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Life has the ability to pull the rug out from under your feet when you least expect it. Take weight loss as an example. You dream of having a good body. Finally you get off your butt and start working out and dieting. Slowly and surely after much self discipline and perseverance you manage to shed those excess pounds. Just when you think you can now put on that slinky swimsuit and saunter out to the beach you discover that you’ve been hit by one of the side effects of rapid weight loss - folds of loose skin.

Skin is one of the most elastic parts of the body. It stretches and contracts to accommodate our movement, pregnancy, weight gain and weight loss. Yet even the elasticity of skin has its limits. If you have gone on a crash diet and lost a lot of weight very quickly, your skin is going to take some time to catch up. This problem is compounded if you don’t have the power of youth with you. As we age, our skin slowly begins to lose its elasticity. Thus, it responds even slower to changes in body composition. Some people unfortunately are genetically predisposed to skin that is not so elastic. They will have to take extra precautions.

So what are the options when you are faced with such a problem? The first option that springs to mind is cosmetic surgery. Well agreed that it is an option, but it should always be the last one. Not only is it expensive, but there is always a certain amount of risk associated with any surgery. In the battle to tighten loose skin after weight loss, patience and time are your best allies. Skin is inherently elastic and your skin will eventually tighten to accommodate your new svelte figure. All it needs is some time: time and a little care. Let us talk about the steps you can take to ensure that your skin tightens as soon as possible.

The first rule in the battle to tighten loose skin after weight loss is hydration. Dry skin loses its elasticity; hence, it is imperative to ensure that your skin is hydrated at all times. Dry skin therapy is an important part of this process. Ensure that you regularly moisturize your skin, especially after you bathe. Invest in a good moisturizing cream that contains ingredients such as Aloe Vera, cocoa butter, soy protein, cucumbers or yeast extract.

Exfoliation is another important part of this process as it encourages removal of dead skin cells and stimulates the skin. Use a moisturizing body scrub or a loofah when you bathe. With sufficient care your folds of loose skin should be gone in no time at all.

Having written many articles on hair and skin care, Kevin Pederson offers Tips to Tighten Loose Skin after Weight Loss. Get educated on the harmful side effects a rigorous weight loss program may have on your skin and tips on how to tighten loose skin after weight loss

Sinus infection, or sinusitis, is an inflammation of the sinuses and nasal passageways.

The symptoms of sinus infection include headache or pressure sensation in the eyes, nose, cheek area, or on one side of the head.

A person with a sinus infection might likewise have a cough, a fever, unpleasant breath, and nasal stuffiness with thick nasal secretions.

Additional symptoms include pressure in the interior passageways of the skull behind the nose, forehead, and cheeks; you could likewise experience throbbing pain or a “sinus headache”.

Conventional Treatments:

Conventional treatments for sinus infections include nasal sprays, antibiotics, and even surgery in more severe cases. There are some side effects that should be taken into consideration before starting the sinus infection treatment of any of the antihistamines that you can buy without a prescription to treat your sinus infection. There are always negative side-effects…known and unknown.

REMEDIES:

Underlying Causes–

Eradicate all dairy products. Many people can directly associate an acute “attack” a day or two after consuming ice cream, or drinking milk. An acidic body can lead to nasal and sinus problems. In fact you will fair far better if you will eliminate as many foods as possible that tend to be acidic. The main culprits are usually meat and dairy products.
It will always be essential to clean your intestines. There are several good herbal colon cleanses on the market and not only will you gain benefit for sinus problems, but your entire body will benefit from the cleansing of your colon. A liver cleanse and then a blood cleanse, in that order, would be a excellent program to set in place if you want long term healing for your sinus problems.

Acute Phase Remedies–

Bring equivalent amounts of Apple Cider Vinegar and water to a boiling point, then inhale the fumes as it starts to boil, (place a towel over your head to regulate the steam) do this for around 5 minutes. This bestows fast ease. Do this two times per day for 2-3 days; this will rectify a sinus infection in most instances.

Tomato Tea–Add 4 cups tomato juice, 4 crushed garlic cloves, 1 tsp of cayenne pepper at least 45,000-90,000 H.U., 4 tsp. fresh lemon juice, and a pinch or two of pure sea salt for flavor. Heat ingredients and drink hot.

Horseradish–Commence with 1/4 teaspoon of the freshly grated root of horseradish and keep it in your mouth until all the taste is past. It will immediately begin breaking the mucus loose from the sinuses to drain down the throat. This will alleviate the pressure in your nasal cavity and help clear up infection. Horseradish has been proven in laboratory tests to be antibiotic, active against an assortment of bacterium, so this can benefit a sinus infection.

In combination with either remedy take 500 milligrams of vitamin C every 2 hours until infection disappears. The ideal vitamin c to take is Ester-C, it is considered top of the line Vitamin c. Do these things and you will experience healing.

Keith Henry is the Director of Phase 3 Ministries a herbalist, and Naturopathic doctor candidate. Grab your free copy of his EmergencyHerbal Medicine report it could literally save your life.

Electricity, defined by Merriam-Webster, is as follows: a fundamental form of energy observable in positive and negative forms that occurs naturally (as in lightning) or is produced (as in a generator) and that is expensed in terms of the movement and interaction of electrons.

Generally speaking, when thinking of electricity, we think of it as something external to our human bodies: the naturally occurring lightning and human created technology being two said instances. There is, however, a form of electricity that is prevalent in every living creature: bioelectricity.

Bioelectricity is the electric phenomena related to living organisms. It is bioelectricity that enables a shark to map the ocean floor. It is bio-electromagnetic phenomena that enable migratory birds to travel great distances at the same time each year with the accuracy we have only been able to reproduce with maps and GPS. It is bioelectricity that enables the electric eel to generate large fields of current outside their bodies.

The difference of electricity vs. bioelectricity is in degree, not in kind. Whereas a lightning bolt can exceed temperatures of 54,000 degrees Fahrenheit (30,000 degrees Celsius), that same current runs through the human body, just on a smaller scale.

In fact, the human body runs largely off of [bio] electricity and has organs dedicated to sensing electromagnetic impulses, both inside and outside the human body. The pineal and pituitary glands are both directly tied to the human body’s ability to sense and actively experience electromagnetic phenomenon.

The pineal gland is the evolutionary descendant of our ancestors’ ability to perceive light. It also regulates the circadian rhythms of the body, biological rhythms that are attuned to the day-night cycle, (Celtoslavica, Electricity and Human Consciousness); these ‘rhythms’ can be and have been disrupted by electromagnetic fields, both naturally occurring as well as man-made. The pituitary gland controls and influences all other hormonal organs which report back to the pituitary gland(Celtoslavica, Electricity and Human Consciousness); in fact, the pituitary gland is largely responsible for the overall functioning and efficiency of the human nervous system.

The nervous system in human beings is based entirely off of the ability to transmit electric pulses. Every cell within the human body pumps ions (e.g. that which makes up the quantum field), in and out of the cell for energy purposes; this is called the Sodium-Potassium pump, and can be found in all animal life. Said energy, in the biological animal, is called “adenosine triphosphate” (ATP); biologists and biochemist alike have noted that ATP can be neutral, or carry a charge (plus or minus), and is, infact, a charged particle which the cells use for energy. ATP is the final product of the digestive cycle and further exemplifies the human being’s connection (and ability) to experience and manipulate the electromagnetic fields that permeate the Universe.

“Bio-magnetism: An Awesome Force in Our Lives,” an article published by Reader’s Digest (January 1983), highlights some of the [still] cutting edge concepts the scientific community is, and has been, practicing:
“When a patient with a broken leg that is not healing properly comes to Dr. Basset (Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City, NY), he is likely to go home with two heavy pads connected by wires to a box that can plug into an electrical wall socket. The patient puts one pad on each side of his broken bone and turns on the device. Coils of wire in the pad induce a pulsing electromagnetic field into his flesh and bone — a field of energy that somehow commands the bone to heal itself.”

As postulated by the scientists interviewed in the article, it makes sense that human beings have the innate ability to sense electromagnetic phenomena:
“We live on a sun-lit planet, and most living things have acquired some means to use the light. We live in a world filled with sounds, and most living things have developed a means to sense vibrations. Since our planet is also a giant magnet, it should not surprise us to discover that we and many other living things have a sensitivity to Earth’s magnetic-force field.”

As we look from large-scale physics, e.g., the lightning bolt and the sodium-potassium pump, to smaller scale electromagnetic phenomenon, we find ourselves in the realm of quantum mechanics. Light is an electromagnetic phenomenon. Light is both a wave and a particle. In terms of quantum mechanics, electricity and light are the same. The oscillations of the impulses create the divergent effects. Microwaves, radio waves, even the non-lethal weapons of the US Army (such as the Active Denial System jnlwp[dot]com/ads.asp) are based out of electromagnetic fields.

Chi, too, is an electromagnetic phenomenon. Chi is energy; light energy; bio-electromagnetic energy; electricity. The degree of strength in an electromagnetic impulse is the difference between the heart pumping vs. a heart attack. When building chi, it is important to understand, important to know, that the electricity you are both introducing to your body as well as augmenting within your body, can be controlled/manipulated by your mind; without direct and focused intent, the electrical impulses will be raw, hot, and uncomfortable.

In the previously quoted Reader’s Digest article, researchers as far back as 1983 were able to accelerate cellular regeneration in adult rats by intruding electromagnetic waves to afflicted parts of their bodies; humans too, have been shown to have enhanced healing at the cellular level when electromagnet fields are introduced. At the same time, it has been well documented that people exposed to high intensity electromagnetic fields, such as those created by power-line generators, are more susceptible to cancerous develops, such as leukemia.

A qualified Chi Power instructor can teach the chi gung practitioner how to harness this energy in a healing fashion, without painful side-effects. The difference being similar to an invigorating spa- massage vs. being seated in an electric chair at half-power; the choice is simple, and is ultimately yours.

Scientific Premium Company-USA/Sifu Perhacs create many unique and esoteric courses on meditation, chi power, qigong,healing methods, and other topics.
For a FREE 45 minute audio seminar and report go to http://www.qigong.masterthepower.com

Of course, nobody likes the idea of being bald; this is something that affects a lot of men as well as women though. Working to regrow hair is not always easy; this can also cause a substantial amount of stress as you are trying everything under the sun to make hair actually grow back.

Fret not, there are several home remedies that have been known to actually work, just finding what will work best for you is extremely time consuming since you need to give each remedy a chance to actually work.

How do you feel about onions? Most people are not huge fans of onion, particularly the smell. The benefits to your scalp are potentially huge though. Did you even stop to consider that the same food you put on your hamburger could also help you to regrow a bit of hair?

This is a concept that is out of the realm for most people, but it is true. Taking a piece of onion and rubbing it over the bald part of your head until it is slightly red then applying honey for a short period has been known to help improve the circulation of the scalp and in turn improve hair growth.

Another popular choice is the usage of coconut milk and also a bit of aloe vera gel. By mixing together equal parts of the gel and coconut milk you will have a nice paste that you can use to spread around on your scalp and help stimulate the hair follicles to regrow hair. It is very important that you leave the treatment on for at least thirty minutes each time and do this a minimum of three times each week. After a couple of weeks, you should begin to notice some very small hairs regrowing.

Everyone knows that apple cider vinegar is a truly remarkable remedy. This can also be used to assist in hair growth as well. Adding this to the already long list of remedies that apple cider vinegar is capable of is certainly a shock for some people, but it is a reality. Add equal parts of the apple cider vinegar to a bit of sage tea and use it to rinse out the hair. This will help to also stimulate the hair follicles and help you to find a bit of fuzz regrowing.

If you do not see any immediate improvements try not to give up all of the hopes you have at first. There are several reasons why you might not see immediate results; this can range from a bad diet, to stress, to even problems with your overall health. Instead of looking to purchase any expensive treatments always take a bit of time to see a doctor and ensure that you are not experiencing any serious medical problems that could be impacting your hair growth negatively.

Perhaps the doctor will be able to find a problem, which would allow the remedy to work better. If nothing else, this would allow you to determine for certain that the remedy is not effective for your needs so that you can move onto pick out a new remedy to work with. Never just struggle along trying to force a remedy to work that is not effective. There are far too many choices that can help you to continue struggling for success.

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Think about this for a brief moment. As you sit there and read this document, a stream of information is coming in through your sense of sight. But you are also hearing different sounds, feeling physical feelings like the pressure of your chair touching your buttocks and back, the feeling of the clothing on your body, and the air temperature and movement on your skin. You are also in receipt of information by way of your nose in the form of aromas. And of course, you’re taking in data in the form of the mixture of tastes on your lips and in your mouth.

And how about the emotional thoughts that you are currently experiencing? That’s also data that you’re processing at the moment. We exist in an information intensive world. Thanks to the Internet, almost no matter what a person might want to know is only a few clicks of a mouse away.

I recently read an article that said that even in a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere, we are bombarded by sixty thousand stimuli per second. And that’s occurring sixty seconds out of each minute, and sixty minutes out of each hour. And it goes on twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, week in and week out for our entire life.

And that is a big part of the problem. We are all being subjected to “information overload.” And that makes it very difficult to memorize all of the data that we want to memorize or need to remember.

Very often, while we are reading, we discover that our eyes have been traversing the information on the page, while our conscious mind has been off somewhere else on a tangent. When we get to the bottom of the page, we realize that our eyes have seen the words, but we have no conscious recall of what we have just read. That’s because our mind has been somewhere else mulling over a problem, or working out a project.

Today it’s common to hear even young people say things like, “I’m having a senior moment.” No matter what your age, and whether you are a student, part of the labor, or a retired person, I’m sure that you understand what I’m talking about. In our wild world it is very often very difficult to focus your concentration.

SO WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING SCENARIOS IS YOUR PROBLEM?

A. Your mind begins to meander as you study, and then all of a sudden you appreciate that you do not have the slightest idea what you’ve read.

B. When you are in a social environment and new friends are introduced to you, you find that you forget their names as quickly as you hear them.

C. You remember that you have a chore to do in another room; however, as soon as you start towards the other room you totally forget what that task is.

D. You can stay alert and take in new information. But when you take a test, “Test Anxiety” overcomes you and triggers a mental block, and you are not able to call to mind the answers to the questions on the test that you really know.

Think about this for a brief moment. As you sit there and read this document, a stream of information is coming in through your sense of sight. But you are also hearing different sounds, feeling physical feelings like the pressure of your chair touching your buttocks and back, the feeling of the clothing on your body, and the air temperature and movement on your skin. You are also in receipt of information by way of your nose in the form of aromas. And of course, you’re taking in data in the form of the mixture of tastes on your lips and in your mouth.

And how about the emotional thoughts that you are currently experiencing? That’s also data that you’re processing at the moment. We exist in an information intensive world. Thanks to the Internet, almost no matter what a person might want to know is only a few clicks of a mouse away.

I recently read an article that said that even in a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere, we are bombarded by sixty thousand stimuli per second. And that’s occurring sixty seconds out of each minute, and sixty minutes out of each hour. And it goes on twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, week in and week out for our entire life.

And that is a big part of the problem. We are all being subjected to “information overload.” And that makes it very difficult to memorize all of the data that we want to memorize or need to remember.

Very often, while we are reading, we discover that our eyes have been traversing the information on the page, while our conscious mind has been off somewhere else on a tangent. When we get to the bottom of the page, we realize that our eyes have seen the words, but we have no conscious recall of what we have just read. That’s because our mind has been somewhere else mulling over a problem, or working out a project.

Today it’s common to hear even young people say things like, “I’m having a senior moment.” No matter what your age, and whether you are a student, part of the labor, or a retired person, I’m sure that you understand what I’m talking about. In our wild world it is very often very difficult to focus your concentration.

SO WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING SCENARIOS IS YOUR PROBLEM?

A. Your mind begins to meander as you study, and then all of a sudden you appreciate that you do not have the slightest idea what you’ve read.

B. When you are in a social environment and new friends are introduced to you, you find that you forget their names as quickly as you hear them.

C. You remember that you have a chore to do in another room; however, as soon as you start towards the other room you totally forget what that task is.

D. You can stay alert and take in new information. But when you take a test, “Test Anxiety” overcomes you and triggers a mental block, and you are not able to call to mind the answers to the questions on the test that you really know.

Alan B. Densky, CH has specialized in the practice of hypnosis and Neuro-Linguistic Programming since 1978. He offers hypnosis CD’s for memory and recall enhancement. Visit his Neuro-VISION NLP site for free resources & MP3 downloads, and his Video Hypnosis Blog for tips & tricks.

Learning the techniques of instant hypnosis may help you a lot when you are compelled to face an audience without preparation or pressed to address an audience with no prior information. Practicing the techniques of instant hypnosis will help you to overcome such situations successfully

As the very name suggests, it does not require prior planning from the part of the person practicing it. Normally hypnosis is a process which requires preparation from the part of both the parties involved in it. Instant hypnosis on the other hand does not require preparation from the part of the person who experiences it.

Mastering the techniques of instant hypnosis is not an easy thing. The more you learn the better will be your ability to control your inner feelings. It can only be achieved through a continuous learning process.

Instant hypnosis can also be used as an effective tool in regulating the thinking process of the person who communicates with you. Your attempt to influence the thinking pattern of a third party will also be called conversational hypnosis.

The techniques of conversational hypnosis can be utilized more positively by the persons who engaged in marketing commodities. Acquiring knowledge in the techniques of conversational hypnosis will help these persons to understand the thinking pattern of the person communicating with him. By using apt words and repeated positive statement he will be able to influence the customer.

As many of us think it is not easy to understand various components that are to be used by a person while he tries to influence a third party in an awaken state of mind. One has to do it without the permission and co operation from the part of the mind. He will never get a chance in conversational hypnosis to take him to a trance state of mind.

Only a person with enough experience and expertise in this area of hypnosis will be able to perform instant or conversational hypnosis. A person who wishes to learn the techniques of this type of hypnosis should have the skill and tools to make the learning process a successful one. If you are a person interested in mastering instant hypnosis, collect all the available materials on this topic to understand the nature and scope of learning this branch of hypnotherapy. If possible, avail the guidance of a hypnotist to learn and understand it in a scientific way.

To get your complimentary Hypnosis course, or for my personal advice on Hypnotism, Hypnotherapy and Self Hypnosis visit my website by clicking the links.

The world over there is an increased interest in the field of hypnosis. People are gradually realizing the various benefits that can be accrued from hypnosis. No longer is hypnosis viewed with suspiciously as being part of some occult science or black magic. The medical fraternity is also using hypnosis for treating various conditions these days. Trained hypnotists suggest certain positive messages to a patient’s subconscious mind during clinical hypnosis.

Clinical hypnosis is becoming increasing popular, since there is literally no equivalent to it when it comes to treating behavioral problems. There are millions of people around the world who have benefited from this method of treatment. Addictions such as that of alcohol and tobacco can be easily given up using this form of hypnosis. There are many who use this technique for weight loss too. With so many uses, it is no wonder that an increasing number of people are looking towards hypnosis as a possible solution to all their problems.

Contrary to popular perception, hypnosis has got nothing to do with magic. For the process of clinical hypnosis to be successful, it requires full cooperation on the patient’s side. The overall attitude of the patient along with his or her belief in the therapist is what determines the success rate of treatment using hypnosis. The duration of treatment using this procedure may vary from person to person. For instance, while it may require only a session or two for a person, it may require several sessions for yet another person. Patience is therefore the key to successful results when it comes to this method of treatment.

Clinical hypnosis is quite different from self-hypnosis in the sense that it needs the services of a well trained and experienced hypnotist. The advantage in this case is that a trained hypnotist can devise the suggestions taking into consideration your physical condition. It is therefore important that you choose someone experienced to perform hypnotherapy. Getting treated by an inexperienced therapist may sometimes result in extreme reactions in the patient. A simple search of the local yellow pages or online directories can put you across several clinical psychologists who can help you out with the process these days.

Clinical hypnosis is being widely sought after, especially by people looking to quit vices such as drinking and smoking, all over the world these days. It is also widely by the medical fraternity for helping patients to suppress pain arising out of serious medical conditions such as cancer.

To get your complimentary Hypnosis course, or for my personal advice on Hypnotism, Hypnotherapy and Self Hypnosis visit my website by clicking the links.

If you’re one of the millions of people that suffer from back and neck pain, then you know that its one of the most debilitating pains. Not only can you not do all the things you would like to do in fear that your back might go out, but you also can’t do anything when your back pain is bothering you. Well over 80% of Americans have suffered back and neck pain at least once in their life. Back pain is caused by several different things, such as pressure on the spine from vertebrate disks being out of place, nerve and muscular problems as well as arthritis. Upper, lower and middle pain symptoms include:

Aching and stiffness along the spine as well as pain from the neck to the hips,

Sharp pains in the upper or lower back, especially after strenuous activities,

An ache in the middle or lower back that is constant, especially after sitting or standing in a certain position for several hours.

If your one of the many people that have experienced back pain or are prone to back and neck aches, there are several different treatments to choose from. One of the main treatments, is to see a Chiropractor on a weekly basis. A lot of people just go once and the pain goes away instantly. Unfortunately, for problems such as this, one visit just won’t do. Other treatments include:

Homeopathic remedies such as hot or cold treatments, exercise, extension exercises, stretching and aerobic exercise.

Acupuncture and trigger points

Back pain medications including NSAIDS like aspirin, ibuprofen, ketoprofen and naproxen. Acetaminophens like Tylenol, and panadol. Opioid painkillers such as codeine, morphine, Vicodin, and Percocet. There are also several other things you can take. As with any drug, even something like aspirin, please talk to your doctor before you take it. Some of these drugs can’t be used continually whereas others can have side effects such as nausea and dizziness.

Other treatments including aspirin or yoga. Aspirin is muscle relaxer but it also helps with the inflammation that can happen in your spine and back area. Yoga on the other hand, not only strengthens your back and neck but it also “stretches” your spine.

Some of the best sites that you can visit are WebMD, MEDLINEplus, and MayoClinic for more information on what causes back pain and how to cease it. If you wish to pursue one of the treatments above, please speak to your Doctor beforehand. I wish you luck in finding the right solution for your neck or back pain. I know how hard it is to live with such a horrible pain!

This author is a huge fan of Back Pain Relief

According to studies, well over 50 million Americans suffer from allergies. With most people allergies are simply “seasonal” and they come and go as the seasons come and go. Their biggest problem is usually in the summer time when pollen is at an all time high. But a number of people experience chronic, year round allergies. People with seasonal allergies often have symptoms such as itchy, runny nose, congestion, and sneezing. However, symptoms of non-seasonal allergies include: coughing, watery eyes, allergic conjunctivitis, and post nasal drip. It doesn’t matter if your a seasonal or non seasonal person, allergies are bothersome either way.

Not only do allergies make it hard to go outside, but inside as well. Things like pollen, dust particles, mites, pets, mold, formaldehyde, dander, and smoke can easily cause a persons allergies to heighten to the point of annoyance! Of course there are several different things that you can take medication wise for being outdoors, but what are you to do for indoors? Well one of the quick but lasting fixes for this would be to get an air purifier.

Air purifiers do what the name says, they purify the air, allowing your allergies to be alleviated. So instead of your lungs filtering out all the substances that are making you have these allergic reactions in the first place, the air purifier works as a filter. If your looking for one of the best air purifiers out there it would be a good idea to get one called Biozone.

Biozone removes allergens, bacteria, odors, viruses and germs, cigarette smoke and some chemical fumes. This product, starts at around $300 but I have seen it on other sites for a lot cheaper than that. Try sites like eBay and Amazon. This is by far the best air purifier you can get. I’ve looked on several different sites, and between the Biozone and several other air purifiers the Biozone always seems to get the highest rating! This is good news for allergy sufferers that are looking for a way to keep these substances out of their home and out of their lungs. Some other purifiers you could try all are Allerair Hepa, Clarifier, and Hamilton Beach. The last three got a rating between 4.5 and 5 where as the Biozone got a 5.5 rating. So these products aren’t too far behind, but they also give you some other options to choose from.

If your looking for more information on air purifiers, as well as more information on allergies please visit WebMD or MEDLINEplus.

This author is a huge fan of Air Purifiers

Do you know how to help your unique chronic joint, muscle and bone pains? It’s close at hand, relatively cheap and pretty easy to come by. And even if you are away from home, it can be improvised.

Well, the answer is heat or cold treatments for pain relief. Sounds easy. But which one do YOU use? And when do you use it?

Here are some guidelines.

Rule #1: You and only you know how this kind of process benefits YOUR specific kind of arthritic pain. That’s why it suits you rather than someone else.
Whether you’ve decided that ice or heat is your ally for that chronic aching joint, there are some important facts you need to know.

Knowledge of these facts will help you from creating even more pain! (Wouldn’t that just be the icing on the cake? No pun intended!)

As a card-carrying member of the Arthritis Club, you’ve probably had at least one round of physical therapy to your credit. So you have a good idea of the “what” and “how to” of this temperature deal.

Rule #2: Sounds silly: Do not burn or freeze the affected painful area. Told you it’d sound silly. But don’t listen to that “helpful” elf-voice that ALWAYS tries to convince us that if “a little is good”, then “more” would be so MUCH better!!! (You really should do something about that elf! THAT would be much better for your health.)

Let’s break it down: Heat treatment might mean using a heating pad, a moist heat wrap/pad, or basic hot water bottle. A patch that warms over several hours to ease pain is another option.

General medical consensus is that warm, moist heat is the first choice. It’s soothing, manageable, and not too drastic for the inflammation. This heat can penetrate and not dry your skin.

Rule #3: If you use heat, you need to be careful how long and how much pressure goes into your treatment. Moderate heat is effective. The heat source should not be wrapped tightly around the knee, elbow, back, etc. in order to do its job.

Keep the heat on for about 20 minutes, and then remove it. Your doctor may have directed you to repeat the heat again after 20 minutes. Or he/she may have told you to use this heat regimen at 3 different times during the day.

Rule #4: Never apply heat over a topical, adhesive skin patch whose chemicals are already creating a heat source for your pain. Same goes for putting a tight ace bandage over one of those patches. You could cause a serious burn.

Rule #5: Never lie on top of a heating pad, moist or dry. This adds pressure to the area you are aiming to help.

Pain treatment with cold/ice can be accomplished with an ice bag or chemical ice packs. Even cracked ice cubes in a plastic bag or a bag of frozen vegetables will do the job.

Rule #6: Wrap the ice in a moist towel or cloth before placing it against your skin. Ice can also “burn” your skin if left on too long. Again, the 20 minute rule applies: Twenty minutes on, then take it off.

Each arthritis sufferer is unique. Usually heat is more desirable in the morning to relieve stiffness and pain to get joints moving. Night-time is the right time to enlist the ice-man to soothe the pain and soreness from your daily activities.

However, you could feel just the opposite! Maybe you use only ice, or only heat, when you want pain relief. Don’t you feel special?

If all of this seems “much ado about nothing”, think again. This small, simple technique lets you handle a part of your own recovery plan. And this is power. You are taking control to make yourself feel better, and this is one giant step in the positive direction.

Heat and ice are convenient, available, and inexpensive. Just make your choice, and have a new day!

Clydette Clayton is a specialist in Pain Relief. She overcame pain herself using the same natural pain relieftechniques that she now shares with others. Access her free newsletter on Pain Relief by going to http://www.1MinutePainRelief.com and entering your name and email in the form provided.