Additional Info

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) 6300 North River Road Rosemont, IL 60018-4262 Phone: 847-823-7186 Toll-Free: 1-800-346-2267 Fax: 847-823-8125 http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/

American College of Rheumatology 1800 Century Place Suite 250 Atlanta, GA 30345-4300 Phone: 404-633-3777 Fax: 404-633-1870 http://www.rheumatology.org/

Arthritis Foundation P.O. Box 7669 Atlanta, GA 30357-0669 Phone: 404-872-7100 Toll-Free: 1-800-283-7800 http://www.arthritis.org/

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Information Clearinghouse National Insitutes of Health 1 AMS Circle Bethesda, MD 20892-3675 Phone: 301-495-4484 Toll-Free: 1-877-226-4267 Fax: 301-718-6366 TTY: 301-565-2966 Email: niamsinfo@mail.nih.govhttp://www.niams.nih.gov/

Source: EverydayHealth.com

Prognosis

More than 90% of people with back pain get better after conservative treatment. Only 5% of people with back pain will have symptoms for more than 12 weeks and for most of these people, the cause is not serious.

Source: EverydayHealth.com

When To Call A Professional

Contact your doctor if:

• Severe back pain makes it impossible for you to do your normal daily activities.

• Your back pain follows significant trauma.

• Mild back pain gets worse after a few days or persists more than a week or two.

• Back pain is accompanied by weight loss, fever, chills or urinary symptoms.

• You develop sudden weakness, numbness or tingling in a leg.

• You develop numbness in the groin or rectum or difficulty controlling bladder or bowel function.

• You have had cancer previously and you develop persistent back pain.

Source: EverydayHealth.com

Treatment

Most episodes of back pain are not serious and are treated with:

• Limited bed rest (no more than two days)

• Acetaminophen (Tylenol and others) for pain or oral anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin and others) or naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), for pain and inflammation

• Muscle relaxants or prescription pain relievers, if necessary, for a short period

• Hot or cold compresses

People with back pain are encouraged to return to their normal activities gradually, and to temporarily avoid heavy lifting, prolonged sitting, or sudden bending or twisting.

If you are recovering from back pain, your doctor may ask you to call or return to his or her office for a follow-up visit in about two weeks to confirm that your symptoms are gone and that you can safely resume all of your normal activities.

If your back pain is related to more serious disorders of the vertebrae or spinal nerves or if it hasn't improved over a few weeks, you may be referred to a specialist, such as an orthopedic surgeon (a doctor who specializes in diseases of the bones), a neurologist (a doctor who specializes in diseases of the nerves and brain) or a rheumatologist (an arthritis specialist).

Source: EverydayHealth.com

Prevention

You can help prevent some forms of back pain by strengthening your back with exercises and by avoiding activities that lead to back injury. This means:

• Practice good posture.

• Sleep on your side or on your back with a pillow under your knees if you can.

• Exercise regularly, but stretch before and after.

• Practice abdominal crunches to strengthen abdominal muscles, which support your lower back. Also, walk or swim regularly to strengthen your lower back.

• Always lift objects from a squatting position, using your hips and your legs to do the heavy work. Avoid lifting, twisting and bending at the same time.

• Avoid sitting or standing for extended periods of time.

• Wear soft soled shoes with heels that are less than 1 and one-half inches high.

To help prevent osteoporosis, make sure you get enough calcium daily to meet the dietary requirements for your age group. Follow a routine program of weight-bearing exercise. Avoid smoking and limit the amount of alcohol you drink. If you are a woman who has entered menopause, speak with your doctor about testing for osteoporosis and medications that can help to prevent it.

Source: EverydayHealth.com

Expected Duration

How long back pain lasts depends on its cause. For example, if your pain is caused by strain from overexertion, you may be able to return to your normal activities gradually over a period of several days or weeks. However, you should avoid heavy lifting, prolonged sitting or sudden bending or twisting until your back gets better.

Women who have back pain caused by the added weight of pregnancy almost always will get better after delivery. People who are obese may need to lose weight before back pain eases.

People with back pain caused by pyelonephritis often begin to feel better within days after they start taking antibiotics, although they usually need to continue taking antibiotics for up to two weeks. People with more serious forms of back pain caused by problems with the vertebrae or spinal nerves usually have back pain that lasts at least 12 weeks and may last for years, depending on the specific cause and the treatment.

Source: EverydayHealth.com

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and your medical history. He or she will examine your back muscles and spine and will move you certain ways to check for pain, muscle tenderness or weakness, stiffness, numbness or abnormal reflexes. For example, if you have a disk problem, you may have pain in your lower back when the doctor raises your straightened leg.

Your symptoms and the physical examination may give your doctor enough information to diagnose the problem. However, with back pain, your doctor may only be able to tell you that the problem is not serious. If your doctor determines that your back pain is caused by muscle strain, obesity, pregnancy or another cause that is not urgent, you may not need any additional tests. However, if he or she suspects a more serious problem involving your vertebrae or spinal nerves, especially if your back pain has lasted longer than 12 weeks, you may need one or more of the following tests:

• X-rays of your back

• Blood test

• Urine tests

• Spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

• Computed tomography (CT) scan

• Nerve conduction studies and electromyography to determine whether nerves, muscles or both may be injured

• Bone scan, especially if you have a previous history of cancer

Source: EverydayHealth.com

Back pain varies widely. Some symptoms may suggest that the back pain has a more serious cause. These include fever, recent trauma, weight loss, a history of cancer and neurological symptoms, such as numbness, weakness or incontinence (involuntary loss of urine). Back pain usually is accompanied by other symptoms that may help point to its cause. For example:

• Back sprain or strain — Back pain typically begins on the day after heavy exertion. Muscles in the back, buttocks and thighs are often sore and stiff. The back may have areas that are sore when touched or pressed.

• Fibromyalgia — In addition to back pain, there are usually other areas of pain and stiffness in the trunk, neck, shoulders, knees and elbows. Pain may be either a general soreness or a gnawing ache, and stiffness is often worst in the morning. People usually complain of feeling abnormally tired, especially of waking up tired, and they have specific areas that are painful, called tender points.

• Degenerative arthritis of the spine — Together with back pain, there is stiffness and trouble bending over, which usually develops over many years.

• Inflammatory arthritis, including ankylosing spondylitis and related conditions — In these disorders, there is pain in the lower back, together with morning stiffness in the back, hips or both.There also can be pain and stiffness in the neck or chest or an extremely tired feeling. Other features may include psoriasis, eye pain and redness, or diarrhea, depending on the specific disorder causing back pain. This group of diseases is a relatively rare cause of back pain.
  Osteoporosis — This common condition is characterized by thinned, weakened bones that fracture easily. It is most common in postmenopausal women. When vertebrae become compressed because of fracture, posture may become stooped over or hunched along with back pain. Osteoporosis is not painful unless a bone fractures.
  

• Cancer in the spinal bones or nearby structures — Back pain is consistent and may become worse when you are lying down. Numbness, weakness or tingling of the legs that continues to get worse. If cancer spreads to spinal nerves that control the bladder and bowel, there may be bowel or bladder incontinence (loss of control).
  

• Protruding disk — People with significant disk disease sometimes have severe pain in the lower back. If a disk compresses a nerve, the pain may spread down one leg. The pain gets worse during bending or twisting.
  

• Spinal stenosis — Pain, numbness and weakness affect the back and legs. Symptoms get worse when you are standing or walking, but are relieved by sitting or leaning forward.
  

• Pyelonephritis — People with a kidney infection typically develop sudden, intense pain just beneath the ribs in the back that may travel around the side toward the lower abdomen or sometimes down to the groin. There also can be a high fever, shaking chills and nausea and vomiting. The urine may be cloudy, tinged with blood or unusually strong or foul-smelling. There may be additional bladder related symptoms, such as the need to urinate more often than normal or pain or discomfort during urination.

Source: EverydayHealth.com

Back Pain

Back pain can be a symptom of many different illnesses and conditions. The main cause of the pain can be a problem with the back itself or by a problem in another part of the body. In many cases, doctors can't find a cause for the pain. When a cause is found, common explanations include:

• Stress or injury involving the back muscles, including back sprain or strain; chronic overload of back muscles caused by obesity; and short term overload of back muscles caused by any unusual stress, such as lifting or pregnancy

• Disease or injury involving the back bones (vertebrae), including fracture from an accident or as a result of the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis

• Degenerative arthritis, which is caused by wear and tear

• Inflammatory arthritis, including ankylosing spondylitis and related conditions

• A spinal tumor or a cancer that has spread (metastasized) to the spine from elsewhere in the body

• Disease or injury involving the spinal nerves, including nerve injury caused by a protruding disk (a fibrous cushion between vertebrae) or spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the spinal canal)

• Infection, which may be in the disk space, bone (osteomyelitis), abdomen, pelvis or bloodstream

• Kidney stones or a kidney infection (pyelonephritis)

Source: EverydayHealth.com

High expectations from Google Chrome

Some are calling Google’s new browser Chrome an “Internet Explorer killer.” Others venture
further and call it a “Windows killer.” Whether Google’s newly launched
browser has Microsoft quaking is unclear, but there’s no doubt that Google is serious about
“organizing the world’s information”—and is prepared to shake up the
status quo in the process.

It should come as little surprise that Google is entering the Web
browser market. The search heavyweight already has a substantial stake
in our online activities. Search, check! E-mail, check! Office
documents, check! The list of Web applications offered by Google is
both long and varied. With its goal of providing all of our online
needs, it makes perfect sense that Google would step up and provide a
Web browser built to accommodate its applications. With Chrome, Google
is betting that more of us will move more of our computing from
desktops to online, relying on the vast data centers known as “the
cloud.” But can Google’s Web browser single handedly entice us to dump a
favorite Web browser and our computer’s operating system?

Let’s start with the operating system. What’s your favorite flavor?
Windows, OS X, Linux? Whichever your allegiance, for at least the next
several years, you’ll need an operating system to boot your computer
and store the applications that are still too large and unwieldy to run
from inside the cloud. Take iTunes, Photoshop, or PowerPoint. While
online equivalents exist, they just can’t match the processing power
and functionality that come from the applications you run from your
computer’s operating system.

Segmenting Online Activities

And, while Google Chrome’s strength comes in its ability to segment
online activities—an open tab playing a live video stream won’t slow
down the remainder of your Web browsing—it still needs an operating
system at its foundation. For evidence that Google Chrome is not yet
ready to replace an operating system, consider the browser’s
limitations at launch. Despite two years of hard work, Chrome can’t run
without Windows and it won’t run at all on Apple’s OS X or Linux.

Then comes the question of Chrome’s potential for wresting market
share from Google’s rivals. Can Google really launch a new browser and
expect to grab some of Internet Explorer’s 72% Web browser market share
and Firefox’s 20%? Chrome certainly started off strong. On its opening
days, according to analysts at Lehman Brothers, free downloads reached
an astounding 2% of the market. Lehman predicts that the new browser
could reach 15%-20% market share in just two years. In other words,
it’s likely to be big, but not dominant.

What’s more, Google Chrome is not yet proven as a revolutionary Web
browser. Google technicians emphasize that its architecture is
different, and predict that it will handle computing intensive software
applications better than its rivals. But most of the Web surfers who
downloaded it on its first day came to face to face with a bare-bones
browser with few of the add-ons and plug-ins available on the others.

Brand of Gold

What Chrome can boast is the Google brand. While not everything
Google touches turns to shareholder gold, its brand works wonders. The
company could launch a new brand of laundry detergent, and we’d likely
clear grocery store shelves of the stuff. You can bet that Google’s
fans will jump at the chance to download a Google-branded browser, so
they can check their Gmail, look-up their Google Maps, and search for
laundry detergent on Google.com.

It’s our infatuation with the Google brand, more than the technology
inside, that will boost Chrome’s market share and further extend Google
in our daily Web activities. As for being a Windows or Internet
Explorer killer, don’t count on it.

Article sourced from eguru

Originally posted at Business Week

What to Do When the Cravings Hit

When you first give up cigarettes, the urge to smoke will come and go.

Try these tips to keep cravings at bay:

1. Keep snacks around. Try carrots, pickles, sunflower seeds, apples, celery, raisins, or sugar-free gum.
2. Wash your hands, do the dishes, or take a bath when you want a cigarette.
3. Learn to relax instantly by taking deep breaths: Take ten slow, deep breaths, and hold the last one. Then breathe out slowly. Relax all of your muscles. Picture a soothing, pleasant scene. Just get away from it all for a moment. Think only about that peaceful image and nothing else.
4. Light incense or a candle.
5. Get a change of scenery. Go outside, or go to a different room. You can also try changing what you are doing.
6. No matter what, don't think, "Just one won't hurt." It will hurt. It will undo your work so far.
7. Remember: Trying something to beat the urge is always better than trying nothing.

Source: EverydayHealth.com

Smoking Slip-Up? 9 Ways to Get Back on Track

Many ex-smokers had to try stopping a few times before they finally succeeded. When people slip up, it's usually within the first three months after quitting. Here's what you can do if it happens to you:

• Understand that you've had a slip. You've had a small setback. This doesn't turn you into a smoker again.
• Don't be too hard on yourself. One slip-up doesn't make you a failure. It doesn't mean you can't quit for good.
• Don't be too easy on yourself, either. If you slip up, don't say, "Well, I've blown it. I might as well smoke the rest of this pack." It's important to get back on the non-smoking track right away. Remember, your goal is no cigarettes — not even one puff.
• Acknowledge all the time you went without smoking. Try to learn how to improve your coping skills.
• Find the trigger. Exactly what was it that made you smoke? Be aware of that trigger. Decide now how you will cope with it when it comes up again.
• Learn from your experience. What has helped you the most to keep from smoking? Make sure to do that on your next attempt.
• Are you using a medicine to help you quit? Don't stop using it after only one or two cigarettes. Stay with it — it will help you get back on track.
• Refer to resources that helped you stop in the beginning. Start to stop again!
• See your doctor or other health professional. He or she can help motivate you to quit smoking.

Source: EverydayHealth.com

6 Tips for Weight Control for Ex-Smokers

About 80 percent of people who quit smoking gain weight at first. The types of foods you eat can help you keep your weight under control. Try these suggestions:

• Limit fats. Each gram of fat contains 9 calories, compared with 4 calories per gram in proteins and carbohydrates. Most foods have labels that make it easy for you to check the fat content, so you may be surprised at how much fat is hidden in common foods. Figure out which low-fat foods you most enjoy, and keep these in mind when grocery shopping and preparing meals.
• Focus on the foods you can eat rather than what you shouldn't eat. Your diet can include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and lean meats.
• If you have the urge to snack, cut up carrots, cantaloupes, and strawberries, or eat pretzels rather than chips. Some ex-smokers also like drinking ice water or sucking on ice cubes or Popsicles.
• Limit or avoid high-calorie sweet foods. People seem to like sweet foods after quitting smoking, but remember that they quickly add calories.
• Change your eating habits. Perhaps you are used to having a cigarette after a meal, but because you've quit you might want to eat more. Get up from the table right after each meal and find something else to do. If you eat to cope with stress, find other ways to manage it, like relaxing with deep-breathing exercises.
• Record what you eat each day for a week in a diet diary. This might help you see whether you're eating more than you should. Eating, like smoking, is sometimes done unconsciously. We often don't realize how all the snacking between meals adds up until we see it on paper. Do this for a week and figure out how you can make changes.

Source: EverydayHealth.com

Exercise Can Help You Quit Smoking

Starting an exercise program when you quit smoking is good for many reasons:

• Exercise burns calories. Exercise such as walking, jogging, or swimming can burn off 200 to 600 calories per hour. Not only do you burn calories during exercise, but your metabolism increases and you burn calories at a higher rate for up to 24 hours after exercise.
• Exercise depresses appetite. When you exercise, fat is broken down and released into the bloodstream. This acts as a built-in appetite depressant, which means you want to eat less.
• Exercise cuts down on urges for cigarettes. Many people who smoke do not enjoy exercise. This can cause cramps and shortness of breath. Without the carbon monoxide from smoking in your system, exercise may seem easier and be more fun. You may not want smoking to get in the way of feeling good.
• Exercise helps you cope with stress. Exercise is a healthy way to deal with stress, boredom, and tension. It helps relieve tension and has been found to improve well-being. Exercise also improves the skin, muscle tone, and strength.

Source: EverydayHealth.com

Don't Turn to Cigarettes!

It's normal to feel sad for a period of time after you first quit smoking. Many people have a strong urge to smoke when they feel sad or depressed, but remember that if you give in to your craving for a cigarette, you may feel even sadder that you didn't stick with your decision to quit.

What to Do:

• Identify your specific feelings at the time that you seem to be depressed. Are you actually feeling tired, lonely, bored, or hungry? Focus on and address these specific needs.
• Add up how much money you have saved already by not purchasing cigarettes, and imagine (in detail) how you will spend your savings in six months.
• Call a friend and plan to have lunch, or go to a movie, a concert, or another pleasurable event.
• Make a list of things that are upsetting to you and write down solutions for them.
• Keep positive about changes in your life.
• Increase physical activity. This will help improve your mood and lift your depression.
• Focus on your strengths.
• Plan your next vacation or fun activity.
• Try deep-breathing exercises.
• Draw up a list of your short- and long-term personal goals.
• Think of how healthy you'll feel when you are totally free of smoking.
• If depression continues for more than a month, see your doctor.

7 Ways to Make a Non-Smoking Life

You may find that you want to smoke again just because you see someone else smoking, or maybe even because you feel nostalgic when you're around people you used to smoke with.

What to Do:

• Ask others to help you in your attempt to quit. Give them specific examples of things that are helpful (such as not smoking when they're with you) and things that are not helpful (like asking you to buy cigarettes for them).
• Post a small No Smoking sign by your front door. Provide an outside area where smokers may go if they wish to smoke.
• If you are in a group and others light up, excuse yourself and don't return until they have finished.
• Do not buy, carry, light, or hold cigarettes for others.
• Try not to get angry if family, friends, or coworkers hassle you about quitting.
• Analyze situations in which watching others smoke triggers your urge to smoke. Figure out what it is about those situations that makes you want to smoke.
• When you quit, you may feel saddened by the loss of good feelings associated with smoking; being around smokers may make you feel even sadder. Try not to feel sad; think of what you've gained and what you will gain by quitting.

6 Tips for Enjoying Your Coffee — Without a Cigarette

Many smokers are used to smoking when drinking coffee or tea. When you quit smoking, you don't have give up your favorite warm beverage.

What to Expect:

• Expect that your morning coffee will not taste the same without a cigarette.
• Expect to feel a strong urge to reach for a cigarette while drinking coffee or tea.

What to Do:

• If you used to smoke while drinking coffee or tea, tell people you have quit so they won't offer you a cigarette.
• Between sips of coffee or tea, take deep breaths to inhale the aroma. Breathe in deeply and slowly, while you count to five. Breathe out slowly, counting to five again.
• Try switching to decaffeinated coffee for a while, particularly if quitting has made you irritable or nervous.
• Try nibbling on healthy foods to keep your hands busy while you drink coffee or tea.
• As you drink your coffee, get out a scratch pad and doodle or make plans for the day.
• If the urge to smoke is very strong, drink your coffee or tea faster than usual and then change activities or rooms.

Easing Nicotine Withdrawal

If you're trying to quit smoking, consider trying a nicotine replacement product that helps wean you off of the addictive substance in tobacco. There are a variety of nicotine replacement products, all of which deliver small, steady doses of the drug into the body to help relieve the withdrawal symptoms that make it so hard to quit. Here is more information:

• The nicotine patch, which is available without a prescription, supplies a steady amount of nicotine to the body through the skin. The patch comes in varying strengths as an 8-week smoking cessation treatment. Nicotine doses are gradually lowered as the treatment progresses. The nicotine patch may not be a good choice for people with skin problems or allergies to adhesive tape.
• Nicotine gum is available over the counter in 2 mg and 4 mg strengths. Chewing nicotine gum releases nicotine into the bloodstream through the lining of the mouth. Nicotine gum might not be appropriate for people with temporomandibular joint disease (TMJ) or for those with dentures or other dental work such as bridges.
• Nicotine nasal spray was approved by the FDA in 1996 for use by prescription only. The spray comes in a pump bottle that you can inhale whenever you have an urge to smoke. This product is not recommended for people with nasal or sinus conditions, allergies, or asthma, nor is it recommended for young tobacco users.
• A nicotine inhaler, also available only by prescription, was approved by the FDA in 1997. This device delivers a vaporized form of nicotine to the mouth through a mouthpiece attached to a plastic cartridge. Even though it is called an inhaler, the device does not deliver nicotine to the lungs the way a cigarette does. Most of the nicotine only travels to the mouth and throat, where it is absorbed through the mucous membranes. Common side effects include throat and mouth irritation and coughing. Anyone with a bronchial problem such as asthma should use it with caution.

The four forms — patches, gum, nasal spray, and inhalers — seem to be equally effective. There is evidence that combining the nicotine patch with nicotine gum or nicotine nasal spray increases long-term quit rates compared with using a single type of nicotine replacement therapy. Nicotine gum, in combination with nicotine patch therapy, may also reduce withdrawal symptoms better than either medication alone. Researchers recommend combining nicotine replacement therapy with advice or counseling from a doctor, dentist, pharmacist, or other health provider.

Source: EverydayHealth.com

7 Tips to Beat Nicotine Cravings

Ex-smokers will tell you that quitting was one of the hardest things they've ever done. The physical and psychological withdrawal can be intense.

If you're thinking of "butting out," the U.S. Surgeon General offers these tips to help you handle the cravings:

• Drink lots of liquids, especially water.
• Avoid sugar and fatty foods, and don't skip meals.
• Exercise regularly and moderately.
• Get more sleep.
• Take deep breaths when cravings hit.
• Change your habits. For example, eat breakfast in a different place, or take a different route to work.
• Do something to reduce your stress. Take a hot bath, read a book, or exercise.

Source: EverydayHealth.com

Nicotine-Free Smoking Cessation Aids

Although the major focus of pharmacological treatments for tobacco addiction has been nicotine replacement, other treatments are also being studied. For example, the antidepressant bupropion was approved by the FDA in 1997 to help people quit smoking, and is marketed as Zyban. Varenicline tartrate (Chantix) is a new medication that recently received FDA approval for smoking cessation. This medication, which acts at the sites in the brain affected by nicotine, may help people quit by easing withdrawal symptoms and blocking the effects of nicotine if people resume smoking.

Several other nonnicotine medications are being investigated for the treatment of tobacco addiction, including other antidepressants and an antihypertensive medication, among others. Scientists are also investigating the potential of a vaccine that targets nicotine for use in relapse prevention. The nicotine vaccine is designed to stimulate the production of antibodies that would block access of nicotine to the brain and prevent nicotine's reinforcing effects.

Behavioral Treatments
Behavioral interventions play an integral role in smoking cessation treatment, either in conjunction with medication or alone. They employ a variety of methods to assist smokers in quitting, ranging from self-help materials to individual cognitive-behavioral therapy. These interventions teach individuals to recognize high-risk smoking situations, develop alternative coping strategies, manage stress, improve problemsolving skills, as well as increase social support. Research has also shown that the more therapy is tailored to a person's situation, the greater the chances are for success.

Traditionally, behavioral approaches were developed and delivered through formal settings, such as smoking-cessation clinics and community and public health settings. Over the past decade, however, researchers have been adapting these approaches for mail, telephone, and Internet formats, which can be more acceptable and accessible to smokers who are trying to quit. In 2004, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) established a national toll-free number, 800–QUIT–NOW (800–784–8669), to serve as a single access point for smokers seeking information and assistance in quitting. Callers to the number are routed to their state's smoking cessation quitline or, in states that have not established quitlines, to one maintained by the National Cancer Institute. In addition, a new HHS Web site offers online advice and downloadable information to make cessation easier.

Quitting smoking can be difficult. While people can be helped during the time an intervention is delivered, most intervention programs are short-term (1–3 months). Within 6 months, 75–80 percent of people who try to quit smoking relapse. Research has now shown that extending treatment beyond the typical duration of a smoking cessation program can produce quit rates as high as 50 percent at 1 year.

Source: EverydayHealth.com

Resources for Quitting Smoking

Here are some places you can go to help you reach your goal.

TobaccoFree.org

Call 1-800-QUIT NOW for free support with a trained counselor, who will talk to you whether you are ready to quit or just thinking about it. This number will forward to your State's tobacco cessation program, which offers live phone support in your area. When you call, a friendly staff person will offer a choice of free services, including self-help materials, a referral list of other programs in your community, and one-one-counseling over the phone.

There is also the National Cancer Institute's Smoking Quitline, 1-877-44U-Quit, offering proactive counseling by trained personnel.

To learn more about tobacco and other drugs of abuse, visit the National Institute on Drug Abuse Web site or call the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 800–729–6686.

Materials on the health effects of cigarettes and tobacco products and other drug abuse topics are available on the NIDA Web site, and can be ordered free of charge in English and Spanish from NCADI.

Nicotine and tobacco information can be accessed also through these other Web sites:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• National Cancer Institute
• U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
• Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco
• NicNet
• The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• Join Together Online
• American Legacy Foundation

Source: Everydayhealth.com

Nicotine Replacement Therapy

Nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs), such as nicotine gum and the transdermal nicotine patch, were the first pharmacological treatments approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in smoking cessation therapy. NRTs are used (in conjunction with behavioral support) to relieve withdrawal symptoms — they produce less severe physiological alterations than tobacco-based systems and generally provide users with lower overall nicotine levels than they receive with tobacco. An added benefit is that these forms of nicotine have little abuse potential since they do not produce the pleasurable effects of tobacco products — nor do they contain the carcinogens and gases associated with tobacco smoke. Behavioral treatments, even beyond what is recommended on packaging labels, have been shown to enhance the effectiveness of NRTs and improve long-term outcomes.

The FDA's approval of nicotine gum in 1984 marked the availability (by prescription) of the first NRT on the U.S. market. In 1996, the FDA approved Nicorette gum for over-the-counter (OTC) sales. Whereas nicotine gum provides some smokers with the desired control over dose and the ability to relieve cravings, others are unable to tolerate the taste and chewing demands. In 1991 and 1992, the FDA approved four transdermal nicotine patches, two of which became OTC products in 1996. In 1996 a nicotine nasal spray, and in 1998 a nicotine inhaler, also became available by prescription, thus meeting the needs of many additional tobacco users. All the NRT products — gum, patch, spray, and inhaler — appear to be equally effective.

Source: EverydayHealth.com

Five-Day Countdown

Follow this 5-day countdown to your Quit Date.

5 Days Before Your Quit Date
Think about your reasons for quitting.
Tell your friends and family you are planning to quit. Stop buying cigarettes.

4 Days Before Your Quit Date
Pay attention to when and why you smoke.
Think of other things to hold in your hand instead of a cigarette.
Think of habits or routines to change.

3 Days Before Your Quit Date
What will you do with the extra money when you stop buying cigarettes?
Think of who to reach out to when you need help.

2 Days Before Your Quit Date
Buy the nicotine patch or nicotine gum.
Or see your doctor to get the nicotine inhaler, nasal spray, or the non-nicotine pill.

1 Day Before Your Quit Date
Put away lighters and ashtrays.
Throw away all cigarettes and matches.
Clean your clothes to get rid of the smell of cigarette smoke.

Quit Day
Keep very busy.
Remind family and friends that this is your quit day. Stay away from alcohol.
Give yourself a treat, or do something special.

Smoke Free
Congratulations!!!
If you "slip" and smoke, don't give up. Set a new date to get back on track.
Call a friend or "quit smoking" support group.
Eat healthy food and get exercise.

Source: EverydayHealth.com

Five Keys for Quitting

Studies have shown that these five steps will help you quit and quit for good. You have the best chances of quitting if you use them together.

1. Get ready.
2. Get support.
3. Learn new skills and behaviors.
4. Get medication and use it correctly.
5. Be prepared for relapse or difficult situations.

1. Get Ready

• Set a quit date.
• Change your environment.
• Get rid of ALL cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, and place of work.
• Don't let people smoke in your home.
• Review your past attempts to quit. Think about what worked and what did not.
• Once you quit, don't smoke — NOT EVEN A PUFF!

2. Get Support and Encouragement
Studies have shown that you have a better chance of being successful if you have help. You can get support in many ways:

• Tell your family, friends, and coworkers that you are going to quit and want their support. Ask them not to smoke around you or leave cigarettes out.
• Talk to your health care provider (for example, doctor, dentist, nurse, pharmacist, psychologist, or smoking counselor).
• Get individual, group, or telephone counseling. The more counseling you have, the better your chances are of quitting. Programs are given at local hospitals and health centers. Call your local health department for information about programs in your area.

3. Learn New Skills and Behaviors

• Try to distract yourself from urges to smoke. Talk to someone, go for a walk, or get busy with a task.
• When you first try to quit, change your routine. Use a different route to work. Drink tea instead of coffee. Eat breakfast in a different place.
• Do something to reduce your stress. Take a hot bath, exercise, or read a book.
• Plan something enjoyable to do every day.
• Drink a lot of water and other fluids.

4. Get Medication and Use It Correctly
Medications can help you stop smoking and lessen the urge to smoke.

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved five medications to help you quit smoking:
  1.Bupropion SR — Available by prescription.
  2.Nicotine gum — Available over-the-counter.
  3.Nicotine inhaler— Available by prescription.
  4.Nicotine nasal spray — Available by prescription.
  5.Nicotine patch — Available by prescription and over-the-counter.
• Ask your health care provider for advice and carefully read the information on the package.
• All of these medications will more or less double your chances of quitting and quitting for good.
• Everyone who is trying to quit may benefit from using a medication. If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, nursing, under age 18, smoking fewer than ten cigarettes per day, or have a medical condition, talk to your doctor or other health care provider before taking medications.

5. Be Prepared for Relapse or Difficult Situations
Most relapses occur within the first three months after quitting. Don't be discouraged if you start smoking again. Remember, most people try several times before they finally quit. Here are some difficult situations to watch for:

• Alcohol. Avoid drinking alcohol. Drinking lowers your chances of success.
• Other Smokers. Being around smoking can make you want to smoke.
• Weight Gain. Many smokers will gain weight when they quit, usually less than ten pounds. Eat a healthy diet and stay active. Don't let weight gain distract you from your main goal — quitting smoking. Some quit-smoking medications may help delay weight gain.
• Bad Mood or Depression. There are a lot of ways to improve your mood other than smoking.

If you are having problems with any of these situations, talk to your doctor or other health care provider.

Source: EverydayHealth.com

Everyday Tips to Quit Smoking

Preparing to Quit Smoking

Try these tips to increase your chance of success when you're ready to quit smoking:

• Set a date for quitting.
• If possible, have a friend quit smoking with you.
• Notice when and why you smoke. Try to identify your smoking triggers (such as drinking your morning cup of coffee or driving a car).
• Change your smoking routines: Keep your cigarettes in a different place. Smoke with your other hand.
• Don't do anything else when smoking. Think about how you feel when you smoke.
• Smoke only in certain places, such as outdoors.
• When you want a cigarette, wait a few minutes. Try to think of something to do instead of smoking; you might chew gum or drink a glass of water.
• Buy one pack of cigarettes at a time. Switch to a brand of cigarettes you don't like.

Source: EverydayHealth.com

Glossary of Smoking Cessation Terms

addiction: A chronic, relapsing disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking and abuse and by long-lasting neurochemical and molecular changes in the brain.

adrenal glands: Glands located above each kidney that secrete hormones, e.g., adrenaline.

craving: A powerful, often uncontrollable desire for drugs.

dopamine: A neurotransmitter present in regions of the brain that regulate movement, emotion, motivation, and feelings of pleasure.

emphysema: A lung disease in which tissue deterioration results in increased air retention and reduced exchange of gases. The result is difficulty breathing and shortness of breath.

hyperglycemic: The presence of an abnormally high concentration of glucose in the blood.

neurotransmitter: A chemical that acts as a messenger to carry signals or information from one nerve cell to another.

nicotine: An alkaloid derived from the tobacco plant that is responsible for smoking's psychoactive and addictive effects.

pharmacokinetics: The pattern of absorption, distribution, and excretion of a drug over time.

rush: A surge of euphoria that rapidly follows administration of some drugs.

tobacco: A plant widely cultivated for its leaves, which are used primarily for smoking; the N. tabacum species is the major source of tobacco products.

withdrawal: A variety of symptoms that occur after chronic use of an addictive drug is reduced or stopped.

Questions to Think About

Think about the following questions before you try to stop smoking. You may want to talk about your answers with your health care provider.

1. Why do you want to quit?

2. When you tried to quit in the past, what helped and what didn't?

3. What will be the most difficult situations for you after you quit? How will you plan to handle them?

4. Who can help you through the tough times? Your family? Friends? Health care provider?

5. What pleasures do you get from smoking? What ways can you still get pleasure if you quit?

Here are some questions to ask your health care provider.

1. How can you help me to be successful at quitting?

2. What medication do you think would be best for me and how should I take it?

3. What should I do if I need more help?

4. What is smoking withdrawal like? How can I get information on withdrawal?

Source: EverydayHealth.com

Immediate and Long Term Benefits

Within 20 minutes after you smoke that last cigarette, your body begins a series of changes that continue for years.

20 Minutes After Quitting
Your heart rate drops.

12 hours After Quitting
Carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.

2 Weeks to 3 Months After Quitting
Your heart attack risk begins to drop.
Your lung function begins to improve.

1 to 9 Months After Quitting
Your Coughing and shortness of breath decrease.

1 Year After Quitting
Your added risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.

5 Years After Quitting
Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker's 5-15 years after quitting.

10 Years After Quitting
Your lung cancer death rate is about half that of a smoker's.
Your risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases.

15 Years After Quitting
Your risk of coronary heart disease is back to that of a nonsmoker's.

Need more convincing?
Compared to smokers, your…

• Stroke risk is reduced to that of a person who never smoked after 5 to 15 years of not smoking
• Cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus risks are halved 5 years after quitting
• Cancer of the larynx risk is reduced after quitting
• Coronary heart disease risk is cut by half 1 year after quitting and is nearly the same as someone who never smoked 15 years after quitting
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease risk of death is reduced after you quit Lung cancer risk drops by as much as half 10 years after quitting
• Ulcer risk drops after quitting
• Bladder cancer risk is halved a few years after quitting
• Peripheral artery disease goes down after quitting
• Cervical cancer risk is reduced a few years after quitting
• Low birth weight baby risk drops to normal if you quit before pregnancy or during your first trimester the benefits of quitting

Source: EverydayHealth.com

Why Quit?

Quitting smoking is one of the most important things you will ever do. Why? Here are just a few good reasons:

• You will live longer and live better.
• Quitting will lower your chance of having a heart attack, stroke, or cancer.
• If you are pregnant, quitting smoking will improve your chances of having a healthy baby.
• The people you live with, especially your children, will be healthier.
• You will have extra money to spend on things other than cigarettes.

Source: EverydayHealth.com

The Power of Nicotine

Most smokers use tobacco regularly because they are addicted to nicotine. Addiction is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, even in the face of negative health consequences. It is well documented that most smokers identify tobacco use as harmful and express a desire to reduce or stop using it, and nearly 35 million of them want to quit each year. Unfortunately, only about 6 percent of people who try to quit are successful for more than a month.

Research has shown how nicotine acts on the brain to produce a number of effects. Of primary importance to its addictive nature are findings that nicotine activates reward pathways—the brain circuitry that regulates feelings of pleasure. A key brain chemical involved in mediating the desire to consume drugs is the neurotransmitter dopamine, and research has shown that nicotine increases levels of dopamine in the reward circuits. This reaction is similar to that seen with other drugs of abuse, and is thought to underlie the pleasurable sensations experienced by many smokers. Nicotine's pharmacokinetic properties also enhance its abuse potential. Cigarette smoking produces a rapid distribution of nicotine to the brain, with drug levels peaking within 10 seconds of inhalation. However, the acute effects of nicotine dissipate in a few minutes, as do the associated feelings of reward, which causes the smoker to continue dosing to maintain the drug's pleasurable effects and prevent withdrawal.

Nicotine withdrawal symptoms include irritability, craving, cognitive and attentional deficits, sleep disturbances, and increased appetite. These symptoms may begin within a few hours after the last cigarette, quickly driving people back to tobacco use. Symptoms peak within the first few days of smoking cessation and may subside within a few weeks. For some people, however, symptoms may persist for months.

While withdrawal is related to the pharmacological effects of nicotine, many behavioral factors can also affect the severity of withdrawal symptoms. For some people, the feel, smell, and sight of a cigarette and the ritual of obtaining, handling, lighting, and smoking the cigarette are all associated with the pleasurable effects of smoking and can make withdrawal or craving worse. While nicotine gum and patches may alleviate the pharmacological aspects of withdrawal, cravings often persist. Other forms of nicotine replacement, such as inhalers, attempt to address some of these other issues, while behavioral therapies can help smokers identify environmental triggers of withdrawal and craving so they can employ strategies to prevent or circumvent these symptoms and urges.
Source: EverydayHealth.com

Understanding Addiction: Smoking and Nicotine

There are more than 4,000 chemicals found in the smoke of tobacco products. Of these, nicotine, first identified in the early 1800s, is the primary reinforcing component of tobacco that acts on the brain.

Cigarette smoking is the most popular method of using tobacco; however, there has also been a recent increase in the sale and consumption of smokeless tobacco products, such as snuff and chewing tobacco. These smokeless products also contain nicotine, as well as many toxic chemicals.

The cigarette is a very efficient and highly engineered drug delivery system. By inhaling tobacco smoke, the average smoker takes in 1 to 2 mg of nicotine per cigarette. When tobacco is smoked, nicotine rapidly reaches peak levels in the bloodstream and enters the brain. A typical smoker will take 10 puffs on a cigarette over a period of 5 minutes that the cigarette is lit. Thus, a person who smokes about 1-1/2 packs (30 cigarettes) daily gets 300 "hits" of nicotine to the brain each day. In those who typically do not inhale the smoke—such as cigar and pipe smokers and smokeless tobacco users––nicotine is absorbed through the mucosal membranes and reaches peak blood levels and the brain more slowly.

Immediately after exposure to nicotine, there is a "kick" caused in part by the drug's stimulation of the adrenal glands and resulting discharge of epinephrine (adrenaline). The rush of adrenaline stimulates the body and causes a sudden release of glucose, as well as an increase in blood pressure, respiration, and heart rate. Nicotine also suppresses insulin output from the pancreas, which means that smokers are always slightly hyperglycemic (i.e., they have elevated blood sugar levels). The calming effect of nicotine reported by many users is usually associated with a decline in withdrawal effects rather than direct effects of nicotine.

Source: EverydayHealth.com

Best Western Customer Service Phone Numbers

All the numbers in one place. No more searching for hidden numbers.

AUSTRALIA: 131779
AUSTRIA: 0800295194
BELGIUM:080016776
CYPRUS: 80091166
DENMARK: 80010988
FINLAND: 080012010
FRANCE: 0800904490
GERMANY:01802212588
GREECE: 0080044141460
IRELAND:1800709101
ISRAEL: 18009452041
ITALY: 800820080
JAPAN: 0120421234
LUXEMBOURG: 08006776
MEXICO: 0018005281234
NETHERLANDS: 08000221455
NEW ZEALAND: 0800237893
NORWAY: 80011624
PORTUGAL: 0800993900
SPAIN: 900993900
SWEDEN: 020792752
SWITZERLAND: 0800552344
TURKEY:00800399072333
U.K: 0800393130
USA: 1800WESTERN

800-528-1238 (accessible from North America only)

Source: http://www.eguru.info

Seminar on Computer Fraud

I spoke at my first seminar yesterday. The location was the scenic Couer D’Alene Resort in Couer D’Alene, Idaho. The topic pretty much veered off from computer fraud to computer crime. It wasn’t surprising to see some of the audience were completely shocked at the end of the day. Nevertheless, it was an exhilarating experience and I’m getting ready for my next course on IT Auditing. Feels different being an instructor for a change.

Stock Ticker within your Firefox browser

Here is how you can get a stick ticker in your Firefox browser (works with 1.0 - 2.0.0.* versions):

Go to https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/183

Click on the green ‘Add to Firefox’ button

Click “Install” on the window that pops up

Restart Firefox to see the ticker appear.

Right-click on the ticker to Edit/Add your favorite stocks

Enjoy!

Originally posted at eGuru

Say NO to....

I found this funny image while I was browsing.....

ISB Hyderabad makes it to the Global Top 20

Well, Hyderabad is once again on the global map with the Indian School of Business making it to the Top 20. Watch the video here

ISB Video

BJP all set to come back?

After the spate of wins in the assembly elections in Punjab, Gujarat, and Himachal Pradesh, the BJP seems to be all set to come back to power in India. Now, they might damage their chances to gain a foothold in Andhra Pradesh if they support the Congress Party's unpopular move to divide the state. It would lead to a fresh movement for the Rayalaseema region to be made a state. This would be looked at as a move by the national parties trying to break the control of the regional parties' in the southern state. The people of Andhra Pradesh believe in Swarna Andhra Pradesh and a Telangana state would become economically unviable without Hyderabad being a part of it. The more prosperous people from the Andhra region would resent the formation of a separate state as major investments made by them would be at high risk if a new Telangana government is formed and imposes restrictions on jobs and investments. Hyderabad being a Union Territory doesn't sound very reasonable either.

The state should continue to invest in the backward areas as well promote efforts to improve education and infrastructure in these areas. Only a combined and united Andhra Pradesh can be successful in the years to come.