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Prostate Cancer Symptoms And Treatments

Prostate cancer is one of the most common type of cancer affecting 1 in every 6 males. In its early stages, prostate cancer has few symptoms and many of the symptoms associated with this disease are also symptoms found in other less serious illnesses. Prevalent symptoms of prostate problems which may or may not signal cancer include: frequent urination, bloody urine, burning urination, lower back pain or pain in the pelvis or upper thighs, blood in semen, pain during ejaculation, stopping and starting urination along with not being able to urinate.

The treatment course for prostate cancer differs depending on the location and size of the tumor as well as the patients health. In some cases, if the cancer is a slow growing one and you are advanced in age, the treatment may simply be that of watchful waiting. If the cancer is not causing any symptoms, then your physician may opt to simply keep and eye on its growth. This will entail a PSA blood test every few months as well as biopsies every year to see if and how fast it is growing. If it starts to grow faster, additional treatment may be recommended.

Some treatments for prostate cancer include:

A surgical procedure called a radical prostatectomy may be done to remove the cancer provided it has not spread outside of the prostate. The whole gland and surrounding tissue is removed in the hopes of removing all the cancer.

Radiotherapy employs x-rays to treat cancer and is relatively pain free. During this course of treatment, radiation is pointed towards your prostate in the hopes of shrinking or even eliminating the cancer. This technique can have adverse effects such as impotance and diarrhea.

Brachytherapy, is a method of radiotherapy on which something is implanted in the patient to treat the cancer. This method of treatment involves less visits to the hospital as opposed to radiation therapy (which is typically done every day) although it does require a little external radiotherapy also.

Hormone therapy is used to lower the level of androgens which cause prostate cancer to grow. This treatment is mostly used in men whose cancer has spread or returned after earlier treatments. While it will not cure the cancer, it can shrink it or slow its growth and may be used in conjunction with other treatments.

Chemotherapy is typically not effective against prostate cancer although newer drugs developed in recent years have shown the ability to relieve symptoms in men with advanced prostate cancer. Chemotherapy may be employed if the cancer has spread outside the prostate in order to shrink the cancer or slow its growth.

While many prostate symptoms indicate a problem other than cancer, it is vital that you see your doctor if you experience any of the symptoms listed above. Prompt treatment is your best chance for a cure.

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Why Is Sauna Used In Cancer Therapy?

Sauna Therapy Used in Cancer Therapy.
This is a new and experimental procedure. It shows a great promise in some cases when used properly. American researchers favor careful monitoring of the tumor temperature; whereas, the successes reported in Japan make no mention of such precaution. Infrared healing is now becoming the leading edge in the care of soft tissue injuries to promote both relief in chronic or intractable "permanent" cases, and accelerated healing in newer injuries.

Localized infrared therapy using lamps tuned to the 2 ~ 25 micron waveband is used for the treatment and relief of pain by over 40 reputable Chinese Medical Institutes.

Give Your Entire Body A Workout!
The oxygen needs of the body increase by about 20 percent so the lungs, another important eliminator of body wastes, join in the body's quickened pace. (The lungs' rapid exchange of carbon dioxide for oxygen is hindered in some sweat baths. In high humidity water condenses on the tiny alveoli where this exchange takes place and breathing may be slightly more difficult. On the other hand, if the air is too dry, as occurs in many American saunas, mucous membranes may become dry and damaged.) Clogged respiratory passages are opened by heat, giving relief from colds and other minor respiratory problems. Sweat bathing is not recommended for those suffering from pneumonia or other acute respiratory diseases. (see Sauna)

Understanding Infra-Red Sauna
Radiant heat is simply a form of energy that heats objects directly through a process called conversion, without having to heat the air in between. Radiant heat is also called Infrared Energy (IR). The infrared segment of the electromagnetic spectrum is divided into 3 segments by wavelength, measured in microns or micrometers (a micron = 1/1,000,000 of a meter); 0.076 ~ 1.5 microns = near or close; 1.5 ~ 5.6 = middle or intermediate; 5.6 ~ 1,000 = far or long wave infrared. The infrared segment of the electromagnetic spectrum occurs just below or ¡°infra¡± to red light as the next lowest energy band of light. We can, however, feel this type of light that we perceive as heat. Our sun produces most of its energy output in the infrared segment of the spectrum.

After A Sauna Session
When the bocly is slowly cooled, the effects of heat are reversed--the heart calms, sweat pores close, dilated blood vessels contract and body temperature returns to normal. The German Sauna Society recommends a warm foot bath to re-open closed blood vessels.On the other hand, abrupt cooling brought on by a plunge into snow or icy water creates a more dramatic effect. For this reason, people with weak constitutions should avoid rapid cooling. Vessels near the skin's surface contract, but since the skin's metabolism returns to normal slower than the circulatory system, wastes accumulate that are normally washed out by the blood.

For more comprehensive information on the sauna benefits, please visit http://www.saunadetox.info

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Ayurveda Training

Ayurveda training is founded on the principles of preventing disease, treating disorders, and bringing the body into balance. Ayurveda schools educate students about ayurveda sciences, which are comprised of many alternative health sciences, but focus primarily on Ayurvedic techniques and practices. Curriculums include Ayurvedic perspectives of the human anatomy, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Chikitsa-treatment, Yoga, Mantra, sound therapy, aromatherapy, color therapy, gem therapy, and the use of medicinal herbs and herbal therapy.

Ayurveda school sciences actively promote toxin elimination from the body that increase immunity and bring about overall well-being. They teach students to balance the "dosha," one of the three biological humors or energies (kapha, pitta, vata) which combine in various proportions to determine individual constitution and mental and physical disorders. At Ayurveda school, students also learn methods to improve digestive functions, and enhance the body's immune system, and develop spiritual growth. Ayurveda schools instruct in therapeutically balanced diets, weight loss, exercise and meditation, and massage therapy.

Ayurveda school tuitions range between $1,000 and $2,000 per semester. Ayurveda school certification takes approximately one to two years to complete on a part-time basis. There are currently no licensing requirements for Ayurveda practitioners, however a group of practitioners and instructors are in discussions to create state and national professional associations focused on licensing and certification requirements of Ayurveda practices. Ayurveda school medical degrees are not recognized or regulated in the U.S. or Canada, but in India, Ayurveda practitioners receive state-recognized, institutionalized training that parallels an education in traditional medicine.

If you are interested in learning more about Ayurveda Schools and programs of study, search our site for more in-depth information and resources.

Copyright 2006 - All Rights Reserved Michael Bustamante, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc. for SchoolsGalore.com

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Types of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a cancer that primarily affects the cells around the lungs and ribs. The only known cause of this type of cancer is exposure to asbestos. There exist different types of mesothelioma that can be found in the human body. Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. The most common are

pleural mesothelioma peritoneal mesothelioma

Mesothelioma treatment will be based upon which type the subject has.

Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer of the cells that make up the pleura or lining around the outside of the lungs and inside of the ribs. Its only known cause in the U.S. is previous exposure to asbestos fibers, including chrysotile, amosite or crocidolite. This exposure is likely to have happened twenty or more years before the disease becomes evident, since it takes many years for the disease to "incubate." It is the most common type of mesothelioma, accounting for about 75% of all cases. Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleura are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.

Peritoneal mesothelioma is a tumor of this membrane. Its only known cause in the U.S. is previous exposure to asbestos, but it can be many years after exposure before the disease appears. Peritoneal mesotheliomas account for about one-fifth of all mesotheliomas. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and abdominal pain and swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever.

While the great majority of mesotheliomas are in either the pleura or the peritoneum, malignant mesotheliomas sometimes occur in other parts of the body, including the testicles (a variety of peritoneal mesothelioma) and the heart (a variety of pleural mesothelioma.) These are also caused by exposure to asbestos fibers. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.

Treatment of mesothelioma using conventional cancer therapies has unfortunately not proved successful and patients have a short median survival time of 6 - 12 months after presentation. Surgery, either by itself or used in combination with pre- and post-operative adjuvant therapies has also proved disappointing with a 5 year survival rate of less than 10%. Treatment regimens involving immunotherapy have yielded variable results but most of them have been disappointing, which has initiated great interest in the development of alternative forms of therapy, especially those capable of specifically destroying diseased cells without affecting surrounding healthy tissue.

Article81

November Is a Great Time to Quit Smoking

November is a great time to try again to kick the smoking habit.

I say "again" because, as a 30-year-smoker who tried to quit for 25 of those years, I'm pretty sure all smokers try to quit again and again.

During November, carrying on the work of journalist Peter Jennings, ABC News is presenting a series of reports on quitting smoking and lung cancer prevention.

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and November 17th is the American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout. It's a perfect time for the 51 million Americans who still smoke cigarettes to make a serious effort at quitting so they won't be part of the 160,000 who die from smoking each year in the U.S.

There is help, especially during November

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Cancer Institute, and the North American Quitline Consortium is providing resources to help people quit smoking. There's a national network of quitlines, 1-800-QUIT-NOW, which automatically connects callers to their state-based quitlines, and to the Web site smokefree.gov for additional resources on quitting and lung cancer.

ABCNews.com is devoting a portion of its Web site to "Quit to Live: Fighting Lung Cancer." The section includes links to smoking cessation resources; and a "Quitters Blog" documenting peoples' attempts to quit smoking.

The Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout helps smokers quit cigarettes for at least one day, in hopes they will quit forever.

A big mistake

Smoking cigarettes was the biggest mistake of my life.

To quit, I tried everything from shock therapy to hypnosis. My wife left me in a motel in my underwear for days so I couldn't buy cigarettes. I finally was able to quit during a 10-day hospital stay with a collapsed lung. Something about having a steel rod shoved into my chest with no anaesthetic to reinflate the lung made me really want to quit.

But the damage was done. Chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and worst of all, allowing my wife's and daughter's lungs to be polluted year after year by my second-hand smoke.

The primary cause of lung cancer is tobacco smoke. Today, lung cancer deaths are falling in states with strong tobacco control laws.

Chemicals and nicotine

The Cancer Society says cigarette smoke contains 4,000 chemicals, including 43 known to cause cancer. The tobacco burns while a cigarette is smoked, exposing the smoker and others to these deadly chemicals, tars and gases.

Nicotine does not cause cancer, but it does keep many people addicted to smoking. Each puff of a cigarette delivers a concentrated dose of nicotine straight to the brain -- and reinforces the need for the next puff.

Even after you've given up nicotine, you may still want to smoke. To maximize your chances of staying smoke-free for good, you need a plan.

The Cancer Society can help you come up with a plan, taking you step by step through making the decision, preparations, and following through.

Moving from one step to the next requires careful thought and preparation. And, no, it won't be easy. But this time, this month, it might just work.

Watch the news. Think about it. Call the quitline. Work on your plan.

It's a great time to try again.