Mid America Health

Archive for March, 2010

There are many people today who are interested to study abroad in various medical universities not just because they provide very good education but also the opportunities provided by them to explore a career are notable.  Due to the quality of education provided by many colleges in different countries many students are now as firing to study abroad and make the best career in the fields they are interested into.  There are various International medical universities that are now providing opportunities for various students belonging to different countries to come and study in Europe.  There are many places in Europe including Poland, Romania, central and Eastern Europe where you can take admission and pursue your medical education. You can take the help of some popular and trusted agent to study abroad in Europe. The formalities and conditions laid by these universities are very little and can be easily fulfilled. The thing of major concern is your funds. The rate of the currency differs from country to country. You will have to calculate what kind of money you will need in order to take admission in the medical schools in Europe.  From some of the formalities that you may have to fulfill that are set by the university’s include minimum eligibility criteria- that implies that you have to fulfill a certain level of education in your own country before taking admission in any of the medical colleges in Europe.  If most of the colleges that are providing a chance for people belonging to different countries to come and study in Europe are taking good care of all the students and have also provided them with the best accommodation facilities so that they can live peacefully and adjust to the new environment. 

If you also are interested to study abroad then you must contact the nearest local agency that has been established by these schools and universities in your locality to provide you with all the required information.  When you can’t at such a consultant and agents you get to know the actual procedure and the formalities that you have to complete in order to take admission in top medical colleges in Europe.  You can realize your dream to study abroad by taking admission in any of the colleges but you may have to work a little hard so that you can give your career a great start after completing your degree from such reputed and recognized colleges. In order to study in Europe and you may have to take few examinations that are held a compulsory by these colleges to check that students taking admission in it are eligible, and are able to understand the language of education that is used in such colleges.  But the rules and regulations may differ from one college to another and you may not have to take any examination for particular colleges and schools to get admitted in it.  You must get all the information from the university itself to know if you have to appear for a particular examination 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Headaches during pregnancy are very challenging as over the counter pain killers are not recommended. Read on to see what you can do to relieve the pain from your headaches during pregnancy.

First of all let’s address why some pregnant women suffer from headaches during pregnancy. Within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy the surging hormones play a part in the development of pregnancy headaches. The 40% increase in blood volume that occurs during pregnancy increases pressure within the blood vessels and this itself can cause pregnancy headaches. Headaches during the last month of pregnancy may also be caused by a condition called preeclampsia, which is associated with high blood pressure, swelling and protein in the urine.



It is normal to have headaches during pregnancy because of the above reasons plus the following:



Stress

Lack of sleep

Vomiting

Low blood sugar

Dehydration

Caffeine withdrawal

Nicotine withdrawal

Poor posture

Pregnancy related vision changes



What you can do to ease your pregnancy headaches:



Reduce stress.

Get more sleep.

Treat your early morning sickness.

Eat regularly to avoid low blood sugar levels.

Drink adequate amounts of high quality water.

Get chiropractic adjustments and advice to correct your posture.

Avoid over the counter medication especially during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Consult a homeopath or an acupuncturist for treatments to relieve your pain.

Pregnancy headaches are sometimes relieved with either hot or cold compress around your forehead and on the back of your neck.

Have someone massage your shoulders and neck during acute pregnancy headaches.

Rest in a dark room and practice deep relaxation breathing.

Relaxing in a warm bath or shower sometimes reduces the stress and tension.

The fruit mangosteen is well known to support every system in the body. It is all natural and can relieve and prevent pregnancy headaches.



You tried all the above and you still have a pregnancy headache:



At this point it would be appropriate to call your doctor or midwife for advice.

Have your eyesight checked as you may need glasses or a change in glasses.

 If you experience any of these symptoms below with a headache call your physician or midwife immediately as these are signs of a severe pregnancy complication called pre-eclampsia:

Blurred vision

Right sided abdomen pain

Swollen hands and face

Sudden weight gain

Feeling very agitated or restless

 Pregnancy headaches can be very painful and very frustrating, as it is not recommended that you use over the counter medication during pregnancy. I have assisted pregnant women in the past to make their headaches a little more manageable or made them go away with a one on one coaching-healing phone sessions.

Many of my pregnant clients have experienced improvement of their pregnancy headaches by taking mangosteen juice. Mangosteen is present in different quantities in different products. For a high quality mangosteen and information on my one on one coaching-healing session visit http://www.VemmaMidwife.com

You may also be very interested in an amazing message that was telepathically dictated to me for humanity from my son when he was seven-weeks old. Yes you read correctly! I have the ability to communicate with baby’s emotions from inside and outside the womb. Down load this AMAZING MESSAGE FREE at http://www.PregnancySuccessCoach.com/Message_For_Humanity.html

If you wish to ask me a personal question about your pregnancy or an issue in your life then visit http://www.PregnancySuccessCoach.com/Ask_Hannah_Section.html

Hannah Bajor. C.N.M.,M.S.N.

Certified Nurse Midwife

Pregnancy Success Coach

Pros and Cons

Of ADHD Medication

On Children

 

 

 

 

 

By Mackenzie Quinn

 

 

June 1st 2009

           

Introduction

            As a parent of a child who has Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) you are faced with deciding how to manage your child’s ADHD symptoms. One options for treating the symptoms of ADHD that is highly debated is medication; some people strongly believe it is the best options and other believe medication shouldn’t be used on children. Determining the best option for your child is an important decision that shouldn’t be made without sufficient information. Before you make this decision, you should know that there are pros and cons to ADHD medication and that medication may be right for one child but not another. This article may help you as a parent or caregiver decide if medication is the right treatment method for your child.

Cause of ADHD

            When treating ADHD, it is important to look at the cause. “Scientists now believe that the impulsivity, short attention span and other symptoms associated with ADHD are caused by a specific dysfunction in the brain that is often inherited” (Wilens, 2004, p10). ADHD is a medical diagnosis with a medical cause, and many times medication offers a “straight forward solution” (Wilsen, 2004, p12). Members of the medical community often compare the treatment of ADHD with medication to that of seizures or other health problems with a medical cause and believe that these medical symptoms can be managed with medication. 

Symptoms of ADHD

            The cause of ADHD is a dysfunction in the brain (Wilens, 2004) but parents and caregivers seek treatment to manage the hyperactivity, impulsivity, short attention span and other behaviors associated with ADHD. The symptoms of ADHD are behavioral and many think they should be treated in the same manner as other behavior problems. Stephen Flora writes in his book Taking America Off Drugs “ The best way to improve behavior is with behavior modification techniques” (Flora, 2007)

Overview of Treatment Options

            As mentioned earlier, one treatment method for ADHD symptoms is medication; these medications are prescribed to “diminish the inattention, distractibility, over activity, and impulsivity” caused by ADHD. These medications ideally allow students to perform to their fullest potential such as focus on their homework and listen to directions. For individuals who do not have ADHD and can focus on their work these medications may seen like performance enhancing drugs that are not necessary. As you know ADHD is more than just a little distractibility.

            Along with medication, there are other ways to treat ADHD symptoms such as behavior therapy. Behavior therapy is a form of psychological treatment method that stems from behaviorism and focuses on observable and measurable behaviors. When applying behavior therapy to students who have ADHD the family works with the counselor to increase the occurrence of positive behaviors through routines and a better understanding of what the student needs. Some students can be treated with behavior therapy but for many children their symptoms are severe enough that behavior therapy isn’t enough. Behavior therapy may not be enough because it treats the symptoms of ADHD not the cause of the problem. Students who have ADHD have aspects of their brains that are malfunctioning, these malfunctions cause the hyperactivity, inattention and other symptoms that behavior therapy attempts to control. For these students medication can help supplement the therapy or other forms of treatment being used.

Common Medications and Routines For Taking Medication

            There are a wide variety of medications that are prescribed for the treatment of ADHD symptoms and you should discuss the specifics with your health care provider. Briefly, three of the top brands of medication are Ritalin, Concerta and Adderall.

            Depending on the type of medication your child is taking they will have to take the medication anywhere from once a day to three or four times a day. Some medications are longer lasting and only need to be taken once a day while others are short term and must be taken more frequently. Both are safe and effective options.

Pros of Medication

            The most important pro to ADHD medication is the reduction or elimination of the behavioral symptoms associated with ADHD.  By reducing students hyperactivity and giving them the ability to focus, medication gives many students the ability to perform better in school, make friends and participate in extra curricular activities.

            Many parents worry that their children will become addicted to the ADHD medication. However, there is no physical way for children to become addicted to ADHD medication because addiction comes from a high or state of euphoria and the medications used to manage ADHD symptoms do not cause students to have a high.

            There have been numerous studies indicating that psychotropic drugs are safe, tolerable and useful for children. As of 2004 there have been “over 250 scientifically controlled studies of the stimulant medications for ADHD” (Wilen, 2004, p 91) These studies suggest that if children take the prescribed dosage indicated by their doctor, then the medication is safe and that the majority of the side effects are mild.

Cons of Medication

            Now that we have looked at some of the pros of ADHD medication lets examine some of the cons. One aspect of ADHD medication that should be of concern to parents is that there are very few studies done on the long-term affects of the medication. So, while we know that these medications are safe in the short term the prospect of giving students medication without knowing the long-term effects bring cause for hesitation.

            There are also mild side effects associated with many of the medications including loss of appetite, difficulty falling asleep, dizziness, moodiness and growth problems. These side effects should be monitored but for the most part are easily managed. For specific side effects consult your health care provider.

            And even though students cannot become physically addicted to these forms of medication, they can form a psychological dependency. This dependency can develop when students feel they need medication for everything or when they are afraid to go off their medication.

Decision Making

            When deciding whether medication is right for your child there are 4 things to consider; side effects, the severity of your child’s symptoms, if your child’s symptoms are being managed with other forms of treatment how your child feel about medication. Before you make this decision talk, with your child’s teacher, the school counselor or psychologist, your health care provider and most importantly your child. While this may seem overwhelming now, the more information you can gather the easier this decision will be.

Conclusion

            As you can see there are pros and cons to ADHD medication and what is right for one child and family will not necessarily be right for another. When choosing whether to try medication as a way to manage the symptoms of your child’s ADHD make sure to consider the pros and cons along with your child’s characteristics and the attitude of the school.

 

References

Flora, Stephen Ray. Taking America Off Drugs (2007) State University of New York Press, Albany

 

Wilens, Timothy E. Straight Talk About Psychiatric Medication For Kids, (2004) TheGuilford Press, New York

 

 

Appendix

Resources For Parents To Get More Information

Straight Talk About Psychiatric Medication For Kids- This book was written for parents who have questions about the affects and risks of psychiatric medication on children. It is a basic guide for what parents need to know about a wide variety of psychiatric medications including ADHD medications. Wilens, Timothy E. Straight Talk About Psychiatric Medication For Kids, (2004) TheGuilford Press, New York Taking America Off Drugs; Why Behavior Therapy is More Effeftive for Treating ADHD, OCD, Depression, And Other Psychological Problems- This books presents behavior therapy as an alternative treatment method for ADHD instead of medication. The book does a good job of showing the other side of treating psychological problems. Flora, Stephen Ray. Taking America Off Drugs (2007) State University of New York Press, Albany CHADD- this website is a support system for parents of children with Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Retrieved May 12, 2009,  http://www.chadd.org/