MY HEALTH RIGHTS » patients

Recurrent Infections

admin — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:14:27 +0000

There are many patients who suffer from recurrent bronchitis, sinusitis , throat infections and recurrent vaginal yeast or thrush infections
Some of these patients will have a chronic illlness diagnosis and some will not. Many may also complain of feeling a bit ‘tired all the time’ depsite getting adequate rest. Some will have respiratory disorders like asthma. Many will not.
A fairly common example is the person who has a fairly busy life but finds that they are ‘down’ with a severe bronchitis two or three times per year and may, on occasion, need steroids added to their antibiotics.Typically many of the people who get recurrent bronchitis will have long-standing low intensity rhinitis and a constant, mild post-nasal drip. They will frequently complain of a sensation of a trickle going down the back of their nose and throat (that’s the ‘post-nasal drip’ bit!) on a fairly constant basis. Usually these patients need their mineral status checked out because some trace minerals like zinc are particularly important for immune system functioning. My impression having looked after many patients like this is that the post-nasal drip is sending mucus down to the chest and this mucus then somehow ends up staying there and contributing to the recurrent chest infections.
It is also important to make sure that any low-grade recurrent sinus infections are treated and that any food intolerances that are ‘driving’ the post-nasal drip are also identified.
It has been my clinical experience that, in people who suffer recurrent tummy problems, the disorder in their abdomen together with whatever low-grade infection may be there, contributes to their reduced immunity.
After that has been done one may use some advanced acupuncture techniques to help ‘clear’ the sinuses and improve the defensive energy – the ‘wei qi’ of the body.
A specialised acupuncture immune-boosting treatment is extremely useful if it is used about four times per year at the change of season. It is especially important to boost defensive immune energy at the end of summer as autumn approaches.
Homoeopathic treatments for sinuses and lungs are, in my experience also very useful in such situations. All a bit complicated and somewhat time-consuming but, I find, generally effective as a treatment strategy.
Of course anyone who is suffering from significant recurrent infections should consult their general practitioner in the first instance who may wish to investigate further if (s)he deems it appropriate or may feel that reassurance is most appropriate at that stage. I always emphasise to patients that it is important that their GP knows what they are doing health-wise and is comfortable with it.

Cancer Patients

admin — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:23:57 +0000

There are no magic potions that can ‘cure’ cancer but it is worth considering some options for patients who are suffering from cancer
Immediately after your chemotherapy or your operation:
It may be worth treating operative scars to enhance wound healing – I have generally been very ,very pleased with the results. The scars took a fraction of the expected time to heal. This can be very useful if the scar(s) is / are in a sensitive area which may be disturbed during sleep if the person rolls onto that area. This has the double benefit of both improving daytime comfort overall and also improving sleep quality which, itself, is a great accelerator of healing.Nutritional Medicine and trace mineral testing and investigation may be very useful in speeding the return of full vitality after an operation or chemotherapy.
Is there anything worth trying in terms of trying to prevent cancer recurrence
We still know disappointingly little about why we get cancer. However it is reasonable to state that the causative factors include both genetic (nature) and environmental (nurture) factors. Anyone who hands out cast-iron guarantees that they can prevent cancer recurrence is either unhinged or untruthful.
However some interventions are, in my opinion well worth trying:
- I feel it important to try to get gastrointestinal function working as efficiently as possible so that food is being absorbed properly.
- Optimise nutritional status so that the immune system is working at full speed.
- Investigate liver detoxification and supplement appropriately so that toxins are eliminated as efficiently as possible. This is because maintaining proper detoxification is, in my opinion, worthwhile to attempt to prevent cancer recurrence.
Integrative medicine may also b e very useful in terms of enhancing pain management and quality of life.
It is important to realise that integrative techniques are appropriate when the patient is mobile and functioning reasonably well to improve strength and resilience and inprove quality of survival time together with possibly improvement in quantity of survival time , also. When a patient’s condition has been deemed terminal and death is near I feel that the patient and family’s emotional and material resources are best devoted to looking after the patient and not searching fruitlessly for miracle cures (which do not exist anyhow) reasonably well.

Back Pain

admin — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:09:04 +0000

Many people suffer from ongoing back pain and the general approach to ongoing pain is described below. For patients with longstanding back pain there is a an additional emphasis on treating the soft tissue structure associated with back pain including muscle trigger points and the use of acupuncture to deal with local tissue inflammation. This is in addition to the biochemical and other interventions described below.Chronic Back Pain
Chronic back pain implies that the back pain is ongoing pain – pain that persists after the original source of pain or injury has stopped but where full healing and a full return to health has not occurred.
It is important for anyone suffering from chronic pain to obtain an appropriate medical opinion which will usually include an opinion from both their General practitioner and a consultant neurologist or neurosurgeon or other medical specialist as appropriate.
Getting the emotions and stress management right is also important.
For some patients there is a definite benefit from a consultation involving a multi-disciplinary team which will usually include a behavioural psychologist and / or a psychiatrist. This is not to imply that chronic pain is purely psychological but rather to recognise that, if we learn to relax our minds in a deep manner, our sense of relaxation will affect our body chemistry positively. This ‘relaxation response’ is well recognised scientifically and will have a positive effect on neurotransmitters and brain chemistry in general and frequently will contribute very positively on the mind and body.
My approach to chronic pain involves looking very broadly at anything in the body which may be prolonging inflammation or preventing healing and this would include looking at nutritional status, possible food intolerances, any possible role being played by ongoing bowel problems, any evidence of sluggish liver detoxification, hormonal aspects of well-being which may be involved etc. I will also, usually, use advanced acupuncture techniques both to address physical aspects and also ‘mind-body’ aspects (this would include individual tension holding patterns etc.) of the persons pain.
Acupuncture, used at an advanced level, is very potent in chronic pain. For some people who have already tried the ‘talking cure’ sometimes the more direct access to the emotions provided by subtle acupuncture techniques is immensely helpful.
My experience is that this holistic approach frequently has much to offer.
I would like to stress the importance of the patient being guided by their general practitioner and specialist (if also under consultant care). I do not see it as my role to prescribe any analgesic drugs or opiates – the prescribing of any pain-killing drugs is left solely to the patient GP or pain-management doctor.