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« March 2009 | Main | May 2009 »
The U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals rankings cover 170 hospitals in 16 adult specialties. 50 children's hospitals are covered, using a new and enhanced methodology, in general pediatrics and 6 pediatric specialties. The unranked hospitals in this specialty are listed in alphabetical order after the ranked hospitals.
BEST HOSPITALS: Psychiatry Reputation (%)
Medical Device manufacturer Neuronetics, has pioneered and refined the NeuroStar TMS Therapy system. This non-invasive, non-systemic treatment for depression uses a highly focused, pulsed magnetic field to stimulate function in targeted brain regions. NeuroStar TMS Therapy® is a safe and effective outpatient procedure, performed in a physician's office with each treatment lasting about 40 minutes daily for four to six weeks.
NeuroStar TMS Therapy is a 40-minute outpatient procedure that is performed under the supervision of a psychiatrist. It does not require anesthesia or sedation, and patients remain awake and alert during the procedure. Treatment is administered daily for four to six weeks (20-30 treatments).
Restless legs syndrome's cause is usually unknown. Leading experts suspect that in people with restless legs syndrome (RLS), the brain takes up or uses iron abnormally.
Genetics also plays a key role. About half of those with restless legs syndrome have family members affected, too.
Many medical conditions are associated with RLS, including iron deficiency, diabetes, end-stage kidney disease, Parkinson's disease, and even pregnancy. These cases account for a minority of people with restless legs syndrome, however. Treating these conditions, if present, can improve restless legs syndrome symptoms.
No one knows the true number of people with restless legs syndrome. About 10% of the population is affected, and about 2% to 3% have moderate to severe symptoms that affect their quality of life. We do know that:
Most people with severe disease are middle-aged or older and women are affected slightly more often than men
There are reported cases of spontaneous remissions of restless legs syndrome. However, according to Mark Buchfuhrer, MD, a sleep specialist and national expert in restless legs syndrome, "these are very rare." Instead, he says, "for most people, this is a progressive disease, with symptoms getting gradually worse over time."
There are reported cases of spontaneous remissions of restless legs syndrome. However, according to Mark Buchfuhrer, MD, a sleep specialist and national expert in restless legs syndrome, "these are very rare." Instead, he says, "for most people, this is a progressive disease, with symptoms getting gradually worse over time."
Most people know that alcoholism and depression are common dual-diagnoses. For countless alcoholics, Fr. Joseph Martin was a wonderful teacher, a mentor to millions and an authority on the disease of alcoholism for over fifty-years. I met him 20 years. He was absolutely marvelous.
To many of his admirers, Father Joseph Martin’s greatest gift was his ability to convey a serious message about recovery while not taking the messenger too seriously. With this week’s news of the death of a man termed “one of the spiritual forefathers of the profession” by one treatment executive, addiction field leaders urged treatment professionals to carry forward Father Martin’s message with conviction and humility at the same time.
“Our challenge will be to share the twinkle, repeat some of his corny stories and commit ourselves to the serious business of providing treatment to the disease of addiction without taking ourselves too seriously,” says Ronald J. Hunsicker, president and CEO of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP). “That would be a tribute to the Father Martin I knew!”
Father Martin, 84, co-founder of the Father Martin’s Ashley treatment center in Havre de Grace, Maryland and arguably the most recognized lecturer and ambassador worldwide for 12-Step recovery, died March 9 after battling illnesses for several years. Father Mark Hushen, Ashley’s CEO, says Father Martin had not made the short trip from his home to the center to talk to patients since late last year, but all of the patients know much about him thanks to the “Chalk Talk” DVDs and CDs that are used time and again in the program.
(ARA) - Do you wake up after 8 hours of sleep feeling like you haven't rested at all? Do you suffer from unexplained headaches, high blood pressure, cardiac problems and excessive daytime sleepiness? All your problems could stem from snoring.
Snoring isn't just bad for your relationship with your bedmate -- it's bad for your health too. That's because snoring is the most common symptom of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition that literally causes you to stop breathing dozens, sometimes hundreds, of times at night. And you often aren't even aware it's happening.
People suffering from OSA stop breathing at night when their jaw, throat and tongue muscles relax, which causes the airway to become obstructed. Snoring is a symptom that the obstruction is occurring. OSA has been linked to a host of health problems, including:
Although diagnosing and treating OSA can be a costly affair, a full sleep study to accurately diagnose the problem must be done at a certified sleep center and involves an overnight stay. Prescribed treatments may include losing weight, wearing a costly and uncomfortable continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device that forces air through your nose and mouth to keep your airways open, or even surgery.
Good luck and pleasant dreams. ZZZZZZ.....
Would you like to sleep like a baby without taking drugs? Americans spend upwards of 3 billion dollars a year on sleep medications, but to avoid the side effects, there are a number of natural remedies you can try first. Read on to learn some of the ways to get a good quality night's sleep.
1. Relaxing Rituals to Rest Easy
In Chinese Medicine, nighttime is yin time—or, simply, when the body takes care of itself instead of your desires. Proper sleep is required for your body to repair itself and regenerate. To reach deep, restful sleep, your spirit and heart must be calm. Excessive worry, anxiety, and depression can all disturb the spirit and activate the mind—making it near impossible to fall asleep and stay asleep. Rituals to sooth your spirit and induce a sleep response before bed include soaking your feet in Epson salts for 15 minutes, writing all of your thoughts in a journal to get them out of your head, and practicing relaxation before bed, like the Stress Release meditation below.
2. When Food Disturbs Sleep
When you eat late, you wake up tired. Your body will be busy digesting your dinner while you are trying to sleep, so you won't feel rested in the morning. Do not eat anything for at least three hours before bedtime. Also, cut back on eating bacon, cheese, chocolate, ham, potatoes, tomatoes, and sausage, especially before bed. These foods contain tyramine, which inhibits neurochemicals like norepinephrine and can cause insomnia. And, of course if you have sleep problems, caffeine should be cut out.
Eat for sleep! Try eating more grains at dinner; carbohydrates tend to make people sleepy. Another snooze snack is a warm cup of milk; because milk is rich in the amino acid tryptophan, it can sometimes aid in deep sleep. Mix in natural vanilla flavoring for a soothing snack. Or if you prefer, eat 1 cup of natural yogurt an hour before bedtime.
3. A Peaceful Place for Sleep
Your sleeping environment makes a huge difference to the quality of your sleep. Do everything you can to create a quiet and cozy atmosphere. Ideally, your bedroom should be located in the quietest area of your home. Keep the décor minimal. Lighting should be dim and any music that is played should be soothing. Research has found that lavender, vanilla, and green apple are among the best scents to help lower anxiety and induce sleep, making these smells a good choice for a scented candle or heated essential oil. Try to limit your pets to outside of the bedroom because their movements will keep with your body from fully relaxing into deep R. E. M. sleep. As much as possible, your bedroom should be only for sleep.
4. Exercise Enables Sleep
People with regular exercise routines often sleep better and have fewer incidents of insomnia than those don't get regular physical activity. Exercise promotes sleep and improves sleep quality by altering brain chemistry. Exercising moderately for 20 to 30 minutes three times a day, combined with meditation or tai chi in the evening, will not only help you fall and stay asleep, but will also increase the amount of time you spend in R.E.M. sleep. In fact, for some people, exercise alone is enough to overcome sleep problems. Exercise in the morning or afternoon, but do not exercise for at least two hours before bed.
5. Herbs to Sleep Tight
A calming tea before bedtime can ensure a good night's sleep. Drink valerian or passionflower (or passiflora) tea before bedtime every night for one month. Simply steep 1 to 2 tablespoons of the dried herbs in one cup of hot water and drink just before bed. Or look for one with the traditional Chinese herbs zizyphus or jujube seed, bamboo shavings, and oyster shell, which soothe the mind and spirit.
You might also try Calm-Fort/Sleep formula with useful herbs like lily bulbs, polygala and turmeric that help manage stress and calm the spirit while relieving restlessness and insomnia.
6. A Sleep-Friendly Meditation
I had one patient with insomnia who also felt anxious and even a little depressed. In addition to acupuncture and herbal therapies, I decided to teach her a stress release meditation that she could do before bedtime to help with her anxiety. I am happy to report that she is now sleeping like a baby.
Try this Stress Release meditation, which works for the majority of my patients who have sleeping problems:
Sit comfortably or lie down on your back. Slow your respiration to deep, abdominal breathing. Utter the word "calm" in your mind with every exhalation. Focus on relaxing each area of your body in sequence, from the top of your head to your toes. Starting with the top of your head, inhale and then exhale while visualizing your scalp muscles relaxing. Say "calm" in your mind. Repeat this with each body part as you move down through all body parts, front, back, and sides, in succession: your face, throat, chest, arms, stomach, abdomen, thighs, knees, legs, ankles, until finally you reach your feet. When you've relaxed your feet, visualize all the tension in your body leaving through your toes as dark smoke. Practice this for at least 15 minutes before bedtime.
Find out amazing ways you can naturally increase your energy and heal common ailments in Secrets of Self-Healing, Dr. Mao's landmark book on natural healing.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is now an FDA approved procedure to treat severe or resistant depression.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a noninvasive method to excite neurons in the brain: weak electric currents are induced in the tissue by rapidly changing magnetic fields (electromagnetic induction). This way, brain activity can be triggered with minimal discomfort, and the functionality of the circuitry and connectivity of the brain can be studied.
How TMS affects the brain
Risks of TMS and rTMS As it induces an electrical current in the human brain, TMS and rTMS can produce a seizure.[5][6] The risk is very low with TMS except in patients with epilepsy and patients on medications. The risk is significantly higher, but still very low, in rTMS especially when given at rates >5Hz at high intensity. Click here to find a provider in your area
The only other effects of TMS which are reported in most subjects are:
This is Part II of a post based on the April 2009 Issue of Massachusetts General Hospital's Mind, Mood & Memory. Here are five healthy ways to increase production of serotonin in the human body:
Serotonin has broad activities in the brain, and genetic variation in serotonin receptors and the serotonin transporter, which facilitates reuptake of serotonin into presynapses, have been implicated in neurological diseases.
Drugs targeting serotonin-induced pathways are being used in the treatment of many psychiatric disorders, and one focus of clinical research is the influence of genetics on serotonin action and metabolism in psychiatric settings. Such studies have revealed that the variation in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter protein accounts for nearly 10% of total variance in anxiety-related personality, and the effect of this gene on depression was found to interact with the environment.
According to the April 2009 issue of Massachusetts General Hospital's (MGH) Mind Mood & Memory, maintaining healthy levels of serotonin is key to the proper functioning of the brain and other body systems.
Low levels of serotonin are associated with anxiety, depression and increased depression. "New studies underscore the importance of serotonin in maintaining optimal brain function" says Jonathan Alpert, Clinical Director of the Department of Psychiatry at MGH. " It is a very important neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger with significant effects on mood, metabolic functioning, sexual desire, appetite, sleep amd learning."
" Eating a healthy diet with abundant protein, complex carbohydrates and plenty of vitamin B6 provides the basic building blocks for serotonin," says Dr. Alpert.
This was a fascinating article. Tomorrow I will post 5 things that you can do to increase serotonin levels.
