About Me

Recovering from Addiction to Prescription Medications

I never thought of myself as an addict, but I did end up addicted to anti-anxiety medication after developing Generalized Anxiety Disorder. At some point, the medicine stopped being a way to deal with the nervousness and panic attacks, and became something my body craved. I knew that I needed help fast. Fortunately, a local drug rehab program includes support for people like me. They helped me wean off the medication, use methods like massage therapy to help my nerves heal, and even provided ongoing counseling for our family. I don't know how I would have made it without their help. If you suspect that your medication has crossed the line from being helpful to hurtful, take heart. Let me tell you about my journey out of addiction and back to wholeness.

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Recovering from Addiction to Prescription Medications

2016

3 Benefits Of 12-Step Recovery Programs

Seeking help from a treatment facility for a drug addiction is one of the best decisions you can make in life. Getting clean and sober may not be easy, but it will offer a life of freedom and hope for the future. If you decide to do this, you may end up at a center that uses a 12-step program to help addicts with their problems. 12-step programs are used because they are very effective for many people, and here are some of the benefits they offer.

Treatment Options For Dupuytren's Contracture

If your hands have knots of tissue that make it difficult to straighten your fingers, you may be suffering from a condition known as Dupuytren's contracture. Dupuytren's contracture is a deformity that usually takes years to develop. Men are more likely to suffer from the condition than women. Individuals who are diagnosed with Dupuytren's contracture have a few treatment options. The best course of action varies based on the severity of the deformity.

Take Control of Your Stress and Improve Your Dental Health

Many people know that too much stress can affect their health — for example, chronic stress may lead to issues such as high blood pressure. However, it's important to also understand that stress can link to your dental health. Stress can be a part of your day for many different reasons, but it's important to take steps to reduce it in a healthy way. Your dentist might be able to identify stress-related issues with your teeth during your next dental checkup.

Why Pizza Is A Big "No-No" When You Have GERD

Like most people, you love eating pizza. Unfortunately, you suffer from the acid reflux disease (GERD) which makes it more difficult for you to enjoy a variety of foods and one food that you should definitely avoid is pizza. Here is why. Pizza Can Cause Major GERD Symptoms There are a variety of ingredients in pizza that trigger GERD symptoms, chief among them tomatoes and cheese. The tomatoes in pizza sauce are highly acidic and will upset your stomach and cause GERD to flare up.

5 Tips For Preventing Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a serious eye disease that damages the optic nerve in your eye. While it is more common in older adults, anyone can develop glaucoma. If glaucoma progresses far enough, it can cause permanent blindness. The thought of developing this eye disease is scary, so it is very important to take extra good care of your eyes. Here are five helpful tips for preventing glaucoma: Exercise Regularly Regular exercise will not just keep your body in good shape; it is also beneficial for your eyes.

2 Senior-Care Options to Consider and Their Benefits

Senior care is one of the most important considerations for many individuals that have aging or ailing parents, mostly because they want to make sure that their elderly or sick parents are well taken care of and can enjoy their golden years. However, there are so many different types of senior-care options out there that it can be extremely difficult to pick the right one for your parents' particular needs. To help make your decision a bit easier and to narrow down the options, two senior-care options to consider and their benefits are listed below.

Recovery Tips For Cataract Surgery

Laser cataract surgery has become the norm for treating cataracts simply because it is a simpler, more precise procedure that results in a quicker recovery for most recipients. This doesn't mean that you will be back to your old self immediately, though, since it will still take some time to heal and recover completely. The following tips can help ease your recovery so you'll be seeing clearly again in no time.

3 Things To Consider When Choosing A New Gynecologist To Work With

Are you looking for a new gynecologist to meet your long-term needs? Here are three important considerations to make when comparing options and choosing a new doctor to work with: Appointment Availability One of the most important things to consider when comparing potential gynecologists is appointment availability. While some doctors may offer same day appointments, other might be backed up for months at a time. When consulting with potential gynecologists, ask them about their usual availability and how long in advance you'll be expected to call to schedule check-ups when you need them.

Tired Of Side Effects From Your Narcotic Pain Relievers? Can Acupuncture Help?

If you suffer from migraines, osteoarthritis, or another condition that causes such severe pain you've been prescribed pain medication to combat your symptoms, you may be growing tired of the side effects of these drugs. From foggy thinking to digestive upset and even physical or psychological addiction, prescription narcotics and opiates can often cause more problems than they solve. On the other hand, living with severe pain on a daily basis can cause long-term health problems as well.

Getting Relief From Neck Pain When It Hurts To Move

If you've experienced a neck strain so severe that it hurts to move, the thought of active physical therapy is even more painful. You need something to loosen up your neck and reduce the pain before you can start stretching out those tense neck muscles. Your doctor can give you anti-inflammatory pain medications to help. They can also prescribe one or more of the following passive physical therapy techniques to relax your neck muscles to give you even more relief.

Feet On Fire Or Totally Numb When You Exercise? How Podiatric Sports Medicine Can Help

There are so many conditions and health problems that affect the feet of athletes. While some come with the territory (like sprains and strains), others may be a little more unusual or bizarre and will require a podiatrist's help to diagnose. If your feet feel like they are either on fire or totally numb, here is how podiatric sports medicine can help diagnose and treat these situations. Feet on Fire

5 Tips For Recovery After Carpal Tunnel Sugery

Although some people are able to handle carpal tunnel without surgery, it may become your best option at some point. In order to get the most out of this surgery, you will want to consider the following five tips for recovery: Keep Hands Elevated: After having the surgery, it's important to keep your hands elevated in order to reduce inflammation. When sitting, have your hands resting on pillows to keep them upright.

Best Foot Forward: 2 Yoga Exercises For Feet That Ache

Yoga exercises are a great way to build strength, balance, and flexibility. But if you live with foot pain (whether from a sports injury, a klutzy moment, or even just weak feet) it can be hard to find yoga exercises that will allow you to stretch and rejuvenate yourself without hurting your foot further. So if you're looking for yoga exercises that you can do without causing more damage to your foot, then here's a couple you should know about.

A Little Yoga Could Lead To Big Improvements In Accounting Departments

Wellness programs are commonly designed to support better mental and physical health in the office. Yoga has found its way into many corporate wellness programs. Any business with a high-stress accounting department should seriously think about integrating the ancient art into a wellness program. Doing so may lead to far fewer costly mistakes when accountants are overwhelmed with paperwork and number crunching. Controlling the Mind A person who is stressed out and overburdened at work is not going to maintain the proper mental clarity for highly-detailed accounting work.

Acupuncture Firsts: What To Expect From That First Appointment

Acupuncture is a popular treatment for many chronic pain conditions, including carpal tunnel, arthritis and other problems. If you're considering acupuncture for a condition you've been struggling with, it can be helpful for you to understand the process. Here's a look at what you should know to ease your uncertainty before you take that leap. How Does Acupuncture Actually Work? Acupuncture uses a variety of points on your body to target specific types of pain, discomfort and trouble.

The Zika Virus And Your Reproductive Health: What Women Should Know

With all of the buzz about the Zika virus in the news lately, it can be easy to find yourself in a panic, especially if you are a woman. As a woman, you have a great deal to worry about when it comes to your reproductive health, and now there is this new virus that seems to be causing panic and alarm. Before you become overwhelmed, get to know more about the Zika virus and how it can impact your reproductive health.

Diabetes And Your Eyes

As you learn more about your newly-diagnosed diabetes, you'll discover that it can have an impact on your eyes. With symptoms ranging from out of focus vision to partial blindness, this is a disease that needs to be monitored closely with proper diabetic eye care. Here are some of the ways in which your diabetes may affect your vision and how to prevent it from keeping you from seeing clearly.

The Medication Mystery: Options For Your Child's Allergies

When your child suffers from allergies, you want to do everything you can to help them. To treat allergy symptoms, it is important to have an understanding of the available medications. When you walk into the pharmacy, you will likely see dozens of medication advertised to treat allergies in children. Before you fill your shopping cart, get some facts on the available options. Over The Counter Medications: Choosing The Right One For Children

3 Things To Expect When Meeting With A Chiropractor For The First Time

If you have never been to a chiropractor you might be wondering what to expect with your first visit. Seeing a chiropractor is a great way to improve your overall health, relieve pain and find solutions to problems without the use of medication. Here are some things you should expect with your first visit.   1. The Initial Spine Assessment Since a chiropractor specializes in the spine and keeping the body in alignment they will first want to do an assessment of your spine and your balance.

Addressing Three Questions About Bee Sting Allergies

A bee sting can be a very painful injury to suffer, and it is an unfortunate fact that there are some people that may suffer more than just pain from this type of sting. Some individuals may have the misfortune of being allergic to bee stings. If you have recently suffered a reaction following a bee sting, you may benefit from having the following few questions answered. How Can You Know If You Suffer From Bee Sting Allergies?

Warning Signs Of Vision Problems In Children

As children are still learning, growing, and developing, they may not know how to tell you something is wrong with their vision. This is especially true if you have a child who has not learned how to speak. Fortunately, there are a handful of warnings signs which could indicate your child has a problem with his or her vision. Eyes That Don't Focus Having crossed eyes is known as a condition called Strabismus.

Three Lifestyle Changes That May Help Reduce Psoriasis Flare-Ups

Psoriasis is a complex condition for which there is no cure, but thankfully, there are a lot of things you can do to keep your symptoms under control and reduce flare-ups. In addition to following the medication protocols recommended by your doctor, making various lifestyle changes can help reduce the severity and frequency of your psoriasis flare-ups. Here's a look at three lifestyle changes to start making today. Develop a stress-management strategy.

Dealing With A Diagnosis Of Ulcerative Colitis

You've started having stomach cramps after eating, followed by diarrhea. You doctor says you have a type of irritable bowel disease referred to as ulcerative colitis. While not curable, this disease can go away on its own. You may also go long periods without any flare up. Here is what you should know about living well with this disease. Changes in the Bowel Cause This Disease Doctors don't know the specific cause of ulcerative colitis, but it does start with changes in the lining of the intestinal wall.

Four Tips For Traveling With Cancer

It is not uncommon to still do many of the same things with cancer as you did before you got a cancer diagnosis including traveling. Taking a trip can be a great way to celebrate the end of treatments or fulfill a goal before starting the treatments. Whatever the reason may be, traveling with cancer can sometimes require a different type of planning than those who are not dealing with cancer.

How To Recognize Hearing Loss

As you age, you can start to experience problems with your hearing. It can be difficult for someone who is slowly becoming hard of hearing to even realize it is happening. The reason for this is the changes tend to occur at a slow pace over a long period of time. When your hearing starts to decline at such a slow rate it isn't like you will wake up one day and realize what's going on.

How A Healthy Diet Can Help Rejuvenate Your Skin Without Harsh Chemicals

Everyone wants to look the best they can, but have you ever noticed that the healthier someone is, the better their skin looks? The proper diet can keep your skin looking dewy fresh without the risks of chemicals or other harsh treatments. You Truly Are What You Eat Food is probably the most powerful beauty tool you have. Your cells are constantly dying and replacing themselves, especially the cells of your epidermis -- the outer layer of your skin.