information online. Almost 20% of internet users have also gone online to look for others with similar medical problems.

Sixty percent of internet users for medical information think the information is either the same or better than the information received from their own doctor. Interesting enough, of those folks using the internet for health information, almost 60% of them did not discuss this information with their doctor.

What are patients looking at exactly? First and foremost they are looking at information related to their own condition around the web. This may include diagnostic options, treatment side effects, and for second opinions. Also, they may be looking up their doctor and his/her practice specifically for reputation.

Keep in mind that any person with a computer and a website or blog may place health information on the internet. It's not extremely difficult. What can be very difficult, however, is for the average consumer to delineate fact from fiction when reading through all of this material.

Additionally, there is no standard grading reference to ensure information online is of the highest integrity.

Regardless of this possibility, the fact that so much health information is available online allows consumers to become much more educated in their condition(s). They can participate more fully in treatment decisions and become actively engaged in their outcomes, After all, knowledge is power.

Health information from national medical societies can generally be trusted, such as the American Medical Association, American Cancer Society, etc. These are safe. However, if one is looking for medical information on groundbreaking technologies such as regenerative medicine, those sites are typically conservative.

Most medical journals are available online now, however to get full text one typically needs a subscription. Abstracts, which are concise summaries of research, are readily available online so if that's all that is necessary they are everywhere.

Most practices have a website these days and the better ones will have a blog or an educational component to them. Some have animated videos or narrated ones which can provide valuable information. Most procedures are widely discussed on the internet and one may see information from doctors along with patient experiences.

Patients more and more are seeking knowledge online, and the new reality is doctors can either contribute and embrace this phenomenon, or resist and have their pateints pass them by.

Patients Increasingly Are Seeking Medical Information Online

information online. Almost 20% of internet users have also gone online to look for others with similar medical problems.

Sixty percent of internet users for medical information think the information is either the same or better than the information received from their own doctor. Interesting enough, of those folks using the internet for health information, almost 60% of them did not discuss this information with their doctor.

What are patients looking at exactly? First and foremost they are looking at information related to their own condition around the web. This may include diagnostic options, treatment side effects, and for second opinions. Also, they may be looking up their doctor and his/her practice specifically for reputation.

Keep in mind that any person with a computer and a website or blog may place health information on the internet. It's not extremely difficult. What can be very difficult, however, is for the average consumer to delineate fact from fiction when reading through all of this material.

Additionally, there is no standard grading reference to ensure information online is of the highest integrity.

Regardless of this possibility, the fact that so much health information is available online allows consumers to become much more educated in their condition(s). They can participate more fully in treatment decisions and become actively engaged in their outcomes, After all, knowledge is power.

Health information from national medical societies can generally be trusted, such as the American Medical Association, American Cancer Society, etc. These are safe. However, if one is looking for medical information on groundbreaking technologies such as regenerative medicine, those sites are typically conservative.

Most medical journals are available online now, however to get full text one typically needs a subscription. Abstracts, which are concise summaries of research, are readily available online so if that's all that is necessary they are everywhere.

Most practices have a website these days and the better ones will have a blog or an educational component to them. Some have animated videos or narrated ones which can provide valuable information. Most procedures are widely discussed on the internet and one may see information from doctors along with patient experiences.

Patients more and more are seeking knowledge online, and the new reality is doctors can either contribute and embrace this phenomenon, or resist and have their pateints pass them by.

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Free Medical Books

Books are still a primary source of knowledge, even with the advent of the Internet and other methods of research. Books in all subjects are being released in revised editions to keep up with the changes and newer research being done in various fields. One such field that requires continuous knowledge is the field of medicine.

There are stores that specialize in medical books and stock the latest editions of all medical books when they are released. Such stores are the ones that stock for medical schools or colleges. However, most of the medical books that are released are expensive. Although going to a library's reference section is a good option to shelling out big bucks for the medical books, it can be time-consuming.

Although a long shot, it is worth it to search online for free medical books. Some sites do provide free reference material for qualified and certified doctors. The doctors would need to register with these websites by providing their basic details and qualifications. Since it is free, not many topics are available. However, many of the websites do have a number of articles, journals and other reference materials that might be of some use.

Online medical libraries are the latest craze, as they house an exhaustive selection of medical reference books. Most of these libraries are free of charge and all the professionals in the field of medicine, such as doctors, interns, nurses and students, can make use of these reference materials. Websites such as http://www.freebooks4doctors.com and http://www.haitimedical.com provide access to free medical books online. These sites require the users to register as members, and most of the sites also send articles and journal stuff regularly to the member's email addresses. Searching on the World Wide Web can produce many such websites that provide free reading material for aspiring doctors and nurses, as well as practicing professionals.

The other option to browsing on the Internet would be the college and school libraries that house all the books related to the syllabus for all semesters, as well as other reference material. Although this is also a free way to get access to all the medical books, it's more time-consuming.

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Advancements in Stem Cell Research and Multiple Sclerosis Treatments

Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the immune system that affects the central nervous system, or brain and spinal cord. A form of auto-immune disease, the disease damages the nerves and may affect separate or multiple parts of the body, causing pain and severe limitation to movement, ability, and quality of life.

The disease causes damage and destruction to the protective covering (myelin sheath) that surrounds nerve cells. Damage to the myelin sheath severely slows or interrupts nerve impulses, causing intense pain and inability to control movement. Individuals diagnosed with multiple sclerosis experience episodes of inflammation that cause the body's immune cells to attack the nervous system.

Stem Cell Technologies and Multiple Sclerosis

In recent months, treating a patient who has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis with their own immune system stem-cells has shown promise in some clinical trials where severe nerve cell damage has not yet occurred.

Clinical trials developed at the Northwestern University Feinberg School Of Medicine in Chicago removed patient's stem-cells in bone marrow, injected chemicals to destroy damaged immune cells and then re-injected the stem-cells into the patient's bodies. Three years later, none of the 23 individuals who engaged in the clinical trials experienced further deterioration, while 17 of them showed some improvement.

In further studies, adult stem-cells that have been taken from a patient's fatty tissues have shown promise in reducing clinical manifestation of the disease process. Clinical trials using mesenchymal stem-cells showed improvement, according to the Journal Of Translational Medicine, describing studies performed at the University of California San Diego. Mesenchymal stem-cells have been shown to reduce or stop immune activation of cells and target specific areas where tissue damage had occurred.

Use of stem-cell technologies to treat multiple sclerosis is designed to literally "reset" immune system function and is focusing on reversing or slowing early diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Recently, an international symposium (Stem Cell Transplantation in Multiple Sclerosis: Sharing The Experience) was conducted in Moscow, Russia to discuss perspectives in new methods of treating multiple sclerosis through autologous hematopoietic (bone marrow stem-cells that may 'morph' or develop into a variety of stem cell types)stem-cell transplantation combined with high dose immunosuppressive therapies.

The Future of Treatment

In recent months, Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics, Inc., has developed a therapeutic approach for potential treatment of multiple muscular conditions including Parkinson's disease, ALS and multiple-sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis treatments are currently being conducted on mouse models, with results published in the Journal Of Molecular Neuroscience.

Benefits of such treatment offer individuals diagnosed with multiple-sclerosis, especially those diagnosed early, with renewed neural and muscular function, reduced symptoms and enhanced quality of life. News articles abound with stories of various stages of recovery of those who have undergone stem-cell treatment for multiple-sclerosis, some who have even recovered the ability to walk.

From Australia to Europe, individuals undergoing clinical trials of stem-cell therapy have been showing a 60 to 80% chance of slowing the disease process, while some may enjoy the benefits of reversing the disease in its entirety. While there is no cure as yet for multiple-sclerosis, stem-cell treatments that focus on repair and regeneration of the central nervous system offer hope to individuals suffering from neural damage around the globe.

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Obtaining Sports Medicine Information - List Of Excellent Research Journals

There are numerous research journals of sports medicine that cater to an international readership. Sports have become professional and more and more people are taking it up as a means to earn a living, as well as fame. As a result of the competitive nature of sports, there is more practice involved and consequently more injuries are also being suffered by the sports persons. The demand for medicine especially applicable to sports has therefore catapulted. New research and the number of studies that are being conducted in this field has increased manifold.

As there is vast amount of research information available nowadays, the research publications have also gone up in number. The print media, online media

(both free to use and paid subscription) as well as specialised books, all have started providing increased coverage to research journals of sports medicine. Research in Sports Medicine is a known name in the sports medicine field, since several years. Professionals practising sports medicine find a platform to discuss their research in this publication. International sports medicine practitioners share their research work in prevention as well as management and also rehabilitation of sports injuries; injuries that occur due to exercises and physical activities and also injuries because of occupational problems.

Among other reputed research journals of sports medicine, the official publication of American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) has pride of place. American Journal of Sports Medicine as it is called is a scientific publication wherein the research work is reviewed by peers.

Research journals of sports medicine have a key role to play as they are also a forum for practitioners to learn about unbiased opinions on research pertaining to orthopaedic sports medicine. As the information available is scientific and correct, they are able to update their knowledge and make well informed decisions.

Science and Sports is published by the French Society of Sports Medicine. This research journal is a reliable source of information for work being conducted not just in scientific, and medical but also applied technical research, related to internal medicine, psychology, biomechanics, traumatology, sociology and technology; as applicable to sports and on a broader level all physical activities.

Research journals of sports medicine are an important part of the medical field to disseminate information. New developments come up practically each day and new techniques emerge; the research journals of medical information provide the right platform to present them before the world. The sports medicine practitioners do not have to search for the information all over as they know it is available in these reputed research journals of sports medicine.

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The Science Of Complementary Medicine

Recent

Four out of ten Americans were using alternative-medicine and not telling their doctors(1). Chinese herbal medicine helped people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome(2). A ketogenic diet decreased intractable seizures in children(3) But according to other researches, Echinacea extracts did not prevent upper respiratory infections(4) and chiropractic manipulations did not improve episodic-tension-type headaches.(5)

These researches may have had their own flaws. But according to another article published in British Journal of Medicine, double standards exist in judging traditional and alternative medicine.6 In a conference in integrated medicine in London, Dr. Iain Chalmers said, "critics of complementary medicine seemed to operate a double standard". It is thought that 60% of orthodox treatments have not been scientifically proved.(6)

In 1999, a series of articles was published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) under the title-ABC of Complementary Medicine. Catherine Zollman and Andrew Vickers authored these articles. In an article in this series published in BMJ of 11 September 1999, the authors defined Complementary Medicine as " ...a group of therapeutic diagnostic disciplines that exist largely outside the institutions where conventional health care is taught and provided. Complementary medicine is an increasing feature of healthcare practice, but considerable confusion remains about what exactly it is and what position the disciplines included under this term should hold in relation to conventional medicine".(7)

According to another article published in BMJ of 25 September 1999, an UK survey of use of Complementary medicine estimated that in1993, 33% of the population had used some form of Complementary medicine. 55-65% of those who consulted complementary practitioners were female, a similar proportion to users of conventional healthcare. The other highlights of this survey were:

· The highest users were those aged 35-60 years.

· Children made up a relatively small proportion of users of complementary medicine.

· Users of complementary medicine tended to be in higher socio-economic groups and had higher levels of education than users of conventional care.

More people used complementary medicine in the south of England than in Wales, Scotland and the north of England.But evidence suggested that this reflected access to availability of complementary practitioners rather than any fundamental regional differences in public attitude or interest.(8)
On acupuncture, the authors wrote: - "There is good research evidence that acupuncture has effects greater than placebo. Randomised trials have found that true acupuncture is more effective in relieving pain than 'sham' technique such as inserting needles away from true points." "Studies showing that acupuncture can affect anaesthetised animals provides further evidence that its effects probably cannot be explained purely in psychological terms."(9)

"The best known evidence about a herbal product concerns St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) for treating mild to moderate depression. A systematic review of 23 randomised controlled trials found the herb to be significantly superior to placebo and therapeutically equivalent to, but with fewer side-effects than antidepressants such as amitryptyline." "Eighty seven adults and children refractory to conventional first and second line treatment were randomised to a crossover study that compared a preparation of about 10 Chinese herbs with a placebo consisting of herbs thought to be ineffective for eczema. Highly significant reductions in eczema scores were associated with active treatment but not with placebo. At long term follow-up, over half of the adults (12/21) and over 75% of children (18/23) who continued had a greater than 90% reduction in eczema scores".(10)

Studies on Homeopathy

An evidence of the efficacy of homeopathic medications was published in BMJ.

The paper was authored by Morag A Taylor and associates. It concluded that homeopathic dilutions differ from placebo. This study was done on fifty patients suffering with perennial allergic rhinitis. The results showed significant nasal airflow improvement compared with the placebo group(11). An earlier paper authored by Andrew Vickers and Catherine Zollman in BMJ quoted an article in Lancet in favour of homoeopathy. The authors of this article in Lancet were quoted as: - " the results of our meta-analysis are not compatible with the hypothesis that the clinical effects of homoeopathy are due to placebo." "Laboratory studies have reported biological effects of homeopathy medicines on animals, plants and cells, some at ultramolecular dilutions."(12)

Mind-Body Connection in Modern Medicine

On another note, there are many researches published in journals of modern medicine that corroborate mind-body connection. Role of emotional distress and the origin of cardiac illnesses are an accepted fact in modern medicine. In a recent research conducted by Dr. Ketterer and colleagues from Henry Ford Health Sciences Center in Detroit, it was recommended that "chest pain should be considered a marker of emotional distress." "Reducing emotional distress may benefit the (healthcare) system as well as the patient by spontaneously decreasing emergency room visits, diagnostic tests and hospital admissions."(13)

A study done in the Cancer Institute of New Jersey by Dr. Pandya and associates concluded that conventional mind-body therapy has been poorer with valuable non-invasive way to manage coronary disease. Yoga practice is valuable in coronary disease by improving resistance to stress.(14)

People with diabetes are twice as likely as non-diabetics to suffer from depression, according to an analysis of 25 years of data authored by Dr. Patrick J. Lustman of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. "Two of every three cases of depression in diabetes go untreated by primary care physicians".(15) He recommends that both conditions need to be treated together.

In a study published in Digestive Diseases and Science authored by Dr. Svein Blomhoff of National Hospital, Oslo, it was demonstrated that there is a clear connection between mind and body. Emotional responses have an impact on intestinal reactivity in-patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and in normal controls.

"The close interaction among mind, brain and gut" indicates that "gut motility may be a dynamic indication of level of stress or emotional state."(16)

Non-Physical Treatments

Psychotherapy is helpful for patients with intractable dyspepsia. One study was done by Dr. Elspeth Gutherei of the Manchester Royal Infirmary and was published in Gastroenterology in the year 2000.(17) In the same issue, Dr. David H. Alpers of Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, advised gastroenterologists to pay attention to psychological diagnostic and therapeutic tools and to learn to apply them to patients in functional bowel disorders.

Results from some controlled trials of "distant healing" show that such forms are positively effective. A study by Dr. John A Astin and associates at Kernon Hospital Mansion, in Baltimore Maryland, concluded this finding. 23 trials including five trials of prayer, 11 studies of non-contact therapeutic touch and seven trials of mental healing and spiritual healing were studied.(18)

Conclusion

There is ample evidence in modern medical literature that suggests that there are links between physical illnesses and emotional and mental distress. Research evidence shows that there is learning involved in "observation." Every "scientific" discovery starts with "observation." The observation is then followed by "scientific research."

Complementary therapies are following the same pattern of knowledge as modern medicine has followed. Practitioners can make themselves more aware of the scientific basis of medicine by reading and researching on modern medicine. Complementary medicine will need to become more scientific sooner rather than later.

References:

1. Journal of the American Medical Association (1998) 280:1549-640

2. Journal of the American Medical Association (1998) 280:1585-90

3. Archives of Neurology (1998)55: 1433-8

4. Archives of Family Medicine (1998) 7: 541-5

5. Journal of the American Medical Association (1998) 280:1576-9

6. British Medical Journal (1998) 316:1694

7. British Medical Journal (1999) 319:693-696

8. British Medical Journal (1999) 319: 836-838

9. British Medical Journal (1999) 319:973-976

10 British Medical Journal (1999) 319: 1050-1053

11. British Medical Journal (2000) 321: 471-476

12. British Medical Journal (1999) 319: 1115-1118

13. Journal of Behavioural Medicine (2000) 23:437-44

14. Comparative Therapy (1999) 25(5): 283-93

15. Diabetes Care (2001) 24: 1069-1078

16. Digestive Diseases and Sciences (2000) 45: 1153-1165

17. Gastroenterology (2000) 119: 661-669, 869-871

18. Annals of Internal Medicine (2000) 132: 903-910

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Medicine Can Make You Sick

For weeks my colleague felt cramping and was not feeling very strong but chose to ignore these signs and kept up with her work and life. One evening the pain was excruciating and she found herself in the Emergency Room. After tests and scans her physician asked her how much she drinks because her liver had all the signs of sclerosis of the liver.

My colleague does not drink.. Surgery was scheduled while they looked for the source of her problem. The conclusion was that the medication, Lamisil, my colleague was taking for 18 months for a foot fungus was the suspected culprit because liver damage is one of the side effects. Her physician did not know she had started the prescription.

Somewhere along the line in my medical and health writing I learned that every medication has side effects. Studying the elderly I learned that many were taking a medication to counter act another medication they absolutely needed. When my mother started taking medications I quickly learned I had to ask her physician about the side effects of those medications because she was not going to say a word and suffer whatever it took.

Here are five tips that can help you control your medications.

1. Ask your physician to go through all the prescription drugs you take to make sure one drug is not interfering with another.

During the last 10 to 15 years I learned that very few physicians have the time or the resources to examine all of the medications their patients are taking, even those that are prescribed by other physicians such as a dermatologist, or gynecologist, This needs to be done on a regular basis because a prescription from one doctor could be inhibiting a medication from another physician

Recent research could show newer medications that are just as effective but have fewer side effects. Many doctors do not have the time to keep updated on all the medications although that is usually their intent when they read the medical journals over the week ends.

2. List all your prescriptions in one source, one drugstore. A pharmacist is often the person who discovers your medications are interfering one another.

3. Consider taking a generic drug first. It will cost you less. Doctors often prescribe the most current medication which is also the most expensive. There is usually a generic available for most diseases.

4. If you have a new prescription that involves 2 or 3 new medications, take only one new medication at a time to see how your system will tolerate its effects. Then gradually add the next and the next.

5. You are the captain of your ship. Your physician cannot help you if you do not provide all the information. That means listing all the supplements you take and how much there is of each ingredient. You may be surprised at the amount you are taking of one vitamin or one herb when you add up everything. Besides, there are supplements that interfere with medications and that can cause only havoc.

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