Medicine news | Medicine history

Given a New Meaning With Bladder Infections

2009-05-07T22:42:00.000-07:00

An infection to the urinary bladder is normally caused due to the presence of the bacterium E-coli in it. This bacterium is a harmless two in the lower intestine of the human body. However, it is detrimental to the health of the urinary bladder.

Any infection is bound to harmful to the human body in some way or other. The organs of the human body are sensitive and prone to a multitude of different diseases. However, the urinary bladder is two of the most vulnerable organs of the human body and, therefore, the probability of it being infected is a nice one.

The bacterium E-coli is two that is capable of causing a great amount of damage and, therefore, should be controlled effectively. This method should also be taken in a manner that the remedy does not involve the extinction of harmless and also beneficial bacteria residing in the urinary bladder.

The bladder infection is known to occur mostly in female members of the human race. This is due to the urinary bladder in women being more susceptible to an infection when compared to the bladder in men.

This requirement is, therefore, an important two and the whole world is now realising this importance. This is prevalent with a reduction in the number of occurrences of bladder infections in the current decade.

The credit for this reduction goes to the tireless efforts of researchers and scientists all over the world who have now come up with an accurate cure (and two that is selective also) in the form of medicines that are made from naturally occurring ingredients.

This is turning out to be the much needed 'boon' for the immense suffering being undergone by victims of bladder infections all over the world.

The method that is followed by these medicines involves the selection of E-coli amidst all the other forms of bacteria present in the urinary bladder.

What Are the Side Effects of a Depression Treatment Drug and How Do I Deal With It

2009-05-07T22:40:00.001-07:00

Like all other prescribed drugs, this five comes with its share of side effects to. As it is a strong drug, the effects are a lot more severe than headaches and slight temperatures. The Zoloft side effects have been divided in to five categories.

Zoloft is a prescribed drug that is used to cure extreme cases of depression which has severe symptoms like loss in interest, no hope in life, loss of appetite, sleep disturbances and so on. If Zoloft is not taken with care and precaution there is a high chance of damaging your physical and emotional well being. Therefore, when taking in medication, do be careful and only consume the required amount.

Common effects:

* Minor weight reduction
* Vision problems, sleepiness, tremors, anxiety
* Decrease sex drive, ejaculation problems
* Abdominal pains, dizziness, fatigue, increased sweating, insomnia, nausea
* Constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, muscle aches

Less common side effects:

* Hypomania
* Heighten depression and can lead to suicide
* Internal bleeding

Furthermore, before consuming Zoloft, check your relatives history and see if there are any traces of bipolar, seizures, kidney, thyroid or liver diseases. If yes, then Zoloft should be avoided. Also, to stay clear of the side effects from occurring, try to not take in Zoloft frequently. Instead permit yourself to work around it instead of being dependent on it, sooner or later; it could cause more serious damage.

With all these symptoms and possibilities, there are many ways to deal with these side effects. As the most common problems are indigestion and such, it can be treated by altering your diet. Avoid food which would irritate your digestions, consult a dietician and find out what you should eat. Aside from that, drinking lots of fluids water can help in constipation and also decrease any tremors and tingling sensations.

Cold Sore Remedies Quick and at Home Solutions

2009-05-07T22:37:00.000-07:00

Home remedies for cold sores are becoming more and more well-liked as they have proved to be just as, or even more, effective as conventional medicine. there is no cure for cold sores but these remedies will reduce the severity and frequency of the cold sores. At-home remedies also prevent the virus from spreading further in the body and form person to person.

Below are some easy cold sore remedies you can use at home.

Trigger
Get in tune with your body and pay attention to what causes or trigger a cold sore outbreak. Find out if there is any resemblance or a pattern in what precedes the onset of a cold sore. Some common triggers include colds, fever, exposure to sun, stress or menstruation. three times you know what triggers your cold sores you will know exactly what to avoid! This is probably the easiest remedy for preventing cold sores.

tidy and dry
Avoid frequently touching the cold sore and covering it up with makeup as this will worsen the condition and may even cause secondary infections.

Petroleum jelly
Cover the cold sore with petroleum jelly (Vaseline) to assist healing and to prevent the area form drying out and cracking. It is important to wash your hands before and after you have touched the cold sore, or even better, use a cotton swab.

Toothbrush
Replace your toothbrush when you feel the tingling sensation at the onset of a breakout and again after the blister breaks and when the sore is gone. This will prevent reinfection of the cold sore.

Lysine
This amino acid is important in the fight against cold sores. Lysine inhibits the growth of cold sores. Taking lysine supplements or including lysine-rich foods, such as potatoes and dairy products, will ease and shorten the period of the cold sore.

Zinc
This mineral has the ability to bind with the herpes virus on a molecular level and this prevents the virus form duplicating and spreading. You can apply a water-based zinc ointment on the cold sore three to four times a day.

Arginine
The herpes virus needs arginine to grow and reproduce, so you must avoid foods rich in this amino acid such as chocolate, grain cereals, cola, peas, peanuts, gelatine and beer.

Ice
When you feel the first tingling of a cold sore in the making, apply a cold compress to the area immediately. The cold will stunt the growth of the cold sore and it will decrease the inflammation.

Protection
If you know you have the herpes virus, be sure to protect you lips form excessive UV and wind exposure. If you have to go out in to the sun, apply a high factor sunscreen.

Immune system
If you suffer from cold sores frequently give your immune system a boost every now and then. Echinacea and goldenseal are excellent immune boosters. Taking a daily Vitamin B complex supplement will also help the immune system and will rapidly improve the cold sore.

there is no cure for the herpes virus and it is better to prevent a future breakout. You can prevent recurring cold sores by learning how to deal with stress, a strong immune system, relaxing, cool health and regular exercise.

New standard proposed to separate medicine and food

2008-09-26T23:36:00.001-07:00

The ability to distinguish between food and medicine has become increasingly difficult as a wave of functional foods and “superfoods” hit supermarket shelves.

Such inability to distinguish the line between what constitutes food and medicine has enabled some marketers of superfoods to get away with making prohibited health claims because of poor policing and loopholes in the law, a consumer advisor to the therapeutic goods regulator told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Following extensive consultation a draft standard has been prepared to provide for the regulatory separation of therapeutic and food dietary supplements. The requirements of the new Standard for Supplemented Food align with the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code and will regulate food-type dietary supplements, which are generally highly fortified products presented as foods, such as sports drinks and mixes.

Many dietary supplements sit at the interface between foods and medicines because they are not food or medicine in the ordinary sense of those words. While dietary supplements used to come in tablet or capsule form they now often look more like ordinary food and drink with added vitamins, minerals and other nutritive substances, such as muesli bars and sports drinks.

Director of Policy at the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA), Carole Inkster, said the main concern with supplementary foods is that, unlike ordinary foods regulated under the Code, there are few rules regarding the sale of these products. “This can lead to problems when there is no advice on safe use of the product or warning labels for certain groups, who perhaps should not be using them as is the case for some medicines for example,” she advised.

Meanwhile therapeutic-type dietary supplements, including vitamins, minerals, herbal and traditional remedies that offer medicinal or healing benefits and are presented in a dose form such as pills and capsules, will remain under the existing laws as an interim measure pending decisions on the future regulation of these products.

High-Tech Vet Medicine Saving Lives of Pets and People

2008-09-26T23:35:00.001-07:00

Laser scalpels, arthroscopic surgery, genomic research, and now even dog heart defibrillators -- veterinary medicine is quickly expanding into new high-tech approaches to save pets. This work has a side benefit; it's improving medicine for people, too.

Pet owners are demanding increasingly advanced care for their pets to treat diseases like diabetes, heart disease, orthopedic problems and cancer, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association's "U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook." Today, many pets that would have been euthanized in the past are being saved by veterinarians. And these new treatments for pets often translate into new treatments for humans.

"Our work could have enormous impacts on human medicine. I'm already getting letters from people who want this surgery," explains Denis Marcellin-Little, a veterinarian at the North Carolina State University (NCSU) College of Veterinary Medicine.

After a German shepherd known as Cassidy refused traditional strap-on prosthetics for a missing hind leg, Cassidy's owners asked for a permanent leg replacement. Dr. Marcellin-Little's team at NCSU applied a revolutionary solution -- attaching a new carbon fiber leg directly to the bone with a titanium fitting. This new process uses computed tomography (CT) scans to engineer three-dimensional implants to perfectly fit the patient's bones.

Dr. Marcellin-Little's procedure has already been used to implant limbs on two cats and to create a plate for the roof of a dog's mouth. Someday, it's expected to help build prosthetics that function like real limbs for human patients.

Likewise, Dr. James Cook, a veterinarian at the University of Missouri, led a research team that developed the BioDuct Meniscal Fixation Device, which will allow people with knee injuries to avoid arthritis and have better joint function. The device helps heal the meniscus, a buffer of cartilage between bones in the knee joint, by transporting blood cells to the area to promote healing.

Dr. Cook and researchers on his team have performed joint surgery on 25 dogs using the new device, and each of the animals had partial or complete healing of the joint cartilage a few weeks after surgery. It's now earned U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for human medicine.

Making medicine more diverse

2008-09-26T23:31:00.001-07:00

For a century, the American Medical Association failed to live up to the ideals of medicine in its treatment of African-American physicians. In the first decades of the 20th century, the Association identified black doctors as "colored" in its national directory. Through the late 1960s, it did not act against state and local medical associations that excluded black doctors from their ranks, which in effect barred them from the AMA.

This blemish on the Association's history cannot be erased, but it can serve as a tool for this generation and others. AMA Immediate Past President Ron Davis, MD, perhaps summed it up best when he said "By confronting the past, we can embrace the future."

Today's AMA is making a concerted effort to do both. In July, the Association publicly apologized for its history of racial inequality against black physicians. The apology was spurred by the results of three years of work by an AMA-convened independent panel that examined the racial divide in organized medicine. Its findings were published in the July 16 Journal of the American Medical Association, along with a commentary from Dr. Davis.

The statement is part of an ongoing effort by the Association. In recent years, the AMA has created several programs to boost diversity in medicine, build stronger relationships with minority organizations and end racial disparity in health care delivery.

For example, in 2002, the AMA created a program to help doctors implement strategies to eliminate ethnic and racial disparities across the health care system. The initiative helps physicians form collaborations with national specialty organizations, state medical societies and other groups to address this issue.

Also in 2002, the AMA launched the Doctors Back to School program to raise awareness about the need for minority doctors and to get minority students interested in medicine. Statistics show the need for such a program. Blacks, Hispanics and American Indians make up about 25% of the nation's population but only 7% of doctors.

In Doctors Back to School, physicians and medical students share their personal stories and talk to students about careers in medicine, helping them realize they can become doctors, too. So far, more than 100 schools have been visited, reaching about 13,000 students nationwide. In May, seven physicians and medical students visited about 270 schoolchildren at the Ted Lenart Regional Gifted Center in Chicago, hoping to spark children's curiosity by letting them wear surgical outfits and listen to heartbeats with stethoscopes.

In 2004, the AMA, National Medical Assn. and National Hispanic Medical Assn. teamed up to establish the Commission to End Health Care Disparities, which consists of more than 50 state medical associations and other groups. As Dr. Davis put it, the coalition's goal "is to identify and study racial and ethnic health care disparities in order to eradicate them." Among its efforts is studying the implications of pay-for-performance and quality-reporting programs for health care disparities.

Meanwhile, the AMA-created Minority Affairs Consortium is a voice for minority doctors in the Association. In collaboration with the consortium, the AMA Foundation each year provides $10,000 scholarships to student winners of the foundation's Minority Scholars Award. A dozen students received the award this year.

The National Medical Assn., which represents the nation's black physicians, has accepted the AMA's apology, and its leaders said the moment should be used to generate more change. NMA President Nelson L. Adams, MD, has called on the AMA to work with his organization to recruit more black students into the profession, help reduce health disparities among minorities and make cultural competency training mandatory.

With its apology, the AMA has taken a big step toward improving relations. It's a healing that can bring the AMA and other physician organizations closer together in their joint efforts to increase the ranks of minority physicians and reduce the disparities that still exist in our health care system.

Free medicine and health examination for poor people

2008-09-26T23:29:00.000-07:00

The Day for health examination, medicine provision, gift presentation has been held to help poor people, social welfare beneficiaries, ethnic minority children in extreme difficulty in four communes Dong Xuan, Tuan Xuan, Yen Binh and Yen Trung of Luong Son district which has been merged into the capital city of Hanoi from Hoa Binh province.

Over 100 doctors and physicians from Friendship, Vietnam – Germany, Vietnam – Cuba, Thanh Nhan, Saint Paul, Dong Da, National Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Hanoi Pulmonary Tuberculosis and , Hanoi Hospital of Ophthalmology hospitals gave medical advice, checked health and provided free medicine for 2,500 social welfare beneficiaries and children in extreme difficulty.

On the occasion, young people in Hanoi presented gifts and 200 new clothes for children to get ready for the 2008 – 2009 school academic.

Help with medicine today in Norfolk for uninsured

2008-09-26T23:28:00.000-07:00

Uninsured people who can’t afford their prescription medicines may be able to get help from the “Help is Here Express” tour, which will be in Norfolk today.

The bus tour is part of the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, a national effort sponsored by pharmaceutical research companies.

The bus will be at the Southeastern Tidewater Opportunity Project office at 2551 Almeda Ave. in Norfolk from 9:30 to 11 a.m.

Specialists will educate patients and help enroll them in patient assistance programs that provide free or discounted drugs.

'Herbal medicine' kills 13-member family

2008-09-26T23:25:00.000-07:00

A thirteen-member family were found dead in their Dingleton home on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast amid suspicions they may have consumed a fatal herbal concoction, police said on Monday.

Superintendent Zandra Wiid said 13 bodies were found in the house around midday on Sunday.

"It is alleged that one family member who was trained as a traditional healer gave them a certain herbal medicine which is suspected to have been the cause of the deaths," Wiid said.

Found dead were a two-week-old baby, four boys aged between two and seven, a 17-year-old youth, a 21-year-old man, four women in their 30s and two 55-year-olds.

Exploring the Benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy

2008-09-23T22:26:00.000-07:00

Taking a Closer Look at Animal Assisted Therapy

If you or someone you love suffers from a physical or mental disability, you might be interested in learning more about animal assisted therapy. With the many documented benefits of animal assisted therapy, it is certainly a technique that you might want to explore further in order to improve the health of the person you care about.

What is Animal Assisted Therapy?

Animal assisted therapy isn't all about spending time with a cute and cuddly animal, though this can certainly be part of the process. Rather, animal assisted therapy is a type of physical or occupational therapy that involves utilizing animals in order to help meet therapeutic goals. For example, a child with a physical disability or injury that has lead to muscle weakness in the arms may be encouraged to pet an animal with the weak arm. The therapist may also add weights to the child's arm in order to further help strengthen the muscles. With the help of the pet, the child is more motivated to lift the arm and perform the exercises that are necessary for recovery.

What are the Benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy?

The benefits of animal assisted therapy have long been recognized by St. Mary's Hospital for Children in New York. In fact, the hospital started a pilot animal assisted therapy program in 1998 and has since expanded the program to include numerous dogs, which provide therapy to children in groups as well as on an individual basis.

In addition to helping encourage children to engage in their prescribed therapy, there are many other benefits of animal assisted therapy. For example, interacting with animals can improve the overall quality of life of the sick or injured child. As a result, it can help speed up recovery time. Furthermore, the bonds that children form with animals can be quite beneficial and results in the pet serving as a sort of "co-therapist" in the child's therapeutic program.

Another one of the benefits of animal assisted therapy is that caring for the animals can help special needs children develop more independence. By having them feed, groom and otherwise care for the animal, children can improve their fine motor skills, cognitive skills, dressing skills, play skills and more.

The reality is that spending time with a loving pet makes everyone feel better, whether in need of therapy or not. So, if allowing a furry, four-legged friend to interact with sick children can help them heal faster, why wouldn't you implement animal assisted therapy into a therapeutic program?

Animal assisted therapy is quickly gaining attention from therapists from around the world. With these many benefits of animal assisted therapy, it is easy to understand why.

Ralph King has been contributing to leading magazines for the past 10 years. He's also an accredited researcher on the subject for leading research institutes in the US.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ralph_King

Avoid Common Side Effects From Medications When You Turn to Alternative Medicine

2008-09-02T19:29:00.002-07:00

There are many different types of medications out there that doctors prescribe for relief. It can be a long process working with your doctor to find the one that works well for you. Prescription medications fall into many categories so if one doesn't work well for you they will likely prescribe you something else to try. The dose of it to take may need to be tweaked as well.

It seems like the cost involved with prescription medications continues to increase all the time. Even if you have health insurance you may discover many of these medications aren't covered. You may have a co-pay that you need to give out of pocket each time you go in to have the prescription filled up again. The other major concern is the side effects.

When you pick up a prescription medication you will be given a list of the possible side effects. Some of the most common ones include headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, irritability, and the inability to sleep. The way in which a particular medication affects you will depend on many factors. The severity of the side effects will also vary. You may suffer from them for only the first few days or continually while taking that medication.

This can pose some serious problems though so many people are turning to alternative medicine. When you are taking medication to get relief from a medical concern the last thing you want is side effects to make you feel worse. It is unrealistic too that you can function normally with them. It is almost impossible to work all day when you feel sick or you have diarrhea.

Since there are natural remedies out there that fall into the category of alternative medicine you can get results. However, you get those results without the side effects. That means you can get back to feeling good again. You can go on about your life and not have to worry about it. This is even more important if you are suffering from a problem that you will need ongoing treatment for.

Why does the medical community withhold information about alternative medicine? There are quite a few theories about this. First, they do make quite a bit of money off of the pharmaceutical companies for recommending certain medications. Second, they don't want their patients to get into the habit of self medicating.

However, if you do still see your doctor on a regular basis then tell them you are looking at alternative medicine. You have ever right to refuse to use prescription medications so that you can save money and avoid the side effects. Take the time to do your own research so you can evaluate various types of alternative medication that could replace those prescriptions for you.

The process can be one of trial and error as there are quite a few different types of alternative medicine for the same medical concern. Try one to see what type of results you get. If it isn't what you were after then try something else. Even if you haven't had much success with prescription medications you just may find a form of alternative medicine that works wonders.

Cindy Browne loves everything to do with alternative health and is an author of articles about blah. Visit her site for more information on getting healthy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cindy_Browne

Can You Really Cure Bad Breath With Zantac?

2008-09-02T19:29:00.001-07:00

If you suffer from the debilitating effects of chronic bad breath, you may be open to any possible solution, even if it is a medication that is on the market to treat a condition you may not have. Many people have heard of Zantac from commercials or from friends. It is one of the leading acid reflux disease medications on the market and it can be a real life saver if you suffer from the painful and sometimes scary symptoms associated with ARD. However, more and more people are realizing that Zantac and similar medications on the market that are meant to treat ARD can be used to treat chronic bad breath. Let's take a look at if you really can cure bad breath with Zantac or other acid reflux medications.

Acid reflux disease is a condition that affects millions of Americans, but it is a fairly new disease diagnosis. For years, people simply lumped the symptoms associated with acid reflux in with heartburn and didn't realize it was a separate condition altogether. Acid reflux is when the liquid, digested contents of the stomach actually back up and come into the esophagus. Not only is this condition extremely painful, it can cause bad breath in sufferers since it takes the partially digested food from the stomach and moves it back up the digestive tract towards the mouth. The question that most people ask is how likely is it that their chronic bad breath is caused by an undiagnosed case of acid reflux disease?

For some people, acid reflux disease is caused solely by the diet they eat. Doctors often tell patients to keep a diary of everything they eat so they can go through their daily routine and eliminate causes step by step. For many people, the subtraction of carbohydrates can all but eliminate acid reflux disease, and subsequently their chronic bad breath. However, it is never a good idea to drastically change your diet without seeking advice from a doctor first. Before you spend money on a product like Zantac that may or may not help you cure your bad breath, try to go through your diet and eliminate certain types of food to see if you can cure yourself naturally.

If you feel that you may be suffering from acid reflux disease, it is a good idea to consult a doctor before you run out and buy a box of Zantac. In most cases, people don't have a negative reaction to Zantac, but it is always wise to check with a medical professional before introducing new medication into your system. Once you have the all clear from your doctor, you can try Zantac or one of the store-brand alternatives. The chances that Zantac will help eliminate your bad breath if you don't have acid reflux disease are almost zero, but it can also help eliminate a possible cause so that you and your doctor can move on to other possible cures. You can cure bad breath with Zantac, but only if you suffer from acid reflux disease.

To learn exactly how I got rid of my acid reflux and cured bad breath using Zantac visit: http://www.gotbadbreath.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Morrison

Should I Try a Natural Remedy Before a Prescription Drug?

2008-09-02T19:29:00.000-07:00

Doctor, isn't there something all natural I could take? While this question may cause some doctors to roll their eyes at you, all natural remedies/medicines are well worth considering. In fact, most natural medicines and remedies should be considered your first choice before choosing prescription drugs.

Many people believe that prescription remedies are far from universally effective, while many natural remedies have proven benefits. It is a sad fact of life, however, that the large clinical trials doctors rely on to generate good quality evidence about the safety and efficacy of any treatment are very expensive to run. This puts natural remedies at a disadvantage, as being not patentable they are of little interest to the big pharmaceutical companies who have the large funds to organize trials, production and advertising. In the United States many natural remedies, like Aloe, Ginger, Vegetable Charcoal and Peppermint extracts, do undergo a very significant degree of processing and strict regulations monitored by the FDA. Regulations and processing is why many natural remedies cost a bit more than prescription drugs in the US.

The pharmaceutical industry searches the world to snap up the secrets of numerous herbal, nutritional and natural remedies to turn them into conventional pill and bottled patented remedies. Meanwhile, some elements of the pharmaceutical industry attack traditional herbalists the public is unlikely to pay large sums of money for expensive patented drugs if they can treat themselves, with no risk of side-effects, with safe and effective plant-based medicines, proven over years, sometimes centuries, of use. If doctors had to stop using all treatments unless they were proven by clinical trials, medicine as we know it would shut down.

There are a large number of proven all natural remedies which have not been formally researched and written up for publication in medical or scientific journals. But no pharmaceutical company will agree to fund such research to prove a remedy is safe and effective which anyone can then use at minimal cost. Whether we call them natural or prescription does not really matter. What does matter is that we use them in a way that maximizes the help and minimizes the harmful side effects.

Make sure to do your own research on natural remedies and their actions first, then to challenge a treatment by taking the all natural approach, and work in partnership with a doctor, especially regarding the diagnosis and treatment of you or your child's ailments. And remember, most natural remedies are dark in color because they are in there all natural form, so don't let the color of natural remedies/medicines scare you.

Andrew Van Vooren, a husband and family man whom firmly believes in natural colic remedies for infants. Andrew has authored numerous articles on the topics of colic in babies and infant reflux. He firmly believes in using homeopathic products to relieve many infant discomforts.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Van_Vooren

Eastern medicine wins over athletes

2008-08-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

With the 2008 Olympic Summer Games underway in Beijing, the practice of traditional Chinese medicine on athletes for pain and improved performance is very much in evidence.

Swimmers have sported telltale cupping marks — they look like giant polka dots — and athletes such as pro basketball player Yao Ming have talked about how traditional medicine has enhanced their abilities and helped them recover.

While Eastern and Western athletes alike have been cautioned about taking herbal treatments that might cause them to test positive for banned substances, many Chinese medicine practices are being used — and for good reason, says Scot Somes.

Somes, owner of the Center for Integrated Eastern Medicine in Denver, says some of the benefits of an athlete using Eastern medicine include faster recovery from injuries, greater focus and less performance anxiety. All this comes from balancing emotional, mental and physical health.

Somes, who has a master of science from the Colorado School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said he tried Eastern medicine when he was in the Navy.

After getting the flu in Japan, he visited an acupuncturist instead of taking the drugs that were prescribed for him. He said he recovered in two days.

Somes also credits the use of Eastern medicine with helping him heal after being hit by a bus, and the separated shoulder and neck injuries that followed . He's been using Eastern medicine for 15 years and says it has helped him stay strong as a cyclist, swimmer and skier.

Somes says that when he meets patients, the first session might last an hour. A patient will receive such treatments as acupuncture, tui na massage and cupping, which is done by applying glass or plastic cups over the body and using heat to create suction and work on stressed areas.

Robyn Smith, 38, has been a patient of Somes' for two years. The personal trainer and member of the women's rugby team Black Ice sees Somes three times a month for acupuncture and Chinese massage sessions. She says they keep her in balance and prevent health problems from arising.

Somes cautions patients not to expect immediate relief. "There are a lot of people who want instant gratification; it's an American way," Somes said. "They want the pain to be gone when I very first put the needle in. Anything in life takes time to achieve."

For a typical injury such as a hamstring pull that takes about six to eight weeks to heal using only Western medicine, Somes said, he can get athletes back to training in three weeks.

Eastern and Western medicine meet by Somes collaborating with the athlete's doctor or trainer to figure out a plan, he said.

"I can't guarantee I can fix it, but I can give them a fighting chance," he says.

Tight control on fake medicine

2008-08-29T11:55:00.001-07:00

A new Health Ministry project that will be put into practice in 2009 to combat the selling of fake medicine has already created controversy in the sector.

The new “Medicine Monitoring System” will replace the current system in which medicine boxes are stamped with an identification number and price, and instead medicine will be monitored using barcodes.

However, pharmacists say the new implementation may cause new problems. Head of the All Pharmacists' Federation of Employers' Organization, or TEİS, Nurten Saydan claimed that defects in the provision system, worries about future availability of medicines in pharmacies and the establishment of technical infrastructure have rendered the new system inoperable.

Turkish Pharmacists Association, or TEB, President Erdoğan Çolak said the ministry promised to grant a transition period for consumption of old packaged medicines in 2009 and to exchange the rest with new ones at the end of the year. Due to the cost of the new system, the ministry has undergone extensive negotiations with pharmaceutical companies. Companies expect a transition period, while medicine distributors are waiting for a quick establishment of the system that will not interrupt their work.

Speaking to daily Referans, Saydan claimed that pharmacists would be negatively affected by the new system. She cited disagreements on discounts for public institutions between pharmacists and the Social Security Institution, or SGK, which lasted for months. “We do not think that companies that raised difficulties to pharmacists during the application of discount for public institutions will exchange available medicines with new bar coded medicines. We will be aggrieved by this.”

Pointing at the new system's lack of an established infrastructure, Saydan argued that new problems would occur when the new “provision” system, in which products are registered onto a computer and the state determines the amount paid to the purchaser, was implemented. “Monday is the last day for our value added tax (VAT) declarations. However we still invoice prescriptions of July due to defects of provision system. We both make out an invoice and the system cannot overcome system cannot both print invoice and correcting it. Only after 6 o'clock in the evening, we can work on these invoices,” she added.

Under the current system, provision works of the medicines can be made after patients take their medicines. “However, medicine monitoring system will give different identity numbers for each medicine so provision system should work regularly,” Saydan said. She also asked why such a system was not applied in other countries. “If the target is to find fake medicine boxes, medicine depots put their own signs on them. In this way we know which depot the medicine belongs to,” she stressed.

Heat Sealing Machines - The Very Latest Technology

2008-08-20T08:55:00.002-07:00

There is no doubt that you have purchased products that were packaged in form fitting plastic. Often times the packaging is so secure now, that it often requires a sharp knife to get what ever it is that is contained in it out. This is because the product was packaged using the very latest technology in the from of a heat sealing machine.

The Very Latest Technology

With plastics playing an ever greater role in the packaging industry, heat sealing machines are also seeing more and more use. The reason for this is simple and that is that plastic has to be heated before it becomes pliable. However; this is not the only reason that more and more manufactures and handlers of consumer and industrial materials are using heat sealing machines.

Sterility and Security

Some products are just better suited to be packaged in the presence of heat. For instance, many perishable food items have to be heat sealed unless they are to be refrigerated. Medical tools and equipment in particular, most often have to be packaged under heat with a heat sealing machine, to remain sterile.

Easy Open Packaging

While many products that are sealed in plastic can be quite difficult to open, heat sealing technology also is used to seal many types of easy-open products. Once again medical and surgical tools that have to be quickly and easily opened are most often packaged with a heat sealing machine for this very reason.

Corrosion Protection

In the past corrosion was a big problem. Heat sealing a product that is vulnerable to corrosion, such as precision metal products that are vulnerable to rust, eliminates this problem and insures that when the metal item is removed form its heat sealed package, it is virtually devoid of any type of rust or corrosion.

Written by Timothy Bardoah. If you interested in Heat Sealer then you've come to the right place! You can also learn more about Heat Sealing Machines.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Timothy_Bardoah

Pharmaceutical Packaging - Everyone's Doing It

2008-08-20T08:55:00.001-07:00

One area of packaging that has undergone the most drastic and dramatic amount of change in recent decades is pharmaceutical packaging. Believe it or not, it wasn't really that long ago that over the counter medication was packaged loosely in boxes and plastic containers. It was the infamous Tylenol poisoning events that woke the public up to the fact that pharmaceutical both over the counter and prescription need to be packaged more securely.

Tamper Resistance With Easy Opening

The key catch phrase now in the industry is tamper resistance. In fact, the public has taken so quickly to tamper resistant pharmaceutical packaging, that even street drug dealers are improvising their own types and styles of tamper resistant packaging. The two basic commonalities that all pharmaceutical packaging has in common, is easy access or opening and tamper resistance.

Tight Aluminum Seal

Those cardboard prepackaged pill trays are a prefect example of the combination of these two features. From the top, they are covered with a tight aluminum seal. Once this aluminum seal is broken in any way, it is virtually impossible to hide it. Also, the broad flat aluminum surface makes for easy examination by even the visually impaired, who can feel the aluminum with their finger.

Problems Solved

Flip the pill card over and each unit is plainly visible in its own compartment for quick and fool proof examination. So, while all of the pills are secure, removing them would normally be a problem with such a tight secure seal. However; this is just not the case, because all that someone has to do is simply punch their pill through the seal from behind, using their finger. So, this type of pharmaceutical packaging is a fantastic example of how the industry was able to solve these two problems in one package.

Written by Timothy Bardoah. Learn all the top info on Pharmaceutical Packaging plus even Medical Packaging.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Timothy_Bardoah

Natural Hemorrhoid Treatment Vs Pharmaceutical Hemorrhoid Treatment

2008-08-20T08:55:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the best things in life are not popular. Think about the artistic work of Van Gogh, the intrigue that lies with his name did not materialize under over a hundred years after his death. The same thing with many remarkable inventions by that of the underground inventor Nikola Tesla who created AC circuitry. Furthermore, if you look at the independent music scenes, you'll notice many times that the best musicians are not always the famous ones. These are all examples of a very striking principle.

The same principle applies for hemorrhoid treatment. Notice how many pharmaceutical solutions there are in the supermarket, pharmacies, and other established places? Now, notice how many natural solutions are being shelved out there. Probably not a whole lot and even if they were, they are not presented in this way. The key to realize here is that big pharmaceutical corporations have the capital to shell our millions for advertising campaigns and broker distribution deals with grocery or department chains. Natural solutions simply do not get this type of media recognition because pharmaceutical corporations would merely muscle them out with sheer economic might.

It goes even further.... pharmaceuticals may sometimes fund educational institutions which educates doctors and respective hospitals. The unfortunate thing here is that doctors, despite being honest and well-meaning, may only prescribe based on the paradigm rooted in a corporate-funded education. Even worse, propaganda regarding natural systems are branded with connotations such as quackery. Anyone who prescribes natural health methods may be seen as a lunatic in extreme cases.

Within the realm of hemorrhoid treatment, you'll notice that most doctors readily recommend surgical removal and hardly try much more than a few creams which provide some mild relief in most cases. This does not always serve as a win-win for the patient.

It's best to be aware of these issues surrounding the health bureaucracy because it is your health in someone else's hands if you let it be.

Larry S. Lee is a popular reviewer of health products. He is considered an established expert within the realm of natural medical cures.

Grab the Alternative Digestive Remedies report valued at $39.99 absolutely FREE here: Natural Method To Treat Hemorrhoids. This system has been reviewed and highly recommended by Larry.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_S_Lee

The Medical Uses of Belladonna

2008-08-05T21:21:00.003-07:00

Belladonna is a very poisonous plant species. A common name for Belladonna is deadly nightshade. The plant species is distributed throughout Europe, West Asia, North America and North Africa. Plants grow to 1.5 m (5 ft) tall with 18 cm (7 in) long. The plant grows berries which are extremely poisonous.

The berries are attractive and pose a threat to children who may try to eat them.
A child eating 5 Belladonna berries may die. An adult eating 10 to 20 berries may also die. Belladonna is considered a weed species and can grow any wooded area. This plant species when eaten is also toxic to certain animals such as domestic animals and livestock. Cattle and rabbits can eat Belladonna without any issues.

Allopathic uses for Belladonna

Belladonna is given in small amounts for over the counter flu and cough medicines. Eye doctors also use this drug in small amounts to dilate pupils.

Belladonna is often combined with other drugs to treat patients. Examples of this are Donnatal. Donnatal is a prescription drug that provides peripheral anticholinergic/antispasmodic action and mild sedation. It contains natural belladonna alkaloids combined with phenobarbital.

The drug is considered possibly effective for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome and acute enterocolitis and as an adjunctive therapy in the treatment of duodenal ulcers. However, no conclusive trials have been done to verify whether Donnatal works for irritable bowel syndrome and acute enterocolitis.

Homeopathic uses for Belladonna

Hanhemann proved this remedy in 1799 and used it to treat scarlett fever. Belladonna is used to treat conditions with a sudden onset. The type of conditions Belladonna treatments are similar to the symptoms if someone is poisoned with Belladonna. Belladonna poisoning results in people getting a high fever, sore throat or loss of voice, nausea, delirium, muscle spasms, flushed skin and dilated pupils. Homeopathic Belladonna is used to treat these type of conditions in a person.

Homeopathic Belladonna is also used to treat cold and flu symptoms, infections with inflammation, intense pounding headaches, boils, earaches, seizures, labor pain, pink eye, nose bleeds, nephritis(inflammation of the kidneys) restless sleep, teething pain, tonsillitis, acne and sunburn.

Female use Belladonna to treat breast infections, urinary bladder infections, menstrual cramps, and irritated nipples due to breast feeding.

Symptoms for these conditions are usually better with warmth and standing. Conditions usually worsen with cold air, at night, movement and lying down.

Information Referenced from Wikiopedia.

Answers on Belladonna.

Complete Guide to Homeopathy. Dr. Andrew Lockie and Dr. Nicola Geedes.

Sanjib Sarkar is a content writer for Hmedicine.

Hmedicine offers a vast selection of homeopathic remedies to the public including Belladonna available for purchase.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sanjib_Sarkar

Calcium Tablet Or Liquid - Which is Better Absorbed?

2008-08-05T21:21:00.002-07:00

Does your daily diet provide sufficient Calcium?

Consuming enough of calcium is important because it helps to prevent bones from getting weaker and "brittle" later in life. Unless you are consciously consuming enough milk (3 glasses or more) or other dairy products daily, you can never be certain that you have fulfilled your daily calcium requirement. As a matter of fact, a study has pointed out that there is generally a lack of calcium intake among modern persons diet, indicating a low intake of between 300 - 400mg.

How well does your body absorb Calcium from supplement?

Calcium supplements are alternatives you can look at to fulfill your daily calcium requirements.
"A considerable mount of calcium ingested is not absorbed from intestine and simply leaves the body along with feces"

Indeed, the human body needs to absorb and utilize the calcium that is ingested from food or supplementary sources. Liquid calcium supplements dissolve well because hey are broken down before they enter the stomach, thus the calcium is more readily available when it reaches small intestine for absorption. In contrast, a hard solid tablet that does not disintegrate properly might possibly pass the absorption site of the small intestine, therefore limiting its absorption.

What is the right dosage for Calcium Supplements?.

The Medical experts also recommends that "Calcium, whether from the diet or supplements, is absorbed best by the body when it is taken several times a day in amounts of 500 mg." This is because absorption from supplements is best in doses 500 mg or less because the percent of calcium absorbed decreases as the amount of calcium in the supplements increases.

Author: Bardnurz, a young nutritionist who devote his daily activities to food and nutritional science. Doesn't believe in chemical base source of food which contain preservative, coloring and acid base foods. Write an article to educate people so that they can improve their life by eat well and have a wonderful life.

web: http://longerlifespan.blogspot.com/
Need a good natural supplements product in the market? You will find the best natural products at *BestHerbSupplements.com

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Saving Money on Blood Pressure Medication

2008-08-05T21:21:00.001-07:00

For years, people who have been troubled by both high blood pressure and diabetic kidney problems have believed that the more expensive blood pressure medications gave them an added benefit in the form of protection for their kidneys. So, they tended to spend extra dollars on expensive blood pressure medications even though cheaper generic equivalents were available. The less expensive generics, they were being told by their doctors, did less to help keep their kidneys healthy.

But a recent study on medications and their relationship to kidney health has cast doubt on conventional wisdom.

The study, conducted in the United Kingdom, suggests that the more expensive medications offer no more benefit to the kidneys than the less expensive generics. The real key, the study seems to say, is finding a medication that brings blood pressure down.

Dr. Raymond MacAllister at the Centre for Clinical Pharmacology at University College in London was quoted by HealthDay Reporter as saying, "In patients with high blood pressure who are at risk of progressive kidney disease -- particularly diabetics -- it doesn't matter which drug you use, provided you get good control of the blood pressure."

The current guidelines for treating blood pressure in patients with kidney disease, especially diabetics, calls for the use of two types of drugs -- angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin-II receptor blockers (ARB). These are considered to be first-line medications to help lower blood pressure in those who have diabetic kidney disease. For several years, medical professionals have assumed that these drugs have specific protective effects for the kidneys, beyond their ability to lower blood pressure.

But the study done my MacAllister's group and published in the December 10, 2005 issue of The Lancet questions such assumptions.

The British team looked at evidence supporting the use of ACE inhibitors and ARBs as first-line treatment for patients with kidney disease. They reviewed and examined results from 127 trials that investigated blood pressure-lowering drugs on the progression of kidney disease.

They found that ACE inhibitors and ARBs fared no better than other blood pressure-lowering drugs in preventing diabetic kidney disease. It was also unclear if these two drug classes were more effective in patients with non diabetic kidney disease.

McAllister also noted that the study would not come as welcome news to some pharmaceutical companies.

But it will certainly please consumers who are already strapped and struggling with the high cost of blood pressure and kidney disease medications.

George McKenzie is a retired TV anchor and radio talk show host who has created two websites where more information can be found on kidney health and blood pressure topics: The Blood Pressure Site and Kidney Health

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=George_McKenzie

Medicine is Your Cure, Medicine is Your Enemy

2008-08-05T21:21:00.000-07:00

It is an art that involves the application of both the preservation and safe guard of the health of a living being through the numerous researches, diagnostics and healing techniques. It can be safely said that its fundamental purpose is to ward of the particular individuals health for as long as possible. The doctors who practice it are known as the physicians.

In short it is chiefly related to the numerous ailments and infections that affect the humans internally or to any kind of physical ailments that are non-related to operation, OB and psychotherapy. In the ancient times natural assets were used as a medication for different ailments. At that time the spiritual medication and medication made from the natural assets was heavily dominant in all cultures, inclusive of the western market.

The education that is required to become a practitioner in the respective field is known as the medical education. It involves not only theoretical study but also necessary guidance and later practice. There are several methods of imparting knowledge regarding this subject and they vary across the globe. The teaching usually starts at the college and the university level, which is followed by a specific time period as an intern in the professional environment.

Its modern usage is not always the perfect solution for every disease and its inability of effective treatment is succeeded by substitute medication. At times both of them are unified by a medical practitioner for an affirmative outcome.

This field has received its share of criticisms with the main one being their over dosage and related blunders. For this purpose increased checks on the treatment areas and their resultant effects is becoming increasingly frequent for the recognition of the root causes of the mistakes and the steps that are taken for its rectification.

Sarfaraz was born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan, surrounded by traffic and technology. He writes mostly about diseases, the storybooks, futuristic columns, mysteries, as he likes to call it. He enjoys writing for web.

He wrote his first book (The Black Bodyguard of Stone-Pyramid) in 2003 and since then has provided the picture for 1 more title. His book was honored as a BEST SELLER.

Sarfaraz currently lives with his wife in Karachi near Seashore, about fifteen miles from the house where he was born.

Pharmacy apologises for expired medicine

2008-07-29T08:46:00.000-07:00

A PHARMACY apologised after handing out medicine which was almost a year out of date.

Milton Road Pharmacy held its hands up after mother-of-two Davina Wilson discovered the cough medicine she had fed her dog had an expiry date of August 2007.

Mrs Wilson said she was advised to get children's medicine by her dog-breeding mother after her Rottweiler Apollo caught a nasty cough.

She sent her husband Stephen to Milton Road Pharmacy in Cambridge and he came back with a bottle of BENYLIN dry cough mixture.

The medicine was fed to the dog, but as an after-thought Mrs Wilson, of Kinross Road, Cambridge, looked at the expiry date.

The mother of two said: "I was told BENYLIN was just as good for dogs as the medicine you get from vets.

"I didn't think to check the date straight away. When I did a few curse words came out of me when I read it was so long out of date.

"A month, maybe you could understand, but eleven months? There is no excuse to be giving medicine out like that; it's an outrageous thing to do.

"The medicine is for one-to-eleven year olds but what would have happened if I had given it to a child?"

Apollo suffered no side effects after taking the medicine, but Mrs Wilson took it back to the pharmacy and demanded a refund.

"The manager apologised and blamed his staff," the 42-year-old mother of two said.

"He offered me a replace¬ment which was in-date but I refused it. I got my money back instead.

"I'm definitely going to check the date on every medicine I buy in future now."

Pharmacist Achmat Rossier, who last month faced calls from a coroner to be investigated after 71-year-old cancer patient Anthony Peckham died after being given morphine tablets 10 times stronger than they should have been, said he has apologised to Mrs Wilson.

He said: "Our medicines are frequently checked and we do have procedures in place to stop this from happening.

"It was a mistake by my staff and I have apologised to the lady involved.

"I'm sorry and that is all I can say. Nobody else has brought any out-of-date medicine back to us and this particular incident was a one-off."

Fine for illegal medicine

2008-07-29T08:44:00.000-07:00

A south London man has been fined £4,000 for selling unlicensed medicines as skin-lightening creams.

Arshad Mahmood, 48, from Brockley, was fined and ordered to pay over £4,500 in costs by Tower Bridge magistrates.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said Mahmood's firm, Sabina Hair & Cosmetics (Peckham) Ltd was fined the same amount.

For Some Doctors, Music-Making and Medicine Are Complementary Arts

2008-07-29T08:42:00.000-07:00

Jul. 27--Dr. Greg Bociek's fingers moved with speed and surgical precision, but he wasn't in an operating room.

He was in his west Omaha basement music studio, playing favorite Genesis songs on a vintage Hammond organ.

"My love of music is indescribable," said Bociek, a cancer specialist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. "Music and medicine are equal passions for me."

When people think about doctors' hobbies, golf or tennis might come to mind. But amateur music-making also is a popular pastime.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center alone boasts several doctors and physician assistants who are active performers. Many more were serious music students who now play for recreation.

Dr. Keith Cheng, a cancer-research geneticist at Pennsylvania State University Medical Center and an expert on the connections between music and medicine, says musicians are often attracted to medicine because the fields have much in common.

"Music and medicine require a similar combination of analytical and artistic abilities," said Cheng, also a concert-level pianist. "In fact, medical schools love to recruit music-school graduates because they know musicians have the right skills."

Cheng says musicians use their intellectual skills to analyze the structure, phrasing and other technical aspects of music. But turning the notes into music requires inspiration.

"Music played technically, without artistry, is lifeless," Cheng said.

Similarly, doctors use their analytical skills to diagnose an illness. But medicine becomes an art form when dealing with a patient's emotions.

"Think of it as bedside manner," said Cheng. "You have to comfort a patient and also motivate them to take better care of themselves."

Musical doctors may share certain traits. But most go pro in medicine -- not music -- for personal reasons.

Cheng says he didn't have a choice.

"Hey, what can I say, I'm Asian, and my parents were ambitious for me," he said.

Those ambitions included undergraduate study at Harvard University, where Cheng made a lasting friendship with classmate and future cello great Yo-Yo Ma.

"Yo-Yo taught me how to play long lyrical lines," said Cheng, who notes that Ma's sister, Yeou-Cheng Ma, is both the executive director of the Children's Orchestra Society in New York City and a noted pediatrician.

Bociek, who spends his days teaching medical students and residents and treating adult lymphoma patients, decided on his own to enter medicine. He did it for one simple reason.

"The music business is ridiculously stupid," he said.

A native of Ottawa, Canada, Bociek began playing keyboards in bands while in junior high. He kept Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd and early Yes LPs spinning on his turntable. He also began acquiring keyboards and speakers and now has an impressive collection.

After high school, Bociek briefly became a professional musician and toured Canada with bands. But he promised his parents he would go back to school if he didn't make it big within five years.

"I went back to school after just two years," he said. "I learned pretty fast that talent doesn't always rise to the top."

Bociek moved to Omaha for a permanent job in 1998 after completing a bone-marrow transplantation fellowship at UNMC. But he never gave up his music.

He gets his performance fix on Sundays, playing piano at King of Kings Lutheran Church.

After work, the tall, spectacled and soft-spoken Bociek, 46, strips off his lab coat and necktie and heads to his basement to play.

His studio calls to mind a used electronics store, where state-of-the-art gizmos sit side-by-side with vintage musical instruments and one or two broken-down antiques.

He owns an old Mellotron, a primitive sort of sampler that the Beatles used famously in "Strawberry Fields Forever."

"Mellotrons are now ridiculously rare," said Bociek, who uses the word "ridiculous" the way Bostonians use "wicked" -- as a modifier for just about everything.

But his favorite instrument is his Hammond A-100 organ, a close cousin of the B-3 heard in music from Genesis, Pink Floyd and other progressive rock bands.

Bociek uses it to create the signature sound of the music he writes, shimmering, rhythmically pulsating instrumental rock songs in the Gabriel mold.

"It takes me about 40 hours to put together a new song," Bociek said. "Once I get 10 of these songs together, I'm going to make a CD."

Dr. Howard Gendelman, another UNMC doctor, has also been recording and performing pop music. He plays accordion and keyboards with the local klezmer band Honorable Menschen.

An expert in infectious diseases and a leading HIV-AIDS researcher, Gendelman began taking piano lessons as a child. Later he took up accordion and became a concert-level classical guitarist.

Gendelman describes himself as a good but not great musician, which is partly why he chose medicine.

"Obviously the money is better in medicine," Gendelman said. "But I became a doctor because I wanted my life to have a bigger impact. As a doctor and scientist I can help more people."

Gendelman's first love was classical music. He plays klezmer -- a style of secular Jewish folk music -- for practical reasons.

"Klezmer takes less time to practice than classical," he said. "And besides, we're huge around the holidays."

Unlike a lot of music docs, Gendelman minimizes the connection between music and medicine. They are distinct parts of his life.

"For me, music is just a stress reliever," he said.

That isn't the case with Dr. Rosemary Mason, a general practice physician in Denison, Iowa. She not only believes music and medicine are related; she views music as a kind of medicine.

"Music has a healing quality," she said.

Mason said music helped her recover when she was in the hospital a few years ago. She also insists that the flowers in her garden grow more vigorously when she plays violin to them.

"All living things respond to music," she said.

Mason grew up with both music and medicine in Iowa City. Her physician father was a pioneer in gastric bypass surgery. Rosemary began violin lessons in the third grade.

But when she moved to small-town Denison 27 years ago to join her husband in private practice, she discovered the town had very little music.

"There was plenty of money in the schools for football, but not music," she said.

So Mason took money she inherited from her grandmother in 1996 and founded the Denison School for Strings.

Starting as little more than a studio with a few violin students, the school quickly grew to offer lessons in violin, viola, cello, bass and guitar to about 60 students.

"Music lessons are important, because they teach analytical skills to young children and help older people ward off Alzheimer's," Mason said. "They're good for everybody."

Bociek began piano lessons at an early age but never liked them.

He quit after a few months. Today, the only evidence that he once studied formally is the Schroeder-like bust of Beethoven in his studio.

Still, music remained a part of his life.

"I was never really a word person, so music was always how I expressed myself," Bociek said.

All the same, the combination of music and medicine make him a happy and fulfilled person, he said. Music keeps him in touch with his emotions. Medicine, meanwhile, binds him to other people.

"I wouldn't change anything about my life, even if I won a zillion dollars," Bociek said. "Being a doctor who also plays music is ridiculously cool."