Cranial neuralgia refers to pain originating in one or more of the cranial nerves. The twelve cranial nerves exit from the brain through openings in the skull to conduct sensory, motor and autonomic nerve impulses to and from the brain, face and...
Detrol LA is the long-acting capsule formulation of tolteradine tartrate. It is an antimuscarinic agent, and it works by blocking the parasympathetic nerve response in order to diminish symptoms of urge incontinence, urinary frequency and...
Caffeine is the most commonly used stimulant in the world. Caffeine increases your alertness by increasing the active levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. Additionally, caffeine increases the activation of the sympathetic nervous system,...
In order to perform a spinal block, an anesthesiologist inserts a fine needle through the skin, muscle and ligaments of the back into the canal that protects the spinal cord. The spinal cord does not, however, run the entire length of the canal....
Lecithin is fatty material found in plant and animal tissues, especially soybeans and egg yolks. The main component of lecithin is phosphatidylcholine, which is present in various human tissues, especially your blood, bile, brain and nerves....
There are numerous types of electrical muscle stimulation or electrotherapy. According to the Spine Health website, electricity has been used to treat pain for more than 100 years, and recent scientific evidence has shown that electrical...
Considered an honor and a tradition in many ancient cultures, foot bathing has been enjoyed for thousands of years. Currently, spas and health care treatment centers offer foot baths as part of their treatment routines; some even claim that these...
Indigestion is a bothersome feeling after a meal which may be accompanied by a mild to severe pain between the chest bone and the navel, bloating, burning or nausea. Indigestion is more common in women than men and in athletes. About one-quarter...
Your heartbeat is the regular, pulsing sensation in your arteries that occurs when your heart contracts and rests. Your heart rate is the number of times your heart beats each minute. Several nerves influence your heart rate and heartbeat, with...
The nervous system consists of three main nerve types. Sensory nerves supply humans with the ability to see, hear, smell, taste and feel. Motor nerves enable the brain to command the muscles of the body. Autonomic nerves regulate the function of...
The pupil's size is determined by a balance between the input from the two parts of the autonomic nervous system --- sympathetic and parasympathetic. Sympathetic nerves release adrenaline, which causes the pupil to expand. Parasympathetic nerves...
Acetylcholine is a molecule released by nerves. It signals other nerves and muscles to perform a function. It is released by nerves to signal skeletal muscles in the arm to contract. It is also has functions in the brain, and in the part of the...
The normal heart rate for an average adult is 60 to 100 beats per minute. This number can increase to a maximum heart rate during exercise that varies with age. Your heart rate, both at rest and during exercise, is controlled by the nervous...
Homeostasis is a process of maintaining certain body states at equilibrium, to ensure normal body function to sustain life. The brain, in conjunction with the autonomic nervous system, or ANS, regulates emotions, appetite, heart rate, breathing...
The nervous system is a complex of nerve tissue that receives and transmits stimuli. As reported by Elmhurst College, the nervous system includes the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system (all other...
Your heart rate increases as your level of physical activity increases, in order for the heart to be able to deliver enough oxygenated blood to the working muscles. However, regular aerobic exercise such as brisk walking, jogging, cycling, or...
Imagine yourself in a stressful situation; your face starts turning red, and you feel your blood pressure and heart rate begin to rise. An elevated heart rate caused by undue stress can be as unhealthy for your heart as eating high levels of...
Studies concerning weight loss and deep breathing are currently limited in scope. However, researchers from the Division of Internal Medicine, Aoyama Clinic, Niigata, Japan published a study on a specific abdominal breathing technique called...
Balanced emotions and relaxed muscles are far better than the byproducts of daily stress. Oil massage has been used as one of the oldest forms of stress reduction treatments in history and dates back 3,000 years according to historians. Chinese,...
A nerve block is a procedure used to determine and temporarily relieve back pain. Specific types of nerve blocks include peripheral and sympathetic nerve blocks, selective nerve root blocks and stellate ganglion blocks. Nerve roots grow through...
Opiates are some of the most addictive and abused substances available today. They include illegal derivatives like heroin and opium in addition to legal therapeutics for pain like morphine and fentanyl. Their abuse can result in various side...
A cerebrovascular incident, or stroke, is a compromise of the blood vessels to deliver blood to an area of the brain, potentially causing brain damage. It can either be an occlusion of the vessel lumen, known as ischemic stroke, or a rupture of...
Those who are interested in alternative forms of physical therapy for musculoskeletal and neuromuscular ailments should consider discussing ultrasonic heat therapy with a licensed health-care provider. This form of therapy utilizes ultrasound...
As one of the hardest-working muscles in the body, your heart beats thanks to a complex system of nerves, cells, biochemicals and minerals. Acetylcholine, a biochemical, plays a large role in maintaining your heart's rhythm when you are at rest....
The brain stem links the spinal cord to the brain. Messages between the brain and the rest of the body pass through the brain stem in large nerve bundles. However, the brain stem is more than a nerve impulse highway. According to Dr. Richard...
Detrol is a brand of the drug known as Tolterodine tartarate. The FDA approves the use of Detrol for use in cases of overactive bladder. Overactive bladder usually manifests as incontinence (an inability to hold in urine), an increased urgency to...
Your heart's conduction system creates a steady heartbeat that increases in response to exercise. The physiological changes of the heart during exercise are reflected in EKG tracings. The electrical activity of your heart recorded by the EKG...
Heart rate is defined as the number of times your heart beats each minute. Maximum heart rate is the fastest your heart can beat in a minute. Heart rate is influenced by many factors, including fitness, age and overall health. Although maximum...
Diabetic patients are at a higher risk for heart attacks than people with normal blood sugars. Several factors play a role in this heightened diabetic risk profile, including insulin resistance, enhanced clotting tendencies, high blood pressure,...
