Most women agree that the most important part of their body are her breasts. A woman’s breast is perhaps the body part most written about in books, magazines, poems, and other literature. Aside from the obvious physiological importance of the mammary glands, a woman’s breast also symbolizes all that is romantic and sensual in the female figure. Needless to say, these glands are the usual subjects of male desires and fantasies.

But the meaning and significance of having breasts actually go beyond the mere symbolism or actual focus of sensuality. A woman’s breast nurtures the life of an infant, producing the precious milk that can influence the life-long health of a child. Mother’s milk contains a balanced mix of essential nutrients and protects the infant against common childhood illnesses and infections. As the ideal baby food, mother’s milk is considered irreplaceable. Not even the most expensive milk formula can take the place or exceed mother’s milk in terms of nutritional value. Pediatric health research conducted in different parts of the world all point out one incontrovertible fact — mother’s milk is still best for babies.

But there is another side to the volumes of literature about a woman’s breast. There is another story that needs to be told aside from the current advocacy on mother’s milk. This story is about the tragic fact that
millions of women are being diagnosed with breast cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society, almost 1.5 million women will be diagnosed with the disease in 2007. At least 10.5 million patients were found to have breast cancer since 2003. For many women, these facts are not just statistics. These are realities that need to face and survive each day. Just imagine the fear and terror of knowing for the first time that have the Big C. What if you were newly married or had just given birth to your first child? A cancer diagnosis, especially related to one’s breasts, is one of the most dreaded news known to women the world over.

What is even more devastating is the fact that the said disease has another variant or a more serious condition known as inflammatory breast cancer. Inflammation of the breasts due to cancer is marked by capillary dilation, leukocytic infiltration, redness, heat, and pain. Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare cancer that gets its name based on the appearance of the skin on the breast. It is considered an aggressive, advanced type of carcinoma.

On a positive note, this type of cancer strikes only a very small percentage of women. It is also true that, on very rare occasions, some men have been diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer. Treatment options are also available including the procedures usually undertaken to treat what may now be termed as the common or usual breast cancer. Patients who are still in the early stages of breast cancer may opt to take anti-inflammatory drugs. These medications help control the inflammation of the breast or may even prevent the growth of cancer cells. In a study released by the Women’s Health Initiative in 2003, it was revealed that the regular use of anti-inflammatory drugs may help lower a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. The anti-inflammatory drugs relieve pain, stiffness, swelling, and inflammation but do not actually cure the disease that causes these symptoms. Certain anti-inflammatory drugs are doctor-prescribed.

Dealing with cancer is a very serious matter. It is best to seek medical advice as soon as you feel or see any of the signs. Your doctor must make a very careful examination to determine what type of treatment is appropriate for you, including the use of anti-inflammatory medication. One procedure that is commonly advised for patients or those who suspect the presence of cancer is to undergo breast biopsy. Usually, if a suspicious lump is detected, the doctor may ask the patient to use anti-inflammatory drugs to test whether the said growth will respond to a certain dose. Another recommendation for women above 40 to get an annual mammography.

The high mortality rate associated with breast cancer is serious enough to make cancer prevention a priority matter not only among women, but also for men. Through information, proper treatment, or appropriate medication, women around the world can still have hope of beating the Big C.

A common problem with many adults is back pain. Many of us experience back pain caused by our daily routines such as when we spend too much time sitting while at work, or when we drive for a long period of time. Lifting heavy furnitures while cleaning up at home, working in the garden, or lifting weights in the gym can also cause back pain. These activities can sometimes put so much pressure and weight on your back causing low back injuries such as muscle strain or spasm, sprain of ligaments, joint problems, or slipped disk. When we have back pain, it affects our daily functions. The feeling of pain can be from slightly tolerable to unbearably painful. Knowing what caused your back pain is something you need to discuss with your doctor.

Slipped Disk or Herniated Disk

When a disk between the bones of the spine swells or bulges and starts pressing on nerves, a slipped disk or herniated disk occurs. This is often caused by twisting while lifting. When you have a slipped disk, you may experience difficulty in doing regular tasks or activities like sitting and bending. When the injury is severe, you will have the tendency to avoid movement due to intense pain. A lot of people don’t realize what caused their slipped disk but it is worthy to know that the injury will not lead to paralysis, and treatment is readily available.

Natural Pain Relief

Treatment options for Herniated disk or Slipped disk can fall into Non-surgical or Surgical methods. Both treatments have risk and benefit factors. It is important that you discuss it with your doctor. However, most back pain can be relieved by a few simple methods that doctors would suggest to try non-surgical means first to reduce irritation of the nerve. Natural pain relief such as enough bed rest, proper posture when sitting, walking, and lying, as well as regular exercise can do the tricks.

When sleeping, the best position is to sleep on your side with your knees bent. A pillow under your head is recommended to support your neck and may use a pillow in between your knees. You can also lie on your back on a firm mattress with pillows under your knees. Or you can lie on the floor with your hips and knees bent and your feet on a chair. This takes the pressure and weight off your back. You may only need about two days of this sort of rest for a hurt back. Too much bed rest can cause your muscles to weaken and slows down your recovery. Try to walk around, even when it sometimes hurt, for a few minutes every hour. Such regular movement can help maintain muscle tone but limit activities such as prolonged sitting, lifting, and bending which can aggravate the symptoms.

Proper sitting position can help provide back pain relief. Choose chairs with straight backs or low-back support. See to it that you keep your knees a little higher than your hips. Make adjustments with your seat or use a low stool to prop your feet on. When you turn, move your whole body rather than by just twisting at your waist.

Driving for long hours can strain your back. Try to sit straight by moving the seat forward to keep you from leaning forward when you reach for the controls. It may help to use a small pillow or rolled towel behind your lower back if you must drive or sit for a long time.

People whose work requires them to stand for a long period of time must find a way to rest one foot on a low stool from time to time, and try to switch with the other foot every 5 to 15 minutes. Maintaining a good posture is necessary in order to avoid back pain. Always try to keep your ears, shoulders, and hips in a straight line with your head up and your stomach pulled in.

To relax painful muscle spasms, try using heating pads for 20 to 30 minutes at a time. Likewise, ice packs and massages may also give the same back pain relief benefits.

Pain Medication

Muscle relaxant medications and anti-inflammatory drugs may be used to relieve pain and discomfort until the body heals itself. However, some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs, such as naproxen sodium, may increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. Always consult with your doctor any medication to determine whether the potential benefits outweigh the risks for you.

Surgical Method

When nonsurgical therapy does not ease your discomfort or the pain is getting worse and becoming unbearable, your doctor may recommend surgical procedure as option. There are various surgeries available that range from the minimally invasive methods to a more serious procedure such as spinal fusion. The complexity of the surgery will depend on the severity of your condition.

Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation program may vary depending on the procedure the patient went through and the doctor’s preference. Exercise regimen may include

Exercises to strengthen your lower back and abdominal muscles
Exercises to improve your posture
Stretches to increase the flexibility of your spine and legs
Exercises to maintain your cardiovascular conditioning while you recover

Prolonged bed rest is not advised as it can lead to a decrease in your overall physical condition. Get up and move with caution following your doctor’s recommendations regarding specific activities you should participate in.

indeed, back pain relief and the alleviation of other body aches is not impossible. Various drugs and therapies are now available to people who need to reclaim their health and resume their normal lives — free from pain and discomfort.

Some people may have been nursing a broken spine for a long period of time and not even know about it. That back pain may have been due to a fall during any sports activity such as basketball, skiing, horse-back riding or a football game wherein you’ve been misdiagnosed with only a broken right arm. However, after the injured arm heals, there seems to have developed an intense back pain that made regular activities such as sleeping and moving around too difficult to do. The pain goes on and would never seem to leave you. Aside from the stress and agony it brings, chronic pain can lead to other serious medical conditions.
Acute pain is experienced as a direct response to injury or trauma which comes on suddenly and lasts for a limited period of time. The pain is expected to disappear as soon the injury or disease has been treated. Chronic pain, on the other hand, is pain that persists and last for several moths or even years.
The most common types of chronic pain include back pain, headaches, arthritis, cancer pain, and neuropathic pain, all of are related to nerve injury. Health care professionals always see the identification of the source of pain as the first step to treating chronic pain. It shouldn’t be ignored as it could be a symptom of an injury or unknown disease like Fibromyalgia. It is characterized by fatigue and widespread pain in muscles and joints. This condition may be connected to injury, changes in muscle metabolism, or viruses, though the exact cause is unclear.
Physical and emotional effects can be devastating regardless of the type of chronic pain. A patient’s career, family and future may suffer and get ruined. Some people would even commit suicide in order to put an end to chronic pain.
Chronic pain may goes on for weeks, months, or years and may not always respond to treatment. Without relief, or the hope for relief, it can be debilitating and may become the defining factor in patients’ lives. They lose the ability to eat, sleep, work, and function normally.
Pain varies from person to person, thus, treatment is individualized. Providing as much pain relief as possible and improving function is the goal of pain management. People with arthritis may do well with occasional use of an over-the-counter pain reliever, whereas someone else with arthritis may need a prescription pain reliever and regular aerobic exercise to feel good.
There is more to treatment for chronic pain than medication. It can also involve stress relief and relaxation, physical therapy, improved sleep and nutrition habits.
When chronic pain starts to interfere with the quality of one’s life, it is time to seek professional help. Another reason to seek advice from a specialist is if one is experiencing intolerable side effects from medications.
The fear of becoming addicted to pain medications is always the concern of both patients and their doctors. “Most forms of chronic pain respond to non-opioid drug treatments such as pain relievers, which don’t have addiction potential, aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. A combination of different types of analgesic medications at lower doses is often more effective than a single high-dose medication.
But in some cases, opioids are prescribed for pain. Opioids are controlled substances that are potentially addictive. But taking doses of opioids to relieve pain as prescribed is not considered as drug addiction. Addiction is the craving for and compulsive use of drugs. On the other hand, physical dependence occurs when a person’s body adapts to the drug. A person who has become physically dependent on a drug must not suddenly stop taking it to avoid withdrawal syndrome. Symptoms can include muscle aches, watery nose and eyes, irritability, sweating, and diarrhea. Physical dependence is considered a normal response to repeated use of opioids and is distinct from psychological addiction.
People suffering from chronic pain need support groups in order to deal with all of the issues regarding chronic pain such as lack of concern, frustration, how to communicate pain to your doctor, and how to maintain relations with your family. Pain may be inevitable, but suffering can be optional.

Whenever we feel pain, it means that our body is reacting to something that is not normal and needs immediate attention. Pain is a signal that something is not right. The cause may be a physical injury, a disease, or could be an emotional upset.

Leg Pain

Leg Pain is something that is a common complaint and a common symptom for a lot of different causes such as muscle spasms or cramps, injuries, dehydration or depletion of minerals like potassium, sodium, calcium, or magnesium. It can also be classified as inflammatory, orthopedic, neurologic, and vascular.

Muscle Spasm

Sometimes, we feel this terribly intense pain at the back of our leg while asleep. This is called a charley horse or muscle spasm which is characterized by a tightening of leg muscles that seems like forming into a hard knot, making your leg difficult and painful to move. When a muscle is in spasm, it contracts involuntarily and does not relax.

Tired, over-used or injured muscle is prone to spasms. When working out, always take a lot of liquids to avoid dehydration or low levels of minerals which can also predispose a person to muscle spasms. Some spasms occur because the nerve that connects to a muscle is irritated. Activities like swimming, running and jumping are prone to muscle spasm.

When muscle spasms strike, stop your activity at once. Try to stretch and massage the affected muscle area. Both heat and ice are natural pain relief which can help relax the muscle and soothe the pain. Pain medications such as non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs can reduce discomfort when muscles continue to be sore. In severe cases, consult your health care provider for anti-spasm medications.

Some helpful tips to prevent muscle spasms
Stretching and massage improves flexibility.
Workouts and exercise programs should be within your capabilities.
Take lots of fluids during exercise
Eat fruits rich in potassium like bananas and oranges

Restless leg Syndrome

Another type of leg pain is restless legs syndrome RLS which is a neurological disorder that brings about a compulsory desire to move the limbs accompanied by a burning or tingling sensation as if there are insects crawling in the lower legs. Such sensations may vary depending on its severity, from uncomfortable to irritating to painful. Unfortunately, trying to relax would only activate the symptoms resulting to difficulty getting and maintaining sleep. This condition causes exhaustion and daytime fatigue when ignored.

Since research considers this condition as “idiopathic” which means that the cause is unknown, treatment depends on identifying the associated or underlying medical conditions. Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia are sometimes associated with restless legs syndrome. Those who experience sleep disturbance will have to manage and modify their lifestyle such as minimizing if not totally avoiding alcohol or caffeine intake. Medications such as athritis pain relief or skeletal muscle relaxant drugs may be administered to those with associated medical conditions like arthritis.

Blockage of Leg Arteries

Tiredness or burning pain in the legs is caused by poor circulation and blockage of blood in the leg arteries. This pain is brought on by exercise, and relieved by rest. Sometimes, limping occurs due to leg cramps. This is called claudication.

Narrowed or blocked arteries can occur anywhere in the body. Oftentimes, after a period of walking, the blockage occurs in the legs, most commonly in the calf or the foot. This is called intermittent claudication and is relieved by enough leg rest.

Home Care and Treatment

A healthy diet is important and a daily program of walking for short periods, and stopping when there’s pain or cramps, may help improve your condition. Avoid wearing tight shoes.
However, make sure to let your doctor check any non-healing wounds on the lower legs and feet. When leg pain does not go away, remains hot, red and swollen, seek medical help immediately.