Talent Mash

What’s the attraction? Why are people drawn to them? What are the positives and negatives? Will I stop using magnet puns? (Thankfully for the reader, yes)

Many people are using magnets for pain relief .In fact worldwide it’s a $5 billion a year industry. That’s a lot of magnets! A 1999 survey of patients who had rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or fibromyalgia and were seen by rheumatologists reported that 18 percent had used magnets, and that this was the second-most-used alternative therapy by these patients, after chiropractic. So I had to ask myself, with all these people using magnet therapy for pain relief, what’s it all about?

So first of all, let’s have a look at what magnets are. Magnets produce a type of energy called magnetic fields and possess a property called polarity-that is, a magnet’s power of attraction is strongest at its opposite ends, usually called the north and south poles. The north and south poles attract each other, but north repels north and south repels south.

Magnets vary enormously in strength measured in units called gauss (G). if you look at a typical refrigerator, those magnets range from 35 to 200 G whereas magnets marketed for the treatment of pain are usually 300 to 5,000 G. You have probably heard of an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machine used to diagnose medical conditions. This baby produces up to 200,000 G! And of course who could forget good old’ terra firma- our Earth- which has a magnetic field of about 0.5 G.

You may be forgiven for thinking that magnets are quite a new phenomenon but they have actually been used for centuries. They were used to treat many painful muscle and joint conditions like arthritis and eve used on gout.
So how are they supposed to work?

o When you place the magnets against your body part they then relax the capillary walls which in turn increase the blood flow to the area. An increased blood flow means an increase of oxygen and nutrients to the area. Blood contains iron so maybe this is how it does this. (By the way, joints have a very poor blood and nutrient supply and get their supply by moving the joint. Therefore it’s always important to be moving your joints more as opposed to becoming more and more sedentary-you will just get worse in the long run as you begin a downward spiral of less movement/more pain/more weakness. Keep those joints moving!)

o They are all said to interfere with muscle contractions decreasing painful muscle spasms as well as interrupting the pain-gate mechanism which sends the pain message to the body(this incidentally is also one of the proposed theories as to why acupuncture can be so effective at relieving pain)
The studies are wide and varied.

There are numerous conflicting studies that are too numerous to mention. However, I will mention that there have been studies that have apparently produced good results and others that haven’t. The FDA doesn’t recognize magnets as a pain relieving method as yet and when people have been tested in an MRI which is many times stronger than medical magnets used for pain, they haven’t seen these supposed chemical/cellular/neural reactions/interactions. It also should be noted that in several studies it’s been difficult to monitor the studies. This is because it’s not been easy to make sham magnets and effectively convince people in the sham groups that they have the magnets and not fake ones.

Although for many years magnets have been used medically to speed bone growth in fractures where they are not healing properly.

I would also like to add, being an acupuncturist that I too have seen and read many studies that have said that acupuncture does not work for various conditions but in the clinic I have seen remarkable results for these conditions.
Are we getting conned by the billions of dollars every year by using magnets?

Have they been using them for hundreds of years hoping the healing effect is on a purely placebo basis? (The patient believes it will work so it works).

I have seen people over the years in my clinic that absolutely swears by magnets. In fact my best friend uses one for his knee whenever he snow skis or plays golf and wouldn’t be without it. I know of others who have had no results. Then again, I also know of people who have had no results from acupuncture for their allergies/pain/stomach problems etc whereas others have had enormous benefits. Other clients have had no results from their chiropractic treatments and others wouldn’t be without their adjustments.

I always tell my clients, there is not one treatment or treatment technique that fixes everything or everyone. If there was, we would all be studying it! This is one reason I studied so many different therapeutic modalities so that I could apply a certain technique or techniques on conditions where I found that that particular therapy worked better over another.

So maybe you would like to give magnets a try?

After all, they are not overly expensive, have no side effects compared to taking drugs and just may help you like they have helped many of my clients over the years. Always remember though, you must adopt good posture at all times, use proper lifting techniques and remove the causes of your pains. If you don’t, just like anything else, all the magnets in the world won’t help you. You must remove the cause of your pain. Just like if you keep having headaches because you bang your head against a wall all day you need to stop banging your head against a wall (and probably seek some professional help too). Likewise, if you suffer from lower back pain from sitting slouched al day, you need to correct this first ad foremost. For more on this see my lower pain section or neck pain sections.

Rhinoplasty is one of the safest and generally most satisfying plastic surgeries in the market today. The results can be dramatic and long-lasting. Yet, in order to get to those perfected results, you have to wait through several weeks or a few months before all the swelling subsides. It can be even a year until the final product is revealed. What is a girl required to do in the mean time? Fortunately there is a whole slough of camouflaging cosmetics in the market that can help conceal any bruising and discolorations until your nose completely heals.

The most common side effects of rhinoplasty are swelling, bruising, discoloration, and the presence of incision scars. These are natural results of the surgery and are the body’s way of telling you that something traumatic just happened and that your body is trying to fix it. Still, you do not want everyone else paying more attention to your healing nose than they do to you. To minimize awkward stares you will need some good cosmetics.

First, you can start with some concealer to cover up bruises and incision lines. Concealers are nice and thick, much thicker than foundation, and can basically erase some of the rhinoplasty-related blemishes. Make sure to find one that very closely matches your skin color and that is hypoallergenic to avoid further irritating your skin. Also choose a concealer that is waterproof to give you the look that lasts all day. After applying the concealer to your bruises and scars, it is usually best to apply a layer of your regular foundation for a more finished presentation.

If you have any discoloration of the skin around the surgery area, your best bet may be color correctors. These are specifically designed to hide the unsightly colors that accompany bruising. If you have a yellowish bruise, try a lavender corrector. For redder discolorations, apply green corrector. Be sure to finish with a layer of your own foundation to smooth out the colors.

There are also ways to disguise the swelling that will typically last for few weeks. One common technique is to use different shades of foundation to create contouring or lights and shadows. If you want to make your swollen nose look narrower, apply a strip of foundation two shades lighter than your regular one down the center of your nose. Then apply strips of foundation that are two shades darker than your regular one along the sides of your nose. Blend them together as best as you can. This should produce an illusion of a thinner nose line, camouflaging any temporary fatness or inflammation.

Before you try any of these techniques, be sure to get your surgeons approval. Usually you will be allowed to start wearing makeup just a few days after your procedure, but you may have to wait until your stitches have been removed to start covering up the incision lines. When you do start using makeup again, make sure your applicators are clean and that your products are non-oily and hypoallergenic. Be consistent and diligent in completely removing the makeup with toner and cleaning your face each night. The last thing you want is to inadvertently create an infection in the nose, prolonging the swelling, bruising, and overall recovery period.

With proper know-how and application, makeup can be a very effective tool in helping you look your best, right after your rhinoplasty procedure. Camouflaging cosmetics can allow you to feel comfortable going back to work and moving in your normal social circles again.

Braces are orthodontic devices which are used in order to correct the position of misaligned teeth, braces are very popular because they get the job done but, for many people the speed at which they work and the unique look that distinguish them are not much of a selling point. Additional braces are known because they are mostly made of metal and they have somewhat thick wires which are used to adjust pressure and individual areas in order to correct the oral structure.

Another characteristic of traditional braces is that they use elastic bands which are harder to adjust, these bands are attached to ligatures which can create friction therefore slowing down the process they were intended to aid.

In order to address all these issues dentists have come up with a different type of braces which are self-ligating and are able to hold the wire without the need for elastic bands, this makes this type of braces much thinner and also more effective because they do not rely on traditional ligatures which slowed down the orthodontic process.

Traditional braces are very hard to clean them because they use ligatures and elastic bands they tend to be harder to clean, if a person eats food with those type of braces on it is very common for food to get trapped between the ligatures which effectively causes bacteria to build up thus promoting tooth decay.

The market for self-ligating braces has dramatically grown since 2005 because their aesthetic appearance is not as obvious as their counterpart, self-ligating braces also use translucent ceramic which helps it blend with the appearance of your teeth in a more natural way, so the noticing that you are wearing braces would be really hard for most people.

As you see the reason why self-ligating orthodontic devices have become popular is because they are extremely convenient, they are able to get the job done in a shorter amount of time (requiring less and faster visits to the dentist for adjustments) and also being aesthetically pleasing which is a huge benefit for both teenagers and adults.

We can hardly turn on the news or read an article on the web without being reminded that almost 50 million Americans lack medical coverage. But that figure does not even include dental coverage, so I did a little research and found that over 100 million Americans do not have a dental plan! Furthermore, many Americans who do have some sort of dental insurance report that they still have large bills when they need a service. This is because of waiting periods, coverage limits, and large coinsurance requirements. So if we added in the people who do not have adequate dental coverage, I am sure the figure would be much higher.

However, if you go without routine dental care, problems will only get worse, and poor dental care can affect your overall health after awhile. Then you may find yourself standing in the dentist’s office for emergency treatment and lacking the cash they require to begin helping you. This problem can be particularly signifigant if you do not even have a relationship with a dentist’s office. It is more difficult to negotiate payment plans at the dentist’s office then it used to be, but particularly if you have never used that office before.

A solution for many Americans is a low cost dental discount plan. They start at less then $100 a year, and provide cheaper services for everything from periodic checkups and cleanings to major services like braces, dentures, crowns, and cosmetic work. Most of them include very cheap, or even free, checkups and cleanings, and believe me, those will save many problems in the long run. They will also help you build a relationship with a local dentist, which will help you if you need an emergency treatment.

The plans work like a network where dentists agree to charge the discounted rates in exchange for having their office listed in the booklet or website of the plan. This gets the dentist new clients, and also helps them provide less expensive service to existing patients. You benefit by saving 10 – 60 percent off of normal prices, and by having a qualified local dentist.

You can usually find a plan, check out the nearby dentists, and then apply online. You will find all sorts of services, in addition to regular family dentists. You can look for cosmetic dentistry, orthodontic braces, dentures, and more. I cannot tell you which network to choose, because the right one depends upon which dentist you want to patronize, where you live, and what services you require. However, you can run a quick search online and find all of the details on local and national dental discount networks.

People from around the world now have the options to choose different types of clear braces that make treatment go virtually unnoticed. People are usually scared of traditional metal braces appearance, but with technologies such as Invisalign, a person can get their teeth straightened using this invisible form of orthodontics.

Invisible braces also include lingual braces which go on the back of the teeth. We noticed when watching a recent MMA fight, the announcer clearly had brace son the back of his teeth. While we noticed since we were looking, this form of invisible braces can be pricy, but to someone like a sports announcer very much worth the extra cost.

Get your teeth straightened using clear braces are the way to go. Ceramic, Ice Braces, Invisalign, ibraces, and many others are available. While you may not qualify for each form of braces, you should consult several orthodontists.

You will find clear braces by Invisalign to be the most invisible treatment of all the clear orthodontics. However patients with severe underbites or overbites will not qualify for this form of treatment. You will need metal braces and possibly even oral surgery. Many patients may decide to leave a bad bite and just straighten teeth and fix gaps. This is understandable as it is a major life change to go through with surgery and have your jaw cut. Braces can sometimes fix your bite up to 90%, but it is never guaranteed. Make sure to get several opinions before going with any one form of treatment.

There’s nothing like a migraine to ruin your days. However, if you’re finding your migraines are convenient excuses to avoid sex with your partner, then don’t bother reading this article.

If you really do belong to the group who’s having horrible migraines and you want to get rid of them, here are a few factors to consider. Many women complain of an increase in headaches and migraines as they approach their menopausal years.

I never used to have problems (only very occasionally) but now the headaches are coming on like clockwork a few days before menstruation. In order to turn a bad situation into a good one, I seized the opportunity to do the necessary research for my website so we can all benefit.

Know your Triggers

You are unique and so are your migraines. Your particular triggers are not the same as someone else’s. Here’s a list of possible triggers that you’ll want to avoid if they’re causing your migraines.

• Stress. Sometimes the headache doesn’t come on when we are experiencing the stress, but rather after the stress is resolved and we are starting to relax. Bummer.

• Red wine. Organic white wine may be better for some people. Avoid sulphites and preservatives.

• Aged Cheese. Switch to young cheese.

• MSG. Avoid. Read your labels.

• Chemicals in our food and drinks.

• Too much sleep. (yeah-right, who has time for that? And if you do, consider yourself lucky and pop a pill, will ya.)

• Too little sleep. That’s more realistic.

• Bright lights. Wear sunglasses.

• Too much caffeine. Switch to decaf, or better yet, switch to herbal teas.

• Clenching/grindng your teeth. You may not know you’re doing this. Ask your dentist, he/she may recommend a mouth guard for sleeping.

• Overloaded senses. Many migraine sufferers are susceptible to strong smells. Avoid fragrant cosmetics, sunblock, insect repellants, and people.

• Obesity. Several studies have linked obesity to migraines. Eat right and stay active.

• Contraceptive pills. If this is the cause, talk with your doctor about changing the type of pill.
Alternative Options

Avoiding your triggers should always be the first step. Alternative options should be the second step, and medications, if all else fails, should be the third step in your fight against migraines.

• Get a massage. If the massage is too aggressive, you might experience a migraine flare-up. Make sure your massage therapist is trained properly in migraine-relief.

• Correct any vitamin deficiencies with a healthful diet and possibly vitamin supplements if necessary.

• Go to a chiropractor.

• Try acupuncture.

• Try Yoga.

• Tai chi.

• Try botox injections into the areas where you get the migraine pain. You might experience a beneficial side-effect as a bonus.

All of the above methods are to be performed throughout the month, and not just when your migraine is flaring up.

• Take a pill

• Sometimes there’s just no other option than to take a pill. You have to go to work after all, or you have to care for your loved ones, or get to that Bridge Game.

• Take the right medications at the right time. Get a prescription from your doctor and then take the pill as soon as the pain starts. Your doctor has several options ((Triptans, anti-depressants, anti-inflammatories, Beta-Blockers and anti-seizure meds) to discuss with you.

• If your migraine is premenstrual and you’ve tried to avoid your triggers and you’ve tried the alternative options listed, then take one or two anti-inflammatory pills each day for a few days before your period starts. You will want to discuss this plan with your family physician because taking too many pills on a regular basis, even if they’re over-the-counter, will cause rebound headaches.

• If you want to take an over-the-counter pill then take it as soon as the pain starts and lie down for a while, if you can, until it starts working. This is not recommended if you are working and you have a moody perimenopausal boss.