Archive for Conditions

Break the Adhesion Surgery Cycle

March 28, 2012 Clear Passage Physical Therapy 6 comments

adhesion-obstruction-cycle

We received a question from one of our blog readers, and we thought it would be important to share the answer with all of our readers who may suffer or know someone who suffers from the pain and discomfort associated with bowel obstruction:

Can surgery for bowel obstructions cause adhesions? I know adhesions cause bowel obstructions, but can surgery from bowel obstructions cause adhesions?

In short, absolutely.

Surgical lysis of adhesions involves cutting or burning the adhesions under general anesthesia, via laparoscopy or laparotomy (open surgery). In addition, the bowel is generally severed, the obstructed area is removed, and the (now shortened) bowel ends are re-attached.

While lysis of bowel adhesions can be effective, surgery has some major drawbacks:

  • Risks associated with general anesthesia and infection
  • The body creates more bowel adhesions as it heals from the surgery designed to remove them (even with the skills of the finest surgeon)
  • 90% of patients develop adhesions following open abdominal surgery
  • 55% to 100% of women develop adhesions following pelvic surgery.1 
  • 35% of all open abdominal or pelvic surgery patients were readmitted to the hospital more than twice to treat post-surgical adhesions during the 10 years after their original surgery.2 

Abdominal surgery itself has been implicated as a major cause of adhesion formation and many patients become trapped in a cycle of surgery-adhesions-surgery.

How can I break the cycle?

Explore the non-surgical treatment option offered by Clear Passage Physical Therapy. Recognizing that surgery can cause abdominal adhesions to recur is an important step forward in our understanding of bowel obstruction. Benefits with choosing Clear Passage include:

  • No drugs or surgery
  • 20 years of experience treating bowel obstructions (SBO). Read more about the history of the Wurn Technique
  • Results reducing or eliminating obstructions
  • Decrease in pain
  • Returns mobility to organs that have become adhered.

 References:

  1. Liakakos T, Thomakos N, Fine PM, Dervenis C, Young RL. Peritoneal Adhesions: Etiology, Pathophysiology, and Clinical Significance.Dig Surg. 2001; 18: 260-273. PMID 11528133
  2. Ellis H, Moran BJ, Thompson JN, Parker MC, Wilson MS, Menzies D, McGuire A, Lower AM, Hawthorn RJ, O’Brien F, Buchan S, Crowe AM. Adhesion-related hospital readmissions after abdominal and pelvic surgery: a retrospective cohort study. Lancet Br J Med. 1999; 353: 1476-80. PMID 10232313.
Adhesions, Bowel Obstruction ,

11 Tips for Chronic Pain

March 26, 2012 Clear Passage Physical Therapy No comments

 

chronic-painIf you suffer from chronic pain, you may find that you are no longer able to do things you used to or are often feeling down or anxious. The good news is that there a number of life changes you can make in order to lessen the toll of chronic pain on your  physical and emotional wellbeing. WebMD’s article “11 Tips for Living with Chronic Pain” include:

  • Learning relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and meditation
  • Exercising to boost endorphins, which are “brain chemicals that help improve your mood while also blocking pain signals”
  • Taking part in activities you enjoy to keep you busy and distract you from the pain

While these steps will not fully eliminate pain, they can help make it more manageable. See the complete list of tips for living with chronic pain: http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/11-tips-for-living-with-chronic-pain

 

Chronic Pain ,

Endometriosis, Not Just a “Career Woman’s Condition”

March 23, 2012 Clear Passage Physical Therapy One comment

endo-pain-teenagers

Today’s edition of NPR’s CommonHealth blog ran a touching story about Emily, a 13-year old diagnosed with endometriosis. The story, which describes Emily’s suffering through years of debilitating pain, is timely as Endometriosis Awareness Month comes to a close.

What began as an unexpected, stabbing pain below her bellybutton turned into a “medical odyssey.” Emily says at least one doctor told her that she would have to live with the excruciating pain. After 18 months of endless tests and seemingly no answer in sight, Emily was diagnosed with Stage II endometriosis. The condition had caused her left ovary to become fused to her pelvis.

Today, Emily still experiences pain but says that “understanding her condition and continuing treatment have been critically important.” The story raises an important issue: endometriosis is not a “career woman’s” condition (affecting mostly older women who delayed pregnancy), as was once thought. Instead, the condition often begins in adolescence and is greatly under-diagnosed in teenagers.

Read Emily’s story.


Endometriosis ,

6 Great Endometriosis Articles

March 19, 2012 Clear Passage Physical Therapy No comments


endometriosis

March is Endometriosis Month, and the web is buzzing with stories related to the condition to spread the word about this disease affecting more than 176 million women worldwide. Here are a some links we thought we would share with you that you may find as interesting as we did. 

1. March is Endometriosis Awareness Month from Be Prepared

2. Endometriosis causes pain in millions of women from Pennlive.com

3. A Foodie Raises Awareness from The Wall Street Journal

4. Endometriosis Increases Risk of Certain Ovarian Cancers from ABC News

5. Painful womb condition endometriosis linked to higher risk of ovarian cancer from DailyMail

6. Endometriosis May Make Women More Vulnerable to Certain Types of Ovarian Cancer from FemaleNetwork.com

 For more information about Endometriosis


Endometriosis ,

5 Chemicals That Can Harm Fertility

February 29, 2012 Clear Passage Physical Therapy 8 comments

Fertility in both males and females can be harmed with the use of these common chemicals found in your everyday life. Take a look at this list to find out what hidden products you may be using that are impacting your chances of conceiving.

BPAbpa-free

Bisphenol A, or BPA. This chemical can be found in many plastic bottles, most canned food and even receipts (BPA free receipts are those with the red spots on the back). When high levels of BPA have been found in urine, it has been linked with lower-quality sperm in men and less-viable eggs in women.

How to avoid this fertility buster:

Shop from the fresh produce aisle in the grocery store, avoid drinking from plastic bottles, and go paperless when it comes to receipts (hey, you  are helping the environment, as well!)

GMOs

corn-gmo

Genetically engineered, or GMO.  This chemical can be found in many foods contacting soy or corn.  These crops, including corn, soy, and canola, are genetically manipulated to withstand heavy loads of toxic pesticides.  In a 2008 study, it was found that genetically engineered food damaged test animals ability to reproduce.

Solve this issue:

Go organic. Although it may be slightly more costly for some foods, it pays off in the long run.

Nonstick chemicals

pan

Easy to clean pots, pans and baking wear.  These destructive chemicals begin sticking to food with high use. Check your pots and pans for scratches and chips. Danish researchers found that men with higher levels of a common nonstick chemicals, perfluoroalkyl acids, had half the amount of healthy sperm of men with the lowest levels.  It has also been found that women who have higher levels of nonstick chemicals in the body longer to become pregnant.

Live without this chemical:

Prepare your food at home, so you know what goes into your meals and use untreated cookware (glass, iron, etc.)

Nitrates

drinking-water-nitrates

Found in polluted drinking water, this chemical has been associated with reproductive problems, cancers, and spontaneous abortion.  Watch out for this problem in areas where chemical fertilizers are used regularly.

Check Your Water: 

Use the EWG’s What is Your Water? Gadget if you drink municipal water. If you’re on well water, have an EPA-approved water-testing facility check for common well contaminants.  If you find nitrates in your water, buy a water filter for your home to protect your family.

Pesticides

pesticides

Atrazine, a common chemical weed killer used heavily in the Midwest, on Southern sugar cane farms, and on golf courses, has been detected in tap water. Its widespread use is not good news for couples trying to conceive, since it and other pesticides have been linked to miscarriage and infertility.

Protect yourself:

Buy safe, natural lawn care products and install a home water filter.

 Want to find out more about Natural Fertility? It’s Easy.

 

Natural Fertility eBook

 

Conditions, Educational Articles, Female Infertility, Fertility, Recent Posts ,
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