Tremor – Hands more in trouble

Tremor – Hands more in trouble

NERVOUS SYSTEM – Tremor – Hands more in trouble

Tremor means shaking or trembling or being unstable. Medically it is termed as paralysis agitans. Even though tremor is a simple and a non-life threatening disorder, it can make one’s mind collapse like the tremor of the earth. The sufferers who just will not be able to hold a cup of coffee to drink or who cannot sign will have that sort of mind. Nature will be appreciated for its coordinated movements when one loses them.

Tremors are shaky involuntary movements (occurring on their own) occurring just like tic, twitch, epilepsy, chorea, dyskinesia, myoclonus, etc. You cannot find a technique to stop it. It can occur in anyone at any time. It may be persistent or occasional, regular or irregular and usually has oscillatory character. It can occur in any part of the body or in the whole body, i.e., head, neck, hands, legs, trunk, tongue, etc. But its effects are more pronounced in the fingers/hands, since they are not always supported like other parts and also used for very fine movements. It may be accompanied by rigidity (tightness of the muscle) or flacidity of muscle.

Commonly, one will tremor when facing a new, tensed situation, unfamiliar circumstance or event, etc, i.e., while going for exam, attending an interview, meeting high officials, hiding the truth, signing important documents, etc. Having tremor at that time makes one feel embarrassed for fear of failure in task execution/skilled performance, even though they know and can do everything. In due course, they will be avoiding those occasions, making themselves functionally disabled or handicapped to that specific task. Most often, youngsters feel tremor as a part and parcel of sexual weakness which has been rewarded to them for their over sexual indulgences. Of course, tremor can alarm. But it need not to be related to that. Tremor occurring in cold temperature, i.e., shivering, is a compensative mechanism of the body to produce heat to combat cold.

Assessment –One would have tremor for very fine movement – like threading a needle, aiming for

a win in games like golf, billiards, carom board, shooting gun, etc. These should be considered as normal just like our oscillating mind. Medically, tremor will be associated with various activities and movements (with and without support), i.e., writing, lifting, touching tip of the nose by index finger of extended hand with closed eyes, standing erect with closed eyes, etc.

Incidences and causes – In olden days, tremor was more commonly seen in elderly people, but nowadays, worries, anxiety, tension, overtime job, sleeplessness pushes even youth to suffer from tremors. Additionally, the habit of stimulants, i.e., coffee, alcohol, smoking, drugs, adds fuel. Also using chemical medicines has this sort of tremor as side-effect. All incidences are seen more in people over the age of 50, irrespective of sex. It can occur due to unstable joints / movements and weakened muscles. Even though tremor can occur in the head, legs, body, vocal cord, etc., its incidences are more in the hands.

Regarding ultimate cause – most often it is found to be multi-dimensional with facets of age,

stress, tension, anxiety, sleeplessness, sugar level, genes, injury, stroke, paralysis, other diseases, etc. In broad spectrum it can be classified as

• Physiological tremors – that occur in everyone at any time, i.e., due to age, anxiety, fear, fatigue, tension and shouting with anger, lowered sugar levels, dehydration, alcoholism, withdrawal symptoms of alcohol, smoking, drugs, etc. They will go off once the situation or circumstance gets adjusted or with withdrawal of stimulants or drugs.
• Pathological tremors – occurs due to diseases like diabetes, neurological disorders, thyroid dysfunction, etc.
• Psychological tremors – are often induced to attract others for betraying their weakness – It will not be there during their sleep and while they are distracted.
• Essential tremors – are the most common tremors where one cannot find a cause. It may or may not progress to cause difficulty in day-to-day activities. It is more common in adults and often
  
  misdiagnosed in children.

Pathology – Tremor is supposed to be the oscillation between the coordination of mind and body. Stability and movement is usually carried out by our cerebellum i.e., hind brain. Our body positions are kept informed to the brain by vestibular apparatus in the ear. Scientific evidences have now proved and identified certain specific parts of brain which cause these tremors. They are thalamic nucleus, globus pallidus and basal ganglia. They are collectively called as central (neural) oscillators. Disorders in basal ganglia generate ‘Parkinsonism’. Dysfunction of cerebellum, thalamic nucleus and globus pallidus make other tremors.

Symptoms – usually vary depending upon the nature of disease and age of the sufferer. Commonly:

• Shaking or vibration or oscillating fingers/hands causing difficulty in performing day-to-day activities like writing, eating, drinking, shaving, dressing, etc.
• Needs support to stop tremors
• Stammering speech depending upon the disease caused and parts affected
• Fatigue and weakness
• Depression and sleeplessness

Types – There are many types of tremors. Its nature, intensity and possibility of cure vary according to the disease or cause. The different types of tremor are

• Action / intention tremor – occurs while starting / when intending to start / while doing functions / movements. It may be for fine or coarse movements or for specific task
• Resting tremor – most commonly it will be a symptom of Parkinsonism. Even though it can affect all parts of the body, most often it is noted in hands as pill rolling tremor.
• Cerebellar tremor – occurs due to alcohol intake, stroke, sclerosis, can be drug induced, etc. It can cause stammering and instability with lack of coordinated movements.
• Postural or orthostatic tremor – occurs due to instability or weak joint / muscles
• Familial tremor – are inherited. Here genes play a major role
• Dystonic tremor – occurs due to impairment in muscle tone. It will usually have betterment by support and rest.
• Senile tremor – occurs in aged persons

Diagnosis and investigation – Commonly, the patient himself comes with diagnosis or with suspicion of cause for actual complaint (when it is related to his habits or anxiety or tension). But the patient needs to be analysed with CT or MRI scan and EEG (if necessary) to rule out involvement of the brain. Also the patient should go for routine blood tests, urine tests and hormonal assay to analyse anaemia, thyroid dysfunctions, metal poisoning, etc. With detailed case taking or history, laboratory investigations and physical or neurological examinations, the patient can be diagnosed for the specific condition and treatment plan can be aimed at.

Complications – Feeling disabled or handicapped to do specific tasks in spite of having all the body parts makes one depressed. Also in severe cases, difficulty in coping with day-to-day activities makes the sufferer think if it is worth living.

Prevention and management – One needs to monitor stress, sleep, diet, medication and stimulants for preventing as well as managing tremor.

Be

• Open minded and share your feelings or fears
  
• Busy with work or job to forget all sort of illnesses
• Active and do physical exercises regularly
• Regular with medications

Avoid

• Racing against time
• Circumstances which favour anxiety
• Overloading brain / mind anticipating trouble
• Addictives – drinking alcohol / coffee, smoking and drugs
• Being more cautious about it since it makes the complaint progress
• Unnecessary medicines
• Stopping stimulants all of a sudden – better to taper it

General treatment – If tremor occurs only during fine movements, people usually manage by themselves without going for any treatment but if it disturbs day-to-day activities, one will get depressed soon and go for treatment at the earliest. One should be aware that it will be always worth attending a dysfunction in the start-up itself.

Commonly, neurotransmitters blockers or anti-seizure medicines or beta blockers, mild tranquilisers or calcium channel blockers with supplements are prescribed to treat tremors according to the causes. Actually, with treatment, many drugs can help but nothing seems to cure it ultimately. Also side-effects of the drugs can frustrate.

In rare cases, as a last resort, surgery (deep brain stimulation or thalamotomy) will be advised. Even though there are a good number of success stories in these cases, occasional failure or side-effects like loss of speech, paralysis, fatality, etc., make the sufferer think about it in extreme condition only.

Homeopathic approach – Suppressing a tremor can be done by any means, i.e., simple support can suppress the tremor, alcohol can suppress tremor, anti-seizure drugs can suppress tremor, sedative medicines can suppress tremor. But, their dependency, inconvenience, side-effects and increasing dosage in due course makes one seek alternative treatment to get rid of tremors. Stress reduction is crucial to have good effect, but constant suffering makes the sufferer more annoyed and would often increase it. In spite of it all, stress reduction certainly helps in getting out of tremors without side-effects.

With any system of medicine, early treatment is the best; if it is opted very late or in advanced condition, then any system will only be able to reduce it to a limit. Homeopathy is in no way

an exception to this. One would be compelled to accept this. But sometimes, with proper Homeopathy treatment, it can be minimised even to near normal without any side-effects. Selection of Homeopathic medicines usually depends upon the cause of the disease, nature of the illness, its progress and symptoms presentation. Also, the patient needs to be educated about the complaint, need for lifestyle changes (if any) and management, to meet life’s challenges easily without any dejection. Homeopathy can surely ease their condition further by supporting nerves, muscles, brain and coordinating their function for comfortable living.

Homeopathic medicines commonly used in cases of tremors are Agaricus, Ambra grisea, Apis mel, Aur met, Arg nit, Ars alb, Avena sativa, Belladonna, Calc phos, Cannabis indica, Causticum, Damiana, Ferrum phos, Gelsemium, Heloderma, Hyosyamus, Hypericum, Kali phos, Lachesis, Lathyrus, Lycopodium, Natrum mur, Nux vom, Physostigma, Plumbum met, Pulsatilla, Rhus tox, Selenium, Silicea, Stramonium, Strychinum, Tarentula, Valeriana, Zinc met, etc. These Medicines should be taken under the advice and diagnosis of a qualified Homeopath.

for new hope

Dr. S. Chidambaranathan, BHMS, MD (Homeo)

Laxmi Homeo Clinic

24 E. New Mahalipatti Road

Madurai, TN 625 001

India

Tel:  +91-452-233-8833 | +91-984-319-1011 (Mob)

Fax: +91-452-233-0196

E-mail:  drcheena@yahoo.com

www.drcheena.com / www.drcheena.in

(Disclaimer - The contents of this column are for informational purpose only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional healthcare advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of healthcare professional for any health problem or medical condition.)

Acupuncture Is One Of The More Difficult To Prove Neuropathy Therapies

Today's short post from nevadaappeal.com (see link below) invites you to visit the Facebook page to find out why acupuncture is becoming more and more acceptable in the treatment of neuropathy and why would you not? (This blog avoids Facebook like the plague but accepts that it is a major information source in the medical world of today). Acupuncture, like so many so-called alternative treatments needs all the evidence it can find and produce, if it's to convince cynical neuropathy patients who've heard it all before. However, even more important that word of mouth evidence, is hard fact brought about by success stories across the spectrum. Like all therapies though, it's important that you trust both your practitioner and the basis behind his or her therapies and that requires a certain amount of research to establish some facts. The success of a therapy is often dependent on the fact that you're convinced by the theory, even if it doesn't seem to be working for you. By using the Search button you'll find many more articles on the subject here on the blog.
 

Acupuncture treats peripheral neuropathy
Maureen Lamerdin, O.M.D.

Peripheral neuropathy has become a more prominent complaint by many who suffer from varying conditions such as diabetes, spinal injuries, alcoholism, HIV, vitamin deficiencies and from adverse side-effects of specific drugs, most notably chemotherapy drugs. This debilitating condition can cause such symptoms as feeling like walking on glass, severe burning, numbness and tingling, weakness and flaccidity of the muscles which can lead to further injury.

This neurological disorder is caused by the abnormal functioning of the sensory, motor and/or autonomic nerves. Peripheral neuropathy typically affects the extremities, including the arms, legs, hands and feet. The time of day and one’s activity level can affect the frequency of the symptoms with this neuropathic condition. Some people may experience symptoms throughout the day, but have increased sensations in the evenings. Typically, applying pressure (such as from walking) will significantly aggravate the condition. There are many other factors that can exacerbate this condition such as stress. When treating this condition it’s important to treat the whole body for successful abatement of this disease.

Most people believe once the nerve fibers are damaged they can’t heal and so most people take pain relieving medication or drugs that specifically affect the nerves such as Lyrica or Neurontin. At best these treatments may help manage the pain, however they don’t help the regeneration of the nerves. Research shows the body does indeed have the ability to regenerate nerves. A lizard can regenerate nerves after the loss of an appendage and can actually recreate the extremity. Much of the human skeleton and nerve makeup maintains the ancient segmental pattern present in all vertebrates such as a lizard.

Numerous research has been published on the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment for peripheral neuropathy some of which include the European Journal of Neurology, JAMA, Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and of course numerous studies in China. A study published in “Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology” showed electro-acupuncture was effective for regenerating nerve cells in rats who had experienced spinal cord injuries. The researchers reported electro-acupuncture restored partial function to paralyzed limbs in the injured rats. In a 10-week study conducted by the European Journal of Neurology patients were treated with acupuncture at determined points as determined by the practitioner. Patients had symptom relief as well as improved nerve conduction over the course of treatment, leading the researchers of the study to speculate acupuncture caused nerves to regenerate.

Peripheral neuropathy is considered a chronic disease which can be perplexing and involve diligent and consistent therapy to help the patient recover. Traditional Chinese medicine can help improve symptoms and offer people with peripheral neuropathy a better quality of life over time. Treatment of neuropathy should be considered as a long-term therapy and not just a short course of 10 sessions, as is usually implied with acupuncture.
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WHY IS STRESS MORE DEVASTATING FOR SOME

Some people take stress in stride; others are done in by it. New research at Rockefeller University has identified the molecular mechanisms of this so-called stress gap in mice with very similar genetic backgrounds -- a finding that could lead researchers to better understand the development of psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Like people, each animal has unique experiences as it goes through its life. And we suspect that these life experiences can alter the expression of genes, and as a result, affect an animal's susceptibility to stress," says senior author Bruce McEwen, Alfred E. Mirsky Professor and head of the Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology. "We have taken an important step toward explaining the molecular origins of this stress gap by showing that inbred mice react differently to stress, with some developing behaviors that resemble anxiety and depression, and others remaining resilient."

The results, published September 2 in Molecular Psychiatry, point toward potential new markers to aid the diagnosis of stress-related disorders, such as anxiety and depression and a promising route to the development of new treatments for these devastating disorders.

In experiments, researchers stressed the mice by exposing them to daily, unpredictable bouts of cage tilting, altered dark-light cycles, confinement in tight spaces and other conditions mice dislike with the goal of reproducing the sort of stressful experiences thought to be a primary cause of depression in humans. Afterward, in tests to see if the mice displayed the rodent equivalent of anxiety and depression symptoms, they found about 40 percent showed high levels of behaviors that included a preference for a dark compartment over a brightly lit one, or a loss of interest in sugar water. The remaining 60 percent coped well with the stress. This distinction between the susceptible mice and the resilient ones was so fundamental that it emerged even before the mice were subjected to stress, with some unstressed mice showing an anxiety-like preference for a dark compartment over a lighted one.

The researchers found that the highly stress-susceptible mice had less of an important molecule known as mGlu2 in a stress-involved region of the brain known as the hippocampus. The mGlu2 decrease, they determined, resulted from an epigenetic change, which affects the expression of genes, in this case the gene that codes for mGlu2.

"If you think of the genetic code as words in a book, the book must be opened in order for you to read it. These epigenetic changes, which affect histone proteins associated with DNA, effectively close the book, so the code for mGlu2 cannot be read," says first author Carla Nasca, postdoc in the lab and a fellow of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Previously, she and colleagues first implicated mGlu2 in depression when they showed that a promising potential treatment known as acetyl carnitine rapidly alleviated depression-like symptoms in rats and mice by reversing these epigenetic changes to mGlu2 and causing its levels to increase.

"Currently, depression is diagnosed only by its symptoms," Nasca says. "But these results put us on track to discover molecular signatures in humans that may have the potential to serve as markers for certain types of depression. Our work could also lead to a new generation of rapidly acting antidepressants, such as acetyl carnitine, which would be particularly important to reduce the risk of suicide."

A reduction in mGlu2 matters because this molecule regulates the neurotransmitter glutamate. While glutamate plays a crucial role relaying messages between neurons as part of many important processes, too much can lead to harmful structural changes in the brain.

"The brain is constantly changing. When stressful experiences lead to anxiety and depressive disorders the brain becomes locked in a state it cannot spontaneously escape," McEwen says. "Studies like this one are increasingly focusing on the regulation of glutamate as an underlying mechanism in depression and, we hope, opening promising new avenues for the diagnosis and treatment of this devastating disorder."

More Problems For Cipro And Other Antibiotics Vid

Today's post from naturalhealth365.com (see link below) is another hard-hitting article warning of the dangers of certain antibiotics (fluoroquinolones), with special reference to neuropathy. This blog has covered this subject many times before but while doctors across the world are still prescribing Cipro, Levaquin and the others, as the standard drug of choice, we have to continue warning of the inherent dangers associated with fluoroquinolones, especially for people who already have nerve damage of some sort. This article tells you all you need to know on the subject and the video is useful. That all said, in the end the best advice is to discuss the matter with your doctor and listen to what he or she says. If they claim that fluoroquinolones are perfectly safe then you may wish to produce some evidence that shows they're clearly not. Even the US FDA has expressed deep concern about these drugs and ordered warning labels to be put on all packaging. Your doctor will be able to prescribe an alternative - there are enough around.

Antibiotics cause peripheral neuropathy plus other damaging side effects
Posted by: Dena Schmidt, staff writer in Drug Dangers May 31, 2015 

(NaturalHealth365) A stunning 1 in 15 Americans – that’s 20 million people – have peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy refers to issues with the peripheral nervous system that leads to nerve damage and symptoms such as muscle tingling, numbness and muscle weakness.

Sadly, in advance cases, this condition can lead to a persistent burning pain, muscle wasting, paralysis, organ and breathing issues, and even organ failure. And, to top it off, conventionally-trained physicians rarely provide a solution.

What are the causes of peripheral neuropathy?

While the causes of peripheral neuropathy are primary linked to diabetes, a recent article in the Journal Neurology reported that the risk of peripheral neuropathy doubles in anyone who takes fluoroquinolones. Fluoroquinolones are a class of antibiotics with a host of alarming side effects; one of the most prescribed has the brand name Cipro. While most of Western medicine doesn’t think much about this product, David Perlmutter, M.D. has many reservations and reveals the hazards of peripheral neuropathy and fluoroquinolones such as Cipro in this YouTube video below:



Those who are diabetic can take steps to change their diet and lifestyle to help minimize the risk of peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy caused by Cipro, however, is another matter; the risk factors and side effects of Cipro tend to be grossly understated.

In fact, despite the clear health risks, this drug continues to be prescribed in hospitals and clinics all around the United States.

The side effects of Cipro are horrible

Adverse reactions and side effects of Cipro in adult patients include diarrhea, nausea, migraines, abnormal liver function, vomiting, skin rash, abdominal pain, and pain in the extremities. Cardiovascular effects include palpitation, ventricular ectopy, atrial flutter, hypertension, angina, cerebral thrombosis, myocardial infarction, and cardiopulmonary arrest.

There are also an alarming number of central nervous system effects as well as gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, renal and respiratory risks, among others. The list of possible side effects of Cipro is truly staggering, and it is also a primary cause of peripheral neuropathy.

Warning: Fluoroquinolones can cause permanent disability

While just about every drug on the market has some potential side effects, most are transient and tend to cease when the person stops taking the drug. However, when it comes to Cipro, this is not the case; a great many of the side effects of Cipro can be permanent, causing lifelong disability. The maker of Cipro does not disclose this fact anywhere on the warning label.

All fluoroquinolones have a black box warning, and Cipro now has two of them. More than half of the fluoroquinolones that were on the market in the past have been pulled due to their dangers and horrific side effects; however, Cipro and others such as Avelox and Levaquin remain in use.

The slogan of the medical profession is “Above all, do no harm.” The continued prescribing of fluoroquinolones like the antibiotic Cipro despite its grave risks is completely unethical. Cipro’s status as one of the top causes of peripheral neuropathy should result in a permanent ban.

Simply put, the fact that this crap is still on the market – despite being linked to so many health problems – is truly criminal.

References:
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/peripheralneuropathy/detail_peripheralneuropathy.htm
http://www.neurology.org/content/early/2014/08/22/WNL.0000000000000846.short
http://floxiehope.com/fluoroquinolones-links-resources
http://www.ciproispoison.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y98eHM0Z9-g

http://www.naturalhealth365.com/side-effects-of-cipro-fluoroquinolones-1440.html

WHY SCRATCHING MAKES YOU ITCH MORE

Turns out your mom was right: Scratching an itch only makes it worse. New research from scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis indicates that scratching causes the brain to release serotonin, which intensifies the itch sensation.

The findings, in mice, are reported online in the journalNeuron. The same vicious cycle of itching and scratching is thought to occur in humans, and the research provides new clues that may help break that cycle, particularly in people who experience chronic itching.

Scientists have known for decades that scratching creates a mild amount of pain in the skin, said senior investigator Zhou-Feng Chen, PhD, director of Washington University's Center for the Study of Itch. That pain can interfere with itching -- at least temporarily -- by getting nerve cells in the spinal cord to carry pain signals to the brain instead of itch signals.

"The problem is that when the brain gets those pain signals, it responds by producing the neurotransmitter serotonin to help control that pain," Chen explained. "But as serotonin spreads from the brain into the spinal cord, we found the chemical can 'jump the tracks,' moving from pain-sensing neurons to nerve cells that influence itch intensity."

Scientists uncovered serotonin's role in controlling pain decades ago, but this is the first time the release of the chemical messenger from the brain has been linked to itch, Chen said.

As part of the study, the researchers bred a strain of mice that lacked the genes to make serotonin. When those genetically engineered mice were injected with a substance that normally makes the skin itch, the mice didn't scratch as much as their normal littermates. But when the genetically altered mice were injected with serotonin, they scratched as mice would be expected to in response to compounds designed to induce itching.

"So this fits very well with the idea that itch and pain signals are transmitted through different but related pathways," said Chen, a professor of anesthesiology, of psychiatry and of developmental biology. "Scratching can relieve itch by creating minor pain. But when the body responds to pain signals, that response actually can make itching worse."

Although interfering with serotonin made mice less sensitive to itch, Chen said it's not practical to try to treat itching by trying to block the release of serotonin.

Serotonin is involved in growth, aging, bone metabolism and in regulating mood. Antidepressants like Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil increase serotonin levels to control depression. Blocking serotonin would have far-reaching consequences throughout the body, and people wouldn't have a natural way to control pain.

Instead, Chen explained, it might be possible to interfere with the communication between serotonin and nerve cells in the spinal cord that specifically transmit itch. Those cells, known as GRPR neurons, relay itch signals from the skin to the brain. To work toward that goal, Chen's team isolated the receptor used by serotonin to activate GRPR neurons.

To do this, Chen's team injected mice with a substance that causes itching. They also gave the mice compounds that activated various serotonin receptors on nerve cells. Ultimately, they learned that the receptor known as 5HT1A was the key to activating the itch-specific GRPR neurons in the spinal cord.

To prove they had the correct receptor, Chen's team also treated mice with a compound that blocked the 5HT1A receptor, and those mice scratched much less.

"We always have wondered why this vicious itch-pain cycle occurs," Chen said. "Our findings suggest that the events happen in this order. First, you scratch, and that causes a sensation of pain. Then you make more serotonin to control the pain. But serotonin does more than only inhibit pain. Our new finding shows that it also makes itch worse by activating GRPR neurons through 5HT1A receptors."

As his team works to better understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms that control the cycle, Chen suggested that those who itch pay attention to mom's advice and try not to scratch.

OLIVE OIL MORE STABLE AND HEALTHFUL THAN SEED OILS FOR FRYING FOODS

Frying is one of the world's most popular ways to prepare food -- think fried chicken and french fries. Even candy bars and whole turkeys have joined the list. But before dunking your favorite food in a vat of just any old oil, consider using olive. Scientists report in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that olive oil withstands the heat of the fryer or pan better than several seed oils to yield more healthful food.

Mohamed Bouaziz and colleagues note that different oils have a range of physical, chemical and nutritional properties that can degrade oil quality when heated. Some of these changes can lead to the formation of new compounds that are potentially toxic. By-products of heating oil can also lower the nutritional value of the food being fried. Bouaziz's team wanted to find out which cooking oil can maintain its quality under high heat and repeated use.

The researchers deep- and pan-fried raw potato pieces in four different refined oils -- olive, corn, soybean and sunflower -- and reused the oil 10 times. They found that olive oil was the most stable oil for deep-frying at 320 and 374 degrees Fahrenheit, while sunflower oil degraded the fastest when pan-fried at 356 degrees. They conclude that for frying foods, olive oil maintains quality and nutrition better than seed oils.

The authors acknowledge funding from the Ministère de l'Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique and the Ministère de l'Agriculture, Tunisia.

SHARING MAKES BOTH GOOD BAD EXPERIENCES MORE INTENSE

Undergoing an experience with another person -- even if we do it in silence, with someone we met just moments ago -- seems to intensify that experience, according to new research published in Psychological Science. The research shows that people who share experiences with another person rate those experiences as more pleasant or unpleasant than those who undergo the experience on their own.

"We often think that what matters in social life is being together with others, but we've found it also really matters what those people are doing," says psychological scientist and lead researcher Erica Boothby of Yale University.

"When people are paying attention to the same pleasant thing, whether the Mona Lisa or a song on the radio, our research shows that the experience is much more pleasurable. And the reverse is true of unpleasant experiences -- not sharing them makes them more pleasurable, while sharing them makes them worse."

Thinking about shared experiences like going to the movies or viewing art in museums, Boothby and Yale colleagues Margaret Clark and John Bargh wanted to explore the consequences of sharing experiences that unfold socially but silently.

In their first study, 23 female college students came to the lab and met another participant who would be completing the study at the same time. Unbeknownst to the students, the "other participant" was actually part of the research team and she always played the role of the second participant in the study.

The pair was told that they would engage in several activities, including tasting chocolate and looking at a booklet of paintings, side by side at a table. They were told they would be assigned to complete the activities in random order but, in reality, the student was always only assigned to taste the two chocolates, one at the same time as the second participant and the other while the second participant was looking at the booklet. After the student tasted both chocolates, the experiment ended "early" before they got a chance to look at the artwork.

Although the chocolate samples were presented as two different chocolates, they were actually squares taken from the same bar of 70% dark chocolate.

Students reported liking the chocolate they had tasted at the same time as the other participant more than the chocolate they had tasted while the other participant was looking at the booklet. Although the chocolate pieces were identical, the students tended to report the "shared" chocolate as being more flavorful, which suggests that the mere act of sharing may influence how things are actually sensed or perceived by us.

To find out whether sharing makes any experience more pleasant or actually intensifies specific feelings (positive or negative), the researchers tasked another group of students to taste a bitter "chocolate substitute" (really just 90% dark chocolate, which pre-testing revealed to be unpleasant).

This time, the students said that they liked the "shared" chocolate less. They also reported feeling more absorbed in the tasting experience and more in tune with the other participant when they tasted the chocolates at the same time.

The researchers suggest that sharing an experience with someone else, even silently, may focus our attention, making us more attuned to what we are sensing and perceiving.

"When people think of shared experience, what usually comes to mind is being with close others, such as friends or family, and talking with them," says Boothby. "We don't realize the extent to which we are influenced by people around us whom we don't know and aren't even communicating with."

Ultimately, these findings may have significant implications for social life in a world that is filled with distractors:

"We text friends while at a party, check our Twitter feed while out to dinner, and play Sudoku while watching TV with family -- without meaning to, we are unsharing experiences with the people around us," says Boothby. "A pleasant experience that goes unshared is a missed opportunity to focus on the activity we and others are doing and give it a boost."

WOMEN WITH PTSD MORE LIKELY TO HAVE FOOD ADDICTION

Women who have the largest number of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms are almost three times more likely to develop an addiction to food, a new study suggests.

The findings don’t prove a direct link between PTSD and women overeating or becoming addicted to food. And it’s also possible that certain women are prone to food addiction and experiencing trauma, PTSD, or both.

Still, the research seems to add to existing evidence connecting PTSD to overeating and obesity, although the overall risk is fairly low, the researchers from the University of Minnesota said.

The findings can be helpful, said the study’s lead author, Susan Mason, an assistant professor with the university’s division of epidemiology and community health. “If clinicians providing mental health care are aware that PTSD is sometimes accompanied by problematic eating behaviors, then they may be able to offer better and more tailored care to their patients,” she said.

PTSD is an anxiety disorder that develops in some people after they experience a horrific event, like a natural disaster, violence or warfare. Those with PTSD may become endlessly vigilant, have a difficult-to- impossible time relaxing, and can develop flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety.

Previous research has linked PTSD to higher rates of obesity and being underweight, Mason said, along with addiction problems. It’s difficult for researchers to figure out exactly what’s going on, however, because they can’t use the gold standard of research, a clinical trial, to examine a possible connection. It would be unethical — and probably impossible — to randomly assign some people to develop PTSD and then compare them to healthy people.

In the new study, researchers tried to get a handle on possible connections between PTSD and food addiction.

Food addiction is defined as a kind of psychological dependence on food, with symptoms like other kinds of addictions. For instance, physical withdrawal if those with the disorder stop eating certain foods, using food to make them feel better and eating when they don’t need to.

Mason said she wasn’t aware of research pinpointing how many people suffer from food addiction.

The researchers examined the results of Nurses’ Health Study II surveys of more than 49,400 female nurses in the United States in 2008 and 2009. The women joined the study in 1989 when they were 25 to 42 years old.

According to Mason, the researchers found that 6 percent of the one-third of women who had no signs of PTSD showed signs of food addiction. Of the 10 percent of women who had the most symptoms — 6 to 7 on a 7-symptom PTSD screening questionnaire — nearly 18 percent had a food addiction.

The researchers noted two things: Nurses reported their most common trauma experience was treating individuals with traumatic injuries, and early onset of symptoms predicted a higher prevalence of food addiction.

Why do these numbers matter? “It is a big deal if a substantial proportion of women are feeling highly distressed or feel that their functioning is being undermined by their relationship with food,” Mason said.

Still, she said it’s not clear how all this is connected to obesity. The nurses in the study who seem to be addicted to food “are substantially heavier than women who do not meet those criteria, but we don’t yet know whether the food addiction causes obesity, or the other way around, or if the two things are both caused by some underlying factor we don’t know about.”

Dr. Timothy Brewerton, executive medical director with The Hearth Center for Eating Disorders in Columbia, S.C., praised the research. “This study represents a major advance in validating the concept of food addiction, and in linking food addiction with trauma and PTSD,” he said.

He noted that the study adds support for the idea that food addiction is real — “there are a lot of naysayers in the eating disorders community in regard to the existence of food addiction”– and suggests that trauma and PTSD could be a cause. “The greater the number of PTSD symptoms, the greater the probability of food addiction,” he said.

As for future research, Mason said researchers want to look at larger groups of people to see if the connection holds up.

The study appears in the Sept. 17 issue of JAMA Psychiatry.

More Possible Causes Of Tingling In Hands And Feet

The last 3 posts and the next 2 posts all relate to Vitamin B12 and neuropathy. If you weren't a hypochondriac before reading these, you may well be afterwards, so taking a sensible view of the many symptoms shown here is advisable. Strangely, most HIV and/or neuropathy patients aren't standard tested for B12 deficiency but it may well be worth asking your doctor to do exactly that - it may explain several things. All 5 posts come from the same site B12patch.com (see links below the articles), which is pretty much an 'all you would ever want to know' type of information site but the descriptions of what neuropathy is are accurate and honest and explained in language that we all can understand. Very interesting and worth discussing with your doctor if there's time, especially if you're considering taking B12 supplement pills (usually need Folic acid to help absorption) - injections may be better in your case.

What causes annoying tingling in the hands and feet?

 

 

 

 Pernicious anemia

One of the earliest symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency anemia is neuropathic pain- sufferers of vitamin B12 deficiency feel sharp, achy tingling in the hands and feet, numbness, “pins and needles,” or a painfully swollen tongue.
Even if you eat sufficient food sources of vitamin B12 from meat, fish, and dairy sources, you might have dangerously low B12 levels.
Causes include autoimmune disorders, gastrointestinal diseases or surgeries, drug interactions, or the inability to produce intrinsic factor in the stomach. To find out if you have vitamin B12 deficiency, ask your physician for a vitamin B12 blood test- you might require vitamin B12 supplements.

Underactive thyroid

Hypothyroidism causes symptoms similar to vitamin B12 deficiency, like “brain fog,” fatigue, depression, muscular pain, and numbness or tingling in your hands and feet.

Sitting and standing

Sitting or standing for long periods without moving or taking a break- washing the dishes, standing by a register, or sitting at a computer for hours- can cause prickly tingling in your feet and legs.

 

Striking a nerve

If you have suffered a head or neck injury, then you may experience numbness in your arms. Similarly, a lower-back injury could cause painful numbness in your legs.

Shingles

If you’ve ever had the Chicken Pox, then you’re a candidate for shingles. The herpes zoster virus appears around middle age, and causes neuropathic pain such as painful skin rash, itchiness, red blisters, and painful tingling and numbness.

Frostbite

Both frostbite and atherosclerosis (arterial plaque build-up) restrict blood supply to your extremities, causing severely painful numbness in toes, hands, feet, or fingers.

Nerve pressure

If you have suffered a herniated disk, then painful nerve pressure on your spine may cause tingling and numbness in legs. Dilated blood vessels, scar tissue, infections, or tumors may also cause severe peripheral neuropathy.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome caused by constant repetitive motions, such as typing or knitting, causes aching in your hands, fingers, and wrists.

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, causing feebleness, reduced motor control, trouble maintaining physical balance, and foot numbness.

Diabetes

One of the many symptoms of diabetes, a blood sugar disorder, included painful tingling sensations and numbness in the hands and feet.

Seizures

People who experience frequent seizures, such as epileptic seizures, may experience dizziness, prickly “pins and needles” sensations in their hands, feet, arms, legs, or numbness in the face.

Stroke

Stroke victims suffer loss of consciousness, speech slurs, disorientation, partial paralysis, numbness, and tingling on one side of the body.

Migraines

Migraines with aura produce stroke-like symptoms such as sudden “gibberish” talk, visual distortions, facial numbness, feebleness, and mental confusion.

Transient ischemic attack (TIA),

A transient ischemic attack, or “mini-stroke,” may signal an oncoming stroke; symptoms include dizziness, mental confusion, balance problems, and numbness or tingling on one side of the body.

Lupus

One of the symptoms of lupus autoimmune disorder is Raynaud’s phenomenon, which causes poor blood flow to your fingers and toes by constricting blood vessels.

Toxic poisoning

Exposure to toxic amounts of alcohol, lead, radiation therapy, seafood toxins, or tobacco may cause neuropathic damage, including painful numbness in arms or legs.

Animal or insect bite

If you’re bitten by an animal or insect (spider, tick), then you might experience symptoms such as prickly tingling and numbness in your fingers, toes, arms, or legs


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