Supraventricular Premature Beats

When your heart skips, you may feel dizzy or anxious. Although an irregular heartbeat is often harmless, it should be treated with care. According to research or other evidence, the following self-care steps may be helpful.

• Cut the caffeine

  Reduce the frequency of some arrhythmias by cutting back on coffee and other caffeinated products

• Mix in some magnesium

  Under a doctor’s supervision, take daily supplements containing 350 to 400 mg of this essential mineral for fewer episodes

• Check out potassium

  Ask your doctor if 1,000 mg a day of this essential mineral may help treat your arrhythmia

• Don’t forget the fish oil

  Take capsules containing 2.4 grams of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids every day to reduce the frequency of irregular heartbeats

• See a heart-health expert

  Visit a healthcare professional knowledgeable in cardiology to get a thorough evaluation, and for supervision when using natural substances to treat cardiac arrhythmia

About This Condition

Cardiac arrhythmia is a term that denotes a disturbance of the heart rhythm.

Cardiac arrhythmias can range in severity from entirely benign to immediately life-threatening. If arrhythmia is suspected, a doctor should be consulted for confirmation. In addition, the use of natural substances for arrhythmia should always be supervised by a doctor.

Symptoms

Most arrhythmia does not result in symptoms, but people may experience anxiety, lightheadedness, dizziness, fainting, unusual awareness of the heartbeat, and sensations of fluttering or pounding in the chest.

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Sunburn

Everyone should enjoysome sunshine but too much sun can spoil the fun—and cause permanent damage to your skin. According to research or other evidence, the following self-care steps may be helpful.

• Block harsh rays

  Prevent sunburn by wearing protective clothing, by frequently applying sun block with a high sun protection factor (SPF), and by staying in the shade when the rays are strongest

• Apply topical antioxidants

  Try formulas containing 2% vitamin E, 5% vitamin C, 0.02% to 0.05% selenomethionine, 1% to 2.5% melatonin, and/or 10% green tea polyphenols to boost the protection from traditional sunscreens

• Add tomatoes to your meals

  Gain the protective benefits of the antioxidant lycopene by consuming tomato-based foods and drinks

• Supplement with antioxidants

  Fortify your body in the short term with antioxidants that defend against harmful ultraviolet rays; take a daily supplement containing 2,000 to 3,000 mg of vitamin C, 1,000 to 2,000 IU of vitamin E, 6 mg of natural beta-carotene, and 6 mg of lycopene during periods of high sun exposure

About This Condition

Sunburn is damage to the skin resulting from excessive exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Depending on the strength of these rays and the degree of skin pigmentation, sunburn to unprotected skin can occur with as little as a few minutes or as long as several hours of exposure. Unlike other types of burn, sunburn is not fully apparent until hours after exposure. Severe sunburn should be evaluated and treated by a doctor. Frequent sunburn contributes to wrinkling and aging of the skin and increases the risk of skin cancer.

Symptoms

Reddening of the skin is the hallmark of sunburn, and the skin may become swollen as well. Pain in the area develops over several hours and may persist for days. Blistering and fever can occur with severe sunburn. After a few days, sunburned skin will peel.

Healthy Lifestyle Tips

Staying out of the sun when it is strongest, wearing protective clothing, and frequently applying sun block with a high sun protection factor (SPF) are all recommended for avoiding sunburn.

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Stroke

Several types of strokes can strike the brain with little warning—but you can cut your risk for future strokes. According to research or other evidence, the following self-care steps may be helpful.

• Modify your diet

  Reduce stroke risk by eating lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fish

• Steer clear of smoke

  Kick the habit and avoid secondhand smoke to lower your risk

• Take a test

  Visit your doctor for a series of tests to determine if you have problems with high blood pressure or high blood levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, or glucose; all may increase your risk of stroke

About This Condition

Stroke is a condition caused by a lack of blood supply to the brain or by hemorrhage (bleeding) within the brain.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, but most strokes are not fatal. Depending on the area of the brain that is damaged, a stroke can cause coma, reversible or irreversible paralysis, speech problems, visual disturbances, and dementia. Factors that increase the risk of certain types of stroke include hypertension, diabetes, elevated levels of high cholesterol or homocysteine, and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) of the blood vessels that supply the brain.

Symptoms

Symptoms of stroke include weakness, numbness, or inability to move an arm or leg; sudden and intense headache; severe dizziness or loss of coordination and balance; difficulty with speaking or understanding; and blurred or decreased vision in one or both eyes. People with stroke may also have seizures, vomiting, drooling, and difficulty swallowing. Some people experience temporary warning episodes of neurologic symptoms called transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) before suffering a complete stroke. People experiencing symptoms suggestive of having suffered a stroke or a TIA require immediate (emergency room) medical attention.

Healthy Lifestyle Tips

Smoking is associated with a significantly increased risk of stroke. Even secondhand smoke puts nonsmokers at increased risk.

Exercise reduces the risk of stroke according to most, though not all, studies. The benefits of exercise are probably due to its effects on body weight, blood pressure, and glucose tolerance.

Obesity has been associated with an increased risk of stroke in most studies. Excess abdominal fat appears to be more directly linked to increased risk of stroke, compared with fat accumulation in the thighs and buttocks. While losing weight and keeping it off is difficult for most people, normalizing weight with a healthful diet and exercise program is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of many diseases, including stroke.

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Stress Incontinence

• Tone the pelvic floorConsult a knowledgeable healthcare practitioner to learn how to effectively practice pelvic floor exercises to control incontinence
• Train the bladderConsult a knowledgeable healthcare practitioner to learn bladder training procedures to control incontinence
• Try magnesiumTake 150 mg twice daily to reduce symptoms of urge incontinence
• Get fitUse a weight-loss program that includes regular exercise to reduce incontinence symptoms and improve quality of life

About This Condition

Urinary incontinence is loss of bladder control resulting in leakage of urine. There are two main types of urinary incontinence. Stress incontinence occurs during laughing, coughing, sneezing, exercising, or other types of physical straining, when abdominal pressure from these activities overcomes weakened urinary tract and pelvic floor muscles that normally prevent leakage. Urge incontinence, also called overactive bladder, occurs when bladder or other urinary muscles contract inappropriately. Mixed incontinence refers to a condition that has features of both stress and urge incontinence.

Women are twice as likely as men to experience urinary incontinence, and older people are also more susceptible to the condition. Stress incontinence is often related to pregnancy- and childbirth-related and age-related loosening of urinary tract tissues, but can also result from surgery or trauma to pelvic tissues. Urge incontinence can result from nerve damage due to stroke and other neurological diseases but often has no apparent cause.

Symptoms

Urinary leakage during exercise, or when coughing, sneezing, or laughing, is the common feature of stress incontinence. Urge incontinence is characterized by a sudden need to urinate, followed by a strong contraction of the bladder, resulting in involuntary leakage of urine. Urge incontinence can also be associated with the need to urinate frequently during the day and night.

Healthy Lifestyle Tips

Smoking increases the risk of urinary incontinence in women and men according to some, though not all, studies. Whether stopping smoking might reduce symptoms of urinary incontinence has not been investigated.Exercise can increase episodes of stress incontinence in the short term, but regular physical activity is associated with lower risk of urinary incontinence middle-aged and older women, [6] and in men following prostate surgery. Some of the benefit of regular exercise may be to prevent weight gain, since overweight and obesity increase the risk of urinary incontinence.⁹ Weight loss programs, most of which included regular exercise, have been shown to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life for women with urinary incontinence in several controlled trials

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Stress Headache

That dull ache in the back of your head may be a nagging sign of too much stress. How can you tame the tension and find relief? According to research or other evidence, the following self-care steps may be helpful.

• Apply soothing oils

  Rub peppermint oil or an ointment containing aromatic oils on your forehead

• Kick back and relax

  Try relaxation techniques such as meditation and biofeedback to control the effects of stress and reduce headache frequency and severity

• Take 5-HTP

  300 mg a day of the nutritional supplement 5-hydroxytryptophan may lessen headache frequency and limit the need for pain-relieving medications (use 100 mg a day for children)

• Manage your muscles

  Find a practitioner trained in massage or physical therapy to help unwind tight neck and shoulder muscles

• Have your spine “inspected”

  Visit a chiropractor or other licensed practitioner trained in spinal manipulation to correct joint problems that may contribute to your headache

About This Condition

A tension-type headache is common and typically experienced as a dull, non-throbbing pain in the back of the neck or in a “headband” distribution. It may be associated with tender nodules in the neck called trigger-points, or with tenderness in the muscles around the head.

Symptoms

People with a headache may have symptoms including uncomfortable sensations described as pain, throbbing, aching, dullness, heaviness, and tightness in the head. People with a headache may also experience discomfort that is often worsened by movement or pressure and may be associated with irritability, problems sleeping, and fatigue.

Healthy Lifestyle Tips

Tension-type headaches often occur more frequently and may become more severe during or following times of mental or emotional stress. Several controlled studies have found tension-type headache sufferers to report higher levels of stress, and to have significantly higher levels of depression or anxiety, significantly greater levels of suppressed anger, or significantly greater muscle tension than those without headaches. Minimizing stress and getting enough sleep and regular exercise are often recommended to people with tension-type headaches. However, no research has investigated the effectiveness of these lifestyle changes.

One controlled study that included patients with muscle-contraction headache as well as other types of headache, revealed that smokers had significantly more severe headache episodes than nonsmokers. Although other studies have not found an association between smoking and headaches, stopping smoking is always a good idea for many health reasons.

Holistic Options

Studies treating tension-type headache with acupuncture have had mixed results. Two controlled trials of acupuncture compared to “fake” acupuncture found either significantly more pain reduction from real acupuncture or no difference between the two treatments. Two trials comparing acupuncture to traditional physical therapy (relaxation techniques, self-massage, cold therapy, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [TENS], stretching, and/or preventive education) in tension-type headache patients found similar improvements from either treatment. Three controlled acupuncture trials treated patients with various types of headaches, including tension headache. Two of these studies, but not the third, found acupuncture significantly more effective.

Two preliminary studies reported benefits from using finger pressure on specific acupuncture points (acupressure) to relieve tension-type headache pain in some patients. However, no controlled research on this approach has been done.

Spinal manipulation may also help some tension-type headache sufferers. Several preliminary studies report reduction in frequency and severity of tension-type headaches with spinal manipulation. A controlled trial compared spinal manipulation to drug therapy for tension-type headaches. During the treatment period, both groups improved at similar significant rates, although the manipulation group complained of far fewer side effects. After a month following the end of treatment, only the manipulation group showed continued improvement. In another controlled trial, spinal manipulation resulted in fewer headache hours each day, decreased use of analgesics, and less intense pain per episode compared with massage. A third controlled study reported that spinal manipulation with muscle massage was equally as effective as massage plus a “fake” laser treatment, suggesting that manipulation did not provide additional benefit.

As mentioned above, two controlled studies found physical therapy (relaxation techniques, self-massage, cold therapy, TENS, stretching, and/or preventive education) as useful as acupuncture in significantly reducing headache pain and frequency. A preliminary study also found that physical therapy, consisting of posture education, home exercises, massage, and stretching of the neck muscles, significantly improved tension headaches up to 12 months after treatment ended. Another preliminary study of massage, including deep penetrating techniques, reported significantly decreased pain in patients with chronic tension headache and neck pain. A controlled study of headache patients with muscle spasm in the neck and shoulders found that adding TENS to physical therapy (consisting of heat packs, massage, and ultrasound) brought a significantly faster and greater decline in headaches than physical therapy alone.

Several controlled trials utilizing electromyogram (EMG)-biofeedback (which teaches people how to mentally relax their neck or head muscles) have shown this treatment to be helpful in about 50% of tension-type headache sufferers, both in adults and in children and adolescents. Progressive muscle relaxation is another muscle relaxation technique that has significantly reduced tension-type headache in controlled studies of adults, and children and adolescents.

Relaxation with techniques for stress management was found to be significantly better than drug therapy in a controlled trial of chronic tension-type headache sufferers, although about half of all subjects continued to have headaches three to four days per week after the end of treatment.

Hypnotherapy was found to significantly reduce headache intensity and duration in chronic tension-type headache sufferers in one controlled trial.

A large controlled study of tension headache patients compared relaxation therapies (including progressive muscle relaxation, hypnosis, and cognitive psychotherapy) with EMG-biofeedback, and found biofeedback to be significantly more effective than relaxation in decreasing headache pain and frequency.

In a controlled trial, therapeutic touch, a type of hands-on healing, was found to significantly reduce tension headache pain for four hours following treatment. No further research has been done on this approach.

Reflexology, a specific treatment involving massage of various reflex zones on the feet, has only been investigated as a treatment for tension-type headache in one preliminary trial. A majority of people treated in this study reported being helped by this technique.

A controlled trial of homeopathy in headache patients, including tension-type headache, found no significant benefit of homeopathy compared to a placebo group.

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Stress

“Stressed out” is a common phrase these days. While some stress is healthy, unwanted stress can be harmful. According to research or other evidence, the following self-care steps may be helpful.

• Get some extra C Help normalize stress-hormone levels by taking 1 to 3 grams of vitamin C every day
  
• Relax with rhodiola Taking 170 mg a day of a standardized herbal extract during stressful phases may improve your feelings of well-being and support mental function
  
• Work in a workout Improve your resistance to stress by enjoying routine aerobic exercise
  
• Participate in a program Find a stress-reduction program that includes group counseling, instruction in coping skills, relaxation training, and other helpful techniques
  
• Check out tyrosine Occasionally taking this amino acid before a stressful activity can help maintain your mental capacity; calculate 150 mg for every 2.2 lbs of body weight and split into two doses (take the second dose 40 to 90 minutes after the first)

About This Condition

The popular idea of stress in relation to human health is often described as an unpleasant mental or emotional experience, as when people say they are “stressed out.” This expression relates primarily to the idea of prolonged or sudden and intense stress, which can have unpleasant effects on the body, impairing the ability to function, and even harming health. However, the biological concept of stress is much more broadly defined as any challenge (physical or psychological) that requires an organism to adapt in a healthy manner. In other words, responses to stress can sometimes be of benefit when the organism is strengthened by the experience. The discussion below focuses on reducing the effects of excessive, unwanted stress.

Symptoms

Symptoms may include anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, stomach problems, sweating, racing heart, rapid breathing, shortness of breath, and irritability. Many health problems have been associated with various kinds of sudden or long-term stress, including alcohol abuse, asthma, chronic fatigue, erectile dysfunction and male infertility, fibromyalgia, headaches, heart disease, high blood pressure, immune system dysfunction, indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, mood disorders such as anxiety and depression, peptic ulcers,pregnancy complications, rheumatoid arthritis, skin diseases, impaired wound healing, and others. Problems with recovery from surgery and impaired workplace performance are also associated with excessive stress.

Healthy Lifestyle Tips

While cigarette smokers often describe their habit as relaxing, smoking is associated with increased stress levels, and stopping the habit eventually results in reduced feelings of stress.
Drinking alcohol can reduce feelings of stress, but using alcohol regularly in response to chronic or repetitive stress can lead to an unhealthy dependency.
Exercise has long been thought to have potential benefits to mental health and stress reduction; however, exercise can also be stressful when it is intense or competitive. Many preliminary studies have found that regular exercisers score better on measures of psychological well-being and perceived stress, and that people who improve their exercise habits develop changes in their mental attitudes that are associated with better resistance to stress. A controlled trial found that a single session of aerobic exercise reduced the anxiety associated with a subsequent experience designed to be psychologically stressful. However, studies of overall aerobic fitness have found that people with higher fitness levels are not different from those with lower fitness in their resistance to stress. One preliminary study gave aerobically fit and unfit women a mentally stressful test, and found no differences between them in physical or psychological measures of their stress reaction. Another preliminary study found that while physical activity was associated with reduced stress symptoms, having high aerobic fitness had no influence. This may mean that effects other than improved aerobic fitness, such as an improved self-image or the social support from belonging to an exercise group, are responsible for the benefits of exercise on controlling stress. A preliminary study in Thailand found that postmenopausal women who completed an aerobic exercise program consisting of 40- to 50-minute sessions twice weekly for 12 weeks had improved scores on a questionnaire designed to measure psychological stress. In a controlled trial, cancer patients hospitalized for chemotherapy who exercised for 30 minutes daily until discharge had significant improvement in several measures of psychological distress, while a similar group who did not exercise showed no change in these measures. In a controlled trial, 10 weeks of aerobic exercise resulted in healthier responses to acute mental stress in college students compared with students who did no exercise.

Holistic Options

Mind-body medicine is a branch of healing that focuses on the role of thoughts and emotions on physical health. Many techniques used in this healing system, including biofeedback, relaxation training, tai chi, yoga, and meditation, which affect the nervous system in ways that could theoretically help people cope with stress. In a controlled trial, tai chi practice, meditation, walking exercise, and quiet reading all resulted in similar biochemical and psychological improvements in the response to a stressful experience. Meditation, practiced for spiritual reasons, for relaxation, or as part of the treatment of a disease, has been reported helpful for stress reduction in preliminary studies. A controlled study found 15 minutes of meditation twice a day reduced measures of stress in adolescents during two experiences designed to produce stress. Other controlled studies have found reductions in reported stress and related psychological measures after a program of meditation.
Stress reduction programs involving combinations of group counseling, instruction in coping skills and problem-solving, relaxation training, meditation, or other methods are effective for reducing stress and helping to prevent or manage health problems relating to stress, according to preliminary and controlled research.
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Stomach Ulcers

Ulcer pain? Undo the damage. Peptic ulcers can cause serious discomfort and damage to the digestive system if left untreated. According to research or other evidence, the following self-care steps may be helpful.

• Avoid irritants

  Avoid smoking, aspirin and related drugs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), alcohol, coffee (including decaf), and tea to improve ulcer healing

• Fight recurrences with fiber

  Reduce the risk of new duodenal ulcers by getting enough fiber

• Give zinc a go

  Take 25 to 50 mg of this mineral a day to speed the repair of damaged tissue

• Get a checkup

  See a doctor to find out whether your ulcer is related to Helicobacter pylori infection

About This Condition

Peptic ulcers are erosions or open sores in the mucous lining of the stomach or duodenum (the first part of the small intestine). The term “peptic” distinguishes peptic ulcers from ulcerations that affect other parts of the body (e.g., diabetic leg ulcers).

Peptic ulcer should never be treated without proper diagnosis. They are usually caused by infection from Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). People with peptic ulcer due to infection should discuss conventional treatment directed toward eradicating the organism—various combinations of antibiotics, acid blockers, and bismuth—with a medical doctor. Ulcers can also be caused or aggravated by stress, alcohol, smoking, and dietary factors.

Symptoms

Peptic ulcers are occasionally painless. However, the most common symptom is a dull ache in the upper abdomen that usually occurs two to three hours after a meal; the ache is relieved by eating. Other common symptoms include weight loss, bloating, belching, and nausea. Untreated, peptic ulcers often bleed and may cause sharp burning pain in the area of the stomach or just below it.

Healthy Lifestyle Tips

Aspirin and related drugs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), alcohol, coffee (including decaf), and tea can aggravate or interfere with the healing of peptic ulcers. Smoking is also known to slow ulcer healing. Whether or not an ulcer is caused by infection, people with peptic ulcer should avoid use of these substances.

Holistic Options

Emotional stress has been shown to increase acid production in the stomach. The reported association between stress and peptic ulcer might be attributable to a stress-induced increase in gastric acidity. During the air raids of London in World War II, British physicians observed an increase of more than 50% in the incidence of ruptured peptic ulcers. More recently, an increased incidence of bleeding stomach ulcers was seen in survivors of the Hanshin-Awaji earthquake in Japan. Whether stress reduction techniques or psychological counseling helps prevent ulcers or ulcer recurrence has not been adequately studied in medical trials.

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