Homemade Sinus Irrigation System

There are specific times of the year when the noses start to run and the sinuses are congested. When this happens we are uncomfortable and irritated and now and then all of the cold medicine in the grocery store are not able to help us. That is more often than not because we are not reaching for the accurate type of medicine. The next time your sinuses are congested you need to try a sinus irrigation rinse.

The most popular of these is the Neti pot. These can be bought with a particular solution that is poured into the nasal passages and have the ability to filter the mucous. If this is too much for you to try now or you do not want to use the money than why not strive to make your own rinse? It may save you money and it is organic!

The initial thing that you must do is get some salt. The best type that you have to be using is the plain or non iodized salt that you keep in your kitchen. This is considered to be a pure kind and might genuinely help. You might still use some that is iodized if you desire. In reality certain people feel it genuinely helps to stop sinus infections. You may even would like to use sea salt. Just choose what will function best for you.

Collect clean water. If you are getting it directly from the tap than run it through the filtration system first or boil it. You want to eradicate any bacteria or other mineral deposits that are contained within the tap water. You do not want this to get in your nasal passages and perhaps make things worse for you.

Pour about a quarter of a teaspoon of salt inside of one cup of water. It is better to start with a small quantity for those people who have not done it before or who have thin-skinned nasal passages. Too much and you might cause the interior skin to become irritated and this may make matters worse on you.

The next thing you need to do is add just a pinch of baking soda. This is used to help the mucous to dissolve and to wash away fully. Add it to the salt and than pour them both into the water. Blend them together and make certain that the water is lukewarm - but not blistering. That is how to make your own sinus irrigation rinse. Remember to acquire a small pot to put it in.

Recovering From Shoulder Surgery With Acupuncture

Different types of shoulder injuries will require different types of treatments. While it may be in your best interest to try natural healing options for certain conditions, surgery may be the best suited option in other cases. It is estimated that the average time it takes to recover from shoulder surgery (regaining 75-80% of strength and function) is 6-7 months. In some cases it may take up to a year, with complete recovery taking as long as 2 years. This all depends on the initial health of the individual, the extent of the injury, quality and commitment to rehabilitation, the patient's diet and modalities of rehabilitation. Using acupuncture and Chinese herbs can shorten your recovery time in each of the phases of rehabilitation. 

It is possible to get the strength and function of your shoulder back sooner, reduce the pain of the trauma from the surgery, decrease scar tissue and minimize the loss of range of motion, all by using acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulas.

Possible shoulder injuries or conditions are fractures, dislocation/subluxation, tears, impingement, tendinitis, bone spurs and bursitis. Obviously, not all of these conditions will require surgery. For the sake of this article the focus is on injuries and shoulder surgeries such as, arthroscopic, rotator cuff repair, Bankart surgery and prosthetic shoulder replacement. All of these surgeries can be greatly beneficial to the patient, but they can also cause great trauma to the area that takes a long time to heal and lots of dedication and time in physical rehabilitation by the patient.

There are certain risks associated with shoulder surgery including vascular and neurological injury, leakage of synovial fluid, increased stiffness and injury to the tendons due to iatrogenic causes (medical mistake). In most cases there are no complications and the patient only has to deal with the normal post-surgical shoulder issues. Shoulder surgery patients typically report pain, stiffness, swelling, decreased range of motion, keloid scarring, loss of strength, numbness and tingling as post-surgical issues. Each one of these issues can be minimized by using acupuncture treatments through the rehabilitation process. Treatments can be started the same day or day after the surgery, if possible. Different herbal formulas can be used to strengthen tendons and ligaments, reduce pain and move the blood (reduces swelling, aides lymph drainage and brings a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients to the damaged area). Make sure to get your herbs from a licensed practitioner to ensure you're getting the right formula for you. Acupuncture can move you through the 4 stages of recovery faster and get you back to being functional up to 2 months quicker than rehabilitation without acupuncture.

Stage 1 of the recovery process is 5-6 weeks and involves the patient wearing a sling. In this phase, acupuncture can be performed in the areas surrounding the shoulder to increase blood flow to the area, minimize build up of lymph and swelling, keep the immune system high (lowering risk of infection) and lower pain levels. Acupuncture helps your body to release endorphins, which are your body's natural pain-killer. For those patients who don't like taking pharmaceuticals, this is a great alternative and can lower your need for prescription pain medications.

Stage 2 involves very minimal movement and therapy on the shoulder. Using acupuncture directly around the damaged shoulder in this phase can promote blood flow to the tendons. This helps to minimize stiffness and reduced range of motion. Stimulation of the surrounding muscles keeps loss of strength and muscle mass to a minimum. Mild electro-acupuncture is an excellent modality at this stage. Use of distal points on the hand ensures nerve conduction is maintained and limits the possibility of extended numbness and tingling in the limb.

Stage 3 encourages more physical therapy and has the patient using weights ranging from 6-10 lbs. Acupuncture is beneficial in this stage to continue nurturing the muscles and damaged tendons. It is also great at preventing the build-up of keloid scar tissue and breaking down any scar tissue that may have already built up. This is important to maintain full range of motion, flexibility and sensations.

Stage 4 is an ongoing rehabilitation to get the patient back to 100% again. If the patient has been compliant and the acupuncturist has done their job properly, this stage should be greatly shortened and the patient should be months ahead of the rehabilitation process.

While some orthopedic surgeries can be avoided using acupuncture and Chinese medicine, it can be used as a complementary service in the rehabilitation process from surgeries too. It can be used before the patient is able to move the arm and go to physical therapy. It can also be used in conjunction with physical therapy. When done properly, by a licensed acupuncturist, your post-surgical recovery time from shoulder injury will be kept to a minimum and as pain-free as possible, with greater range of motion, more strength and less chance permanent damage. Visit us online for more information on post-surgical rehabilitation using acupuncture and Chinese medicine to heal faster.

Hemorrhoids Can Make You Miserable - Here Is How You Solve The Problem

When you suffer from the pain and itching of hemorrhoids, you have a problem you're embarrassed to talk about. It's highly personal, and yet a topic you want to deal with and get over with so that you can move on with your life. But there's a bigger problem...

Many people who have hemorrhoids can use a topical cream like Preparation H, get over the problem, and go back to normal for awhile. 

However, if you're looking for information on the internet, that means you probably have a problem that medications and simple solutions haven't been able to help. You've probably tried several different solutions, and nothing has helped your issue - or, more likely, the problem keeps coming back over and over again. You haven't gotten the results you want. There is a reason for that, though.

Rather than settling for the one-size-fits-all solutions of the big drug companies, you should seek the more personal advice of someone who has known the discomfort you're going through. You should get the advice of a person who has suffered the frustration and embarrassment you have, and who knows about it first-hand. The difference is, they found a way to get the results you want: getting rid of your hemorrhoids fast, and getting rid of them forever.

bably haven't worked reliably for you before. You can follow the most recent article, but for some people, hemorrhoids aren't just a research project they write about for the latest magazine issue - it's something they've had to deal with, and learned how to successfully get rid of the problem. You'd be surprised at just how much of a factor that really is when it comes to success.