Joseph Devine asked:




Railroad workers often work for long hours, completing physically intensive tasks throughout their day. All too often, employers force workers to work an unhealthy amount of hours, sometimes scheduling workers to work around the clock to complete various jobs. If you are a railroad worker who is forced to work long shifts without rest, it is in your best interest to contact an attorney to learn more about your legal rights.

When railroad workers are forced to work incredibly long hours, they often suffer from fatigue. Understanding fatigue and the effects of fatigue may help you to realize the true dangers of working long hours without rest.

What is Fatigue?

Fatigue, also known as exhaustion, occurs when a person does not receive enough sleep and is physically overexerted. The National Sleep Foundation states that full grown adults need somewhere between 7-9 hours of sleep each night in order to be able to function properly throughout the day. Without the proper amount of sleep, our bodies begin to experience physical and cognitive problems. Extreme fatigue is characterized as the constant feeling of tiredness and can only be treated by getting the right amount to sleep and rest.

While we sleep, our body works to restore the physical and mental exertion that the body experienced throughout the day. Sleeping the appropriate amount of hours will help you to wake up refreshed, as well as mentally and physically sharp.

Humans Aren’t Machines

Although it may seem obvious – humans are not machines. Many employers push employees and machines to work at their most efficient in order to maximize profit. What employers fail to consider is that humans can not be pushed to the same level of efficiency as machines.

When employees work in a fatigued state, they run the risk of making dangerous mistakes. The sheer size and power of the equipment that railroad workers operate can be extremely dangerous if the operator of the machine is not rested and working at their full mental and physical capacity.

Overworked to the Point of Fatigue?

If you or a loved one has been worked to the point of fatigue and have suffered serious injuries as a result of your employer’s negligent actions, contact an attorney immediately.

The Federal Employer’s Liability Act (FELA) holds employer’s responsible for their acts of negligence that lead to employee’s injuries. Contact a FELA lawyer to learn more about protecting your rights.

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Suzanne Arthur asked:




“There is a reason so many Lyme sufferers seek out alternative treatments. It is not because they are insane, uneducated, overly hysterical, stupid, or gullible. It is because they are ill, they know they are ill, and because conventional medical treatment has not worked for them.” – Stephen Harrod Bruhner, Healing Lyme: Natural Healing and Prevention of Lyme Borreliosis and Its Coinfections

The annual number of new cases of Lyme borreliosis disease occurring in the United States is unknown due to many factors, namely under-diagnoses, misdiagnoses and unreliable tests. The National Institute of Health classifies Lyme as a rare disease, yet at the same time the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases estimates that there are 100,000 cases of annual occurrence. Harvard researchers and Lyme-literate physicians believe that up to 200,000 new cases of Lyme occurring in the U.S. each year, and that the number of people infected grows each year.

Guidelines published in October, 2006 by the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) list many of the current treatments for Lyme disease as “not recommended,” declaring that Lyme can be cured with a 14 – 28 day course of antibiotics.

People diagnosed with Lyme believe the disease is neither rare nor easy to cure. Physicians who are well-versed in treating their patients with Lyme often use high dosages of long-term antibiotics. Patricia Smith is president of the Lyme Disease Association (LDA), and vice president of political action for the International Lyme and Associated Disease Society. Smith reported that immediately after the guidelines were published Lyme patients started contacting the LDA anxious that their insurance companies would now refuse to pay for long-term antibiotics, a common method of treatment for chronic Lyme. Although the IDSA maintains that the guidelines are not enforced, the reality is that insurance companies can rationalize their refusal to fulfill physician’s prescriptions by pointing to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), which published the guidelines on their web site.

“Lyme disease is an epidemic in this country,” says cardiologist and medical researcher Lee Cowden, MD. Lyme’s ability to mimic hundreds of other diseases adds to the confusion. Cowden believes that most of the diseases “considered incurable by conventional medicine have some kind of Lyme component.” The disease is spread through black-legged ticks, but Lyme-literate doctors suspect that the disease is spread through sexual intercourse and other means.

“It’s in mosquitoes too,” says physician and researcher JoAnn Whitaker, MD, of the Bowen Research Laboratory in Florida. The lab is responsible for a recently patented test for Lyme that is reportedly more reliable than the Western Blot, the test typically used to detect Lyme antibodies. The Bowen Research Laboratory’s blood test, called the Q-RiBb, tests for the antigens themselves. Dr. Whitaker believes that fleas, mosquitoes and any blood-sucking organism can carry Lyme bacteria unless it has a body temperature high enough to kill the bacteria. “I think this is the most prevalent disease there is,” she says.

Although many Lyme patients have had success with long-term antibiotics, many patients being treated with antibiotics have recovered 100% for months or even years only to suffer a relapse. Lyme patients are a varied group, one Lyme-literate physician reminded attendees at the 2006 Lyme conference in Philadelphia. He advised them not to take “a one-size fits all approach” with treatment.

As Patricia Smith and others have noted, due to the controversy and confusion around the disease, Lyme patients recognize the importance of conducting their own research into the symptoms and stages of this multi-stage disease. Anyone who begins to dip their toe in the research quickly becomes aware of the politics around the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme. People diagnosed with Lyme are often at odds with the medical community, many of whom perceive the patient as the enemy, not as a person with a disease.

Many people explore alternatives such as nutritional supplements to help restore their energy and cope with side effects of the antibiotics. Patients are often prescribed antibiotics and never told about the side effects, or about the simple ways to avoid them. Some patients delve into alternatives as they lose confidence in conventional treatment. Some patients simply can’t afford to seek out a Lyme-literate doctor and enlist their help. To patients who are under-insured or not insured at all, the alternatives are a pro-active path they must explore because they are sick. They want to get better, and their symptoms motivate them to find ways to heal. As anybody who has ever googled a cure for the common cold can tell you, there is no shortage of information about healing alternatives online.

Many of these alternatives to antibiotics are compelling, and when conducting research it is clear that members of the virtual Lyme community are genuine, highly motivated and sophisticated in their knowledge of the disease, its effects and the array of alternative therapies available.

Patients learn that while following a protocol for healing Lyme, it is critical to address detoxification of heavy metals in the body such as mercury from amalgam dental fillings, exposure to lead poisoning and the use of aluminum pots and pans. Adopting a sound nutritional diet without sugar, alcohol and caffeine is also important. All of those substances cause havoc to a compromised immune system. Sugar feeds Lyme bacteria and caffeine causes inflammation. Alcohol contains sugar, depresses the immune system, and inflames the liver.

Lee Cowden not only suspects Lyme bacteria as a root cause for autoimmune diseases, he also lists neuro-degenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cardiac-arrhythmias, gastrointestinal diseases, MS, ALS, Parkinson’s, ADDHD, and autism. “I’ve found that if you can start working on the Lyme and the toxins, then a lot of these labels go away,” he says.

How is Lyme disease contracted and spread? The question only seems to invite more controversy to a growing population of Lyme sufferers seeking answers. However, one thing is becoming clear. “Only a very small percentage of those have contracted Lyme disease through a tick bite, the way conventional medicine thinks,” warns Dr. Cowden.

Stephen Harrod Buhner concurs. Author of Healing Lyme: Natural Healing and Prevention of Lyme Borreliosis and Its Coinfections, Buhner says although transmission through a tick bite is still believed to be the most common way of contracting the disease, he notes, “little research has been conducted on other routes of transmission.” Lyme spirochetes “are passed not only through tick bites but also through other mechanisms. Once they infect people they can be found in breast milk, in tears, in semen, and in urine. Babies have been infected in the womb,” he writes.

Buhner, a master herbalist, conducted intensive research of Lyme borreliosis in preparation for his 2005 book, Healing Lyme. In the course of his research, he says, he expected to find that nonpharmaceutical alternatives were not included in any mainstream medical discussion about treatment. But he was surprised by something else he discovered, which is, “that a significant amount of reputable research is being ignored by the mainstream medical community.” If Lyme spirochetes are known to be passed through sexual intercourse, for example, one must wonder why the CDC is turning a deaf ear to that research.

While battle lines are drawn in the medical community about diagnosis, treatment and prevention, Lyme patients continue to grow more sophisticated in their understanding of the effects of Lyme disease, and they continue to try to help themselves heal from Lyme, through conventional therapy, alternatives and a combination of both.

Suzanne Arthur/LDRD/All rights reserved/24 November 2006

adrenal fatigue symptoms

Mishaun Taylor asked:




It can be extremely frustrating when you’re breastfeeding and you have a cold! Not only do you feel extremely lousy but you can’t just take any old over the counter medications to relieve your discomfort. This is because not every cold medication is safe to take while breastfeeding. In this article, we’ll discuss how to choose over the counter cold medications that are safe while breastfeeding.

First of all, you should ask yourself if a non medical approach is possible. While nursing, it is typically suggested that you try the non medical approach first as these tend to be safer for baby. Some proven natural methods that may help are:

o Take a Nap.

o Take Vitamin C or Drink Plenty of Orange Juice.

o Take a Warm Bath with Vicks Vapor Rub In It.

o Use a Humidifier.

o Rest and Relax.

Second, you should do a bit of research about the medication you wish to take. This can be done by asking your physician, a pharmacy technician, or some other medical professional. Another option is to conduct some internet research. Keep in mind however that many over the counter cold medications are excreted through breast milk so that when you take a dose, so does your baby. In addition, some cold medications have also been shown to limit or impede a mother’s ability to make milk. A good rule of thumb is that if a medication was safe during pregnancy then it is likely to be safe while nursing. However, always ask a professional to be extra careful.

Third, know the facts and be wise in your decision. Although natural remedies tend to be best, here are some common cold medications that are often recommended while you’re breastfeeding. Tylenol Cold and Sudafed are considered safe for breastfeeding mothers, along with Beconase or Flonase nasal spray. For allergies, non sedating Sudafed and Benadryl are also considered safe for use during breast feeding, although some studies show that Benadryl can actually decrease your milk supply. Allegra is fine as well, however you should avoid long term use. One thing you should also avoid is the extended capsules or formulas. These are the ones that are meant to last all day long. They are more likely to get into the breast milk and be passed to baby, as well as stay in his or her system for a longer period of time.

Instead of risking this, simply take the regular acting medications and avoid the 9 or 12 hour kind. If you find that your cold or condition is not getting better and you are continuing to take the medication in order to find relief, you should visit your physician. Continuing to take the medication will only increase the risks to your baby, and medicines should not be taken for more than a few days with no improvement in condition.

In conclusion, breastfeeding is a wonderful thing and you shouldn’t let something like a cold slow you down when it comes to giving your baby the best possible start. By utilizing the tips and ideas mentioned above, you can make the best choice for you and your nursing baby.

nap

Cathy Yeatts asked:




It is inevitable. A natural part of every woman’s life is the eventual transition into menopause. Even years before the last menstrual period, one can experience signs of menopause, called perimenopause.

Apart from the natural menopause transition (perimenopause to postmenopause) that most women will experience, some may face a few more challenges.

Premature Ovarian Failure. The average age for women to reach natural menopause, is around age 45-50. Some however, go through menopause in their 40s or even earlier. For most of them, diagnosis of Premature Menopause or Premature Ovarian Failure is a rather shocking experience. Many younger women with these conditions have not yet started a family and learn that it is now too late.

Surgical Menopause. Also called medical menopause, or sudden menopause, occurs when the ovaries are removed before the natural menopause, causing a sudden drop of the ovarian hormones (estrogen, progesterone and testosterone). After surgery, symptoms may start very quickly, and quite often they are intense. Women who have a total abdominal hysterectomy (ovaries and uterus removed) will experience the most significant, life-altering symptoms, if hormone therapy intervention does not begin at once.

Many women will be reassured by their doctor and told that they will feel better after the surgery. (My doctor told me that I would feel better than I had in years.) The reality is, it’s just not true for a lot of women. Why do the symptoms tend to be so extreme? There are a multitude of theories, but common sense tells me that it is most likely due to the abrupt hormone withdrawal. It can be like hitting a brick wall. Some women report hot flashes and mood problems within days of their surgery; others report that the symptoms appear more gradually. Severe and profound fatigue, along with joint and muscle pain can often begin.

Since the adrenal system steps in to pick up the slack on hormone production, the severity of problems can be directly related to a woman’s adrenal health at the time of the surgery. The mainstream medical community, especially in relation to severe menopause symptoms, does not often recognize the issue of adrenal fatigue. However, in my own opinion, and based on my own experiences, this is absolutely a factor in quality of life after surgical menopause.

Here are some things to consider:

- The younger the woman going through surgery, the more potential for severe symptoms;

- Have a hormonal blood work-up before hysterectomy; you can always look back at those tests and see what the levels were before the surgery and try to achieve those levels again;

- As a young woman, it is important to look for a specialist in natural hormonal therapy- someone who is informed and kept up-to-date with the newest medicine and side effects surgical menopause may have;

- There is still little information about the long-term affects surgical menopause has, at a younger age, so do your research and stay informed. Researchers are just now finding out how surgical menopause can relate to heart disease, osteoporosis and general health.

The symptoms most women will experience are night sweats, insomnia, hair loss, vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, bladder infections, weight gain, anger, depression and loss of libido. Some of these problems can be resolved with herbs and nutritional supplements; more severe issues may require medical intervention and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

When faced with the decision about this type of surgery, it can be a bit overwhelming. You will definitely feel more comfortable if you can perform a good amount of due diligence in advance. Surgical menopause can be a traumatic and confusing event. It’s also a good idea to speak with your doctor ahead of time about hormone replacement options. With some illnesses and conditions, hormone replacement therapy is extremely tricky. Go ahead and seek out one or two practitioners who know and utilize supplements and bioidentical hormones. Should you need their expertise, you’ll be glad to have their names and contact information close at hand.

adrenal fatigue