Shockwave Therapy: A Potentially New Treatment for Erectile Dysfunction

Shockwave therapy could be helpful in men with erectile dysfunction,' basic research and clinical trials have suggested.

According to numerous studies, low-intensity shock wave therapy could be effective in restoring the erectile mechanism so as to enable natural or spontaneous erections. This therapy has been successfully used to help patients with kidney stones, heart complications, fractures, as well as joint inflammation.

Unlike other ED treatments such as pills, penile injections, and vacuum erection devices which only work on as-needed basis, this type of therapy works in a way that enables men to achieve firm and long-lasting erections on their own.

How does Shock Wave Therapy Work?

When sexually stimulated, the penis fills with blood and becomes firm due to the widening of the arteries. This allows for easy vaginal penetration.

In cases where there is reduced or restricted blood flow to the penis, a man may not achieve a strong erection or may be unable to have one at all.

Shock wave therapy utilizes energy from acoustic waves which promote the formation of new blood vessels, thus increasing blood flow into the penis in a process known as neovascularization.

To administer shockwave therapy, the doctor uses a wand attached to a machine to send small shocks directly to the shaft. This emits energy that targets deep tissues in the penis where they cause microtrauma and mechanical stress. The stress and microtrauma trigger a series of biological reactions which result in the release of angiogenic factors, which in turn trigger neovascularization.

The aim of this therapy is to fix the root cause of erectile dysfunction, not just alleviate the symptoms.

The treatment therapy includes 12 weeks of continuous sessions with each session going for 15-20 minutes. The treatment itself is not painful, although the patient might experience a slight tingling sensation. The patient does not need anesthesia, and the procedure itself is not invasive.

Therapy a Good Choice for ED Caused by Vascular Complications

Research has also indicated that shockwave therapy is only a good option for men whose ED has been caused by vascular problems (impaired blood flow to the penis), not as a result of other issues such as neurological or psychological, or even after undergoing a major pelvic surgery.

In other words, the treatment only works effectively in men whose erectile dysfunction is as a result of impaired blood flow to the penis.

This treatment therapy was discovered just a few years ago and is still in its experimental stage. However, basic research and clinical trials have shown some encouraging results.

With more comprehensive research and clinical trials, this form of therapy could be the new permanent treatment for one of the most common and devastating male health problems.

Liquid Oxygen for Improving Your Oxygen Intake

Oxygen is synonymous with life. It does not only keep us alive but also controls all the living things on earth. Liquid Oxygen is usually the gaseous form of oxygen that has been cooled down into liquid. Today Liquid oxygen is beneficial in a number of ways including circulating air in aquaculture, in therapies, exercises as well as providing sufficient oxygen to sick individuals. Here are the main uses of liquid oxygen.

To supplement oxygen in our body

Under normal conditions, our bodies only get half of the oxygen we need. When we consider the pollution and contaminant in the environment, it should not come as a surprise that our body lacks enough oxygen to flush out the toxin and waste. If the body does not get enough oxygen to flush these toxins, they tend to accumulate, causing harm and damage to our body.

One effective way of resolving this is going for liquid oxygen. Luckily, today many companies combine liquid oxygen with essential vitamins to improve the health of our bodies. These supplements are taken orally allowing the oxygen to enter the body through the gastrointestinal tract rather than the conventional way of breathing. The increase of oxygen in the body does not only help in detoxification but also fighting infections and diseases.

Liquid Oxygen is also helpful for an athlete as well as people who work in high attitude. In addition, sprays with liquid oxygen can be used in the healing of bruises and cuts, as well as alleviating itching and tackling insect bites.

Supplying oxygen to homes

Liquid Oxygen Supply Systems are efficient means of supplying oxygen to homes to a variety of patients. Usually, the system come with a bulk storage unit which is also referred as the reservoir. The system also has refillable, portable unit that you can carry around. Both the reservoir and portable unit come with a thermos bottle design that helps in keeping the oxygen in its liquid form. When you are ready to use the oxygen you simply need to turn the system on. The liquid gas warms as it leaves the container and changes to a gas. It is then supplied at room temperature for you to breath.

Therapies

Today oxygen therapy is fast becoming popular. The main aim of this therapy is to increase the oxygen available to your lungs. The patient who wants this therapy is made to sit in an enclosure and then the liquid oxygen is then availed through a cannula, which is inserted directly to the nostrils.

There are many uses of liquid oxygen in treating health conditions as well as ensuring that our body gets enough oxygen. Some of the health conditions that cause reduced oxygen in the body include stress and anemia. Individuals suffering from oxygen deficiency constantly feel weak, fatigued, and ill. Using any form of liquid oxygen can help in remedying these conditions.

Electroconvulsive Therapy - Is it an Ideal Treatment for Mental Disorders?

Formerly known as electroshock therapy and often referred to as shock treatment, Electroconvulsive therapy is a psychiatric procedure in which small electric currents are passed through the brain to intentionally trigger an epileptic seizure. This form of therapy is thought to cause changes in the brain chemistry which quickly reverse the symptoms of certain mental disorders.

Since its introduction in 1938, electroconvulsive therapy is the only form of shock therapy currently used in psychiatry. This therapy works when other treatments for mental illness have been deemed unsuccessful. It’s usually administered under general anesthesia as well as muscle relaxants which enable the patient’s muscles to twitch slightly and to prevent the body from convulsing during the electrical seizure.

Why is Electroconvulsive Therapy Done?

ECT is used to treat:

• Treatment Resistant Depression or rather depression that hasn’t improved with medications and other types of treatments.
• Severe depression which is accompanied by psychosis (refusal to eat and desire to commit suicide).
• Catatonia which is a condition characterized by fast or strange movements, lack of movement, lack of speech, and other symptoms.
• Severe Mania whose symptoms include hyperactivity, a state of intense euphoria, and agitation.
• Aggression and agitation in people with dementia.
• Women suffering from postnatal depression.

How is ECT Performed?

Before ECT is administered, the patient is sedated with a general anesthesia and a muscle relaxant to prevent movement during the treatment. During the procedure, electrodes are placed at strategic points on the head and a controlled electric current is applied. The electric current causes a seizure that often lasts less than a minute. The procedure is not painful, thanks to the anesthesia and muscle relaxant. The patient’s heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure is carefully monitored throughout the entire procedure. This treatment is administered approximately three times a week until the patient’s symptoms improve.

Does ECT Really Work?

A survey conducted by an ECT Accreditation Service which is run by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 78 ECT clinics in both England and Wales between 2012-2013 reported the following results.

Out of the 1895 courses of treatment administered in 1789 people,

• 1712 of the people showed significant improvements.
• 113 people did not show any improvements.
• The symptoms became worse for 28 people.

Of course, the treatment doesn’t work for everyone but these statistics are pretty impressive.

ECT Possible Side Effects

The most common side effects associated with ECT include;

• Memory loss (short-term).
• Headache.
• Muscle aches.
• Upset stomach.

These symptoms improve over the days and weeks following the end of the treatment. Just like other treatments, Electroconvulsive therapy does not work overnight. It will take a few sessions of treatments to show some improvements.

Overall, it’s a great treatment alternative and most people consider it as the most useful treatment they have ever had. Furthermore, it is non-invasive and does not cause severe side effects.

All You Need To Know About Gene Therapy

The human body is comprised of various organs that each have a specialized role in maintaining the proper health of a person. The brain is involved in thought, reasoning and, in general, controlling our actions; the heart sends blood around our body supplying all the organs with oxygen; the lungs oxygenate our blood thus providing the energy we need to function; the stomach, kidneys, liver, intestine and bladder extract nutrients from our diet and remove toxins. Each organ plays an essential and unique part keeping us alive.

To function correctly, an organ comprises billions of cells of different types, each arranged in tightly controlled structures that form the overall architecture of the body. It is the cells that are in point of fact responsible for the proper functioning of the organ. If an organ is malfunctioning, then to treat it, we must restore the smooth operation of these cells.

Basic Cell Biology

Most cells are made up of similar components: a nucleus, the part of the cell containing genetic information; a variety of organelles, small elements that carry out processes such as energy production, much like the way that different organs perform specific functions of the body (e.g. lysosome, mitochondrion, Golgi etc); the cytoplasm, the liquid medium that comprises the cell, and the plasma membrane, the element that gives the cell its shape.

The nucleus codes for all the information required to produce the cell. Each organelle and cellular makeup are made up of protein, sugars, and lipids (fatty compounds), and the nucleus not only encodes for the production of each of these components but also the information necessary for their correct assemblage and final position. This information is enclosed within the cell's DNA, which is the principal constituent of the nucleus and is tightly condensed in a highly organized manner in the nuclear membrane.

Our Genes

Within the nucleus, our DNA is arranged into 23 sets of chromosomes (or 22 pairs, and one X chromosome and Y chromosome if you are male). These 46 chromosomes are communally known as the human genome, as they contain all of the genes that act as the blueprint for the human body. We can imagine of our DNA as a long linear molecule that is split into 46 separate parts (i.e. the chromosomes). Within each chromosome, there are thousands of genes lined up one after the other one after another and split by intergenic regions. Each gene is a unit of DNA that encodes for a certain protein, with a unique function. It is the combination of many discrete proteins, and their actions on other molecules like sugars and lipids, that comprises the basis of the organelle, and by consequence, of the cell itself.

So one can imagine that in a pathological situation, where an organ is malfunctioning, we can time and again trace the dysfunction to a particular protein that is not working correctly. These protein malfunctions can either be genetic, or acquired in the course of

• An infection,
• An autoimmune reaction,
• Untimely tissue degeneration
• The formation of cancer.

So, in any condition where a disease can be traced to a malfunction of protein, or where a protein of known activity can restore the proper functioning of a cell, gene therapy can be used. This is just because we can now use the correct gene to deliver the exact type of the protein to the cell we want to fix. It is significant to note that by delivering genes exclusively into diseased cells, there is no opportunity of conveying this new genetic information in the future to our children. To do so, our germ cells would have to be the target for gene transfer, a process that is illegal, and extremely technically demanding.

Application of Genetic Therapy

Effectual gene transfer into human cells is known to be the major challenge the Gene Therapy. Gene transfer vector have to be safe, introduce its DNA cargo into a satisfactorily large amount of cells to create a biological response and mediate transcription of the desired gene for a long duration. Identifying a vector that meets these criteria has proven to be a testing task.

Gene Therapy is more often than not used in pathologic conditions where A cells of a distinct organ or system do not function correctly because they do not have the right protein WHICH is required to perform the desired task.