Conditions + Treatments

You are probably most familiar with polarized light in terms of polarized sunglasses. These moderately high-end glasses filter out light and reduce glare, and are extremely popular with sport fishermen and other water-based professionals because they make it easier to see through and around water even when it is sunny. If you have a pair of polarized sunglasses, they probably seem to work almost like magic. In fact, however, they only allow polarized light to meet your eyes.

Motor skills can be broken down into two different areas: gross and fine motor skills. An example of fine motor skills is hand to eye coordination. Picking up small objects with your hands is a fine motor skill. Examples of gross motor skills would be balancing on your feet when walking and walking itself. When these motor skills are corrupted due to fatigue or deterioration, there are exercises to strengthen them back.

Aromatherapy, the use of herbal essential oils, is a natural, inexpensive way to get rid of cellulite. Why choose aromatherapy for cellulite removal, rather than the vast range of commercial cellulite treatments? Because, while these commercial products may help improve the appearance of the affected area, they may do little for cellulite reduction. And, they are expensive! Rather than those costly treatments, aromatherapy essential oils smell heavenly and also possess powerful compounds that can help with cellulite removal.

Traditional hot stone therapy involves placing and gliding various sizes of basalt stones along the spine, shoulders and neck to promote deep relaxation and trigger the natural healing process. Hot stone therapy is typically performed as part of a Swedish or deep tissue massage service, and it offers several health and wellness benefits.

Primary neurons are a type of motor neurons within the spinal cord that are responsible for sending messages and information to the brain regarding other areas of the body. These neurons sense somatosensory information and pass this information along to other neurons. They play a fundamental role in the body’s overall health. The structure, location and functions of the neuron all contribute to its overall importance within the body.

Valerian is an herbal remedy used as a mild sedative for treatment of sleep disorders, restlessness and anxiety. You can grow Valerian in your garden and enjoy the sweet smell of the blossoms until it is time to harvest the roots. Here is how to gather, clean, dry and store Valerian root for medicinal use.

A pulled muscle is a common athletic injury. It is caused by overworking a muscle or not sufficiently warming your muscles prior to a workout causing them to stretch or tear. Though this a very painful condition, it is easily treated at home with common household items. If you promptly begin treatment you can minimize the pain and the amount of time it takes to heal.

Kidneys filter and remove waste and excess water from the blood, regulating the composition, volume, and pH of body fluids. Water softeners work by removing calcium and magnesium ions, and replacing them with sodium ions, which can be hard on your kidneys.

Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) is an acidic chemical produced in the body in response to a lowering of its ability to digest glucose for energy. The medical profession uses the measuring of BHB to help manage conditions brought on by diabetes.

This homemade remedy for colic is tried and true. My mom used it on my brothers’ and I, and now that I am a mother, I have used it on my kids too. When my baby girl gets fussy with colic, I use this remedy and it works every time.

Respiration, or breathing, involves inspiration and exhalation. Inspiration is the process in which air drawn in and forced into the lungs. The inspiratory rate is the amount of times that you breath in, in one minute. The inspiratory rate is also referred to as respiratory rate. While at rest, your body’s need for oxygen is not as great as during activity or exercise. For this reason, it is important to calculate your inspiratory rate while you are at rest to provide an accurate result.

Mental illness can be hard for patients, friends and family members to cope with. But understanding it better can help improve communication about the issue. One way to approach the situation is to turn to the academic journals of abnormal psychology. Mental illness is classified in psychology according to a scientific set of guidelines. Some psychology articles may be more focused on statistics than others. Some psychology journal articles may contain academic jargon, but these terms should be defined within the article. Nonetheless, avoid diagnosing mental illness without consulting a physician, since symptoms can overlap.

Skin cancer can be detected early on from precancerous skin growths. These growths are usually not cancerous at first, but they present a higher risk for skin cancer than healthy looking skin. If you or your dermatologist detect these skin growths, you can use essential oils to naturally eliminate the cancer’s development. If you find rough, scaly or discolored patches of skin, you might consider using essential oils on these areas.

Sleep wrinkles can be a sign of aging skin. Wrinkling often starts to affect people in their mid-20s and continues from there. But there are ways to address the problem and rejuvenate your skin.

Tea tree oil is a warmly aromatic and antiseptic oil from the tree Melaleuca alternifolia of Austalia. It is considered a powerful natural germicide by Dr Andrew Weil, a noted authority on natural health, and is used topically to treat a variety of conditions including the skin fungus known as ringworm. Now tea tree oil can be found all over the world in health food stores and online retailers and people suffering from ringworm have access to this tried-and-true natural folk remedy wherever they go.

Tea tree oil comes from the leaves of an Australian plant called Melaleuca alternifolia. According to toenail-fungus.org, tea tree oil has been used for foot fungus for over 60 years. Tea tree oil is a natural antifungal and contains many antibacterial properties as well. When the oil is consistently applied to foot fungus for a period of time, it will kill the annoying fungus. Tea tree oil can be mixed with other natural herbs to make a antifungal formula that will destroy foot fungus.

Iskiate, or chia fresca, is an all-natural energy drink made by many tribes indigenous to the American Southwest and Mexico. The Tarahumara tribe from Mexico's Copper Canyon drink it to sustain themsevles while running 100-mile ultramarathons. Chris McDougall introduced a simple recipe to the mainstream in his book "Born to Run," which is about his journey to find the Tarahumara and learn their running secrets.

Your personality type plays an important role in your relationships, career and overall interaction with others.The categories of personality types can be derived from the Keirsey Temperament Test that puts personality types into four categories including Idealists, Rationals, Guardians and Artisans. In this test, the four temperaments are based on what we say and what we do. You can find out your personality type by determining the traits you possess that will place you in a particular personality category.

Elastic bandages are used for several reasons. If you have a wound, you may use an elastic bandage to hold a bandage over the wound or to hold an ice pack over the injured area. You may also use it to help with blood flow in your leg or to provide support to a weakened muscle due to a pull or strain. Whatever the reason for the elastic bandage, you can easily use one to wrap your leg at home.

A person who is a victim of stalking may feel like her safety is constantly threatened. A simple walk can turn into a horrible encounter with the stalker. Every stalker is different; each has different reasons for stalking the victim and will use different methods of following the victim. To ensure her safety, the victim must enlist the police to get rid of the stalker.

Also known as basal nevus and nevocytic nevus, a mole is either present at birth or caused by exposure to sunlight. Though usually brown or even brown-black, moles can also be flesh-colored and may appear anywhere on your body. Usually moles are benign and not a source of worry; however, in some cases moles can become cancerous. For benign moles, there are several home remedies that can help you remove them from your skin.

There are two main problems with passive-aggressive behavior. One is that core problems are rarely solved by acting in this manner, and the other is that passive-aggressive actions often cause tensions to build slowly over time, only to explode later. If you constantly find yourself reacting to conflict with passive-aggressive behavior, focusing on changing your reactions is an excellent way to improve the quality of your relationships. Changing part of your personality is never easy, but positive change is often worth the effort.

Dental care is expensive, especially if you do not have dental insurance coverage. Regular dental examinations, twice annually, including x-rays, tooth cleaning and filling cavities, can easily take a significant portion of your family’s monthly income. Multiply this by the number of people in your family and you can see that providing dental care, while necessary, may be beyond your financial reach. Finding a dental school primary care clinic to visit can solve your problem.

An overactive bladder is a particularly embarrassing condition that puts sufferers in urgent need of a restroom. The condition is actually a symptom of a number of medical disorders and has numerous causes. According to the National Association for Continence, 1 in 5 adults over 40 suffer from the symptoms of an overactive bladder.

Contact Lens Composition Contact lenses are a lightweight, virtually unnoticeable way to correct your vision. By placing the lenses directly on the eye itself, the lens will stay fixated and allow you to see clearer. Contact lenses have been around for more than 100 years, and advancements in technology have allowed more people to utilize […]

Hives are a type of allergic reaction that appears on the surface of the skin. However, it generally occurs on the torso, arms and legs, though other areas may also be affected. Other locations may include but are not limited to the scalp, the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet. The medical name for hives is Urticaria, and it strikes young and old alike. Caused by a release of histamines in the body as a result of an allergic reaction to some stimulant such as pets, dust or food, the exact cause of the reaction is of unknown origin. Learning how to identify hives may help people to take preventative measures to reduce outbreaks.

Blushing, or sudden reddening of the face, neck, or upper chest, is a normal human response. There are many reasons that humans blush. Extreme emotions, certain foods and spices, and some medications can all cause reddening of the face. Chronic facial blushing, however, should be evaluated by a doctor, since it can be a symptom of an underlying medical condition.

A person never knows when he encounters another individual who needs medical attention. Whether it be a simple knee scrape or a concussion, it’s a good idea for anybody who wants to know first aid to understand some basic principles. The main rule for providing basic first aid to an individual is for the person administering first aid not to panic. The second rule is don’t cause harm to the person needing medical attention, if you don’t know what you are doing.

Sometimes called yoked prisms, binocular prisms are used by developmental optometrists to treat some types of visual problems. Not only do the prisms work to shift where an image seems to be located, they force the person wearing them to make a visual adjustment to cope with the distortion. Often the binocular prism has an effect on the person’s posture and balance. That is why they may be a helpful tool for persons on the autism spectrum who tend to hold their eyes in a downcast posture. The binocular prism can be oriented so that the eyes look upward.

Papain is an enzyme extract of the papaya plant found in the leaves and thick, green skin of the fruit. In lotion, papain is commonly used to soften skin and treat acne. Because of concerns about some individuals experiencing adverse allergic reactions to topical (external) use of papain, including a drop in blood pressure and skin rashes, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2008 ordered companies to stop marketing ointments containing papain. This does not prevent individuals from preparing their own lotions with papain, although it is not a wise idea to use the enzyme if you are unsure of your reaction to it. People with allergic reactions to latex should definitely not use papain, which contains chemical compounds like those of latex rubber.

Learning how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on near-drowning victims can mean the difference between life and death. According to the National Institutes of Health, 6,000 to 8,000 people drown in the United States each year.

The process of weaning a child after breastfeeding can be emotionally and physically difficult. After weaning their babies, many women find they experience pain and other issues with their breasts. Here are some common side effects of weaning as well as insight into how serious the issues are and when a trip to the doctor is warranted.

Feline scabies (notoedric mange) is a skin condition caused by small insects called mites. Mites burrow into the skin of the cat and lay eggs, which then hatch and produce larvae. The larva grow into nymphs, which then mate and lay eggs. The process then repeats itself.

Athlete’s foot can be painful and uncomfortable, so quick cures are key. The condition, caused by a fungus, grows in damp places and is highly contagious. Since your body will naturally fight the fungus, vitamins can be used to boost your immune system to cure athlete’s foot.

Athlete’s foot and toenail fungus can be embarrassing. These conditions often leave toes and nails discolored, blistered and inflamed. Sometimes an offensive odor accompanies these symptoms. Fungal infections like these occur when the foot remains moist, damp and warm for extensive periods of time. Showers, bathrooms and swimming pools provide excellent environments for fungal growth. The fungus can easily transfer to your feet and cause an infection. However, many materials readily found around the home can effectively treat foot fungus quickly and inexpensively.

Scars on the legs are a result of the body’s natural wound-healing process. They begin with inflammation, move into the formation of new tissue and end with the modification of certain factors in the skin. Collagen is the main protein involved in the development of the connective tissue. When there is too much or too little collagen, the healing process is disrupted and scarring occurs. Removing old scar tissue from the legs used to be virtually impossible, but new medical technology can help to dramatically improve the appearance of the old scars.

Many massage chairs and hand-held massagers come with infrared heat sources. The purpose of these are to provide heat and increase the circulation in the area being massaged, such as the back and neck. A study published in Pain Research and Management in 2006 concluded that patients experienced a significant reduction in back pain through infrared therapies without any adverse side effects. Consult your doctor about the benefits of using infrared therapies to alleviate back pain.

Your tendons do the job of attaching your muscles to your bones. Without them, movement would be impossible. When you injure a tendon, it becomes inflamed and painful. Any movement involving the tendon becomes difficult or painful. Tendinitis is the most common form of tendon injury. It’s not surprising that tendinitis tends to occur around the hardest-working tendons in the body–those at the ankles, knees, wrists, elbows and shoulders. Ice and rest can help your tendons to heal from injury. Infrared therapy may also help to treat tendinitis.

Nerve damage — known as neuropathy — is a side effect of diabetes that may cause a patient to develop foot sores or ulcers. If these problems are not treated promptly, infections may occur and the foot or toes could end up being amputated. Proper care of the feet and specialized shoes may prevent problems or slow the progression of existing ones.

Skin irritation and itchiness can occur for many reasons. The commercial-bought skin care products that many people use may actually hinder, not help, with skin problems. All the chemicals and added ingredients in many store bought products can actually cause more harm than good. Natural itch relief products may be your best bet when you have an itch to take care of.

No one likes to itch. If your face itches from your beard growing back in, it is nearly impossible to discretely itch. You scratch your face until the itching goes away, and then your face is red and irritated. After a couple of days, the itching sensation can become unbearable. You may even develop ingrown hairs along with a burning sensation. Follow these steps to stop the itch now.

Head lice are parasites that most commonly infest the hair and clothing of children, but they can affect adults as well. Lice are tiny white insects that live on the scalp and eat dead skin cells. They cause itching and spread readily from one person to another. Although there are a variety of medications and shampoos for head lice, you can use some home remedies as well. One remedy is to use vegetable oil to smother the adult lice.

Organic, unrefined coconut oil is the versatile, pure oil of a coconut. It has never come in contact with pesticides or herbicides and has never been bleached, filtered or chemically altered in any way.

Revered around the globe as a delicious food source, the coconut also possesses some proven medicinal value. It’s been used to treat a wide variety of ailments, including abscesses, asthma, bronchitis, bruises, burns, colds, constipation, cough, dysentery, flu, skin infections, sore throat, typhoid, ulcers, upset stomach and wounds. Coconut oil has also demonstrated the ability to treat bladder infections.

The Proactiv System is the No. 1-selling acne system in the world. The system is a three-step process which includes a cleanser, toner and lotion. Sometimes one product will run out before another. Unfortunately, Proactiv sells the products as a set only. Thankfully, you can purchase Proactiv Cleanser by itself if you know where to look.

Activated charcoal has long been taken internally to cleanse the digestive system and remove certain toxins. It is a common agent given when someone has swallowed certain poisons because of the charcoal’s ability to absorb up to 70 times its own weight. However, the use of internally taken activated charcoal is not recommended for cleaning the lungs; in fact, breathing the dust of activated charcoal can cause infection of the lungs. The only way to clean the lungs with activated charcoal is by using the charcoal to keep the air around you clean. By breathing in clean air, you will keep from adding pollution to your lungs, and with time the body will rid itself of some of the accumulated pollution in the lungs. The ability of activated charcoal to clean the lungs is with activated charcoal filters in air purifiers and masks. Commonly known as HEPA filters, these filters are able to filter out particles as small as 0.3 microns.

Blood pressure is the measurement of how much blood is pumped by your heart and how much push-back your arteries give as the blood flows through. High blood pressure readings are 140/90 or above. High blood pressure is a common medical condition; risks include being overweight, smoking, being pregnant and experiencing high levels of stress. Lifestyle modifications can help you control your blood pressure without using drugs.

High blood sugar can cause medical complications from diabetes and may result in significant disabilities or even death. Natural cures for high blood sugar are those that avoid prescription medications and instead rely on extracts from plants and herbs along with personal behavior changes such as regular exercise and maintaining a healthy and balanced diet. Natural cures may be as effective as prescription drugs at lowering blood sugar, but they may not be for everyone.

Depo Provera, also known as Depo or DPMA, is a shot of hormones given every three months to prevent pregnancy. It is as effective as other birth control methods; however, like other methods, there are side effects that may not agree with everyone. Therefore, there may be some women who will make the choice to stop getting the Depo shot and transition to other methods like the pill.

Before the advent of the modern breath mint, sucking whole cloves was the most popular remedy for bad breath. Anise and cardamom seeds also precede mint as a breath freshener, having been chewed by people for centuries. However, none of these ingredients can compete with the breath mints on the market today. Modern breath mints combine ancient breath-sweetening ingredients with 20th-century fresheners to create powerful solutions to bad breath.