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Kidney stones affect more than 1 million people each year according to The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Much research has been done to evaluate the different options for treatment of this condition. The effect that it has on the lives of millions of people has led to improvements in the non-invasive treatment methods available.

Today, kidney stones are often treated without surgical intervention. Either the practitioner or nephrologist (kidney specialist), will check several factors to determine the best method of treatment. One of those tests is the chemical composition of the urine. They will recommend a 24 hour urine collection to evaluate the chemical make up of the urine. This helps for immediate treatment and recommendations for diet and fluid intake to stop the formation of future stones.

Often the kidney stone is small enough to pass on its own at home. Drinking 2 to 3 quarts of water a day the individual stays home taking pain medication and strains the urine to catch the stone. The practitioner will evaluate the stone to assess the need for diet or fluid changes to prevent further development of stones.

Another treatment for kidney stones is the extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). This is a procedure that uses shock waves outside of the body to smash the stones into tiny pieces that pass easily from the body through the bladder. This treatment is usually used for smaller stones in conjunction with an x-ray or ultrasound. It is performed on an outpatient basis and the side effects are minimal.

Another treatment is the percutaneous nephrolithotomy. This is more invasive and intended to treat larger kidney stones. The urologist will make an incision in the back and insert an instrument to remove the stone. In cases where the instrument can’t remove the stone because of the size the surgeon breaks the stone into smaller pieces. This isn’t an outpatient procedure and patients remain in the hospital for a couple of days following the procedure.

A ureteroscopy is performed when the stone is in the ureter. The urologist places an instrument through the bladder and into the ureter. They can then remove the stone with an instrument that resembles a cage or use an ultrasound shock wave to crush the stone.

Once the stone has been removed and the individual is no longer in pain the practitioner may recommend such lifestyle changes as drinking more water to prevent the stones from forming. Individuals should drink at least 2 quarts of water each day. That means 8 – 8oz glasses of water each day. This is the standard amount of water that each individual should be drinking to maintain good health.

In the past those who commonly developed calcium stones were advised not to eat dairy products. But, recent research has indicated that eating dairy products may help prevent the development of stones while taking a calcium supplement may increase the risk of developing stones.

Those who develop cystine stones should drink enough water each day to dilute the concentration of cystine in the urine. These individuals need more than a gallon of water each 24 hours and at least a 1/3 of that must be drunk at night.

There are also medical therapies used to prevent the formation of certain types of kidney stones. These medicines control the amount of acid or alkali in the urine. Allopurinol in one medication that is useful for hyperuricosuria. If the cystine stones can’t be controlled by fluids the practitioner may prescribe Thiola and Cuprimine which help reduce the amount of cystine in the urine.

Tags: extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, extracorporeal shock wave, percutaneous nephrolithotomy, kidney stone, kidney stones



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Pregnancy and childbirth are wonderful events that leave a lasting impression in the life the mother and father. And the mother often has an extra gift after the birth of her child. The changes in her body that were so welcome as the baby was growing and developing have now left changes to hips, feet, breasts and belly that can take up to one year return to pre-pregnancy status.

And even at one year there is the chance that the pelvis will continue to be just a bit wider, feet just a bit wider and breasts just a bit larger. But the physical change that most women struggle with is their belly after child birth.

It took nine months to stretch the skin, muscle and connective tissue so that baby could grow to 5-7 pounds in weight, plus a 2 pound placenta and the extra fat and blood needed to supply nutrients to the infant.

Now mom is faced with a belly that jiggles and moves all on its own! But relax – the stomach you see immediately after childbirth isn’t the belly that you’ll be enjoying in just a few short months.

In fact it will only be a week or two and you’ll notice a large change. Although not the belly you had pre-pregnancy it will start to regain some tone and the jiggle and wiggle will be decreasing gradually.

Many women never regain the tight abs they had before getting pregnant, especially if a first pregnancy happens in the 30’s or if you are contemplating your navel after your third or fourth birth. But with time, patience and a bit of work you can achieve and enjoy a belly after child birth that anyone would be proud to show off.

And the work is simple, doesn’t require lots of heart pounding sweating miles running on the roads or even lifting Olympian type weights at the gym. Rather you can achieve a pre-pregnancy belly using simple equipment at home in just minutes each day. And those minutes will also help you to achieve a healthier lifestyle and have more energy to deal with your new infant each day.

After your six week appointment with your obstetrician they will probably release you to do light exercise and workouts. Ask when you’ll be able to exercise your abdominal muscles.

Your best option, at least when your baby is young, is to use an exercise ball or Swiss ball, at home. These are the large blow up balls that are available in department stores. An exercise ball that fits you appropriately should let you place your feet on the ground with your knees at 90 degrees or less. You can use the ball to help improve your core abdominal strength just by bouncing and moving around on the ball.

Another option to use, (that can be done throughout the day), are both abdominal muscle tightening and/or kegel exercises. While sitting in the car, rocking the baby or watching television you can employ both of these options to improve the muscle tone in the stomach.

While these exercises will help to tone the belly and improve the strength of the muscles they won’t help to decrease the fat over the belly. Spot toning will happen but spot weight loss will not. To get those great new abs visible you’ll also have to lose some of the extra weight from the pregnancy.

Tags: belly, pregnancy and childbirth, pregnancy belly



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photo credit: bardamu_13 [a châtié les dieux grecs]

Laser tattoo removal is becoming more prevalent as many young adults turn to tattoos as a way to express themselves. They find they want to tattoo memorable events, characters or forms that are eye catching and designed to appease them. Often the decision is influenced by a pop idol or celebrity who has a tattoo which appears ‘cool’.

The most common question this person will hear is “Why did you do that to yourself?” The reason most people ask that question is because many older adults go through the painful process of laser tattoo removal to rid themselves of a tattoo that at one time seemed important.

The process of tattooing the skin is not necessarily done by a licensed tattoo studio or parlor. Many tattoo’s that later undergo laser tattoo removal are homemade tattoos done in someone’s home. These primitive and low quality tattoos are often the most difficult to remove due to the application under which they are applied.

A homemade tattoo machine is similar to the professional one used in the studio. It is the tattoo artist that is different. One person has training and chances are the other does not. The untrained operator often goes too deep into the dermis (skin) of the person. The laser tattoo removal then becomes very expensive.

Laser tattoo removal is the application process of a specialized laser to the skin surface. The laser burns the layers of skin and after a few applications, depending on the depth of the ink, the tattoo is removed. The actual procedure is a beam of light directed at the pigments of the tattoo. After breaking apart the body’s immune system does the actual removing.

Black dyes are the easiest to remove because they absorb all wavelengths. Colors such as green, red and yellow must have selective wavelength used that are specific to their spectrum.

The actual laser tattoo removal treatment only lasts a few minutes but the effects can be felt long after. Some people compare the procedure to being splattered with hot grease. The area is reddened afterwards and is somewhat akin to being sunburned. Some individuals also develop scabs.

The best way to avoid having to undergo laser tattoo removal is to be certain about getting the tattoo in the first place. There are some circumstances where the person feels forced into being tattooed such as with gangs. There are many organizations and doctors volunteering time and money to help youths remove these signs of gang membership and help them gain a new lease on life away from crime.

Tags: laser tattoo removal, tattoo artist



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