Pregnant : Back pain a problem?

What is the most common complaint you hear from a pregnant woman? That her back hurts. When you are pregnant, you put on a good amount of extra weight that you are not used to. This is a big contributor to the pain, plus with the extra weight you’re posture changes. Bain pain is something that pregnant women do not have to live with. Pain relievers such as Acetaminophen are safe to use while pregnant. Many medications are not safe so before taking anything you should check with a doctor. Even though back pain is easy to fix it should not be ignored. Back pain could mean complications with the pregnancy so you always want to monitor the pain.

Some other ways to prevent or stop back pain are:

Practice good posture. As your baby grows, your center of gravity shifts forward. As you compensate in some way to avoid falling forward, you may strain the muscles in your lower back — which can cause back pain. Enter the principles of good posture. Tuck your buttocks under, pull your shoulders back and downward, and stand straight and tall.
Sit and stand with care. Sit with your feet slightly elevated, and don't cross your legs. Choose a chair that supports your back. Change position often, and avoid standing for long periods of time. If you must stand, rest one foot on a low step stool.
Sleep on your side. Sleep on your side, not your back. Keep one or both knees bent. It may also help to place one pillow between your knees and another under your abdomen, or use a full-length body pillow.
Lift properly. When lifting a small object, squat down and lift with your legs. Don't bend at the waist or lift with your back. Try to avoid sudden reaching movements or stretching your arms high over your head. And know your limits. Don't attempt to lift heavy objects or children.
Get the right gear. Wear low-heeled shoes with good arch support. Wear maternity pants with a low, supportive waistband. Consider using a maternity support belt.
Try heat, cold or a back rub. Apply heat to your back. Soak in a warm bathtub, or use a hot water bottle or a heating pad. Some women find relief by alternating ice packs with heat. Rubbing your back also may help. Better yet, ask someone to rub your back for you.
Stay fit. Regular exercise can keep your back strong and may actually relieve back pain. With your health care provider's OK, try swimming, walking or riding a stationary bike.
Try pelvic tilt exercises. Kneel on your hands and knees with your head in line with your back. Pull in your abdomen, arching your spine upward. Hold the position for several seconds, then relax your abdomen and back. Repeat three to five times, working gradually up to 10. Ask your health care provider about other stretching exercises, too.
Consider complementary treatments. For some women, massage therapy or chiropractic care provides relief. Although these techniques haven't been proved effective for treating low back pain, they may provide some comfort and are generally safe during pregnancy — as long as you're receiving good prenatal care. Discuss your pain with your health care provider first, however, to make sure you're dealing with muscular back pain rather than an underlying condition.

Coke: What do you really know about it?

Cocaine is not a commonly used drug so many people do not know how serious the affects are or what to look for in someone who is using this drug. Unfortunately, for me it took witnessing a friend who went through the side effects of cocaine to want to find out more information about it. I knew the drug was bad for you but I had never been exposed to it to actually see the medical consequences. Some of the most frequent complications are cardiovascular effects, including disturbances in heart rhythm and heart attacks; respiratory effects such as chest pain and respiratory failure; neurological effects, including strokes, seizures, and headaches; and gastrointestinal complications, including abdominal pain and nausea. The long-term effects of cocaine lead to addiction, irritability and mood disturbances, restlessness, paranoia, and auditory hallucinations. If you are good friends with the user, I know firsthand that the long-term effects are easy to spot. You definitely notice something is different, even if you do not know the cause of the personality change right away. Sadly, cocaine is a hard drug to get away from. Recent studies have shown that, during periods of abstinence from cocaine use, the memory of the euphoria associated with cocaine use, or mere exposure to cues associated with drug use, can trigger tremendous craving and relapse to drug use, even after long periods of abstinence.

If you suspect someone is using cocaine here are some signs to look for:

Red, bloodshot eyes
A runny nose or frequently sniffing
A change in eating or sleeping patterns
A change in groups of friends
A change in school grades or behavior
Acting withdrawn, depressed, tired, or careless about personal appearance
Losing interest in school, family, or activities he or she used to enjoy
Frequently needing money

Some important facts you should know about cocaine are:

· Cocaine affects your brain. It is made from the coca plant and causes a short-lived high that is immediately followed by opposite, intense feelings of depression, edginess, and a craving for more of the drug.
· Cocaine affects your body. People who use cocaine often don't eat or sleep regularly. They can experience increased heart rate, muscle spasms, and convulsions. If they snort cocaine, they can also permanently damage their nasal tissue.
· Cocaine affects your emotions. Using cocaine can make you feel paranoid, angry, hostile, and anxious, even when you are not high.
· Cocaine is addictive. Cocaine interferes with the way your brain processes chemicals that create feelings of pleasure, so you need more and more of the drug just to feel normal. People who become addicted to cocaine start to lose interest in other areas of their life, like school, friends, and sports.
· Cocaine can kill you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpGtgZw5Z_U

https://mail.wsc.ma.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=d28e492cec8a4e2fb0245776a30fdb1b&URL=http%3a%2f%2fncadi.samhsa.gov%2fgovpubs%2fphd640%2f
https://mail.wsc.ma.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=d28e492cec8a4e2fb0245776a30fdb1b&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.drugabuse.gov%2fResearchReports%2fCocaine%2fcocaine3.html%23long

Do doctors always thoroughly examine patients?

Stress is one of many factors that can lead to heart disease. However, when stress is a symptom for women heart disease is overlooked. A case study was done comparing the diagnosis for male and female heart symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath and when stress was a factor. The doctors had the same diagnosis for men and women when they had all the normal signs and symptoms of heart disease. Doctors thought women who complained of having stressful lives were more psychological than physical factors. Men were assessed the same way as when stress was not a symptom.

Women should be aware when they go to the doctors to follow-up if symptoms keep occurring. Doctors can make mistakes and studies have shown that they do not diagnose females as often as males for heart disease when stress is a factor. If you feel like something is wrong make sure they do everything they can to assess what the problem is because you want to find out sooner than later that you have heart disease. It is pretty scary how quickly doctors assume nothing is wrong. I recently started getting chest pains and they would stay for a few days at a time. I went to the doctors and the only thing they did was check my heartbeat, ask what was wrong, and tell me my muscles were probably growing wrong. If something was seriously wrong they would never know because they didn’t take the time to check.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/13/just-stress-more-often-diagnosed-in-women/

Sexual Health & TV Related?

Surprisingly, the answer is yes and no. Teenagers who sit in and watch television all the time obviously are not going out and partying, so they are less likely to have sex. In this case, TV does not have a negative effect on sexual health; however is it not healthy to sit in front of the TV all day either. The “steamy television” is what studies say are more likely to affect teen pregnancy or sexual behavior. “When most of the television a teen watches is sexual in nature, risk for teen pregnancy doubles compared to kids who watch little or no sexually-themed television.” (Parker)

Of course, the shows that appeal to teenagers are all the drama-filled ones that are all about sex. Producers of these shows don’t care about the alarming pregnancy rates or the std’s that are transmitted because of the rising number of young kids having sex; they are just in it to make their money. Television shows are all scripted and the producers write in sex scenes as if they mean nothing. Young kids may not realize that it is just a show and the things they are seeing on TV should not happen in real life. Studies show that teens who watch these shows with casual, unprotected sex are more likely to go out and demonstrate these acts themselves. This is a huge warning to parents to monitor what their children are watching. You should not prevent kids from watching them but make sure they are informed of the consequences that can come from having sex. If kids are well informed it should not matter what they see on TV because they will know the truth about sex and pregnancies.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/03/behind-the-statistics-on-tv-and-teen-pregnancy/