Post-concussion syndrome is usually not treated, though specific symptoms can be addressed; for example, people can take pain relievers for headaches and medicine to relieve depression, dizziness, or nausea. Rest is advised, but is only somewhat effective. Physical and behavioral therapy may also be prescribed for problems such as loss of balance and difficulties with attention, respectively.

Medication

Though no pharmacological treatments exist especially for PCS, if necessary doctors may prescribe medications used for symptoms that also occur in other conditions; for example, antidepressants are used for the depression that frequently follows MTBI. Side effects of medications may affect people suffering the consequences of MTBI more severely than they do others, and thus it is recommended that medications be avoided if possible; there may be a benefit to avoiding narcotic medications. In addition, headache medications may cause rebound headaches when they are discontinued.

Psychotherapy

Psychological treatment, to which about 40% of PCS patients are referred for consultation, has been shown to reduce problems. Ongoing disabilities may be treated with therapy to improve function at work, or in social or other contexts. Therapy aims to aid in the gradual return to work and other preinjury activities, as symptoms permit. A protocol for PCS treatment has been designed based on the principles behind Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a psychotherapy aimed at influencing disturbed emotions by improving thoughts and behaviors. CBT may help prevent persistence of iatrogenic symptoms – those that occur because health care providers create the expectation that they will. A risk exists that the “power of suggestion” may worsen symptoms and cause long-term disabilities; therefore, when counseling is indicated, the therapist must take a psychological origin of symptoms into account and not assume that all symptoms are a direct result of neurological damage from the injury.

In situations such as motor vehicle accidents or following a violent attack, the post-concussion syndrome may be accompanied by post-traumatic stress disorder, which is important to recognize and treat in its own right. People with PTSD, depression, and anxiety can be treated with medication and psychotherapy.

Education

Education about symptoms and their usual time course is a part of psychological therapy, and is most effective when provided soon after the injury. Since stress exacerbates post-concussion symptoms, and vice versa, an important part of treatment is reassurance that PCS symptoms are normal, and education about how to deal with impairments. One study found that PCS patients who were coached to return to activities gradually, told what symptoms to expect, and trained how to manage them had a reduction in symptoms compared to a control group of uninjured people. Early education has been found to reduce symptoms in children as well.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Post-concussion syndrome, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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This play features a small array of main characters with varying personalities. These variations and the ensuing actions of the characters induce conflicts with one another, allowing the characters to develop thoroughly, effectively making their development a driving force in the plot of the play.

; Matilda “Tillie” Hunsdorfer: The main protagonist of the play. A quiet and introverted character who is teased at school. She copes with her life by immersing herself in science, hoping to reach a philosophical epiphany. Her untiring quest for her individuality stands in open defiance of her mother’s wish for total control over the family. Because of this, she receives the brunt of the abuse. Tillie also owns a rabbit named Peter, given to her by her science teacher, Mr. Goodman.

; Ruth Hunsdorfer: Tillie’s older sister. A brash but confused adolescent, she looks to others for advice, but often gains this insight from Beatrice. Although abused as well, she often bends to her mother’s will, putting her in her favor and sheltering her from the full extent of her abuse. She also takes a liking to Tillie’s pet rabbit, to the point where she threatened to kill her mother if she harms him. There is evidence in the story suggesting that Ruth may have epilepsy.

; Beatrice Hunsdorfer: Tillie’s and Ruth’s mother. A single mother whose life has gone awry, she copes with it through self-loathing, cynicism, and drug abuse, and by verbally (and at times physically) abusing her two daughters. As the play’s main antagonist, Beatrice is mainly narcissistic, domineering, and lethally short-tempered, which is only worsened by the drugs. However, her plight is sympathetic, as her past reveals a life spiraling steadily downward from serendipitous circumstances, leading her to self-destruction.

; Mr. Goodman: Tillie’s science teacher. He serves as a mentor to Tillie. Mr. Goodman is mentioned on many occasions, but never seen, although the dialogue often implies that he is the only positive role model in Tillie’s life.

; Nanny: An elderly boarder in the Hunsdorfer household. Silent throughout, she doesn’t contribute much beyond being yet another burden to the already stressed-out Beatrice who verbally abuses her as she does her daughters.

; Mr Frank: Beatrice’s Father. A deceased vegetable vendor. After his wife (Beatrice’s mother) died, he raised Beatrice on his own. Although he had a lowly status, Beatrice holds him in high regard—”He makes up for all the men in the world”—and smiles imagining her daughters meeting him.

; Janice Vickery: Tillie’s rival at the science fair. Her experiment involved boiling the skin off a dead cat so she may use its skeleton. She plans to use a dog in her next science fair project.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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In addition to poor circulation, neuropathy, and difficulty moving, factors that contribute to chronic wounds include systemic illnesses, age, and repeated trauma. Comorbid ailments that may contribute to the formation of chronic wounds include vasculitis (an inflammation of blood vessels), immune suppression, pyoderma gangrenosum, and diseases that cause ischemia. Immune suppression can be caused by illnesses or medical drugs used over a long period, for example steroids. Emotional stress can also negatively affect the healing of a wound, possibly by raising blood pressure and levels of cortisol, which lowers immunity.

What appears to be a chronic wound may also be a malignancy; for example, cancerous tissue can grow until blood cannot reach the cells and the tissue becomes an ulcer. Cancer, especially squamous cell carcinoma, may also form as the result of chronic wounds, probably due to repetitive tissue damage that stimulates rapid cell proliferation.

Another factor that may contribute to chronic wounds is old age. The skin of older people is more easily damaged, and older cells do not proliferate as fast and may not have an adequate response to stress in terms of gene upregulation of stress-related proteins. In older cells, stress response genes are overexpressed when the cell is not stressed, but when it is, the expression of these proteins is not upregulated by as much as in younger cells.

Comorbid factors that can lead to ischemia are especially likely to contribute to chronic wounds. Such factors include chronic fibrosis, atherosclerosis, edema, sickle cell disease, and arterial insufficiency-related illnesses.

Repeated physical trauma plays a role in chronic wound formation by continually initiating the inflammatory cascade. The trauma may occur by accident, for example when a leg is repeatedly bumped against a wheelchair rest, or it may be due to intentional acts. Heroin users who lose venous access may resort to ‘skin popping’, or injecting the drug subcutaneously, which is highly damaging to tissue and frequently leads to chronic ulcers. Children who are repeatedly seen for a wound that does not heal are sometimes found to be victims of a parent with Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a disease in which the abuser may repeatedly inflict harm on the child in order to receive attention.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Chronic wound, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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By: Josh Santebanes
Divorce can mean  a lot of problems for both parties. You have to realize that this situation can be physically, emotionally and financially draining for you. You get too tired easily since you will have to deal with  a lot of things and thus you are busy all the time. A lot of money is also involved in this separation so you will need to spend some too. Emotions pour out as a result of failed relationship. It is such a frustrating thing to note that the marriage that you have entered did not end up well. A lot of emotional adjustments must be made after divorce. It is very important that you will be able to recover easily with the challenges. There are some tips that you need to instill in your mind for you to recover from the emotional stress that divorce may bring you. Take a look at kids and divorce.

REDEFINE RELATIONSHIP

After divorce, the both of you cannot just forget each other. But you have to remember that if you have children, you may need to redefine your relationship with your ex. The both of you have these kids to take care and guide. You need to cooperate with other so that these kids can still grow in a productive way. You need not to be the best of friends but always remember that your kids depend on the both of you so you have to redefine the relationship between the both of you. It is important that you see children and divorce.

SAY NO TO NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

It is normal to get frustrated for quite a while since marriage is not a joke that must be broken just as that. But you have to realize that grieving has a process. You need to move in different stages so that you can move on fast. Keep your mind from the negative thoughts. Invite positive energy by thinking about the positive things only.

KNOW YOUR PASSION

You will surely need some entertainment so that you will be able to recover fast from the broken relationship. A good passion that you can push through is a good diversion technique that can make you at least move on faster than expected. Discover your hidden talents. You may do good in dancing, singing or painting. You can do this whenever you feel sad of how the relationship ended,

BE A GOOD EXAMPLE

One thing that you need to remember always is that your kids look up to you. They see you as their model. You have to be a good example for them and show them that despite the fact that their parents are not together anymore, the both of you still take good care of them all the time. They still have their parents whom they can turn to.

There are important factors that you need to remember in order for you to be able to handle things like emotional stress after divorce. You have to follow the guide mentioned. These will aid you to become a new and better person whom your kids will surely admire.

Josh Santebanes is a father who likes to play golf and billiards. He is also fascinated with airplanes and helicopters. Being a man does not stop him from doing household chores especially in choosing the best tools and accessories that will match the house. He is a father of 3 cute children.

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By: Donna Amos
The Effects Of Stress On Your Body?

How do you define stress? Is it when you have a million things to get down before the end of your workday? Is it when your children are starting to drive you crazy? Is it when you and your significant other can’t seem to get along? All of these situations create stress and are all examples of emotional stressors. Most of us relate “stress” to emotional stress and don’t think about or know what else can stress us. But have you thought about the effects of stress when you eat a cheeseburger, drink a soda, or sit all day at work? Just as emotional stressors affect us, these physical and chemical stressors create imbalances in our body driving it further away from homeostasis.

Stress can be defined as a normal physiological response to situations or stimulus, which are perceived as “dangerous” to the body. The human body is complex; it must stay with in a very narrow range of physiological function to maintain homeostasis. The body is exposed everyday to different persons, species, situations and stimuli. If the exposure is hazardous then the body prepares itself to face the situation – the reason being is to maintain internal homeostasis and the bodies normal functioning should not be affected. This response is called the fight or flight response.

The fight or flight response occurs because the body needs more energy when its faced with situations deemed “dangerous”. The initial step of this response is taken by the hypothalamus of the brain that in turn eventually stimulates your adrenal glands (located above your kidneys). The adrenal glands secrete two important hormones, adrenaline and cortisol. These two hormones work together to see that the body gets more energy by providing more oxygen and glucose. For these things to occur, the following adjustments are done. First, adrenaline makes blood flow toward your muscles, heart, and brain – and away from the skin and digestive track. Then, your heart beats rapidly and forcefully increasing heart rate and your blood pressure. At the same time your eyes dilate and your blood vessels constrict. Finally, the sugar stored in your liver is converted into glucose (blood sugar) for quick energy during the fight or flight response. Once the trigger is gone, the hormone levels drop and the body returns to normal. However if stress occurs repeatedly, then all the hormone levels are persistently high not allowing the body to come back to normal.

How often do you feel stressed? I think most of us would answer everyday. This means that we consistently have high levels of adrenaline and cortisol running through our blood. Remember, when we are stressed the body is looking for quick energy. To gain more energy, glucagon is being converted into blood sugar. This means you consistently have higher levels of blood sugar than what you should. Think about that. Is it hard for you to lose weight? Has your doctor told you that your headed toward diabetes? Have you improved your diet but still can’t control your blood sugar? At my office, Living with Motion Chiropractic, we understand the effects of stress on your body. All day, everyday, your body is adjusting and compensating to maintain homeostasis. The next time you feel back pain from sitting all day (physical stress) or you get angry with your children (emotional stress) or you shovel down a burger with fries (chemical stress), remember how these situations impact your health. Finding a balance in your life physically, emotionally, and chemically will allow your body to respond appropriately to the effects of stress!

Dr. Luke Reineck works with patients in the Cincinnati market to assist them with a wellness plan that they can easily follow. Get a Free Report: 5 Quick & Easy
Steps to Weight Loss – available at www.livingwithmotion.com and learn about the Bax3000!

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