FRICTION BLISTERS Treatment

Repeated or prolonged traction over the skin, perhaps from ill-­fitting shoes, wrinkled socks, or unaccustomed raking or shoveling, soon separates the superficial from the deeper levels of the skin. When the space thus created fills with fluid a blister has formed. Friction between the skin and adhesive tape is a prime cause of blisters in athletes. Depending on their location, even small blisters can disrupt the performance of an athlete.

Treatment for FRICTION BLISTERS

Blisters caused by friction from shoes or other equipment should be left intact and protected meticulously. The site can be protected with tape and cushioned with foam rubber or moleskin, as needed, while the roof of the blister keeps the deeper layers of skin from further friction and secondary infection. Medical ad­hesive tape or Zonas tape can be used. If necessary the blister can be punctured and drained, by cleansing the skin around the blister, and then puncturing the blister at its edge with a needle that has been sterilized with alcohol. The fluid can then be pressed out of the blister; if the blister is broken, any ragged edges should be trimmed away since they may irritate the raw wound.

Blisters that occur in areas less troublesome than the feet can be treated in similar fashion.

FRICTION BLISTERS Prevention Tips

Friction blisters are best avoided by wearing carefully fitted shoes and wrinkle-free socks. One must be especially careful when wearing new shoes or orthotics; long runs or hikes should not be attempted in shoes that are not well broken-in. Some runners feel they do better without socks, but most prefer one or sometimes two pairs. Thick ointments, such as petroleum jelly, can be applied liberally to sites of friction on the feet or elsewhere before long hikes or runs. If taping is necessary, it should be done carefully and re-done if it begins to irritate the skin; applying wax or oint­ment to the tape may decrease friction. The ointment should be applied liberally to the sock over the site as well.

Hot spots are red, warm, tender areas that indicate incipient blister formation. The application of an ice cube will minimize the likelihood of blistering; hot spots should then be protected with a layer of very thin, smooth tape or by soft padding to eliminate further friction.

PUNCTURE WOUNDS

These wounds are made by penetrating objects, such as nails, needles, splinters, and knives. These wounds may be deceptive, because bleeding is usually minimal and the opening at the point of entry is relatively small. But foreign objects, such as splinters, thorns, and needle points, may be broken off and concealed deep in subcutaneous tissue. Such wounds become infected quite easily. Puncture injuries over the joints are especially hazardous, since severely disabling joint infections can result if the joint space is entered.

Treatment for PUNCTURE WOUNDS

Minor injuries, such as small punctures from briars, require no more care than removal of the object and cleansing. Thorough cleansing and the removal of foreign matter is again, of paramount importance. But deep, penetrating wounds which contain dead tissue and debris are ideal for the development of secondary infec­tion and tetanus. If there is any doubt about the handling of these and any other wounds, medical attention should be sought.

How Do You Treat a Laceration?

Simply stated, a laceration is a cut or tear through the full thickness of the skin, for which a sharp object is often but not necessarily responsible. Lacerations may be clean incisions, as if made with a sharp blade, but they can also be irregular, exten­sively bruised, and contaminated with dirt and debris. Dirty lacerations are likely to become infected. Bleeding is more promi­nent from lacerations than from abrasions.

Treatment for Laceration

The first step in treatment, again, is cleansing; all foreign matter and dead tissue should be removed.

Excessive bleeding can usually be controlled by local pressure, for which the wound edges should be pushed together and com­pressed tightly against deeper tissues. Clean cloth is preferable, but fingers will do if nothing else is available; pressure should be sustained until bleeding is slowed or stopped altogether. Blood from the wound should not be dabbed repeatedly with the cloth as this can lead to significant blood loss, especially from the scalp. The elevation of bleeding extremities may be helpful. If an artery is severed, the fingers are used to compress the artery at a pressure point above the wound, with tourniquets used as a last resort.

Medical care should be sought for all but minor lacerations. Irri­gation with sterile solutions, suturing, tetanus prophylaxis, and sometimes antibiotics may be necessary. Superficial lacerations that are not gaping may require only taping or sterile dressings. If one is unsure about handling such wounds, he should consult a physician.

The role of prevention is not prominent, since lacerations are usually the result of accidental injuries.

Alcoholism Treatment - AA’s Twelve Steps for Recovery

1. Admitting to oneself that he or she has a problem with alcohol which requires professional help

2. Firmly believing in a higher power which can help cure the condition

3. Decide to surrender everything to the power of God including our will.

4. Analyzing and assessing ourselves honestly

5. Admitting the results of our assessment to someone other than ourselves and to God.

6. Ready to allow God to work on removing our imperfections


7. Asking God to intervene and help us with our endeavour to become perfect.

8. Thinking of all the people we have hurt or harmed in some way or the other and trying our best to make up to them.


9. Directly approaching these people and making up with them.

10. Self assessment as a continuous process and making it a habit to admit our wrongs immediately.


11. Pray and consciously meditate in order to merge with the cosmic consciousness or God.

12. Once having attained an exalted spiritual feeling by following these steps, spread the message among others who need help and guidance.

Campral for Alcoholism

Campral is basically acamprosat calcium. This medication has gained in popularity recently especially in the United States for treatment for alcoholism. In Europe this medicine has been in use for quite some time now.

What campral actually does is that it balances and replaces certain chemicals in the brain which had been disturbed due to alcohol abuse. This helps people keep away from alcohol as their brains start functioning normally. Campral is also very effective for treatment of withdrawal symptoms. It relieves drinkers from extreme discomfort and emotional upheaval during his or her withdrawal period.

Campral is a time release capsule which comes in a concentration of 333 mg. This medicine is prescribed to be taken thrice a day. People suffering from other ailments need to adjust their dosage after consulting their physician. Being a time release capsule, campral should only be swallowed whole and should not be broken or crushed at any cost.
Duration of medication is usually twelve months as this tablet is not addictive and its side effects are very mild. Side effects include dry mouth, headache, itching, loss of appetite, sweating, insomnia, diarrhoea, dizziness, etc.

Very rarely do people taking campral experience severe side effects like feeling nervous and anxious, feeling a tingling sensation in their arms and feet, feeling depressed and suicidal, urinating less often, experiencing pain in the chest, etc.

This medication should be taken by people who have given up the habit of drinking. It does not work for people who are drinking in the sly or continue to drink in public. If a person is suffering from any kind of a kidney disease, has suicidal tendencies, has an allergy to sulphites, is pregnant or breastfeeding, etc he or she should not take campral to treat the condition of alcoholism.

Campral is more effective when taken combined with other forms of treatments like therapies, counselling, etc. Like every other drug, campral is more successful and effective in some than in others.

Treating aAlcoholics with Antabuse

Treating alcoholics with antabuse was one of the first pharmaceutical treatments introduced. Taking antabuse during drinking creates unpleasant feelings and side effects. This negative reaction drives the person to give up the habit of drinking.

Alcohol when it enters the body is synthesized into acetaldehyde which is highly toxic. This acetaldehyde is further broken down into acetic acid which is comparatively milder and with no side effects.
The function of antabuse is to stop the acetaldehyde from further metabolising into acetic acid thereby creating an accumulation of this toxic substance in the body of the drinker. This creates a lot of unpleasant feelings and disturbances in the body thereby forcing the person to give up his drinking habit.

Symptoms produced by antabuse includes vomiting, sweating, severe throbbing and headaches, neck pain, difficulty in breathing, pain in the chest, flushed feeling, nausea, dyspnoea and palpitations. Other symptoms include uneasiness all the time, blurring in the vision, a confused feeling, hypotension, tachycardia, weakness, etc.

Apart from these milder symptoms a person may also experience heart failure, become unconscious, convulsions, depression in the respiratory system and sometime even collapse and death.

This makes it extremely important for the person who is going to be taking this drug to be aware of its implications and he must want to give up the habit of drinking. This drug must never be given to a person who is not aware of it. This may result in very serious complications.

If a person already has a defective heart, he should not be prescribed this medication. All aspects should be carefully considered before going in for this drug. Pregnant women should keep away from this drug.

Research shows that using this drug on a long term is quite effective. Practically speaking, the moment the drug is discontinued, the person goes back to the habit of drinking. This drug thus does not cure one of the symptoms of craving or any other withdrawal symptoms.

The person’s cooperation and regularity in taking the medicine is very essential for effective treatment of the condition. This drug must be continued on a long term basis for positive results.

The BAR Cycle and Alcoholism

An alcoholic who is ready to make an effort to quit drinking usually goes to one of the various treatment centres. At these centres, they receive effective therapies which include medications combined with group and individual psychological sessions.

The twelve step treatment of the Alcoholic Anonymous is also incorporated along with other treatment methods to achieve good and effective results. By doing this the self esteem of the drinker is effectively boosted up and he or she becomes more confident and strong in dealing with situations.

The BAR cycle is one of the most popular motivation programs which helps in controlling behaviour of humans, especially the behaviour of addicts. This cycle is also used by many centres in treating people who are addicted to alcohol.

This cycle involves working on the strong belief of the individual which is centred on self loathing to be converted to a strong belief on self confidence. Boosting of self image is done by various techniques like incorporating positive attitudes, eliminating the negative attitudes, consciously behave positively, talking to oneself effectively, etc.

Doing this improves the addict’s image of themselves thereby eliminating the need to depend on a drink in order to be happy and contented. The compulsion to drink slowly fades away leaving one clear in the mind and positive in his or her attitude and outlook.

The BAR cycle involves gently redirecting the person towards various other activities which creates a positive feeling and habits. Other work involves social activities or religious work which involves the church.

As the person spends days without having a drink and gets encouragement from everyone around regarding his voluntary work, he or she starts developing confidence and the self loathing is replaced by tremendous self confidence. Attitude transforms to being positive thereby strengthening the mind. This further makes it easier for the alcoholic to give up his habit.

For people who are seriously addicted to drinking, the BAR cycle is a must to remove negative feelings and be replaced with positive ones even as he or she goes on for professional treatment.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Alcoholism

This therapy which is generally used in the treatment of phobias, anxiety, depression and other types of mental disorders is also found to be very effective in the treatment of alcoholism and drug abuse.

This therapy helps a person come out of the habit of drinking or drugs just like he or she got into it in the first place. This therapy uses similar mind conditioning which drove the person towards the habit to get them out of it.

Cognitive behaviour therapy is administered with the basic idea that the behaviour of a person is caused by his own mind and thoughts and not by anything which is outside himself like events, circumstances and people around.

A person can control the way he thinks about everything thereby not get affected by the changing circumstances and outside factors according to the cognitive behaviour therapists. By effectively treating a patient with this therapy, the person can be mentally prepared to deal with familiar situations and be strong enough to abstain from drinking.

Patients are thus taught how to forget what they have already conditioned to and learn healthier habits and skills.

Treatment Options for Alcoholism

Alcoholism is more a disease of the mind. There is no medical treatment for this condition. However, alcoholism can be effectively treated with the help of various rehabilitation and support programs that are available. The only criterion to get treated for alcoholism is for the person affected to have a desire to come out of the habit. This is the first step towards freedom from the habit.

Social and family pressure can make an alcoholic give up drinking for a period of time, but it is generally not permanent. The alcoholic must thus decide to give up the habit voluntarily. Alcoholics who volunteer for treatment go through at least one set back before he completely gives up the habit of drinking.

The best thing an addicted person can do once he or she has decided to quit the habit is to join one of the many treatment centres. The strength and support that you will definitely need to quit the habit will be provided by these centres.

The path is very tedious but the goal is worth it. It is not very easy to come out of the habit which will let go of the alcoholic one minute and entice him the next. One minute the person will feel as if he or she is in complete control and the next minute denial will set in. The very feelings of guilt will lure them into going in for the drink.

Emotional upheaval will accompany physical craving and within no time the addict will be in a mess. The person looking to quit drinking therefore cannot do it on his or her own. They definitely need the strong support of one of these good de addiction clinics and treatment centres.

When the person under treatment is exposed to circumstances where he is offered a drink, he or she needs professional help to develop a mind strong enough to say no. There are a lot of professionals in all these centres who effectively guide the patients through situations like this helping them make the right decisions with a strong mind.

Various counselling session address such issues preparing the addict on how to effectively handle situations like this. Counselling can be individual, family or group related.

An addict can either admit himself in the clinic or receive treatment as an outpatient. Outpatient programs are helpful for people who have already undergone treatment and want the support of group therapies and counselling. It is very important for the addict to select a clinic or a program which is certified.

An alcoholic who is experiencing strong withdrawal symptoms needs to necessarily get himself admitted in the clinic as an inpatient. Initially drugs are administered to effectively deal with physical symptoms.

If the family of the addict is not supportive in his endeavour to give up drinking, it is a good idea to get himself admitted to the de addiction clinic and take the help of the counsellors and therapists there.

Alcohol treatment centres are a boon for alcoholics who are willing to make an effort to give up this undesirable habit. These centres also put the person on to various alcoholic anonymous groups nearby so the support and help can continue as long as he or she needs it.

Women and Alcohol

One of the major issues which affect most women is drinking. Did you know that women get affected by alcohol more than men even if consumed in a lesser quantity? In a woman’s body the body fat is much higher while there is less water compared to the body of a man where it is just the opposite.

So, even if a woman consumes alcohol which has been diluted considerably, the effect it has on her will be much stronger than when compared to men consuming the same diluted alcohol. That is why when a woman consumes alcohol she gets drunk much faster than most men who consume the same quantity.

Studies have proven that when a man and a woman of the same height and weight take the same amount of alcohol, the blood alcohol level in the woman’s body was much higher than that in the man’s body. As a matter of fact the blood alcohol level in a woman’s body rose to three times the level in a man’s body and also it took three times longer for a woman to have the alcohol content in her blood to be eliminated from her body.

In a human body it is the liver which works finally to break down the alcohol and eliminate it from the blood. While in a man’s body the liver works extra hard and takes about an hour to have one drink processed it takes much longer for the liver in a woman’s body to do the same job.

Women take to drinking for many reasons. This is because women have to deal with a whole lot of issues in their life at different periods. Stress, diet, exercise, hormonal problems especially when they are passing through the menopausal stage and coping with other health related issues like cancer etc is driving many women to consume alcohol. Also drinking behaviour among women differs according to their age, the marital status of the woman and their role in life.

Though it has been found that women who tend to drink actually consume less amount of alcohol than men, the number of women who are among the heaviest drinkers is much higher. Also it is the younger women of the age group 18-34 who have more drink related problems compared to older women but it is women who are aged between 35-49 who are more dependent on alcohol to a greater extent.

Women who are holding multiple roles like those married women who work, are less addicted to alcohol than women who do not have multiple roles to pay in life. In fact only when a woman looses a role to play in life that she is often found abusing alcohol.

This has been found in many cases where a woman has never got married or has been divorced or separated recently. These women were seen drinking heavily and have always ended up with alcohol related problems than women who have lost their husbands or those who are married.

It is important that women know how much to drink if at all that have to drink. It is a known fact that a woman should have only one drink per day while for a man it has to be restricted to two per day. This is called moderate drinking. If a woman has more than one drink per day than it can be risky and lead to car crashes, high blood pressure, stroke, violent behaviour, suicidal tendency and can cause even certain types of cancer.

A woman who is below 21 years of age should not be drinking at all. Women who intend to get pregnant or who are pregnant should avoid alcohol totally. Women who are under prescription medication for some illness should also avoid taking any alcohol as it can interfere with their medication and lead to other complications as far as their health is concerned.

Lower levels of alcohol are recommended for women because it is women who are at a greater risk than men when it comes to problems arising out of alcohol. This is because the alcohol which passes through the digestive system gets dispersed in the water which is present in the body. But the water content in the body of a woman is much less than that of a man who is of the same weight and height.

Since there is less water available the alcohol does not get diluted that easily and because of this the woman’s brain and other organs present in the body get more exposed to the toxicity of the alcohol and it’s by products.

Even if women take up to moderate drinking they should be aware that they are prone to have much short and medium term health effects which can be both positive and negative. Though drinking moderately has health benefits like prevention of heart disease.

Studies have found that a woman who is over 55 years and who drinks moderately has lesser chances of getting coronary heart disease. But drinking heavily has actually known to cause massive heart attacks.

The risks involved in drinking are alcohol can cause car crashes if the woman has too much to drink. This is because even after one drink the woman’s ability to drive gets impaired at a faster rate which causes car crashes. Alcohol when taken with medication can also increase or decrease the effects of the medication.

Alcohols when taken with medicines which tend to cause drowsiness have been known to increase the sedative effects of the medication and this could prove fatal to the woman who consumes it. Those women with a history of breast cancer in their family are at a higher risk to also get breast cancer if they take to drinking even if it is moderate drinking.

Research studies have proven that even one drink a day can lead to women contracting breast cancer. When a woman who is pregnant consumes alcohol even if it be one drink a day can cause what is known as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. In this Fetal alcohol Syndrome the pregnant woman’s drinking can lead to birth defects in her unborn baby.

So it is wise that any woman who is thinking of becoming pregnant or is carrying a baby should be wise enough to stay away from anything which may have alcohol in it.

Drinking alcohol is also known to cause harm to the bones in a woman’s body as women will not be able to gain the much needed calcium which is so vital for the strength of their bones. When women drink heavily their bones get damaged permanently.

Many women claim that their sexual experience increase after the consume alcohol. But contrary to what these women claim studies have shown that it is the belief that alcohol improves sex that makes all the difference than the alcohol itself.

Women who drink heavily cannot get aroused that easily and it takes a lot longer for them to get aroused and have orgasms. But when young women drink heavily, these women tend to have early sexual experiences and are known to have multiple partners after drinking and also unprotected sex.

When a woman drinks heavily she is known to become a victim of violence and sexual assault. Also the health problems which a woman who drinks heavily experiences are much more.

Some of the health problems which may result due to heavy drinking by women are Alcoholic Liver disease, brain disease, Cancer, and Heart Disease. More women who drink heavily are known to die from cirrhosis because of the development of alcoholic hepatitis which is liver inflammation.

Abuse of alcohol is known to cause loss in brain function, reducing the size of the brain, causing changes in the development and function of brain cells. And it is women who are found to be more vulnerable to diseases of the brain more than men due to alcohol.

Many studies and research have shown that alcohol consumption on a regular basis can cause breast cancer and cancer which is related to the digestive tract, head and neck. This becomes much more when women who drink also smoke. Heart attacks and cardiovascular diseases are likely to affect women who drink heavily.

Women should realize what drinking could do to their lives and thus stay away from alcohol as far as possible. Any woman who drinks more or rather heavily will find that her problems at home, work, with friends and relatives and even with strangers get magnified.

This is because when under the influence of alcohol the woman would be more prone to have arguments with spouse or family members even on small issues, the relations between co workers at her office would become strained.

After a night of drinking she would turn up late for work which could later turn into a regular habit and result in her dismissal. She could also become a victim to violence and sexual assault because of her drinking habits.

Women who are above 55 years of age should be wary of their drinking habits if they have any. Many older women do not drink because of the fear of being labelled an alcoholic.

Women as they age also begin to use different types of medication for their various problems and drinking alcohol could react with their medication and this could lead to more severe health problems. Many older women take medication which can affect mood and thought like when they exhibit symptoms for anxiety and depression.

Alcohol when consumed with these medications can lead to serious problems and can be very harmful. Another factor that older women should take into consideration when they take a drink is their age.

Older people tend to reach higher levels of alcohol in their blood much faster than younger people and this is because as we age the amount of water in the body gets reduced to a greater level and the alcohol which is consumed gets more concentrated.

This is why when older people consume alcohol they will feel the effects much faster. Older people with long term drinking problems tend to react to treatment much slower than people who are short term drinkers.

What do you think are the reasons as to why women take to drinking? Well here are a few reasons which research studies have found. A woman tends to drink heavily if her parents or siblings are also heavy drinkers and have problems with alcohol.

If the spouse or partner of the woman tends to drink heavily than she would also resort to drinking. If she has a history of depression she would be found to be a regular at a bar or pub. If she had been physically or sexually abused as a child then also she would resort to drinking to forget all that has happened to her.

Any woman who has alcohol related problems should seek medical help immediately as it could affect your personal relationships with family, at your work place, cause health problems and also with the law. Depending on the severity of the drinking problem a woman should undergo treatment.

Most women who are not alcohol dependent or who do not have any problems arising out of alcohol will find that they can reduce or stop their alcohol consumption much easily with less help.

Women who have severe drinking problems or who are habitual drinkers should make regular visits to their physicians or doctors and seek help. They should discuss their problems with their doctors and take timely help.

There are many health care providers who would make the woman see what alcohol can do to their lives and all the bad effects it can cause in the long run and why it is safer to stay away from it. These health care advisors would give ample advice so that women who are even moderate drinkers would slowly stop their drinking

Adult Children of Alcoholics - ACOAs

Adult children of alcoholics or the ACOAs often face most of the problems faced by the children and more. ACOAs normally do not realize the root cause for the various physiological, psychological and social problems that they are facing.

ACOAs are often afflicted with various kinds of mental disturbances. They tend to be more aggressive than necessary even in unwarranted situations. They also tend to be impulsive in their actions and decisions. Adult children of alcoholics are prone to mental depressions and are generally unstable in their behaviour.

ACOAs may go in for abuse of a different kind of psychoactive substances. They are unable to handle relationship of any kind and usually tend to shy away from forming a healthy relationship with anyone. They fail miserably in their lives and careers making wrong decisions and choices at every stage in their lives misguided by their parents.

The feeling of failure makes them feel low in self esteem. Adult children of alcoholics often are irresponsible towards their family. They follow the example of their alcoholic parent who themselves have been irresponsible towards their family and children.

ACOAs shy away from people in general and therefore have a lot of problems with their spouses. They generally try to avoid getting intimate as they are unable to trust anyone due to their past experiences. This is due to the fear factor that if they get close to someone they may get hurt just as their parents have hurt them throughout.

Studies in fact show that ACOAs tend to get intimate with people who are alcoholics or who are abusers. This way they are sure and on familiar grounds. They know how to deal with them as they are experienced.

Adult children of alcoholics tend to get into the habit of drinking more than adults who are not from families suffering from alcohol abuse. Genes thus play a major role in the development of the condition of alcoholism.

Adult children of alcoholics are not mentally equipped to deal with stressful situations effectively. Adults from such families tend to be unhealthy and visit their physicians more frequently as compared to people who have grown up in normal families.

Women who have been brought up in families with alcoholics usually have problems with their reproductive systems. They tend to visit gynaecologists more often than the women from normal families.

The spouse of the alcoholic is usually the person who suffers the most. They suffer from a feeling of hatred towards themselves and towards others which results from jealousy, self pity, etc. They also tend to get tired of their lives and start avoiding social contacts. They usually cannot tolerate other families which are very happy and openly start showing contempt and jealousy.

The family burden is more on them as they have to take on the responsibilities of both parents. They tend to be irritated all the time due to this and show their irritation on the alcoholic spouse and on the children. This creates a lot of stress and strain on their relationship with all the members of their family.

Financial problems faced by them are another factor which results from a huge chunk of the earning spent on alcohol. Families of alcoholics have to sacrifice on a lot of privileges and sometimes even basic necessities and this result in further stress. A lot of divorce cases are a result of the influence of alcoholism.

Children of Alcoholics – COA

Children who are normal by birth with alcoholic parents also tend to go through problems of other kind. Very noticeable symptoms in these children include low self esteem, a helpless feeling, lack of confidence, feeling of guilt and loneliness, panic resulting from a fear of abandonment, mental depression, etc.

Children of alcoholics or the COAs are generally not very happy and vibrant like the other children. They constantly go through a complex whereby they feel whatever is happening is because of them. They face this feeling of guilt that the member in their family be it their mother or father is drinking because of something he did wrong.

These children go through unimaginable tension and lead a stress filled life. They may even exhibit symptoms of frequently crying without any reason, wetting their beds, and having nightmares.

These children tend to avoid company as much as possible and consequently try all the time to avoid going to school. They dread interacting with other children. Older children exhibit symptoms of being a perfectionist, being obsessed with hoarding money, being very self conscious and avoiding company of any kind.

This is because they are very conscious of their selves as they feel they are somehow different from normal people due to their situation at home. Their behavior sometimes even starts resembling their alcoholic member at home. Teenagers especially go through a very tough life. They develop various kinds of phobias and face torture throughout their lives.

School life is miserable for these children of alcoholics. They generally do not get to concentrate on their studies at home due to the tension filled atmosphere there. Due to their laid back attitude, these children do not get along very well or establish any kind of a relationship with their teachers and other children studying with them.

Children of alcoholics do not have the self confidence at any stage to express anything that they feel. Even if they lag behind in studies they do not have the confidence in approaching their teachers or other students for any kind of academic help. Hence they most often than not, fail in their studies and repeat years. Some of them even reach the stage where they are either sent out of school or drop out on their own.

One of the major problems faced by the COAs at home is the unpredictability of moods of their alcoholic parents. If both parents are alcoholics, then the children face a miserable and tension filled life, especially if they are alone and do not have a brother or a sister to fall back on.

These children do not know what to expect from the alcoholic parent and are always on the edge. Their behavior also becomes unstable and they start showing their insecurity by attracting attention to themselves.

They do this by getting into undesirable habits like stealing, playing traunt and fighting frequently with others. Because of the unpredictable nature of the moods of their parents, these children are unable to understand how they themselves are to behave in different circumstances.

Surveys have shown that almost thirty percent of women from unstable family environments have been drop outs at school and around twenty percent of the men from such families have dropped out of colleges.

COAs try to please their alcoholic parent by trying to get good grades in school, by trying to act in such a way that will make the parent happy always, etc. They do all this to avoid being a target of temper tantrums. They also tiptoe around the house in order not to wake up the parent who is sleeping under the influence of alcohol. These children are always going around with a feeling of guilt that the root cause of all the problems is themselves.

They are thus convinced that the parent is drinking so much only because he or she is not able to please them in some way. They also feel guilty for the fact that they are not able to help the alcoholic parent in giving up the habit.

These are the unhappy households which are breeding grounds for crimes like incest, domestic violence, etc and conditions like manic depressions, suicides, etc. Almost seventy five percent of the father daughter incest cases are due to the alcoholic tendencies of the parent.

These children who are victims of incest and molestation carry their guilt throughout their lives and for them consuming alcohol themselves become their only way of escape from their feelings. Such children normally end up as alcoholics. Children of alcoholics have to be necessarily given counseling and treated early in their lives if they are to be saved from a miserable existence throughout their lives.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Studies have shown that if the parents have a drinking problem, it can even have an impact on the development of the fetus. This is because of the fact that alcohol which is consumed reaches all the organs and tissues of the mother’s body which includes the placenta.

Alcohol from the placenta enters the fetus through the membrane. Such babies are born with a condition called FAS or the fetal alcohol syndrome. This can result in the babies being defective or deformed by birth. Statistics show an alarming number of babies being born with FAS in the United States each year.

Children who are born with FAS suffer throughout their lives for no fault of theirs. They are generally underweight and much shorter than normal children. Some of them are mentally retarded as their skull and brain is deformed. Since the alcohol affects the central nervous system of these babies, some of them also have a groove in their upper lip centre which is very long.

Their facial features also characteristically differ from other normal children. Children afflicted by FAS generally have upper lips which are thin, face which is flat, groove on their upper lip, eye openings which are narrower, etc.

Psychological problems associated with these children involve inability to concentrate on their studies, shorter span of attention, lack of sufficient judgment, memory problems, problems with solving and a whole lot of other problems associated with behavior.

Children afflicted with FAS generally lack social skills too. They tend to get easily frustrated thereby throwing temper tantrums very often. They exhibit symptoms of being over active and are not able to sit in a place.

They are impulsive by nature and their actions are not very coordinated. Some of them also exhibit symptoms of speech and hearing impairment. One sad thing about this is this condition is not treatable.

If the parent is irresponsible enough to give their child the FAS, then the child is stuck with an irreversible condition throughout his or her life. The effect is thus permanent and cannot be treated or altered. A lot of children lead a retarded life due to the irresponsible behavior of their parents.

Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Cancer

Alcohol consumption in excess is one of the major causes of cancer. Cancer kills almost around five hundred thousand Americans every year. It is the next highest killer after heart diseases.

The most common cancers afflicting people is the breast, lung and bowel cancer. There is enough evidence to prove that alcohol consumption is one of the major causes for being afflicted with cancer. An astounding two to four percent of cancer cases are due to alcohol consumption.

Cancer due to excessive consumption of alcohol occurs mainly in the mouth, pharynx and oesophagus. Alcohol is also associated with liver and colorectal cancer. As we know, cancer is nothing but the affected cells of the body growing without any control. These cells get formed into masses and infiltrate the normal tissues and cells of the body destroying them.

There is a regulation followed by the body as per its nature whereby the cells grow and multiply within the specified framework of the tissues in the body. When the cancer cells start growing and acting independently, problem starts. These cells do not restrict their growth with the boundaries of the tissues.

Carcinogen is the substance which promotes the initiation and promotion of the deadly disease of cancer. Carcinogen plays an important role in aiding the spread of cancer in the initial stages.

The disease of cancer first manifests itself when the DNA of the cells get distorted irreversibly. This results in the triggering of the cell to divide. The cells also start reproducing independently and indefinitely.

Cells start mutating and multiplying at a fast rate and is aided by carcinogen. As the disease progresses, the mutating and multiplying cells form huge masses or tumors and start spreading from the initial site to other parts of the body.

Studies have clearly shown a link between the consumption of alcohol and certain types of cancer. As a person drinks more, he is at a greater risk for certain types of cancer. Research has also shown that alcohol in excess triggers certain mechanisms which lead to the development and spreading of certain types of cancer.

Cancer due to alcohol consumption affects mostly the digestive system. This includes the mouth, the larynx, the pharynx, esophagus, etc. there are also certain evidences which show that alcohol consumption can cause cancer of breast, colon and liver.

Some Positive Effects of Moderate Drinking

According to recent studies, researchers have found that moderate drinking actually makes sure a person does not develop gall bladder stones. Research has also shown that drinking moderately can make sure the person is at a lower risk of developing stones in his or her kidney.

Diabetes is another area where moderate drinking is found to have a positive impact. This is because of the fact that alcohol in the system increases the sensitivity of insulin. All these are in the preliminary stages of research and have not been conclusively proven yet.

Rheumatoid arthritis is another condition which has a positive impact from moderate alcohol consumption. This is because of the fact that alcohol is found to increase the bone mineral density in both men and women especially women who are undergoing menopause.

Tremors Due to Alcoholism

Tremors, even though not life threatening is a condition which acts as a depressant for the person suffering from it. The person who is suffering from this cannot hold a glass steadily, as his hands keeps shaking due to these tremors. This largely impacts his confidence level making his mind weak and unsteady.

As his or her movements are not coordinated, the movements become shaky and involuntary, as in epilepsy, myoclonus, tic, twitch, dyskinesia, chorea, etc. No matter how much the person tries, he or she is unable to stop the tremors which are noticeable more in the hands.

Tremors may occur persistently or at intervals, i.e. it can be regular or irregular and is not consistent in its occurrence. Tremors may also afflict any part of the body like the neck, head, trunk, legs, tongue, hands, etc. It is more pronounced though in the hands as it is not supported like the other parts of the body. Hand is also used for finer movements.

When the tremor occurs, the person usually experiences rigidity or tightness of muscles or flaccidity. When a person suffering from this condition faces a situation which is very tense or unfamiliar to him or her the tremors increase. For example attending an examination or interview, lying to someone, signing documents of importance, etc are situations where the person become tense and the tremors in his body increases drastically.

On experiencing these tremors, the person goes through a feeling of embarrassment due to the fear factor on anticipation of failure of execution of the task. Consequently, they start avoiding such situations and become partially and functionally disabled to that particular action.

Toxic tremors are tremors which are induced by consumption of alcohol in excess. These tremors can even occur due to drug or alcohol withdrawal.

Dementia and alcoholism

Dementia is a condition which results in problems associated with learning, cognition and memory. Consumption of alcohol in excess affects the cells of the brain resulting in poor judgement and ‘lack of co ordination of physical actions.

Consumption of alcohol over a long period of time also causes certain problems with nutrition which in turn results in brain damage. This happens as the brain experiences deficiencies of certain vitamins.

A person afflicted with dementia will not be able to learn new thing easily even though the other mental faculties are alright. This may also result in certain changes in the person’s personality. Obvious symptoms of this condition include feeling confused most of the times along with other memory related problems.

A person suffering from this condition normally remembers things that have happened long ago very clearly but is not able to remember things which have happened a few minutes ago. Another symptom is that the person afflicted by dementia keeps repeating the same questions not remembering that he or she has already asked this question before and it has been answered.

Even during a conversation, the person suffering from dementia keeps repeating the same thing over and over again using the same expressions and words. Apart from doing this the person may be perfectly normal otherwise in matters like planning, being witty, playing games like chess, cards, etc.

Another variation of the alcoholic dementia is the Wernicke Korsakoff syndrome. This condition may occur along with the normal dementia or may occur independently.

The Wernicke Korsakoff syndrome damages more than one nerve in the central nervous system which includes the spinal cord, the peripheral nervous system and the brain. This disease exhibits symptoms found in alcohol withdrawal. Alcohol consumed over a long period of time causes some nutritional problems in a person. These problems include vitamin B-1deficiency.

The symptoms accompanying the Korsakoff syndrome also known as Korsakoff psychosis include loss of memory, loss of intellect or cognitive skills resulting in difficulty in solving problems and learning, etc.

One symptom which is quite scary is the way the person who is afflicted by this disease makes up convincing and detailed stories about their experiences. They do this in order to cover up memory gaps which result from damage of parts of the brain.

There are certain changes in personality which point out towards the developing dementia in a person. An alcoholic may exhibit gradual symptoms like frustration, irritability, anger, instability in their moods, emotional instability, jealousy, paranoia, suspicion, less emotional responses, dropping of inhibitions, fear of loneliness, insensitivity towards others, etc.

These people also are not able to perform tasks which are quite familiar, not able to connect to people, not able to take instant decisions, not have the confidence to start or complete anything on their own, etc.

A person afflicted with Wernicke Korsakoff syndrome also find it difficult to be fluent with words, and consequently are not able to follow conversations clearly. They tend to keep repeating what they say and also repeating questions.

These people experience a lost sense of timing, they wander away aimlessly and get lost even in areas which are familiar to them and do not recognize acquaintances and friends. They also start neglecting their health or even their work and property.

Alcohol and Peptic Ulcer

Consumption of alcohol results in the increase of stomach acid production. This in turn results in irritation of the stomach and increase in ulcer symptoms. When alcohol is consumed, the LES or the lower esophageal sphincter relaxes causing the stomach contents to flow back to the esophageal tube.

While it is better to avoid taking alcohol for a person suffering from ulcer, you can still have that occasional moderate drink without suffering from ulcer by following a few tips. The alcoholic drink can be diluted with water or soda to reduce the concentration. Restricting the number of drinks to one or two a day helps in avoiding peptic ulcers.

White wine can be had instead of the red wine as this has lesser toxic content. Having drinks which are non alcoholic is the best thing to do. Upon identifying the brand of drink which creates the most problem with the stomach, it is better to keep away from that particular brand.

Alcohol Abuse and Nervous System

Alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence has a direct effect on the central nervous system. It acts as a depressant and affects the nervous system as acute intoxication, symptoms of withdrawal and even damage to the nervous system in extreme cases.

A person who is intoxicated with alcohol has a flushed face, smells strongly of liquor, sweats excessively, exhibits symptoms of nausea and vomiting, etc. Apart from all this, he exhibits uneven gait while walking and sometimes even falls down. This is because of the slowing down of the motor nerve functions. The person also becomes disoriented and confused and may sometimes even black out.

A disorder of the nerves arising due to excessive drinking is called alcoholic neuropathy. This is a result of the reduction of the functions of the nerves due to the action of toxins present in the alcohol.

A person afflicted with alcoholic neuropathy feels less or no sensation in certain parts of the body and feels a tingling sensation in the hands and feet. The muscles become frail and the ankles therefore become weak. Alcoholic neuropathy also produces symptoms of nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, frequent urination and impotence. In extreme or severe cases, the nervous system which is responsible for autonomous functions or involuntary functions like heart beat, is damaged beyond repair.

Alcoholic neuropathy can be diagnosed by performing a neurological examination which is actually nothing but a few physical examinations which are not painful. This examination evaluates the functions of the nerves including the autonomic nervous system, reaction of senses and strength of the muscles.

Another way to diagnose this condition is the through the electromyography. With this test, the electrical activity in the patient’s muscular system is evaluated. This test checks for whether the impulses are passed on back and forth between the muscles and the nerves properly. This test finds out effectively whether the condition is due to weak muscles or diseased nerves.

Another test is the nerve condition velocity test. This test evaluates how fast the impulses are transmitted in the nerves. This test is conducted simultaneously along with the electromyography test. In order to find out the extent of disorder biopsy is performed on the nerves, muscles and tissues.

Alcoholic neuropathy can be treated only by providing treatment for alcoholism. Keeping away from drinks is a good idea for treating this condition. Physiotherapy is generally administered to alleviate the pain in the muscles and joints. In case of extreme numbness, doctors may also prescribe some drugs. Above all, a balanced and healthy diet works wonders in treating alcoholic neuropathy.

Medical Implications of Alcohol Dependence

Apart from social and psychological consequences, alcohol dependence leads to a lot of physical health problems. Liver is the most commonly affected organ. Apart from this, alcohol creates problem related to the skin, permanent impotence, appetite loss, vitamin deficiencies, damage of central nervous system, etc.

Alcohol has a significant effect on the functioning of the brain. Consumption of alcohol depresses the central nervous system. With increased consumption, the motor skills get affected and actions start becoming clumsy. Alcohol dependence affects the behavioural pattern of the individual to a great extent. Very acute and prolonged drinking can actually cause damage to the brain.

Positive effects include the decrease in cardiovascular disease due to moderate drinking. This fact has been proved beyond doubt. Especially, the risk of heart related diseases decrease tremendously if alcohol especially red wine is consumed moderately over a period of time.

This is due to the existence of certain polyphenol antioxidants present in red wines which favours the health of the heart. Other benefits of moderate alcohol consumption includes an increase in the HDL or cholesterol which is good for the health, decrease in blood clotting or thrombosis, reduced spasm of artery related to stress, increases the flow of blood in the coronary, increases the sensitivity of insulin, etc.

Moderate drinking also has a positive impact on the progress of coronary heart disease. It actually decreases the risk of CHD. Moderate indicates not more than one or two drinks a day. Moderate drinking has similar positive effects on coronary vascular disease or angina pectoris and also on patients who are on their way to recovery after coronary stenting.

Similarly, moderate drinking has proven to be an aid in the reduction of heart attacks or strokes or even in a person who is recovering from an attack. Alcohol abuse on the other hand increases the risk of a stroke or a heart attack. Even one drink a week has shown significant results.

Is Alcoholism a Disease?

Although alcoholism does not have the symptoms of a normal disease, it can be called a mental or a psychological disorder. It all starts with getting obsessed with the idea of drinking. The mental obsession which drives a person to repeatedly drink is nothing but a thought process over which there is no control.

The thought process repeatedly occurs in the brain driving the person to fix a drink. The person is unable to get over the physical compulsion and craving to have a drink. Since man does not consciously put the thought in his mind, he is not able to control the effect and feels the only way to get the thought out is to do what his mind says.

The most difficult part of all this is that most of the times, the alcoholic does not even know the thought is there hidden in his mind surfacing repeatedly. He is not able to understand what is driving him towards this undesirable habit. This is why even if an alcoholic genuinely puts in effort to stop drinking and wants to give up the habit he is not able to do so without professional help.

One important fact to be noticed is that alcoholism as a disease progresses very fast without the person’s knowledge. The fact that one or two drinks satisfies his or her craving may soon sub consciously increase to six or seven drinks and worsening further to even ten or twelve drinks. By the time the person realizes it is usually too late. The drinking stops only if the person passes out. By this time alcohol has wholly and completely taken over his or her life.

Rehabilitation and help is in the hands of the affected person. If he is mentally prepared to come out of the obsession, he can approach one of the innumerable help centres. If he needs help but is not willing to take it, then intervention is the only alternative.

Genes and Alcoholism

According to psychiatrists, genes play an important role in the development of alcoholism. Certain body and brain processes and the way they interact with each other and with the person’s experiences in life determine his vulnerability towards this habit or protection from it. Certain genes related to alcoholism have also been identified.

Extensive research has shown that a variation of the dopamine receptor genes in humans creates a tendency towards opiates and endorphin releasing drugs and alcohol.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid or GABA is another inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain said to be associated with alcoholism. Studies have shown that a certain enzyme called glutamate decarboxylase or GAD plays a major role as a synthesizer of this GABA.

GABA plays the role of reducing the excitement causing neuro activities in the brain thereby giving a stable and sedate feeling. Alcohol consumption has shown to increase the level of GABA providing a sedate and numb feeling to the drinker.

As one starts consuming alcohol more and more, the counter mechanism that sets in reduces the GABA production thereby forcing the drinker to increase his alcohol consumption. According to researchers, genetic background plays a major role in instigating a person towards alcoholism. This happens when there is a creation of physical and psychological memories in a person creating a craving for alcohol in the body.

Research is being done on an extensive basis to determine the extent or role played by GABA in making a person alcohol dependent. As of now there is no conclusive explanation for this theory.

The Pros and Cons of Cosmetic Surgery

Have you recently decided that you would like to undergo cosmetic surgery? Whether you are looking to get a tummy tuck, a facelift, or a breast reduction, have you already made your appointment? If this is a step that you have yet to take, you may first want to reexamine your decision. Cosmetic surgery is a big step. Before you move forward, it is important that you examine the pros and cons of going under the knife.

One of the many reasons why cosmetic surgery is so popular is because it has a number of pros or plus sides. For starters, cosmetic surgery can help to improve your appearance. Cosmetic surgery is different than reconstructive surgery and many other lifesaving surgeries, because it is optional. Those who undergo cosmetic surgery are usually just looking to improve their appearance. As nice as it is to look attractive, it is also important to note that you will likely see an improvement in your self-confidence, as well as your self-esteem.

As previously stated, most individuals undergo cosmetic surgery to improve their physical appearance. While this is true, some other individuals do so for their health. Are you overweight or even obese? If you are, cosmetic surgery may actually help to save your life or at least reduce your risk of other health complications, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Those who are obese are urged to examine the Lapband surgery and gastric bypass surgery. Those who are slightly overweight, but not yet obese, are urged to examine liposuction.

Another pro or plus side to undergoing cosmetic surgery is that it is a convenient option. Yes, you must go into the doctor’s office, your procedure may take a few hours, and you may need a few days to recover, but the results are still pretty quick and convenient. For example, if you were looking to remove the excess fat from your arms and thighs, you could spend months or even a year trying to lose the weight through exercise. On the other hand, liposuction will give you the results you wanted, but right away.

Despite the fact that there are a number of pros or plus sides to undergoing cosmetic surgery, it is also important to examine the cons or downsides of it as well. For starters, cosmetic surgery can be costly. The cost will depend on the procedure. A full surgical facelift will cost more money than simply just having a mole removed or the treatment of a stretch mark. Unfortunately, not all health insurance providers cover the cost of cosmetic procedures. In fact, most don’t. This means that you will likely be responsible for paying the full cost of your surgery.

Another con or downside to undergoing cosmetic surgery is the risks and dangers that are involved. Side effects, which most often include slight pain and discomfort, are common with most surgical procedures. All surgical procedures, no matter what they are, do have risks. There are no guarantees that you will get the results that you were looking for.

Finally, it is important to examine the recovery process. For many patients, this can be the hardest part. Liposuction was sited as an example above. This surgical procedure is one that has the strictest rules in the recovery process. In addition to letting your body heal, you also need to start eating healthy and exercising. Do you think that you can do so? If not, cosmetic surgery may not be right for you.

As you can see, there are both a number of pros and cons to undergoing cosmetic surgery. Before you decide to move forward, be sure to thoroughly examine these pros and cons. If you have any additional questions, contact your local cosmetic surgeon or surgical center. In fact, you are urged to first schedule a consultation appointment. Information provided by an experienced cosmetic surgeon can help you reaffirm your decision to go under the knife.

Is Cosmetic Surgery Right for You?

Is cosmetic surgery something that has been on your mind? If might be if you have an imperfection, like excess fat, excess skin, or wrinkles, that you want to fix. As great as cosmetic surgery is, it isn’t something that is right for everyone. So, is cosmetic surgery right for you?

The first step in determining if cosmetic surgery is right for you is by examining the cost. Can you afford it? Unless you are going in for reconstructive surgery, like to repair a serious burn or serious cuts and scrapes from an accident, your health insurance provider may not cover the costs. With that said, be sure to check. There are a small number of cosmetic procedures, such as breast reduction surgery, that are occasionally covered and possibly in full. On the back of your health insurance card, there should be a phone number. Call that number and make an inquiry.

Another sign that cosmetic surgery may be right for you is if you are looking to improve your health. Although many individuals opt for cosmetic surgery to only improve their appearance, there are some exceptions. Liposuction and gastric bypass surgery can be used to help you achieve your weight loss goals. Typically, liposuction isn’t considered a weight loss plan, like gastric bypass surgery, as you only have around five to ten pounds of fat removed from your problem areas. If you opt for gastric bypass surgery or another similar procedure, you can reduce your risk of heart complications, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Cosmetic surgery may also be right for you if you don’t feel that you have any other options. As it was previously stated, liposuction is ideal for those who have a little bit of extra weight and fat that they would like to have removed. If you have tried eating healthy and exercising, you may not feel like you don’t have any options left. The same can be said for slowing the signs of aging. If you have tried numerous over-the-counter products to reduce or eliminate your wrinkles and you haven’t seen success, you may see a surgical facelift as your only option. In these instances, cosmetic surgery is usually best.

In keeping with limited options, it is also important to examine that hopelessness you may be feeling. As previously stated, cosmetic surgery is often used to improve one’s physical appearance. While you may be told that beauty is more than just your physical appearance, it may have a negative impact on your life. Those who are down or feel like they don’t have any other options are likely to suffer from depression, low self-esteem, and have a poor sense of self-confidence. If you are feeling this way, cosmetic surgery is something that is worth looking into.

Perhaps, the most important point to take into consideration is the recovery process. Depending on the cosmetic procedure you undergo, recovery can take a few hours to a few weeks. Be sure to determine this time frame ahead of time. Also, what steps will you need to take to care for yourself? If you undergo a surgical facelift, moisturize or antibiotic cream may need to be applied multiple times a day. Can you remember to do so? If not, cosmetic surgery may not be right for you, as the recovery process can be just as important as the surgery itself.

As a recap, cosmetic surgery is not right for everyone. With that said, if you are looking to improve your self-confidence, your health, and if you can afford the cost of cosmetic surgery, it may be right for you. To see if you are an ideal candidate, contact one of your local cosmetic surgery centers or a surgeon who runs their own private practice. You will want to schedule a consultation appointment. If you are an ideal candidate for surgery, you should get all of the information you need. This information should include a detailed explanation of the procedure, the recovery process, and the total cost.

Visit Here for More Articles on Plastic Surgery

Articles on Alcoholism - Alcoholism Facts

Ten Warning Signs of Alcoholism

Self Test Alcoholism

Nexium Alcohoilsm

Living with Alcoholism

End Stage Alcoholism

Effects of Alcoholism

Definition of Alcoholism

Alcoholism Withdrawal

Alcoholism Test

Alcoholism Statistics

Alcoholism Signs

Alcoholism Physical Symptom

Alcoholism Marriage

Alcoholism in Teenager

Alcoholism Fact

Alcoholism En Argentina

Alcoholism Disease

Alcoholism and Genetics

Alcoholism and Dui Information in Spanish

Alcoholism Addiction Treatment

Ten Warning Signs of Alcoholism

Ten warning signs of alcoholism tell you the condition of those near and dear ones who may be suffering from alcoholism. Society has been suffering from the ill effects of alcoholism for quiet some time; even with all our modern technology we have not been able to rid the society of this addiction.

To help us diagnose an alcoholic there are ten warning signs of alcoholism, these give us a general idea of the signs and symptoms of a chronic alcoholic. The sign that sets an alcoholic apart from a social drinker is drinking in isolation, when one begins to drink alone it must be taken as a sign of alcoholism. Drinking alone indicates the need of the body for alcohol. It is a known fact that the amount of alcohol needed to bring on the desired effect of euphoria goes on increasing with its abuse.

The most important of the ten warning signs of alcoholism is lying about your drinking, guilt makes one lie about the amount of alcohol consumed. Since the next sign amongst the ten warning signs of alcoholism is increased consumption, lying and increased consumption go hand in hand. The alcoholic gets offended when questioned about his drinking; this is one of the common causes of anger and violence.

Then come some of the serious signs like consuming much more than your friends, needing a drink first thing in the morning and consuming more and more amounts of alcohol. When an addict needs a drink first thing in the morning his body is going into withdrawal unless he consumes alcohol after a specific time gap. This is a very serious sign of chronic alcoholism and needs immediate intervention to prevent further damage.

This is followed by those signs which can be dangerous to the addict like blackouts, drinking during or after work to cope with stress and fights or falls when drunk. Most cases of drunk driving mishaps happen when the person momentarily blacks out during driving or when his reaction time is greatly reduced. When reaction time is reduced the alcoholic cannot react fast to any situation causing accidents.

The last but most important sign is your loved ones telling you to cut down on your drinking; these are the most important people in your life. When they begin to suffer because of your drinking, life gets worse since domestic fights increase stress levels leading to more drinking. Emotional support from loved ones is very important at this stage; if there is hostility at home it drives the alcoholic towards the bottle for support.

When an alcoholic is suffering from even one of these ten signs he needs treatment, like detoxification and psychiatric help. Counselling is an important part of de-addiction treatment, support and understanding help an addict get over his need for alcohol.

Signs like blackouts can have dangerous consequences, like driving accidents and falls. Fights during the drunken state can land one behind bars, to avoid all these complications its best to recognise the ten waring signs of alcoholism on time and take action.

Self Test Alcoholism

Alcoholism is a serious problem nowadays. However the problem can be rectified through treatment. The first step towards treatment to alcoholism is to determine whether you have this problem or not. Self test alcoholism helps you to find out whether you are a serious drinker or not. Your willingness to quit alcohol is the basic requirement to provide honest response to self test alcoholism. The following questions will help you in determining the severity of your alcoholism

1. Do you drink heavily on a day you feel frustrated?
2. Do you drink more than usual when you are under pressure?
3. Are you drinking heavily now than you started drinking first?
4. Do you have any problem in remembering yesterday's happening?
5. Do you feel annoying in some situations when alcohol is not available?
6. Do you feel irritated when your family members or friends are talking about your drinking habit?
7. Do you have the problem of memory block outs after drinking? Is that happening frequently?
8. Do you forget all about your commitments or promises after drinking?
9. Do you have the tendency to drink more than your friends when you drink in groups?
10. Do you drink more in secret?
11. Do you feel guilty sometimes about your heavy drinking habit?
12. Are you searching for an occasion to drink heavily always?
13. Have you ever tried to control your drinking habit by changing the brands or in some other ways?
14. Are you trying to avoid family members or friends while drinking?
15. Do you experience more financial problems nowadays due to your drinking habit?
16. Are you eating too little or irregularly after drinking?
17. Do you feel depressed or frustrated frequently?
18. Do you ever see or hear any things which you have not seen before drinking?
19. Do you experience tremendous fear after drinking?


If your answer is yes to any of the question, then you may have the problem of alcoholism. If one third of the questions is yes then you are in the early stage of alcoholism. If two third is yes then it means that you are in the middle stage of the problem. If your answer yes to almost all the questions then it means you are in the beginning of final stage of alcoholism.

Apart from this some signs are there which will help you to detect alcoholism. This self test alcoholism can be made by keenly observing your habits.

1. Have you ever missed your class or work after drinking? Whether it is happening frequently?
2. Have you decided to get rid of drinking problem but feel that you could not?
3. Have you involved in any fighting after drinking heavily?
4. Do you feel that excessive drinking is becoming an essential part of your recreational activity?
5. Have you ever faced any problem with police after drinking?
6. Have you had any sexual experience after drinking and you feel bad for that?
7. Do you lie about the quantity of alcohol consumption?
8. Do you regularly use alcohol as a means to get rid of stress?

The answer yes to above questions will be clear signs of alcoholism. This self test alcoholism will therefore help you to determine whether you are binging on drinking habit or not.

Nexium Alcohoilsm

Alcoholism is a serious problem in United States nowadays. The percentage of people suffering from alcoholism is increasing day by day. Therefore, treatment for such problems becomes essential. Nexium alcoholism is an integrative medicine available in capsule form normally. This medicine is approved to treat Gastro esophageal reflux disease. This is also known as acid reflux. This is a condition in which acid in stomach rehearses into esophagus. Nexium helps in reducing the side effects of alcoholism like acid reflux disorders.

Nexium provides you more information on alcoholism. It states that a significant percentage of Americans have the problem of alcoholism. Such people have shown symptoms like hypertension also. Nexium helps to reduce the symptoms of hypertension. The drug is also available in injection form.

Nexium alcoholism treats some of the side effects. The affected person is required to take a pill regularly until the symptoms have been vanished. You can get cheap nexium alcoholism medicines in online. These online stores are approved United States licensed pharmacies and they offer nexium medicines at comparatively low prices. However ensure that the stores are approved by FDA. These stores help you to save your money.

Nexium alcoholism treats the heart burn symptoms resulting due to excessive consumption of alcohol. Nexium prescription will reduce the severity of such symptoms. However prolonged use of his medicine is not advisable. In fact nexium pills show better relief from gastro esophageal reflux diseases (GERD) only.

As alcoholism is becoming a serious problem, medicines and treatments have been discovered now which will reduce the side effects of alcoholism however in the initial stage only. Late stage alcoholism does not have any treatment. Makers of Nexium provide some treatment ways to alcoholic abuse. This will help many clinicians to find valuable resources to treat alcoholic patients.

Living with Alcoholism

Living with alcoholism requires some changes in your life style. In order to manage your disease, you have to consult your doctor first who will help you in making some permanent changes in your life style. The following tips will help you deal with alcoholism:

1. Engage yourself in social activities without drinking.
2. Try to avoid going to bars.
3. Remove alcohol products from your home.
4. Always avoid people and situations that induce alcohol consumption.
5. Make new friends who do not have drinking habit.
6. Engage in some fun activities that do not involve drinking.
7. When you face some stressful situation, try to mange it without taking alcohol.
8. You can also attend counseling classes and group therapies.
9. Avoid any triggering situation that lead to alcohol consumption.
10. Learn some stress management skills like yoga, meditation, regular exercises etc. This will help you to avoid drinking habit. This is because many people indulge in alcohol consumption so as to get rid of stress only.
11. Take healthy diet.

Living with alcoholism is however very difficult. However if you diagnose the early signs of alcoholism then it will be possible to get rid of the problem with some medication and counseling. Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are held in various parts of United States. This will create an environment in which the drinker could stay tee total. However Alcoholics Anonymous meetings will not compel you in any ways to quit drinking. They will allow you to be there sharing your experience and listening other people's experiences.

Some life style changes required to living with alcoholism:

The first and foremost change required for an alcoholic is to stay away from drinkers. The person should avoid the bar where he used to go for drinking. The person can try new ways of living and engage himself fully in some other activities.

There are two aspects of alcoholism living with alcoholism within you or living with alcoholism in someone else. If the drinker understands the consequences of alcoholism, then he will surely try to quit drinking. This is possible in the early stage of alcoholism. He\she requires the help of others particularly the love and care of family members will help him\her to get out of alcoholism. Honesty is very essential to quit drinking. If the drinker continues to lie about the amount of alcohol consumption, then it is impossible to control alcoholism.

The best way to live with alcoholism is to avoid consuming alcohol completely. You should therefore avoid the places that will trigger the drinking habit. Spend your time with good friends. Surrounding yourself in the company of supportive friends will help you to avoid alcohol consumption. Focus your mind in some other good things. Whenever you have a craving for drinking, remember the harmful effects of alcohol and take some fresh fruit juices instead of alcohol. Also say to yourself that you are improving your health now. This will help you to avoid alcoholic consumption.

End stage Alcoholism

Alcoholism can be divided into three stages Early stage alcoholism, middle stage alcoholism and end stage alcoholism. Heavy use of alcohols and that too frequently will lead the drinker to end stage alcoholism. Consuming one or two drinks daily for a healthy man is considered as acceptable level of alcohol consumption. When the frequency or the amount of drinking increases, the early stage alcoholism occurs. If you continue to drink after this, it will lead to end stage alcoholism.

The third or final stage of alcoholism is a difficult stage. In this stage the drinker will lose control of drinking. Moral deterioration, impaired thinking, unexplained fears may be the symptoms of final stage alcoholism. Excessive binging on alcohol will lead the drinker to many problems including health issues.

In the end stage of alcoholism, the drinker is likely to consume alcohol almost with everything else. It will surely cause mental and physical issues. Too much alcohol consumption will damage all parts of the body and will reduce the disease resisting capacity of the body. Family relationship and work atmosphere will be severely collapsed. Sometimes financial and legal problems will also occur for an end stage alcoholic.

Most of the drinkers in this final stage will face the problem of malnutrition. Alcohol will disturb the digestion process in the body and will block the passage of nutrients from intestine to blood stream. Most of the severe drinkers will have the problem of liver dysfunction. Since the damages cells can not receive the essential nutrients, the damage continues to worse. The final stage in alcoholism will cause Vitamin deficiencies in the drinker's body. As a result loss of mental fitness, loss of appetite, fatigue, confusion and memory loss will happen. Finally death may occur in any ways like suicide, accidents like drowning, car crash or falling or severe health problems. Death will be the final outcome of end stage alcoholism.

The treatment to late stage alcoholism will be similar to any end stage disorders. However, heavy use of alcohol will lead to medical complications. In the final stage, damage to brain, heart, liver and other tissues will happen and that makes the treatment more complicated. Brain damage from excessive drinking for years together will be permanent. The dead cells in brain can not be regenerated. Such physical damages will be more difficult to treat.

End stage alcoholism is the most terrible way to die. Alcohol consumption will be cumulative in almost all parts of the body and thus damages the organs. The heart will be the most important suffering organ. The liver will stop functioning and thereby cause blood dysfunction. Hence hemorrhoids can get rupture suddenly that may lead to death.

Alcoholic consumption will shatter the brain's power to think and learn. As a result the person suffering from final stage alcoholism will face the problems of brain disorders like mental confusion, impaired coordination while walking, vision problem and memory loss. This will make the treatment impossible.

Effects of Alcoholism

When we talk of the effects of alcoholism, we got to divide them into physical and mental or psychological effects. Both these effects of alcohol are equally important, if one is leading to physical handicap the other is leading to a mental handicap. Effects of alcohol manifest at different times in different individuals, for example if one is affected after thirty years of alcohol abuse the other person may start getting affected only after three years. This is because every human body is different; some of us are more sensitive than others.

When analysing all the psychotic effects of alcohol we must understand at all times that the person is gravely ill, in the sense addiction of any kind is an illness in itself. The beginning of the mental illness will start with increased aggressiveness and agitation at any and all small things, which at one time did not bother the person that much. Then comes the abusive and violent part where in addition to the aggression there is violence, this is the reason many crimes are conducted under the influence of alcohol. There are other effects of alcoholism on the nervous system, depleting it of thiamine or b complex giving tingling and numbness of the extremities. Stroke is one of the extreme effects of alcoholism brought on by a combination of many different effects on the body like delayed clotting time and hypertension.

The effects of alcohol on the gastrointestinal track are manifold, beginning with gastric acidity and ending with bleeding piles. The gastric mucosa or covering gets eroded causing gastritis and ulcerations. The liver gets damaged and it cannot metabolism all the digestive material brought to it, bile production and excretion is affected. All this causes alcoholic hepatitis followed by fatty liver and finally cirrhosis or permanent scarring of liver.

When alcoholic pancreatitis begins, it manifests as severe pain in abdomen and affects the protein digestion of food. The pancrease makes enzymes essential for protein digestion, since no proteins can be digested this eventually leads to loss of muscle mass and protein energy malnutrition. This malnutrition is enhanced by the nausea and loss of appetite caused by the alcoholic hepatitis.

When all these effects are gripping the body simultaneously there are mental changes in the person, so the combined effect gives you a person with an altered appearance and sensitivity. Effects may occur singularly of as a combination, some people may have only liver involvement while others may have multi-systemic involvement. Again which organ is first to get affected will depend on the individual, each body is different and responds differently.

The heart is not spared and alcoholics have enlarged hearts with weak cardiac muscles and raised blood pressure. The lipid levels are also raised in these individuals, thus acting like a trigger for the heart disease. All this pressure on the heart can cause anything thing from angina to cardiac failure. As we can see the effects of alcoholism are many but the best part is, if detected on time the cure is simple and that is abstinence.

Definition of Alcoholism

There are many definitions of alcoholism. The most common definition of alcoholism is that" alcoholism is a horrible disease that affects the whole person. However this definition is applicable to cancer or other dreadful disease. Alcoholism can not be defined simply as a disease caused due to prolonged consumption of alcohol. The amount and frequency of drinking will determine alcoholism.

A correct definition of alcoholism is that it is a chronic disorder characterized by some loss of control over drinking. Drinking more frequently and at inappropriate times will indicate alcoholism. Alcoholism is a common term for two disorders. They are alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence.

The medical definition of alcoholism describes alcoholism as a disease caused due to continuous consumption of alcohol. The quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption required to develop alcoholism will vary from person to person.

Alcoholism is related with some other terms also. They include use, misuse, heavy use, abuse and dependence. Use is a term which simply refers to a person who drinks any alcoholic products. Misuse and heavy use do not have any standard definitions. Heavy use of alcohol will vary from person to person depending upon the age, alcohol brand and so on.

Alcohol abuse is one of the serious problems which will cause poor nutrition, memory loss, difficulty in walking and liver diseases. It will also lead to mental stress, depression, fatigue, employment problems, family problems etc. Alcohol abuse will also lead the drinker in some legal problems at some point in his life. The drinker will continue to drink at this stage irrespective of his health and family problems.

Addiction to alcohol will cause alcohol dependence. Alcohol dependence will cause social and work related problems. The drinker will experience the problems of shaking, sweating and nausea when he tries to stop drinking at this stage. Alcohol dependence will show some of the following symptoms:

1. Changes in tolerance level.
2. The drinker will take more alcohol to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
3. He will lose control over drinking.
4. He may spend more time in drinking and will recover from it only after long period of time.
5. He will lose interest in social and recreational activities.
6. He will continue to drink though he knows the adverse effects of drinking.

Definition of alcoholism explains the effects of this problem. Alcoholism will lead most of the alcoholics drinking heavily than the normal amount. Loss of control will happen in this stage. In fact loss of control is a clear symptom of alcoholism. As the drinker continues to drink, his body will get increased tolerance towards alcohol. Therefore the drinker will not get full content by consuming the regular amount of alcohol. He will require drinking more. Withdrawal symptoms like nausea, sweating and shaking will also appear.

Alcohol problems will vary from person to person. The severity of alcoholism will also vary from drinker to drinker. Some may experience life threatening problems. Liver dysfunction, brain disorders etc will also occur. Rightly said, alcoholism is a horrible disease. However it is possible to avoid the disease. The willingness of the drinker to quit drinking is a must for getting rid of alcoholism.

Articles on Alcoholism

Articles on alcoholism provide in depth in formation about the causes, symptoms and treatment to alcoholism. Alcoholism is defined as a s disease in medical terms. However it is slightly different from other diseases since it is controllable if the drinker is ready to quit the habit.

Articles on alcoholism provide certain information. They describe alcoholism as the consumption of alcohol beverages to the maximum extent that this behavior disturbs the alcoholic's normal family and work life. Chronic alcoholism will lead to physical and mental disorders. Therefore alcoholism is becoming a serious problem nowadays. Though alcohol use triggers alcoholism, it is not compulsory that all the drinkers will develop alcoholism disorder. The quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption required to develop alcoholism will vary from person to person.

There are numerous articles on alcoholism. You can view them in the wikipedia also. These articles help you to understand the warning signs of alcoholism. Understanding the signs is the first step towards treatment to alcoholism. Causes and treatments of alcoholism are discussed in various articles. We can see the summary of such articles below:

The cause of alcoholism is not yet definite. However, some researches show that genetic reasons may lead to alcoholism. An individual with a family history of alcoholism will have more chances of developing the disease. The risk will increase if he\she is a novelty seeking personality.

Treatment for alcoholism may vary from person to person. Since alcoholism involves multiple factors that trigger the drinker to drink continuously the treatment will also differ depending upon the factor. However group therapy and psychotherapy can provide better results in treating alcoholism. There are several medication therapies available to control alcoholism. Benzodiazepines, vitamin supplements etc will be useful in reducing the withdrawal symptoms. Medication for long term use will be different. Antabuse will help in reducing the symptoms of hangover. Acamprosate is yet another medicine which proves effective in reducing the adverse effects of alcoholism. This medicine is approved by Food and drug administration.

Symptoms of alcoholism are clearly shown in various articles on alcoholism. Early signs of alcoholism include heavy drinking and drinking in dangerous situation like car driving. The drinker will start drinking in secret and will hide alcohol in secret places. He\she will feel irritated when alcohol is not available. The drinker will feel annoying when the family members and friends pass comments on their drinking habit. He\she will tart getting legal, financial and work related problems. He\she will continue to drink though he\she knows that problems arise due to his\her drinking habit only. The tolerance of body to alcohol will increase and so the drinker will not feel content by consuming the regular amount. This will increase the health problems. The person will get problems in family relationship also. Since he is drinking heavily and frequently, his health condition will continue to worse.

Articles on alcoholism describe the disease in identical twins. Since the psychological factors and social environment for identical twins will be similar, they may have the chance of getting alcoholism provided if one or both their parents have alcohol addiction problem.

Alcoholism Withdrawal

With over fifty percent of the world population abusing alcohol the amount of research done on getting over this addiction is also vast. When an alcoholic wants to give up his addiction he has to undergo two steps in treatment. The first one is detoxification and the second one is psychological counselling.

To understand alcoholism withdrawal we must know what changes happen in the body under the influence of alcohol. The nervous system becomes dependent on alcohol this is a little complex. The brain secretes dopamine and serotonin under the influence of alcohol which give the sense of well being and euphoria. During alcoholism withdrawal the brain craves for dopamine and serotonin for the feeling of well being, this can happen only in the presence of alcohol. Since the addict is undergoing detoxification he is not consuming any alcohol thus the brain goes into depression which is a very important sign of alcoholism withdrawal.

The signs of alcoholism withdrawal depend on the severity of addiction. Mild withdrawal symptoms include body aches, tremors, diarrhoea, insomnia and excessive sweating. This is seen in people who have been under mild addiction for a short span of time. They generally have been consuming less quantity of alcohol for some time. In such cases there is no need for medication and patient compliance is good.

When discussing alcohol withdrawal patient counselling has to be given utmost importance, the mental balance of the patient is usually disturbed and calls for professional help. The counsellor will prepare the addict mentally for the detoxification treatment and the alcoholism withdrawal symptoms he is going to suffer. This may sound simple but most patients have at some point in time suffered from withdrawal and know the seriousness of the matter.

Serious withdrawal symptoms are experienced by chronic alcoholics who have been under the influence of the substance for prolonged periods. These have to be monitored since they can be life threatening, they also require medication. Serious alcoholism withdrawal symptoms include high fever, high blood pressure, increased heart rate, hallucinations and delirium tremens. A person suffering from delirium tremens has uncontrolled shaking, panic attacks and severe hallucinations. DT or delirium tremens begins within three to four days of the last drink and lasts up to a week. During this episode the patient must be monitored along with medication like sedatives to avoid life threatening consequences due to high blood pressure and increased heart rate

After the detoxification the body gets rid of all the toxins accumulated in the body due to alcohol. This is followed by the rehabilitation process which teaches the addict the reasons behind his abuse. Once he understands the reasons he can help overcome them but for this he needs the help of support groups and family members. One such group is the Alcoholics Anonymous where they have a 12 step model which helps the addict understand why and how to avoid going back to alcohol. There are drugs like disulfiram which help along with counselling and peer support, the drug alone cannot work.

Alcoholism Test

Alcoholism test is a test which will determine whether or not you are addicted to alcohol.
An alcoholic is a person who abuses alcohol; alcohol creates a sense of euphoria on consumption making a person want more of it. The problem is that the amount of alcohol needed to bring about the desired effect goes on increasing with regular abuse, thus increasing the amount consumed by the addict.

The Alcoholism test surely answers some of the questions an addict faces, like whether he or she falls in the safe social drinkers category or has become a compulsive addict. The MAST or the Michigan alcoholism screening test is a questionnaire designed to act as a screening test for all alcohol related problems. This Alcoholism test has 22 questions which have to be answered by the person taking the test. Once you fill these primary questions then you get the verdict, telling you whether you are an alcoholic or not.

The Alcoholism test asks questions like how much alcohol you consume, whether your family thinks you are an alcoholic and do you have memory lapses when you drink. It goes on to ask you if you have ever been convicted for crime in your drunken state or admitted to the psychiatric ward due to your drinking. The Alcoholism test or MAST asks you many more questions, if answered correctly the results will help in self assessment.

The questions about memory lapse and violence if answered with a yes make the addict dangerous for himself as well as for society. Most cases of domestic violence happen under the influence of alcohol. An addict can commit gruesome crimes under the influence of alcohol. Taking the MAST will not just tell us if the person is an addict but will also give us an idea of the extent of his or her addiction.

It is difficult for the addict to judge himself; this is where the MAST makes it easy for him. Most people are embarrassed to give the right answers; it is thus advisable to leave the person taking the test alone while he takes the test. Pre-counselling is very important to make the alcoholic realise the importance of giving truthful answers.

Since the test can be taken online there are chances of false or incorrect answers, in that case the only person you are fooling is yourself. The first step to be taken when you want to get cured of this disease called alcoholism is self acknowledgement. The MAST will only help you in confirming your doubts; the next step is getting professional help.

Alcoholism is a chronic disease which has affected the entire civilization; this disease destroys both the mind and the body. We all have to help those around us who have been affected by this deadly poison to come out of this addiction for a better society. The simplest way is to go online, and put MAST as a keyword in any of the search engines. Make your near and dear ones who you suspect have crossed the line between social and compulsive drinking take the test.