Although looking for natural hives treatment options is probably NOT what any of us want to be doing right now, the truth is that at some time in our lives, about one fifth of us will get a bad case of hives.

It would be funny if we didn’t feel so miserable. Hives symptoms are really no fun. Your usually clear skin suddenly and mysteriously erupts overnight into a red, splotchy and itchy mess! Was it the wine you had with dinner, the shellfish, or a new perfume you tried at the store? Or maybe the fight you had with your significant other?

What Causes Hives?

A lot of times, it is really hard to know what causes hives. There are just so many things can cause them! Some of the main hives causes are:

* Viral infections
* Medications
* Allergic reactions
* Foods
* Chemicals and toxins
* Environmental irritants
* Stress

Since it is possible to be allergic to almost anything, and since most of the products we use on our bodies and in our homes contain irritating chemicals and toxins, you can see how difficult it might be to find out what causes hives!

In addition to this challenging fact, most processed foods contain chemical additives, artificial colorings and flavorings which can be irritating or create allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.

Hives Medicine

If you are going crazy with the itching, you might be tempted to reach for an antihistamine like Benadryl. Sometimes those can work well, but they often have side effects if you use them regularly. Benadryl can cause drowsiness, dizziness, or stomach upset.

The newer antihistamines like Zyrtec are less likely to cause drowsiness but they can have many other side effects like depression, irritability, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, nightmares, bloody nose and more. It can even cause more hives!

Another problem with using medicines is that they sometimes contain ingredients that actually cause more skin irritation! For example, Calamine Lotion can definitely relieve the itching of hives, but most major brands you find at the drugstore contain alcohol, diazolidinyl urea, fragrances, parabens or other ingredients like artificial colorings and that can cause breakouts and allergic reactions for those who have sensitive skin.

Nine New Natural Hives Treatment Options to Consider

Here are nine natural hives treatment options that can help you find hives relief. If you have sensitive skin, please do a skin test before trying any new natural hives home remedy. Hives are often related to allergies and you may not know everything you are allergic to!

1. Take an oatmeal bath by grinding oatmeal in a food processor and adding to your bath. You can add cornstarch and baking soda which also can help sooth the itching.

2. Aloe vera gel is soothing and cooling to itchy skin, and contains many ingredients which help the skin to heal.

3. Grapefruit seed extract mixed with water can be sprayed on the hives to help them go away faster.

4. Pineapple is a natural anti-inflammatory which you can apply directly to skin.

5. Green tea contains natural antihistamines, supports your immune system, is high in antioxidants to prevent skin damage, and contains Quercertin, a natural antihistamine bioflavonoid. It can be brewed and splashed on your hives, and also taken internally in the morning if you can handle the caffeine.

6. Chamomile tea is calming, soothing to the nerves and contains many natural antihistamines. You can drink it and also apply the tea directly to your hives. I find it makes me tired if I drink it during the day, but at night it helps me to relax and sleep better!

7. Whip up an Organic Green Smoothie in your blender! This contains many foods that are high in Quercertin which can help reduce or eliminate your hives. In addition, organic foods are higher in Quercertin than conventionally grown produce.

Place 2 cups of water or green tea in a blender. Add one organic apple (with core and seeds removed), a handful of organic blueberries, and several leaves of organic kale, spinach, chard or other leafy green vegetables. If you need extra sweetening, add stevia, xylitol, agave, honey, or maple syrup to taste. Yum!

8. Give up Processed Foods — I know this is a big step, but it really can go a long way towards ridding you of chronic hives and other skin problems. There are a number of clinical studies which are suggesting that you can reduce your hives by up to 75% simply by giving up foods that contain additives, preservatives, artificial colorings and flavorings.

9. Use non-toxic, botanical free hypoallergenic products on your skin, hair and body. Most people with hives have some kind of allergy, and herbs and botanicals that are added to many skin care products can cause irritation, allergic reactions, or even interact with medicines or medicinal herbs you may be using.

I hope this information can help you to find natural hives relief and to prevent future hives symptoms!

Understanding Your Panic Attack Medication

Once you become familiar with your panic attack symptoms, you are probably ready to deal with the consequences and find the best treatment options for you.

Of course, your doctor has probably introduced the idea of taking some sort of panic attack medication.

It’s important to understand the different options that are available to you so you can make the most informed decision possible.

Medications used to treat anxiety and panic disorders fall into five categories.

First, you have those classified as SSRI’s or selective seratonin reuptake inhibitors. These include classic medications like Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft. These are the safest types to take on a long term basis.

Next are SNRI’s or seratonin and norepenephrine reuptake inhibitors such as Cymbalta and Effexor. These are similar to SSRI’s but have an added component.

Going down the line, you will see TCA’s or trycyclic antidepressants including Trofanil. These can be a very effective panic attack medication, but also pose some serious side effects, including heart problems.

After that there are Benzodiazpines, which are actually mild sedatives. One common one is Xanax. These can be addicting, both physically and mentally with the risk increasing the long you take them.

Finally, the hardest core drugs are under the category of MAOI’s or monoamine oxidase inhibitors. These drugs have such serious side effects that they are rarely prescribed. It’s impossible to take these without seriously altering your diet in order to avoid life threatening complications.

While there are safer options, the nature of taking a pharmaceutical drug is that there are always potential side effects. You can certainly take a SSRI for a longer period of time and probably do just fine. However, you never know what side-effects and sensitivities you may develop.

It’s always a good idea to ask if you can try natural or alternative treatment first.

Herbs such as Valerian root and St. John’s Wort can provide relief for many patients. Use caution with herbal treatments due to the many unknowns on how it reacts to other environmental factors in your life.

Also, you can learn to relax your body, avoid stress and triggers and even seek out cognitive or talk therapy. All of these options work in harmony with your natural body rhythms and you can expect relief without risking harmful or annoying side effects from a panic attack medication.

If you do decide to try panic attack medication, it’s always a good idea to ask your doctor if you can only use it as a temporary or emergency measure.

In the mean time, you should be looking for ways to naturally manage your symptoms.

By trying other safer natural methods first, you may well find that you are able to gain relief without ever having to refill that prescription.

P.S. Always consult with your doctor before discontinuing or not refilling a prescription, particularly the ones listed above.

Noveon laser for Toenail Fungus Infection

There are an estimated $4.0 billion spent on fungal infections, including $1.5 billion for onychomycosis or toenail fungus. Around 35 million people in the United States, and 700 million worldwide, suffer from toenail fungus. Patients and physicians alike have few or no treatment options due to the safety concerns associated oral medications available as the current standard of treatment. Many of these strong drugs can cause liver damage! This is certainly a risk that many are not willing to take.

There are home remedies and there are thousands of products being pushed on the internet, however, the solution for toenail fungus remains elusive. Dr. Marc Katz, a Tampa podiatrist, sees dozens of people each week complaining of the unsightly nail deformities. These patients have spent hundreds of dollars on remedies with no success. They have become so frustrated, says Dr. Katz. People just want to wear their sandals in sunny Florida without feeling self-conscious.

I’m always looking for the most advanced technology to help my patients and now I’ve found the answer, LASER. And not just any laser therapy. In my opinion, the Noveon seems to be the winner.

At first, Dr. Katz investigated the Pinpointe laser but was not impressed. His opinion was that the laser had not been properly studied and he notes that the Pinpointe still has NOT been FDA approved for fungal nails or onychomycosis in the US. In addition, the Pinpointe uses an Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm in the infrared region that has a higher incidence of burns and can turn normal cells into potentially cancer causing cells.

The Pinpointe beam is not controlled and is dependent on the user placing the beam correctly and keeping it at a set distance. Without this control the treatment success can vary and spots can be missed. Katz stated that the Noveon has overcome this problem by using pods that control the distance and the amount of the beam contacting the nail. The actual laser device controls the treatment seamlessly allowing for the best outcome with a reproducible dose of laser at a specified distance every time.

The Noveon uses 2 different wavelengths of low energy near infrared beams that produce death using light(not heat) without harming the normal tissues. Katz states that this allows for more thorough treatments and better results with less chance of injury.

If you are already going to have the treatment and spend the money you should have the best, said Katz. And he believes that it is worth the wait for FDA approval of the Noveon which should be in early 2010.

Dr. Katz has been chosen by Nomir medical to be one of the early adopters of this cutting edge technology to get rid of toenail fungus. The laser is powerful, proven and allows for reproducible results in a safe environment. Patients are already waiting in line for the treatments, says Katz. The treatment is not covered by insurance but the demand is still huge! The cost will likely be between 800 and 1200 dollars for the full treatment course.

There is no pain involved with the procedure. Most patients will undergo 3 separate treatment sessions with virtually no side-effects. Each treatment session lasts 20 minutes or less and is performed in a comfortable office setting.

So get ready to say goodbye to unsightly toenail fungus.

There are an estimated $4.0 billion spent on fungal infections, including $1.5 billion for onychomycosis or toenail fungus. Around 35 million people in the United States, and 700 million worldwide, suffer from toenail fungus. Patients and physicians alike have few or no treatment options due to the safety concerns associated oral medications available as the current standard of treatment. Many of these strong drugs can cause liver damage! This is certainly a risk that many are not willing to take.

There are home remedies and there are thousands of products being pushed on the internet, however, the solution for toenail fungus remains elusive. Dr. Marc Katz, a Tampa podiatrist, sees dozens of people each week complaining of the unsightly nail deformities. These patients have spent hundreds of dollars on remedies with no success. They have become so frustrated, says Dr. Katz. People just want to wear their sandals in sunny Florida without feeling self-conscious.

I’m always looking for the most advanced technology to help my patients and now I’ve found the answer, LASER. And not just any laser therapy. In my opinion, the Noveon seems to be the winner.

At first, Dr. Katz investigated the Pinpointe laser but was not impressed. His opinion was that the laser had not been properly studied and he notes that the Pinpointe still has NOT been FDA approved for fungal nails or onychomycosis in the US. In addition, the Pinpointe uses an Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm in the infrared region that has a higher incidence of burns and can turn normal cells into potentially cancer causing cells.

The Pinpointe beam is not controlled and is dependent on the user placing the beam correctly and keeping it at a set distance. Without this control the treatment success can vary and spots can be missed. Katz stated that the Noveon has overcome this problem by using pods that control the distance and the amount of the beam contacting the nail. The actual laser device controls the treatment seamlessly allowing for the best outcome with a reproducible dose of laser at a specified distance every time.

The Noveon uses 2 different wavelengths of low energy near infrared beams that produce death using light(not heat) without harming the normal tissues. Katz states that this allows for more thorough treatments and better results with less chance of injury.

If you are already going to have the treatment and spend the money you should have the best, said Katz. And he believes that it is worth the wait for FDA approval of the Noveon which should be in early 2010.

Dr. Katz has been chosen by Nomir medical to be one of the early adopters of this cutting edge technology to get rid of toenail fungus. The laser is powerful, proven and allows for reproducible results in a safe environment. Patients are already waiting in line for the treatments, says Katz. The treatment is not covered by insurance but the demand is still huge! The cost will likely be between 800 and 1200 dollars for the full treatment course.

There is no pain involved with the procedure. Most patients will undergo 3 separate treatment sessions with virtually no side-effects. Each treatment session lasts 20 minutes or less and is performed in a comfortable office setting.

So get ready to say goodbye to unsightly toenail fungus.

What is Agoraphobia?

This phobia is defined as ‘fear of being of an embarrassing situation’, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. However, this is fairly known as fear of public places where the embarrassing situation might happen. In the US alone, there is about 1 per cent of the whole population but in the UK, about 4 per cent has it. Thus, such is developed from panic attacks which then advance into full-blown agoraphobia.

What are the Symptoms?

Agoraphobia does not sound as familiar as other phobias, however, it is actually common. The symptoms are also fairly common, sometimes these are portrayed in movies. Perhaps, after hearing the symptoms, you would identify the phobia.

Some common symptoms include the fear of crowds and of public transport. Then, there is social withdrawal or isolation. The person tends to ‘hide’ from people, this even includes fear in their own neighborhoods. For some milder agoraphobics, they are still able to go out, but they would require being with another person. Lastly, a panic attack which is originally the usual cause of agoraphobia becomes a symptom.

What the Treatment Options are available?

There are many treatment options available for agoraphobia. These treatment options can range from some simple remedies up to therapies. One of the simplest ways of ‘treating’ agoraphobia is by controlling panic attacks. This is said to be the most important since this is the main reason why they do not like to go out. Simply put, if there are no panic attacks, then there is less likely to have any fearful embarrassing situations.

Another available option is a CBT or a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This psychotherapeutic approach works by keeping the anxiety level at a minimum. This helps by changing the person’s view of the fearful events they anticipate. One other approach is EFT or the Emotional Freedom Technique. This works by tapping the body’s points to change the negative emotional stresses. There is also the NLP or Neuro-Linguistic Programming which is commonly to place a ‘good’ pattern of behavior to follow.

There are also some alternative non-medical approaches like hypnosis and stress management. Hypnosis which uses the mind’s deep state to calm the person and then change the perspective of the fearful events is one treatment option. Stress management, on the other hand, identifies the stressors then provides a more viable option on handling the stress. In turn, when the stress is overcome then, it would be easier to remove all other fears.

Conclusion

In conclusion we hope this article has highlighted the numerous ways you can help yourself, and possibly also help somebody else who has agoraphobia.

We would recommend that you stick with natural therapies over drugs, drug’s only ever mask the symptoms and rarely ever deal with them head on.

Don’t get us wrong, drug’s do have a place and can help put a sufferers symptoms aside so they can attemtp to deal with the real issues with behavioural therapy or other methods. But they should never be relied on 100% as the sole cure.

Finding a cluster of bumps on the rim of the penis is frightening for any man. You may be wondering, “Is it cancer?” or “Have I contracted an STD?” And while any strange lump or bump should be immediately checked out by a doctor, chances are you’ve discovered a harmless condition called Pearly Penile Papules.

Pearly Penile Papules (or hirsuties papillaris genitalis) are tiny flesh colored bumps that form around the circumference of the sulcus or corona of the penis. The bumps are generally dome shaped and tend to cluster in rows - similar to the look of a pearl necklace The lesions are typically found in males between 20 and 40, and occur with a greater frequency in those that are uncircumcised.

Diagnosis of Pearly Penile Papules

Most men assume they have contracted genital warts upon discovering pearly penile papules. However, lesions of this type are benign and not the cause of a sexually transmitted disease. Similarly, pearly penile papules are not related to poor hygiene of the genital area. They are simply a dermatological condition, just like psoriasis or a skin rash.

However, to ensure the lesions are not the result of an undiagnosed STD or cancer, a doctor’s appointment should be made to examine the area in question. In most cases, a sample of the lesions will be biopsied and sent out for laboratory testing.

The doctor may perform other tests if the bumps are accompanied by pus or other secretions - which may also indicate their presence, as they tend to clog the sweat glands.

Treatment Options

In most cases, the best treatment option is to leave the bumps alone. Men suffering with pearly penile papules report that the lesions are not painful and do not interfere with sexual intercourse (although they may be embarrassing or hard to explain at first).

They are just a natural characteristic of the body, the same way a mole or scar would be. However, some men find the condition so embarrassing that it affects their self-esteem and sexual experiences.

Fortunately, a newer technology in the form of CO2 laser ablation exists for a more cosmetically appealing look. There are risks to this surgery however, including inflammation and infection, hematoma, scarring issues, swelling, bruising, and numbness.

During a CO2 laser procedure, the penis will be cleaned and coated with a topical numbing cream for approximately 30 to 60 minutes. Next, a ring block of Lidocaine will be given around the base of the penis to ensure the area is completely numb before the procedure begins. Finally, a CO2 laser will be applied to the papules to completely remove or drastically diminish their appearance.

Following the ablation procedure, a patient may experience redness, swelling, crusting and scabbing, stinging or discomfort for the first few days. Similarly, the entire surgical area will take approximately 1-2 weeks to completely heal.

Conclusion

While the discovery of pearly penile papules can cause fright and anxiety in men, the condition is typically asymptomatic and no cause for concern. Cosmetic treatment options exist for those truly uncomfortable with the physical and emotional effects that pearly penile papules can bring.

To find the best treatment option for pearly penile papules, a patient should consult with a highly respected doctor or dermatologist that specializes in cosmetic procedures to ensure a safe and aesthetically pleasing look to the penis.