“Employment is nature’s physician and is essential for human happiness” Galen, ca 180 AD. In 2003/04 30 million working days were lost to illness that were caused by work related issues. Two million people believed they were suffering from a work related illness in 2003/04. ½ a million people were said to be suffering from stress/depression or anxiety. 183,000 claimed to have breathing or lung problems. Hearing problems were sustained by 81,000, skin problems by 31,000 and heart disease/attack by 66,000.

These harrowing figures are a shocking insight into the abuse of health and safety in the work place. Although these figures have improved slightly now; health concerns due to occupations are still a major problem.

An occupational disease is a chronic ailment that occurs as a result of work. It is when symptoms of diseases are more prevalent in bodies of workers than the general public.

Improving organization, work practices, addressing issues such as workload (over or under), matching workers skills to their jobs and having clear lines of accountability and responsibilities are all appropriate steps to prevent ill health occurring in the work place. The right work patterns, security and ensuring a ‘happy’ work place as well as good communication and safe working practices not only improve the safety of the work place but also creates a better working environment.

Examples of occupational disease are:

• Black lung disease – normally seen in coal mining industry

• Carpel Tunnel Syndrome - occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist. The symptoms are usually burning, tingling, or itching numbness in the palm of the hand and the fingers, especially the thumb and the index and middle fingers with some people even stating their fingers feel useless and swollen even though they appear fine.

• Radiation Sickness – seen in the nuclear industry

• Byssinosis – disease of the lungs caused by breathing in cotton dust or dusts from other vegetable fibers such as flax, hemp, or sisal while at work

• COPD, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – the symptoms of COPD are a persistent cough/phlegm, shortness of breath and chest infections. Once the damage of COPD has taken effect it cannot be reversed. COPD is damaged airways in the lungs, causing them to become narrow, making it harder for air to get in and out of the lungs.

• Silicosis – The Oldest of all work related diseases. It develops over time when dust from Silica is inhaled into the lungs. A persistent cough, with or without sputum, shortness of breath and chest tightness are all symptoms of Silicosis. All of these usually appear over many years of exposure to high levels of Silica dust, with the tissue of the lungs becoming damaged by Fibrosis and being replaced with solid nodules of scar tissue. Even after the exposure stops, the disease still progresses.

• Asbestos – work related disease due to asbestos exposure can be highly serious. Mesothelioma is cancer of the pleura and asbestosis is a form of lung fibrosis, both of which are a direct result of asbestos, as well as bronchial cancer.

• Occupational Lung Disease - covers a range of damage, affecting things such as the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs (airways), the tiny air sacs where oxygen is transferred from the air we breathe into our blood stream. Other damage may affect the thin lining between our lungs and ribcage. Symptoms include chest pain, prolonged coughing, breathlessness and wheezing

• Occupational Asthma – it has been said that by 2010, the cases of occupational asthma are to be reduced by 30%. Occupational Asthma remains the most common form of work related illness. Dust from flour and grain; Industrial baking, farm work, grain transport. Wood dust, from hard wood, western red cedar, carpentry, joinery and sawmilling. Colophony, mostly found in soldering fumes but also present in glues and floor cleaners Dust from latex rubber, from jobs involving latex gloves used in nursing and dentist work.
Dust from insects and animals are all causes of Occupational Asthma.

The above list is only a small section of work related illness and disease that can affect many employees.

You may not know that, according to official medical statistic of the Buteyko Clinic in Moscow, over 110 thousands asthmatics have learned the Buteyko breathing technique in Russia and became cough-free. The Buteyko technique is officially approved by Health Minister of Russia for treatment of asthma.

The Buteyko therapy has been able to diminish signs and symptoms in all 6 medical trials, and coughing is the essential sign for asthma. As a result, elements of the Buteyko therapy can help other cough-sufferers to get rid of their coughing.

The core goal of the Buteyko respiratory therapy is to make one's unconscious respiratory pattern lighter and slower and improve O2 level in the tissues.

Does this breath therapy do the job for asthma? Here are the central results of all six published western randomized controlled medical trials of the Buteyko technique:
- reliever medication intake reduced by 75-90%;
- steroids lowered 50%;
- less symptoms of asthma and better quality of life after practicing some months of breathing exercises to eliminate their overbreathing, which lessens their tissues oxygen content.

Vast numbers of current people promote a ignorant fantasy that CO2 is a toxic and waste chemical. They also say that large basal breathing pattern (or chronic hyperventilation that is breathing more and/or faster than the normal breathing) increases tissue O2 level.

Hundreds of published medical studies have established that chronic hyperventilation DIMINISHES O2 content in the tissues. Besides, the chemical we exhale, carbon dioxide executes many critical functions for the human organism, such as: synthesis of hormones, proteins, immune cells and other chemicals, bronchodilation (dilation of airways), control of blood glucose, repair of alveoli in lungs, body weight monitoring, sleep regulation, relaxation of muscle cells, stability of the nerve cells, blood pressure maintenance, normal immunity, release of O2 in capillaries (the Bohr effect) and dozens of other crucial effects.

Cough destroys your health

During our normal breathing while sitting the air travels though the breathing passages at a speed of about 8 km/h. When we cough, the air dash out through the mouth at 70-110 miles/h. Coughing through the mouth produces an air pressure fluctuation that is enough to injury alveoli. Coughing is in particular destructive for people with bronchopneumonia, COPD, cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, asthma, bronchitis, bronchiectasis and other respiratory conditions with present damage to the lungs. Next, during constant coughing, you breathing frequency is over 35 exhalations in 1 min instead of normal 12. Your tidal volume for one cough is close to one liter of air instead of 500-600 ml. Perform some calculations to make sure that your pulmonary ventilation is much more than the tiny medical norm (6 L/minute). Bouts of coughing bring about cellular hypoxia; irritation of the constricted airways due to excessive mechanical friction; irritable state of cough-receptors in the tracheobronchial tree/larynx due to hypocapnia (lack of CO2 ); damage or rupture of alveoli due to sudden air pressure changes; chronic respiratory infections and inflammation due to suppression of the immune system; constriction of airways due to hypocapnia (CO2 is a bronchodilator); possible over-production of mucus and other pathological outcomes due to hyperventilation.

Examine the cell oxygen content using a simple test

After your expiration, close your nostrils and count your anxiety-free breath holding time. Observe that the respiration pattern following the check should always be similar to your respiratory pattern before the test: no stress in the least after the test.

This trial indicates two values at one time. To start with, the final result evaluates O2 level in the body. Second, it assesses how deep the individual respiration pattern is.

As long as the automatic breath pattern is currently standard, he or she should be capable to hold the breath hold for as much as 40 sec. If he or she has about twenty sec, this person breathes about double the physiological norm (and it is 6 Liters of air in one minute). With respect to the sick patients, their test result is further diminished: most likely roughly fifteen seconds or less resulting from hyperventilation.

Permanent solution to constant problem with coughing

When your involuntary breath pattern is so slow-moving that your concentration of O2 in the body tissues is above 25 s, you will not experience problems with constant cough. You should slow down your deep breathing in order to attain this goal.

Respiration normalization process requires constant regulation of breath including:
- constant nose breathing (hence, it is necessary then to seal your mouth with a surgical tape, if your mouth is usually dry in the morning
- avoidance of sleeping on your back (we breathe almost twice more air, when we sleep on our backs at night)
- physical exercise for (at least 2 hours daily with nasal breathing only, in and out, otherwise exercise is more or less a waste of time for most, especially sick patients)
- and many other lifestyle-related details so that your unconscious breathing pattern is restored back to our physiological norm.

COPD, or Cardiac Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a difficult disease for a person to manage. This is compounded by those who suffer from COPD and also need employment. Suffers of the disease often find it difficult to maintain employment as a result of how the disease impacts their body.

Cardiac Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a disease that qualifies for disability benefits under the Social Security Administration (SSA). The challenge with this type of disability case is proving to the Social Security Administration that you are disabled, because their definition of disability is very strict.

Defining Social Security Disability Benefits:

The SSA has a very rigid definition of who is disabled. To receive SSI or SSDI benefits a person must provide evidence that they are permanently disabled and this condition will last at least one year, or result in their death. No benefits are awarded for a partial or short-term disability.

Documenting a COPD Disability:

The most important thing for a COPD patient to do is to see a doctor on a regular basis. While at the doctor’s office, this is your opportunity to help build your COPD disability case. Remember to win benefits you’ll need to provide documentation of your disability. The notes and records your doctor maintains on file are critical evidence to help support your claim.

It is your responsibility to ensure your condition is being documented properly. Make sure your doctor is writing down your symptoms (and that the writing is legible). When talking to your doctor, be specific about your symptoms. For example if you are experiencing a shortness of breath, tell your doctor when it occurs, examples below:

- Carrying groceries
- Walking from room to room
- Standing for long periods of time (how long?)

COPD Chest Pain:

Another common COPD condition is chest pain. If you are experiencing chest paint, describe the pain to your doctor. Tell your doctor how long it takes to recover from COPD chest pain. This information is critical to support your COPD disability case and also helps ensure your doctor is able to adjust your treatment as needed.

As you can see your doctor’s records will be one of the greatest sources of supporting evidence for your case. Too often qualified applicants are denied disability because they were unable to document their disability to the Social Security Administration’s standards. It is important to remember that though you may seem to be disabled, if you do not provide the SSA with the evidence and documentation that they need, you will be unable to receive the benefits you are entitled to. If you are uncertain, or want to increase your chances of winning benefits you may want to contact a COPD attorney.

COPD Disability Attorney and COPD Disability Lawyer:

An experienced COPD disability attorney or COPD disability lawyer can be a great resource when applying for benefits. Disability lawyers and attorneys will be able to help you with your claim by assisting in gathering documentation and testimony if needed for your impairment and associated symptoms. Whether you need to apply for disability benefits or have applied and been denied, finding a lawyer with COPD disability experience can be the difference of winning benefits and being denied.

Medical researchers have proven that high levels of folate can slow the cognitive decline usually seen as people age. This research was presented at the US-based Alzheimer’s Association’s first conference on prevention of dementia. Folate is definitely instrumental in anti-aging techniques for the brain.

The research suggested that otherwise healthy people can slow declining brain function by taking double the recommended daily dose of folate.

Scientists studied men and women 50-75 years of age taking 800 mcg of folate a day over a three year period. They found the group scored much better in cognitive tests than their peers who took the placebo. The supplement users also scored higher on memory tests as much as 5.5 years younger than their chronological age.

The study is the first to convincingly show folate can slow cognitive decline and plays a key role in anti-aging techniques for cognitive functioning. Since the study involved healthy older people and not people with Alzheimer’s symptoms, it does not tell us if folate might ward off that disease. This is an important question still unanswered.

Earlier studies suggested folate combined with other B vitamins can reduce levels of homocysteine, which is an amino acid thought to be one of the causes for onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers think we ought to be more conscious about the health of our brain very much in the same way we think about the health of our heart. Alzheimer’s disease begins many, many years before symptoms appear.

The researchers of this study say it is not clear how folate works to protect the brain. It might be that it lowers inflammation or plays a role in expression of dementia-related genes.

Oranges, strawberries, dark green leafy vegetables and beans are good sources of folate to include in a daily anti-aging diet. Folate is also added to cereal and flour products in the United States
.
The recommended daily dose of folate in the United States is 400 micrograms. Doctors have long advised women of childbearing age to take folate supplements to ensure they get an adequate daily dose.

This new research adds to the mounting evidence that an anti-aging diet higher in folate provides protection against a variety of diseases. For a long time now, scientists have felt folate plays a role in dementia. Previous studies show people with low folate levels are more at risk for heart disease and decreased cognitive functioning.

Research also now suggests there are anti-aging ways to protect the brain against age-related memory losses and Alzheimer’s disease. There are classes being offered by the Alzheimer’s Association to teach people techniques to protect the brain. Some of those techniques include:

•Exercise the brain: In youth, exercise for the brain is acquiring good education. As a person begins to age, excellent anti-aging brain exercises include working crossword puzzles, learning to play an instrument or the game of chess and taking classes helps to exercise the brain.

•Social stimulation helps prevent decreased cognitive function

•Physical activity: Having a bad memory has been linked to heart disease and diabetes due to the clogged arteries that slow blood flow to the brain. Exercise is helpful to all these functions.

•Experts recommend doing something mentally, physically and socially stimulating all at the same time. An example would be coaching your child’s ball team or taking a dance class.

•A heart healthy anti-aging diet is also good for brain healthy anti-aging.

Source: The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information in this article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All health concerns should be addressed by a qualified health care professional.

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

Did you know about 35 million Americans are suffering from one kind of lung disease or the other? Did you know that lung infections are believed to be one of the most important causes for infant mortality in America? Probably you also did not know that diseases related to lung claim one in seven lives every year. Well, it is an alarming statistics, isn’t it? But what does a lung disease mean? Precisely, Lung disease refers to any kind of disorder in which the functions of respiratory system get affected and impaired and this impairment manifest in several ways, such as, troubled breathing, nagging cough, short of breath, pain or uneasiness in the chest, inability of taking up physical labor and likes.

The medical science divides all kinds of lung diseases into two broad categories: Obstructive lung diseases and Restrictive lung diseases.

In obstructive lung diseases, the airways get narrowed or blocked and the result is a decrease in exhaled air flow. The disorders like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), emphysema, asthma, and bronchiectasis are cause by such obstructions of lungs.

Restrictive Lung Diseases result into either loss of lung tissue or decrease in the lung's ability to expand. It may also decrease lung’s ability to transfer oxygen or carbon dioxide into the bloodstream. The killer disease of lung cancer is a kind of restrictive lung disease. Pulmonary fibrosis and pneumonia are also caused by the same lung disorder.

Probably lung cancer is the most common form of ling diseases that the people are more familiar with. Another commonly found diseases among Americans—asthma-- is also a kind of lung disorder. Tuberculosis is also the result of bad lungs. Then you might have heard of such diseases like Cystic Fibrosis, Emphysema or Mesothelioma…they all are the manifestation of some kind of lung disorders.

Are you a heavy smoker? Well, you run the maximum risk of developing lung disease. What did you tell, you don’t smoke? Well this is not adequate; you have to stay clear of the smokers, for it is the passive smokers who are at higher risk than the smokers themselves to develop some kind of lung disease, even cancer. Make it a point to request a smoker to enjoy his cigarette in a secluded place so that the others are not forced to inhale second hand smoke.

Then if you work in mines or somehow exposed to radon gas, you run the risk of developing a bad lungs. In the USA, radon is sometimes found in the households also and so it is important for everybody to invest in a kit for measuring the concentration of radon at your home and take the steps accordingly.

If you are working in the sectors which use asbestos, you are required by the Federal Law to use protective gears including a face mask. The same is necessary if you are constantly exposed to dust or harmful chemical fumes, for these also considerably damage your lungs in the long run.

Last of all, the medical authorities always recommend a healthy diet for preventing lung cancer. A diet consisting lots of anti- oxidant rich fresh fruits and vegetables, considerably reduces the risks of cancer. Also go for regular Spirometry testing to make sure that your precious lungs are in perfect shape.

The most common causes of indigestion are gastro esophageal acid reflux and functional dyspepsia.

Gastroesophageal Acid Reflux:
Acid reflux can result from a variety of physiologic defects. Reduced lower esophageal sphincter (LES) tone is an important cause of reflux in scleroderma and pregnancy.

Many individuals exhibit frequent transient LES relaxations during which acid bathes the esophagus. Overeating and aerophagia can transiently override the barrier function of the LES, whereas impaired esophageal body motility and reduced salivary secretion prolong acid exposure.

Gastric Motor Dysfunction
Disturbed gastric motility is purported to cause acid reflux in some cases of indigestion. Delayed gastric emptying is also found in 25–50% of functional dyspeptics.

Impaired gastric fundus relaxation after eating may underlie selected dyspeptic symptoms like bloating, nausea, and early satiety.

Visceral Afferent Hypersensitivity
Disturbed gastric sensory function is proposed as a pathogenic factor in functional dyspepsia. dyspeptic patients experience discomfort with fundic distention to lower pressures than healthy controls.

Other Factors
Helicobacter pylori has a clear etiologic role in peptic ulcer disease, but ulcers cause a minority of cases of dyspepsia. Infection with H. pylori is considered to be a minor factor in the genesis of functional dyspepsia.
Analgesics cause dyspepsia, while nitrates, calcium channel blockers, theophylline, and progesterone promote acid reflux.

Other exogenous stimuli that induce acid reflux include ethanol, tobacco, and caffeine via LES relaxation. Genetic factors may contribute to development of acid reflux.

Differential Diagnosis
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Functional Dyspepsia

Functional dyspepsia, the cause of symptoms in 60% of dyspeptic patients, is defined as 3 months of bothersome postprandial fullness, early satiety, epigastric pain, or epigastric burning with symptom onset at least 6 months before diagnosis in the absence of organic cause.

Ulcer Disease
The most common causes of ulcer disease are gastric infection with H. pylori and use of NSAIDs.

Other rare causes of gastroduodenal ulcer include Crohn's disease and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome a condition resulting from gastrin overproduction by an endocrine tumor.

Malignancy
Dyspeptic patients often seek care because of fear of cancer. Esophagealsquamous cell carcinoma occurs most often in those with histories of tobacco or ethanol intake.

Other risk factors include prior caustic ingestion, achalasia, and the hereditary disorder tylosis. Esophageal adenocarcinoma usually complicates long-standing acid reflux.

Other Causes
Alkaline reflux esophagitis produces GERD-like symptoms in patients who have had surgery for peptic ulcer disease.
Opportunistic fungal or viral esophageal infections may produce heartburn or chest discomfort but more often cause odynophagia. Other causes of esophageal inflammation include eosinophilic esophagitis and pill esophagitis.

INVESTIGATIONS:

Complete blood picture

Gastric scintigraphy

Ultra sound of abdomen

Ct scan of abdomen

HOMOEOPATHIC APPROACH:

LYCOPODIUM:

It suits to the patients with vigorous appetite ,but after eating a small quantity of food he feels so bloated
There is easy satiety of the appetite
Digestion is slow and difficult
Patient feels very sleepy immediately after eating
There s great accumulation of flatus in the stomach and intestines and this presses upwards which causes difficulty in breathing
It has also sour taste ,sour belching, and vomiting which is sour
Belching of gas does not relieve the symptoms of discomfort

PULSATILLA:

Dryness of the mouth ,putrid taste in the morning on awakening and sensation as if food is lodged under the sternum
The tongue is coated white thick rough
There is acidity and great heart burn
Food tastes bitter ,sour or putrid ,there is water brash and erructations tasting food and absence of thirst
All the symptoms are worse in the evening

ANACARDIUM:

There is sinking feeling which comes after two hours after eating.
There is dull pain in the stomach extending to spine and there are often tasteless erructations.

Zithromax is also known as azithromycin but it is most popularly referred to as the Z-Pack. Zithromax is a type of antibiotic that is related to erythromycin. It is commonly used to treat rosacea and acne vulgaris. However, Zithromax is rarely prescribed for acne. The more common ones are erythromycin, tetracycline, minocycline, clindamycin topical, and doxycycline.

The indication for Zithromax is for adults having mild to moderate acne. As an antibiotic, it can also be used to treat respiratory tract infection, strep throat, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, COPD, pneumonia, and sinus infections. It can also be used against infections of the urinary tract or cervix, including some sexually transmitted diseases. Zithromax can also be prescribed to children to treat tonsillitis, strep throat, middle ear infection, and pneumonia. However, people who are allergic to this particular group of antibiotics shouldn't use Zithromax or any other similar drugs without the guidance of their doctor.

A doctor will prescribe the right dosage for you. But before he does that, he has to examine you first and know your medical history. People suffering from kidney and liver diseases can't use Zithromax. The same goes for people with Long QT syndrome. People with these conditions may need to use other types of drugs.

Zithromax may also produce side effects, although instances of this are rare. Angioedema is the most common one of all and it includes the swelling of the neck, lips, neck, and face. As such, patients will experience impeded breathing, speaking, and swallowing when using the drug. It is also possible for anaphylaxis to develop, which is a violent, sometimes even fatal type of allergic reaction. The disease is also associated to serious skin diseases and may generalize immediately. If you observe any of these symptoms, stop taking the drug and consult with the doctor immediately.

Zithromax is normally prescribed in a pulsed dose when used to treat acne vulgaris. This means that physicians could instruct patients to use the drug for three days then stop for seven days and then proceed again for a total of three cycles. It is also possible for doctors to prescribe the drug in small dosages to be taken every other day for ten weeks or so. The effect of Zithromax is comparable to that of 100 mg of Minocin taken daily. Minocin is currently regarded as the most effective antibiotic for acne vulgaris.

Zithromax can also be prescribed according to the manufacturer's dosage instructions. This pertains to taking the initial dosage of 500mg and then decreasing the dosage to 250mg daily for the next five days. The treatment therapy has to be repeated every month until the doctor tells you to stop. Another treatment approach is to take Zithromax in 2 pulses monthly, with the first one taken on their first day of the month and the other on the 15th. Zithromax has to be taken five days before menstruation so that flare-ups can be reduced drastically. Talk to your doctor when considering Zithromax to treat Acne Vulgaris. It can be used as an alternative to the one you're using right now, especially if you think that is becoming ineffective for you.

A diet involving eating less, while still getting enough vitamins and nutrients is of great interest. Researchers find that calorie restriction diets extend the lives of animals. It is unknown if the anti-aging diets help people to extend their lives. Limited studies have been done in people.

Animal studies focused on insects and animals with short life spans. Researchers found animals on restricted diets live longer. They also found that calorie restriction diets are more important to the life span than striving to maintain healthy weight and exercising regularly. There are studies under way involving animals with longer life spans and will take years to finish. There is promise with the preliminary results in monkeys.

Although scientists have doubts about actual positive effects of the anti-aging calorie restriction diet, calorie restriction research may give doctors clues about the aging process and aging may be slowed.

The way a calorie restriction diet works is to eat less than your body needs to maintain your normal weight. How much less a person eats varies. People who follow a calorie restriction diet hope to slow the aging process and live longer.

The diet involves restricting how much food you eat and carefully monitoring food intake to ensure getting enough vitamins and nutrients. Choices consist of foods full of nutrients, but low in calories, such as vegetables and whole grains.

The benefits of short trials of calorie restriction diets in people include:

•Blood pressure
•Blood sugar
•Body fat percentage
•Cholesterol levels
•Heart rate
•Weight
These benefits are healthy changes that may reduce the risk of chronic disease later in life and therefore create longer life for humans.
Risks of calorie restriction diets include:
•Reduced bone density
•Loss of muscle mass
•Anemia
•Memory loss
•Dizziness
•Depression

Studies show that getting inadequate amounts of vitamins and nutrients can lead to serious problems such as heart failure and death. Studies show that people with the lowest range body mass index scores have a higher risk of death than do those with normal scores. The studies do not take into account undiagnosed cancer or other serious illnesses that may have caused the weight loss. However, the study results do give us a cause to be cautious when considering the calorie restriction diets as a means of prolonging life. They may end up doing just the opposite for some individuals. There is also very little known about long-term effects of calorie restriction diets in people who have a healthy weight.

If you are considering a calorie restricted diet first discuss it with your doctor. He or she should be able to explore the possible benefits and risks of a calorie restriction diet for you in particular. Getting enough vitamins and nutrients can be difficult when you eat less food, you may also need to consult with a certified dietary nutritionist. He or she can help you decide which foods you should eat to provide you with the nutrition you need.

Calorie restriction diet studies may help researchers understand the aging process. The studies may also provide necessary clues for developing new anti-aging drugs. Once researchers study how calorie restriction diets work on the body their hope is to create drugs to work in the same way.

It might be just as good an idea to wait to see what kind of drugs researchers come up with, that is, if you are young enough to wait for that conclusion. Otherwise, consult with your doctor first before starting a calorie restriction diet in the hopes of anti-aging.

Source: Foundation for Health in Aging

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information in this article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All health concerns should be addressed by a qualified health care professional.

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

© 2007 Connie Limon All Rights Reserved