23
July
2008

Chemotherapy and Pre Skin Cancers

Well,

I have been absent from the blog for some time because I had chemotherapy for my skin cancers and other stuff as well.

 

The problem of pre skin cancers

My health problem was lots of pre skin cancers all over my face and ears.  If even one of these pre skin cancers turned to cancer, the resulting surgery would have been quite disfiguring to my face.

Let’s face it, we meet everyone with our face and hands, so we need to keep these looking as good as possible.

The pre skin cancer on the nose was so undefined, that the doctor referred me to a plastic surgeon. 

 The plastic surgeon said the area on my nose was quite large and he wouldn’t attempt to remove the area as a result, and sent me on my way.

So there I was, left with lots of pre skin cancers on my face and ears, and no one really wanted to do anything about them because they were so extensive. 

I also knew the precancers were getting worse as my skin stopped being smooth and was becoming very lumpy.  Scary.

 

Chemotherapy creams for pre skin cancers

I then recalled a conversation with a friend from 30 years ago.  He said they gave his dad a cream to get rid of his skin cancers.

So, armed with this recollection, I went into  see another doctor, he thought just burning the pre skin cancers off was a good way to go, but that would leave me with permanent white patches over my skin, and he had no idea where a pre skin cancer started or ended. 

 I told him about my memory of the conversation I had with my friend.

The doctor seemed stunned, but said, yes, there are skin cancer creams that could be used, but that they were expensive (about $100, or 50 pounds a tube).  So I got the prescription for my chemotherapy cream.

 

Takes about 2 months for the chemotherapy cream to fully work on pre skin cancers, and another month or so for the skin to repair

Went home, and begun applying it according to directions - initially once a day for six weeks, then later twice a day.

Within a a few weeks my face became quite a sight to see - all the pre skin cancers were being attacked by the cream and they were becoming nasty looking scabs and very red.  If I went into a shop, well, most people were alarmed by the way I looked and kept a wide berth from me.

After several weeks, my pre skin cancers reached the stage where they were bleeding and lesioning, so I was then able to stop the cream.

I was afraid to use it on the nose and around the eyes, because, if overdone, the chemotherapy cream could cause scarring, but I did everywhere I needed to, including around the nose and eyes.

Also, it’s best to use after the shower, but some hours before bed, so as to avoid the chemotherapy cream being rubbed off by sheets and so on.

Yes, it had become itchy to boot, but you are not allowed to scratch.

 

Results of using the chemotherapy cream for pre skin cancers

It’s taken a few more weeks, but my skin is looking much nicer and now feels nice and smooth again.

After my success with this sort of treatment for pre skin cancers, it is definitely one that I suggest people consider for the treatment of their pre skin cancers.

Also, now that I am back, I’ve decided to have some one else add to this blog, so that it is just not going to be me.  They should be adding other content from around August 1st.

22
May
2008

Yeast Infections - Candida

Yeast infection causes

Yeast infections are caused by yeast-like bacterial organisms known under the general name of candida.

Many kinds of candida bacteria may found in harmless amounts, especially in the bowels, mouth, skin, digestive tract, and in the groin area. Under altered conditions, such as a change in membrane pH balance or a course of antibiotics that kills off other bacteria that keep candida in check, people can suffer from an overgrowth of candida and develop a full blown yeast infection.

Other names for yeast infections include intertrigo, balanitis, moniliasis, thrush, and Uvula-vaginal candidiasis. Fungal growths and yeast infections develop in a wet environment such as permanent folds of skin, finger and toenail beds, and in the creases of of fingers, toes and genitals.

Yeast Infection Symptoms

Yeast infections are usually characterized by painful burning, itching or redness on the affected mucus membrane. Yeast infections can happen to anyone and at any age, but are often easily preventable by the maintenance of other naturally occuring and necessary bacteria.

The most common form of yeast infection is genital, due to the high moisture and usual restriction of ventilation endemic to this part of the human body. Symptoms of this form of yeast infection vary from mild to extreme and include burning sensation in the affected area, burning sensation during urination, pain after or during sexual activity, repulsive odor in the genital area, genital irritation, painful urination, swelling and redness of the genitalia and painful intercourse.

Yeast infections may develop in anyone,

and do not develop only due to sexual intercourse, though they are spread occasionally from one partner to another. Because of the candida bacteria’s common presence in the human system, yeast infections that are spread through sexual activity not usually considered as a sexually transmitted disease per se. Yeast infections can also spread through touching of a mucus membrane, such as the eye, with an infected hand or finger. The candida bacteria is very hardy and may even be spread from one person to another by the sharing of eating utensils or common playground activity.

First Time Yeast Infection?

If you’re undergoing your first yeast infection it’s a good idea to have it checked out by a doctor in order to rule out any more serious health problems.

After performing some simple tests, the doctor will probably either prescribe a course of antibiotics or may recommend one of the many over the counter yeast infection remedies, depending on location and severity.

Fortunately, candida infections are relatively easy to cure with modern antibiotics and shouldn’t trouble you for more than a few days.

 

Yeast Infection Recurrence and Relapse

Once you’ve had problems with yeast infections, you need to be on the lookout for a whilesince it can recur any time thereafter.

Fortunately, there are quite a few easy home care techniques available to reduce the chances of recurrence.

Whether you’re taking prescription antibiotics or are using one of the over the counter medications, remember to use the full course of them even after you feel better.

Making sure that you take the full course of antibiotics ensures that the infection is completely killed off and keeps you from breeding an antibiotic-resistant strain of candida.

Eat a balanced diet specially designed to restore “good” bacteria and regulate your body’s pH balance, keep mucus membranes clean and dry them well after baths or showers, and avoid sharing washcloths and towels with other household members until you’re absolutely sure the infection is no longer affecting anyone in the house.

Wash clothing carefully in warm water or have your garments dry cleaned as appropriate.

In addition you may want to wear loose cotton underwear and clothing instead of tight or synthetic materials.

Change all of your clothing every day, especially after exercise or swimming, and avoid personal contact with anyone else until you and anyone else infected has completed antibiotic treatment.

Donald edits, writes and owns several web sites and blogs, such as Yeast Infections, Down Syndrome and Cholesterol

1
May
2008

The Circulatory System and Hemorrhoids

How the circulatory system works

Gaining a basic understanding of the circulatory system is integral to understanding where hemorrhoids come from and how they work.

The circulatory system feeds oxygenated blood to the entire body through arteries, and conveys cellular waste to the kidneys and blood back to the heart through veins.

While a small amount of the entire body’s supply of blood is moving quickly, under high pressure, through the arteries at all times, blood frequently remains in veins for an extended period of time as a storage mechanism.

Due to this, most veins have the ability to swell and contract much more than arteries do, in addition to being much nearer the surface of the body.

Between arteries and veins blood flows through a dense network of tiny arterioles and capillaries, which are both sufficiently numerous and small enough to ensure that every living cell in the body recieves the nourishment that blood provides and has the chance to eliminate cellular waste.

The area right around the anal sphincter, both inside and directly outside of the anal canal is one of the most vein dense areas of the body.

In addition to performing the basic function of blood circulation, the veins in this area also help with bowel control and bodily cushioning by swelling or contracting the hemorrhoidal cushions.

Due to the high volume of blood hemorrhoidal and anal veins are capable of holding, in addition to their location below the heart, these blood vessels both dilate to a proportionally large degree and can hold relatively unmoving blood for quite a long time.

If one of these veins is stretched beyond its capacity to contract due to muscular strain on the blood vessel itself, lack of upward support from the muscles of the pelvic floor, or loss of elasticity due to age or poor lifestyle, a hemorrhoid is caused.

If the vein in question lies within one of the hemorrhoidal cushions,  an internal hemorrhoid is caused, while if the vein in question runs below the anal canal to the exterior of the body prior to returning to the heart, an external hemorrhoid is caused.

Because this area is so incredibly dense with various sizes of blood vessel, hemorrhoids come in quite the array of sizes, ranging from the size of a pea to closely resembling a large grape.

Because blood moves so slowly through this area, and any hemorrhoid represents an extra bend in a vein where blood tends to sit for long periods, hemorrhoids are particularly prone to developing blood clots.

Any blood clot internal to the circulatory system is known as a thrombosis, and these can have some quite unfortunate side effects.

They are created by platelets, the same blood factors that create beneficial scabs on a wound.

When blood clots are created in inappropriate places, such as inside a working vein or withing a hemorrhoid, they can block local blood flow. If a clot is large enough to block or impede the heart, the result is a heart attack.

However, even when a thrombosis does not cause problems on such a severe and immediate scale, they’re still problematic when they block off smaller veins elsewhere in the body. If a blood clot blocks the flow of blood through a hemorrhoid, while the smaller veins surrounding the clot may be able to keep up for a while, inflammation, pain, and local toxicity are sure to result.

The blocked vein is not doing its job to carry away cellular wastes, which instead just sit there, seeping back into tissues and causing great aggravation.

If a hemorrhoid develops a thrombosis, a doctor needs to see it immediately so it can be adequately dealt with before causing irreparable harm to the body.

However, to help prevent thrombosis in a current hemorrhoid, do things to get your circulation going again such as frequent walks, eating well, drinking enough water, doing stretches and so on.

By increasing your circulation, you’ll stand a better chance of avoiding thrombosis and will give your hemorrhoid a chance to heal without further complications. In addition, contributing to your overall circulatory health may help you live a longer, happier, hemorrhoid-free life.

30
April
2008

Why Do Hemorrhoids Bleed?

Bleeding is simultaneously one of the most common and most frightening symptoms of hemorrhoids.

You’re going about your daily life, usually feeling no major discomfort, and then suddenly it looks like you’re losing massive amounts of blood!

Why do hemorrhoids do this? What causes them to bleed so frequently and so profusely?

First, remember that they are probably not bleeding as profusely as it would first appear.

Blood from the mucosal tissue lined anal canal gets diluted in the large amounts of mucus that irritation produces.

Mucus is generally clear, while of course blood is not.

Therefore a relatively small amount of blood can get quite large in volume when mixed with mucus while retaining it’s bright, oh so alarming color. In addition, any bleeding that occurs in the bowl of a toilet is going to quickly get diluted by the toilet water, and again, it can look like a lot more than it really is.

But, you may ask, why do hemroids bleed in the first place?

A hemorrhoids is, by definition, a swelling in a vein and the tissue surrounding that swelling. As a vein swells, the vein wall gets thinner, much like an inflated balloon. If something hard or harsh, for example a constipated stool, scrapes against it, that vein is quite likely to give way.

In addition, smaller blood vessels close to the surface of the tissue are also under pressure and frequently behave the same way. To continue with the balloon analogy, straining can cause the blood vessels of the area to “pop” under increased hydraulic blood pressure.

Of course, because even the smallest hemorrhoid projects above the area of the surrounding tissue, it’s going to be under the most pressure from any straining or hard stools.

Is hemorrhoidal bleeding a major cause for concern?

If you are experiencing anal bleeding for the first time, yes.

There are a multitude of potential causes for anal bleeding, including some quite serious health conditions such as colon cancer, and a doctor needs to rule out those causes. Hemorrhoidal bleeding should always be relatively bright red in color and fresh.

If you are experiencing anal bleeding and the blood is dark brown, black, or scablike, it is even more serious and should be seen by a doctor right away.

Even fresh, bright red bleeding can be a symptom of something other than hemorrhoids, such as anal fissures, fistulas, or warts, so it’s a good idea to get a correct diagnosis.

In addition, bleeding hemorrhoids can be a target for infection, especially due to location, so that’s something to keep an eye on.

If you ever find yourself with an unexplained fever, chills, or other signs of infection, go see a doctor immediately.

However, if other causes have been ruled out and your hemorrhoids are not infected, bleeding is a fairly common symptom, especially of internal hemorrhoids.

If you suffer from chronic bleeding due to hemorrhoids, there are several things - treatments - that can help.

If you bleed from an external hemorrhoid, getting a hemorrhoid cream that includes a topical vasoconstrictor and either calamine or zinc oxide can help stop the bleeding.

Internal hemorrhoids may be helped by a prescription for a vasoconstrictor to be taken by mouth.

Using the normal recommended methods of treating hemorrhoids in general will also help reduce and eventually eliminate hemorrhoidal bleeding.

28
April
2008

Basic Hemorrhoid Treatment

Hemorrhoid treatment may be roughly divided into two different classifications, namely relief treatment and curative treatment.

While a cure for hemorrhoids is, of course, the end goal, relief from the symptoms of hemorrhoids is a necessary part of maintaining a standard of living while curative treatments are taking effect. Therefore, knowledge of each will help to make the whole process of getting rid of hemorrhoids much more pleasant and productive.

Basic hemorrhoid relief can be found in a variety of ways, many of which are readily available in any home.

Ibuprofen is the best common over-the-counter medication to use on irritated hemorrhoids, but acetaminophen will work in a pinch. While acetaminophen will help with the pain, ibuprofen also directly addresses inflammation, which is the most common underlying source of hemorrhoid pain.

Another basic home relief remedy is to take a bath in an inch or two of warm water, referred to as a sitz-bath, for twenty minutes, three times per day.

Many find it helpful to sit on a towel-wrapped icepack or ice cubes after the sitz-bath, as the alternating heat and cold provides circulatory stimulation and pain relief.

In addition, pharmacies are filled with hemorrhoid creams for soothing external hemorrhoids, while drinking aloe vera juice may provide relief for inflamed internal hemorrhoids.

Basic hemorrhoid cures are usually rather simple to do at home as they mostly involve diet and lifestyle changes.

No matter what actually causes your hemorrhoids, a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle will never help.

The average human being requires between twenty to thirty grams of fiber and 64 ounces of water per day in order for the gastrointestinal system to function properly. Dietary sources of fiber include fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, and whole grains. When changing your diet, remember to only introduce one new food per week as too quick of a diet change will produce pure misery as your intestinal system gets used to the new regime. In addition, dividing the water up over the entire day will keep unfortunate bloating from interfering with normal activities.

Hemorrhoid relief and hemorrhoid cures frequently intersect.

Changing your diet to the above recommendations will immediately start to soothe hemorrhoids, as bowel movements will no longer be an occasion for straining and long sessions on the toilet.

Improving circulation by alternating sitz-baths and icepacks may improve the area enough to contribute to hemorrhoid recession.

Therefore, exploring all of the basic methods of hemorrhoid treatment and integrating them into daily life is often a cost-effective method of dealing with this unpleasant condition.

27
April
2008

Posting comments in this hemroid and health blog

Hi,

Hasn’t taken long for the spammers to start, trying to grab free links.

This blog is fully moderated.

If you want a link, you need to email me for a link exchange, or write a decent blog piece or comment on health, preferably hemroids - topic focused, around 300 to 800 words.

Believe me, you get no credit for a link, if all you do is give an automated software generated comment or some vague or short comment.

If spam annoys me, it’s not going to make my readers happy either, so it’s strictly a moderated blog.

27
April
2008

Running this blog

Have to admit, running a blog is very enjoyable.

I’ve been able to reach right round the world and provide lots of useful information as a result.

What’s even better are the free photos that people provide me on hemorrhoids and related conditions.

Just added another photo to the photos and pictures of hemroids page.  The chap suffered from Crohn’s disease and was desperate to get more information on the internet about skin tags.  He graciously gave me access to his skin tag photos after he visited my hemroid web site and loved it - so I now have my researcher and myself looking into the topic of skin tags.  Hopefully, she will be able to provide some useful information, that may prove beneficial to him.

A way of returning the favor.

Anyway, I hope you are all liking the health and hemroid information that my blog and related website are providing.

Kind regards,

Donald.

27
April
2008

Alternative Medicine For Hemorrhoids: What Works?

Alternative medicine has been frequently been touted as a cure-all, promising relief for everything from migranes to hemorrhoids to cancer.

However, some of what is advertised looks like medical fraud on the order of snake oil! How can anyone looking for hemorrhoid relief tell the difference between an alternative medication that might actually help and a total waste of time, money, and suffering?

There are several different classifications of alternative medicine, each of which is unique.

It is actually quite a mistake to lump them all in under one umbrella term like “alternative medicine” but we have to call it all something. Taking the time to comprehend the various forms of alternative medicine today can yield some very productive treatment options.

The oldest and probably most efficacious form of alternative medicine is herbal treatment.

Most of the prescription medications we use today have their roots in plants.

In fact, plants are such a good source of new medications that there is an entire branch of pharmaceutical education and research devoted to it, called pharmocognosy.

Herbal remedies effective for hemorrhoid relief are witch hazel cream, ointment or extract, aloe vera gel or cream, horse chestnut tea, butcher’s broom tea, and Japanese Pagoda Tree extract.

Be aware that herbs are just another form of medication.

Some of these, horse chestnut and butcher’s broom in particular, affect the entire circulatory system and may interact badly with your current health conditions or any current medication regime.

In addition, find a reputable supplier for any herbal medications. Herbal supplements are not governed or tested under the same rules and supervision as medications, so checking for quality becomes much more important.

Herbs grown under sub-standard conditions, such as next to a road or with polluted water, can actually do more harm as they carry detrimental chemicals into your body.

Acupuncture, surprisingly enough, has been approved by the World Health Organization for the treatment of several diseases, including pain relief.

Several rigorously controlled studies have been performed on the pain-treatment capacity of acupuncture, particularly for such chronic conditions as migranes. While these tests have shown acupuncture to have a measureable effect on patients, no clinical trials have been performed to date specifically on acupuncture’s effectiveness regarding hemorrhoids.

If you feel that the research that has been done is validation enough for acupuncture’s use, do find an acupuncturist accredited by the appropriate medical association for your country.

There is a branch of medicine called evolutionary medicine that seeks to understand and recreate the conditions that the human animal evolved for.

Evolutionary medicine is firmly grounded in the findings of physical anthropologists who study the entire course of our evolution to date.

One of the more valuable findings of evolutionary medicine for hemorrhoid patients is that we, as a species, did not evolve to sit on toilets but rather to squat for our toileting.

Many hemorrhoid sufferers have found that raising their feet on a small stool while toileting relieves and may even banish their hemorrhoids. If this works for you, and you believe that fully squatting might be even more beneficial, toilets that allow you to take a full squatting position are available on the market today.

Holistic medicine is a reasonable approach for many people to solving a health condition.

A holistic practitioner will take the whole person into account for healing purposes, instead of treating a human like a machine with parts to be fixed.

However, any holistic practitioner worth your time should use the best that mainstream medicine has to offer in addition to any herbal medications or psychological aids he or she feels is necessary.

If you’re going to pay for this treatment, do find a holistic practitioner who is also has their M.D., it will save you a lot in both foolishness and time.

Homeopathy has not been shown to have any appreciable effect, and in fact defies several laws of modern chemistry and physics.

Homeopathic remedies are so diluted that no molecules of the supposedly therapeutic substance can reliably be found in any given dose of the remedy. Repeated scientific tests and clinical trials have been performed on homeopathy for many decades now, and homeopathy shows no benefit above the placebo effect.

Use this information, like any other, to find the best treatment options for you.

If you are going to use one of the above alternative medicine options, remember that no alternative medicine is an appropriate substitute for sound, well researched medical advice.

However, some forms of alternative medicine make wonderful complements to mainstream medicine, capable of shortening recovery times and improving overall quality of life.

23
April
2008

Realistic Assessment of Hemroid Surgery

You may have been told that you need hemroids surgery, or you may just be wondering “Would surgery be worth getting rid of these hemroids?”

To help make an informed choice, there are a few things you should know about various hemroid surgical procedures.

Rubber band ligation of hemroids

First there are the non-invasive procedures such as latex banding or coagulation therapy. Latex banding involves placing a tight latex band around the hemroid, causing the hemroid to shrivel up and fall off. This is a relatively safe procedure, but it can take up to a week to complete the process, during which time the pain could get quite intense. Latex banding can only be used on hemroids of a certain size, as it’s not suitable for hemroids that are too small to get a good lock on nor for hemroids too large to get the latex band around.

Hemroids cauterisation - laser or freezing etc of hemroids

Another non-invasive procedure is cauterization therapy, which can be performed by laser, medication, or freezing. In this instance, the effect of the procedure is to cut off blood flow into the hemorrhoid at the source. All of these therapies are potentially quite painful, but carry less possibility of long term damage than full incisive surgery.

Hemroids Coagulation

Coagulation therapy, which also causes the complete stoppage of blood to the hemroid, is also an option. This is less effective than most, but also carries less risk and potential trauma, so it is frequently used for the elderly or for those who might not recover well.

The hemroids stapling surgery

The first invasive surgical procedure involves stapling the hemroids back up into the anal canal while excising as much hemroid tissue as possible. This procedure carries much less risk of trauma and permanent damage than hemorrhoidectomy, but does have a higher recurrence rate. People who take this option are about 3% more likely to experience a return of their hemroids. In addition, the surgeon needs to be specifically trained in this procedure for optimal results.

Hemroids hemorrhoidal arterial ligation

Hemorrhoidal arterial ligation is another alternative to full hemorrhoidectomy. In this procedure, the doctor finds the blood vessels feeding the artery, and closes it right above those vessels’ entry into the hemorrhoid. It is also less traumatic than a full hemorrhoidectomy, and boasts a 93% success rate regarding hemorrhoid return.

Hemorrhoidectomy

Then there is hemorrhoidectomy, which involves the total removal of the hemorrhoid and surrounding tissue by either a scalpel or laser. Neither has been proven in clinical studies to work better than the other, and while laser surgery might reduce the chance of scalpel-borne infection, it can also cause deep tissue burns if the surgeon isn’t sufficiently skilled.

A hemorrhoidectomy does carry the highest chance of permanent hemorrhoid removal. However, it also carries the highest chance of extremely bad side effects such as lifelong incontinence and permanent nerve damage. These side effects are fortunately extremely rare, but you should be aware of them. In addition, hemorrhoidectomy has the longest recovery time and usually a long period of pain and inflammation.

Hemroids Surgery

Knowing the risks is an important part of deciding whether surgery is right for you. Only you, with your doctor’s assistance, can decide on the hemorrhoid surgery right for you.

 

22
April
2008

External Hemroid Bleeding Treatment

As if external hemroids weren’t enough to deal with on their own, they can start bleeding too! How much more messy and embarrassing can these things get?

Fortunately, there are quite a few ways of dealing with bleeding external hemroids, many of which are available at home or cheaply at your local pharmacy.

Bleeding from hemroids ranges from a light tracery to heavy bleeding, and what tactic you take will depend on the kind of bleeding you suffer from.

External Bleeding Hemroids - Home Treatments

If you are having heavy hemorrhaging problems, the first thing you’ll want to do is apply pressure to the area with clean toilet paper or a clean cloth. This will induce clotting so that the bleeding slows and eventually, stops.

No matter what kind of bleeding you suffer from, you’ll want to wear clean, relatively loose, plain cotton underwear. While this sort of granny underwear may have to be the least attractive sort in the history of clothes, it absorbs excess moisture well and doesn’t irritate or constrict the area in question.

Sitting on a towel-wrapped icepack is the next step to take because the cold constricts the blood vessels in the area, slowing any bleeding.

Astringents are a useful home line of defense against hemorrhoidal bleeding.

Such things as witch hazel, aloe vera juice, or even apple cider vinegar, applied with a clean pad, all serve to clean, disinfect, and dry the area. This both helps stop the bleeding and ensures that infection doesn’t start to rear its ugly head.

When applying anything to an external hemorrhoid, remember to pat gently instead of scrubbing or rubbing. If you’ve developed a scab over the open wound, rubbing it off is the last thing you really want to do!

Raising legs to reduce bleeding hemroids

Once you get to the pharmacy, you may want to look into either getting a squat toilet or a footstool to put your feet up on while you use the toilet. Getting your knees up above your hips takes strain off of the area. This not only helps with bleeding but eliminates one of the core causes of the hemorrhoids, unnatural strain on your pelvic floor.

The toilet position we are accustomed to taking removes almost all muscular support from the hemorrhoidal cushions, which places pressure on the hemorrhoidal veins to start protruding downwards, which leads to hemorrhoids.

Taking the pressure off by raising your knees above the level of your hips gives much needed support to those hemorrhoidal cushions.

Creams for bleeding external hemroids

When looking for a hemorrhoidal cream to assist with bleeding external hemroids, getting one with a local anesthetic, an astringent, and a vasoconstrictor is probably your best bet.

Some of the most common anesthetics include lidocaine and benzocaine, witch hazel, aloe, and calamine are the most popular astringents, and phenylephrine, ephedrine, and epinephrine are the vasoconstrictors cleared for topical use.

Getting a combination of these ingredients will ensure the best possible cream for bleeding external hemroids.

External bleeding hemroids in conclusion

Hopefully, this brief outline has given you a starting point for dealing with your bleeding hemroids instead of suffering from them. Look carefully at all your options for more permanent treatment, and your hemroids will hopefully be a thing of the past.