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Some
people also claim that circumcision either lessens or heightens the sensitivity
of the tip of the penis, decreasing or increasing sexual pleasure later
in life. But neither of these subjective findings has been proven to be
true.
Although
circumcision appears to have some medical benefits, it also carries potential
risks - as does any surgical procedure. These risks are small, but you
should be aware of both the possible advantages and the problems that
can be associated with the procedure before you make your decision. Complications
of newborn circumcision are uncommon, occurring in between 0.2% to 3%
of cases. Of these, the most frequent are minor bleeding and local infection,
both of which can be easily treated by your child's doctor.
Perhaps
one of the hardest parts of the decision to circumcise is accepting that
the procedure can be painful. In the past, it wasn't commonplace to provide
pain relief for babies being circumcised, but because studies have indicated
that it benefits the infant to receive anesthesia, most doctors will now
provide it. Also, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends
the use of pain relief measures for circumcision. Even up until recently,
though, anesthesia hasn't been universally used, so it's important to
ask your doctor ahead of time what, if any, pain relief will be utilized
with your son.
Two
primary forms of local anesthetic are used to make the operation less
painful for your baby:
a
topical cream (a cream put on the penis) that requires at least 20 to
40 minutes to take its full effect
an injectable anesthetic that requires less time to take effect and may
provide a slightly longer period of anesthesia
Besides anesthesia, giving a pacifier dipped in sugar water can help reduce
your baby's level of stress (and yours). Used together, these methods
can decrease your baby's discomfort by more than 50%.
Caring
for a Circumcised Penis
Whether you choose circumcision or not, it's important to keep your son's
penis clean. It should be washed with soap and warm water every time you
bathe him. And you don't need to use cotton swabs, astringents, or any
special bath products.
There
are also no special washing precautions with newly circumcised babies,
other than to be gentle, as your baby may have some mild discomfort after
the circumcision. If your son has a bandage on his incision, you might
need to apply a new one whenever you change his diaper for a day or 2
after the procedure (put petroleum jelly on the bandage so it won't stick
to his skin). Doctors often also recommend putting a dab of petroleum
jelly on the baby's penis or on the front of the diaper to alleviate any
potential discomfort caused by friction against the diaper.
How
you take care of your baby's penis may also vary depending on the type
of circumcision procedure your child's doctor performs. Be sure to talk
to him or her about what aftercare will be needed.
It
usually takes between 7 to 10 days for a penis to heal. Until it does,
the tip may seem raw or yellowish in color. Although this is normal, certain
other symptoms are not. Call your child's doctor right away if you
notice any of the following:
persistent
bleeding
redness around the tip of the penis that gets worse after 3 days
fever
signs of infection, such as the presence of pus-filled blisters
not urinating normally within 6 to 8 hours after the circumcision
However, with quick intervention, almost all circumcision-related problems
are easily treated.
Caring
for an Uncircumcised Penis
As with a penis that's circumcised, an uncircumcised one should be kept
clean. Also, no cotton swabs, astringents, or any special bath products
are needed - simple soap and warm water every time you bathe your baby
will suffice.
However,
you should never forcibly pull back the foreskin to clean beneath it.
Instead, gently tense it against the tip of the penis and wash off any
smegma (the whitish "beads" of dead skin cells mixed with the
body's natural oil). Over time, the foreskin will retract on its own so
that it can be pulled away from the glans toward the abdomen. This happens
at different times for different children, but most boys can retract their
foreskins by the time they're 5 years old.
As
your son grows up, teach him to wash beneath the foreskin by gently pulling
it back from the glans, rinsing the glans and the inside of the foreskin
with soap and warm water, then pulling the foreskin back over the head
of the penis.
Making
a Circumcision Decision
In addition to the medical issues discussed, religious and cultural beliefs
often figure into the equation. Of course, if these are important to you,
they deserve to be seriously considered.
Despite
the possible benefits and risks, circumcision is neither essential nor
detrimental to a boy's health. The AAP and the American Academy of Family
Physicians (AAFP) do not endorse the procedure as a way to prevent any
of the medical conditions mentioned previously. The AAP also does not
find sufficient evidence to medically recommend circumcision or argue
against it.
Talk
to your child's doctor about the pros and cons of circumcision to help
you make the choice that's right for your son.
Homeopath
Introduction
Homeopathy
is based on the principle that substances that are poisonous in large
doses can be very beneficial in small doses. Homeopathy is a form of medicine
that treats the body as a whole and helps it to heal itself. It can be
used for the short term (acute) illnesses and long term (chronic) illnesses.
The objective is to prevent the patient from getting the illnesses again
(prevention). The name homeopathy comes from the Greek word "homios"
which means "like" and the word "pathos" meaning "suffering".
Thus homeopathy simply means treating like with like.
In
the fourth century B.C., Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, observed
that large amount of certain natural substances can produce symptoms in
healthy people resembling those caused by the disease, while smaller doses
of these same substances can relieve those symptoms. in 1790's Samuel
Hahnemann, a German doctor, amplified this concept and proposed the practice
called homeopathy. He proposed that "Let like be cured by like".
Homeopathy uses animal, vegetable and mineral preparations to cure a person's
illness. Millions of people in Britain, Europe and America uses Homeopathy.
Homeopathy
looks at each patient and develops a remedy or treatment plan strictly
for him or her. It invokes the powers of healing inherent in individuals
(our immune system) to develop a successful therapy. The more one knows
about the patient, the symptoms, likes and dislikes, what makes them better
or worse, it helps in developing a "symptom picture" of the
patient that can lead to a successful treatment.
If
we think about the principle of homeopathy, it has a lot in common with
our present understanding of immunizations. To prevent us from catching
small pox, a vaccine is prepared which is a mild form of the virus that
causes the disease. The principle is that introduction of this small amount
of the virus in our body system will set out our body's defenses so that
when the actual virus shows up, our body will have enough barriers or
fighting power to prevent the virus from entering our body. Homeopathy
practitioners believe that when we introduce a very very small amount
of the deadly material into the body, our body will unleash enough defenses
to prevent the disease from recurring again. However, there are significant
differences between the concepts used in Western medicine and those of
homeopathy. Vaccines are not rendered more potent when they are diluted
like homeopathic preparations. In conventional treatment, there is a minimum
dosage that need to be given before the medication becomes effective in
treating the underlying problem. For example, when taking antibiotics,
we have to take the whole course at regular intervals to maintain a potency
level in the bloodstream to kill the bacteria.
Homeopathic
remedies, which are made from naturally occurring plant, animal, or mineral
substances, are recognized and regulated by the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) and are manufactured by established pharmaceutical companies under
strict guidelines. There are over 2000 homeopathic remedies that are usually
referred to by their abbreviated name. (For example Arg nit. stands for
Argentum nitricum). These are derived from such exotic sources as bee
stings, snake venoms, arsenic, gold and silica, and even compounds from
diseases tissue. Homeopaths also prescribes tissue salts. Tissue salts
are prepared from mineral sources. Homeopathic remedies are diluted to
such an extent that there can be no possible side effects from even the
most toxic substances. The dilution process is known as 'potentation'
Taken in this ultra diluted form, Homeopathic remedies have no side effects
and are perfectly safe, non-toxic and non-addictive.
Homeopathy
Constitutional
treatment for both partners is the best approach. Helpful remedies include:
Sabina 6c for women who have had miscarriages before 12 weeks.
Sepia 6c for irregular periods accompanied by a sensation that your womb
is about to drop out of your vagina, feeling chilly, weepy, irritable
and have a lack of sexual desire.
Natrum muriaticum
Silica as a constitutional remedy.
Aurum for tired people with lack of sexual desire and depression.
Conium for women whose breasts feel tender, with pockets of hard swelling,
and whose desire for sex is ebbing.
Lycopodium for women who have a dry vagina and tenderness in their lower
abdomen over the right ovary.
Homeopathy
In
homeopathic medicine ailments such as food allergy, hypoglycemia, high
blood pressure, asthma and digestive disorders are regarded as being manifestations
of stress, so treatment is likely to be long-term and constitutional;
however, in acute circumstances, one of the following remedies may be
useful, according to a person's circumstances:
Phosphoric ac. for stress due to grief or bad news
Picric ac. for stress due to overwork.
Ignatia for stress following emotional upset such as a broken love affair
Nux for stress brought on by burning the candle at both ends, including
smoking, eating or drinking too much, making the sufferer irritable.
The following remedies can be used to treat stress-related conditions,
such as anxiety, nervousness, tension, and mental fatigue. Be sure to
match your symptoms with the remedy that has the most similar characteristics.
Ignatia
imara (Ignatia)
Symptorns:
Emotional strain; mental stress; negative effects of grief, worry, disappointment,
shock; hysteria; sad, moody, sighing; insomnia; headache, often following
anger or grief, which becomes worse from stooping; intolerance to tobacco.
Worsened
by: suppressing emotions, tobacco, coffee, brandy, smoke or strong odors.
Better
from: lying on the painful side, warmth, walking, hard pressure.
Phosphorus
Symptom:
Restlessness; overexcited state that causes weakness and exhaustion; burning
pains; chilliness with thirst for cold drinks; expressive, animated, overdramatic;
acute senses; bothered by light and noise; nervous- ness and fear; sense
that something bad will happen; fearful of being alone and crave company;
easily frightened or upset, though can be reassured or distracted; crave
salt, spicy food, ice cream; tendency to bleed easily (this should be
evaluated medically); nosebleeds.
Worsened
by: cold or heat, lying on left or painful side, thunderstorms.
Better
from: massaging or rubbing; cold food or drink.
Your
homeopath may suggest you learn some form of relaxation or meditation
and perhaps take supplements of vitamin B complex; taking exercise may
also be advised.
Hydrotherapy
There
are many nerve endings on the skin surface. These deal with the reception
of stimuli. Most of these are cold receptors as opposed to hot receptors.
If water of a different temperature to that of the skin is applied, it
will either conduct heat to it or absorb heat from it. These stimuli affect
the sympathetic nervous system and the hormonal system.
The
greater the difference between the temperature of the skin and the water
applied, the greater will be the potential for physiological reaction.
Alternating hot and cold sitz baths are useful in improving pelvic circulation.
On
the other hand, if the water is of the same temperature as the body, it
has a marked relaxing and sedative effect on the nervous system. This,
so called neutral bath, has great value in stress management and relaxation.
Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy
involving cell command therapy, hypno-healing and self-hypnosis can help
with relaxation and stress reduction and also provide positive affirmations
for health, energy and well-being.
A
hypnotherapist may suggest age regression to uncover a woman's subconscious
fears of pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood, of hospitals and medical
treatment, or of recreating her own childhood or of a threat to her marriage
by the arrival of a new baby.
Research
at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, UK showed that hypnotherapy
can reduce stress levels and help some women to conceive. Hypnotherapy
may also help to uncover fears about labor, motherhood, hospitals, or
the child as a threat to your relationship.
You
can use affirmations such as the following to improve your emotional well-being
and improve your self-esteem. My body is strong and healthy and can become
healthier each day.
My female organs are in good shape.
My body chemistry is effective and balanced.
I eat healthy nourishing food.
I'm learning to handle stress.
I'm calm and relaxed.
I work efficiently and competently
I have the freedom and confidence to enjoy life.
Our
Resolution: Re-defining Sex Ayurvedically
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that
human has never been an efficient baby-producer. A major ratio of total
adult population still go through the menace of partial or extensive sterility.
It is said that birth as a human is the greatest blessing of God. The
old saying is, however, extendable with - Those able to reproduce are
dually blessed. A major faction of society in most of the developing or
under-developed countries still carry their orthodox mindset and prefer
to hold the female partner responsible amongst a sterile couple. In these
societies, unbelievingly, people still believe the ridiculous old myths
and abhor the barren couples as cursed. Life of such a couple is pried
upon intensively and they are denied any social support or harmonious
interaction. In such cases, it is the woman who endures the maximum batting
on this front. The deficiency not only shatters her psychologically, it
also causes tremendous misery and dejection proud they out rightly deny
any social interaction with such couple.