Pharmaceutical Technology

What Is It? It's when the spaces between the bones that make up your spinal cord (called your vertebrae) get narrow. This can put pressure on those bones and on the nerves that run from your spine to your arms and legs. It happens most often in your lower back or neck. The Symptoms You may not notice any. But if the narrowing puts pressure on your spinal cord or nerve roots, you may have numbness, weakness, cramping, and pain in your arms and legs. In more severe cases, you may have trouble with your bowel, bladder, or having sex. Who Gets It It’s most common in men and women over 50 years old. But it can happen when you’re younger if you’re born with a condition that narrows your spinal canal, or you injured your spine in some way. Your Aging Spine The ligaments (cords that hold your spine together) may get thic ker and harder as you age. Bones and joints also may get bigger, and that can narrow the spaces between your vertebrae. Arthritis, whic...

Migraine and Headache Symptoms There are many different types of headaches. Although not all headaches are the same, they all share at least one thing in common -- they cause pain. But many headaches also cause other unwanted symptoms, including nausea and vomiting. This article addresses the most common headache symptoms associated with the different types of headaches. Tension Headaches People with tension headaches commonly report these symptoms: Episodic Tension Headaches (occur less than 15 days per month) Pain is mild to moderate, constant band-like pain or pressure Pain affects the front, top or sides of the head. Pain usually begins gradually, and often occurs in the middle of the day Pain may last from 30 minutes to several days Chronic Tension Headaches (occur more than 15 days per month) Pain may vary in intensity throughout the day, but the pain is almost always present Pain comes and goes over a prolonged p...

Alternative medicine is a term that describes medical treatments that are used instead of traditional (mainstream) therapies. Some people also refer to it as “integrative,” or “complementary” medicine. About 40% of adults in the United States say they use some form of alternative medicine. But exactly what types of therapies are considered alternative? The definition changes as doctors test and move more of them into the mainstream. This article examines some popular alternative medical treatments and their potential risks and benefits. Acupuncture This is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that uses needles to stimulate specific points around the body. The person who performs this therapy (an acupuncturist) sticks thin, sterile needles into your skin. The goal is to help your body’s natural healing process kick in. Studies show that acupuncture can be effective in treating a number of conditions, like neck and back pain, nausea, ...