is not correctly situated it will be stressed when the patient chews. (Anyone who grinds his or her teeth while asleep may not be good candidates for dental surgery, although using a mouth guard t night will usually eliminate this problem.

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Because of the need and use of regular food and liquids, your digestive system is in constant use. The tube from your mouth to your stomach is known as the esophagus. When you eat or drink food products, they go through this tube where breakdown of food begins. Acid and pepsin are released in the stomach once the food is swallowed and reaches its destination in that area. The acid and pepsin then help the body to break down the food and digest it. The problem starts when this acid is pushed up from the stomach to the esophagus and begins to cause deterioration.

If a problem, such as indigestion, should occur in the digestive tract, it is not uncommon for people to ignore and neglect the warning signs, thus avoiding treatment of what could be a very serious problem. Often, they will use some type of home remedial treatment in order to treat the problems. The problem with this is that a very common digestive disease becomes neglected. That disease is acid reflux or heartburn. When the esophagus is irritated by those stomach acids that are pushed up into the esophagus, erosion of tissues occurs. This erosion, usually in the lower esophagus and upper stomach, is what is known as acid reflux disease or Gastroenteral Regurgitation Disease (GERD).

Acid reflux disease (GERD) is only one of many kinds of digestive diseases commonly known as “heartburn.” There are specific symptoms that will help you determine whether or not you have acid reflux or “GERD.”

If you have a “searing” sensation in the digestive tract, you have one of the most common symptoms of GERD. This sensation can often be felt in the throat or the chest. Other common symptoms are hoarseness, an acrid taste in the mouth, bitterness or sourness in the mouth, frequent coughing and wheezing.

There are some special characteristics that can help indicate the existence of GERD. One of them is the presence of pain or that “searing” sensation when one is lying down or just bending over. If this should occur, try to sleep on the back with the head elevated. Some people claim that physical activity and exercise help diminish acid reflux over time. The vast majority of people simply use antacids which can be helpful in the short term but medical help should be sought to address the long-term effects of acid reflux. GERD symptoms are often mistaken for symptoms of heart attack and any type of chest pain should be investigated medically.

Acid reflux disease is not a disease of old or middle aged people. It can occur with all age groups, including infants and small children. While some infants can have acid reflux, it is not common and often dissapates as the child matures. In adults, the GERd is usually caused by poor diet, lack of physical activity or inactive lifestyle.

Acid reflux could also be caused by other factors. Pregnancy is a common time to see acid reflux because during this time women tend to have large increases in their levels of hormones and the stomach has pressure on it from the fetus. Another reason for acid reflux is extreme obesity. The intake of some acidic beverages, overeating or even some medicines can cause acid reflux disease.

An investigation into the causes of acid reflux-like symptoms should be undertaken if a person believes that he or she may have acid reflux disease. Prevention is the most effective means of avoiding acid reflux. This means that a person who suffers from GERD should attempt to change lifestyles to one that is more healthy.

Because acid reflux is most often caused by poor diet, it is obviously to one’s benefit to change to a proper nutritional diet in order to aid in the eradication of acid reflux. If the diet is usually a spicy, high fat diet, the chances of acid reflux are much greater. An acid reflux problem can lead to much more serious problems such as advanced respiratory difficulties or liver problems, therefore, it would certainly behoov anyone to visit their health care professional and determine whether or not they have acid reflux and make a plan to rid themselves of this painful and irritating condition.

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After having a total hip replacement there are strict precautions that must be followed to prevent dislocating the hip. Prior to surgery your surgeon may have discussed these with you but for the most part they will not come into discussion until you have either gone through a joint replacement pre-operative class, or have begun your physical therapy.

There are three cardinal rules that are followed in rehabilitation of your total hip replacement.

1. Do not cross your legs.

2. Do not bend at the hips past 90 degrees

3. Do not turn your affected foot inward or internally rotate your hip.

There may be several others that are mentioned during your rehabilitation, but these are the three main precautions that will always be discussed. These precautions are generally followed for the first six weeks after surgery however, you want to discuss that with your orthopedic surgeon as they may have you follow these precautions longer.

By following the above precautions you can be assured that you are reducing the chances of a dislocation. When sitting be sure that you also are sitting in a chair that does not rock or move in any way. Be sure that the seat height does not allow you to sink deep enough that your knees rest or in other words are higher then your hips. If you find your knees higher then your hips you are breaking the 90 degree plain.

Do not cross your legs when you are sitting. this something that is easy to do. Now in my estimation the leg you want to avoid crossing is the leg and hip that were operated on. Nursing or doctors will tell you to avoid crossing either leg due to the possibility of compromising blood circulation in your lower extremities however and this is a good rule to follow. If you cross the leg and hip that were operated on then dislocation is possible. Crossing the strong leg over the operated leg will not result in dislocation.

Avoid turning your operated leg inward to where your foot is turned inward as well. By internally turning your foot this movement is generated at the hip causing the possibility of dislocation.
This is easily done when you are walking for instance and when turning while using a walker or cane, you pivot on the affected leg instead of picking it up. When you pivot on the affected leg you will in turn internally rotate the hip possibility causing the head if the femur to jump out of the socket.

Now for the most part I have found it takes two of the three precautions to be broken at once before dislocation will take place but this is not a hard fast rule either. This will depend on the integrity of the surrounding soft tissue around the hip and the type of hip prosthesis used.

The first six weeks of your rehabilitation will be vital to strengthen the surrounding muscles, tendons, and ligaments so that they will do their job in supporting the hip joint and locking in the prosthesis.

There are roughly 250,000 or more hip replacements done a year in the US, the dislocation rate is somewhere between 1-3%. Dislocation is something not to be fearful of but to respect during the rehabilitation process.

Check with your surgeon for the exact time frame to follow the precautions then once that time has expired and the hip sufficiently healed, you will be back to living the life you expected and deserve pain free at last.

Richard Haynes
Punta Gorda, Florida