The part of the back on each side of the spine between the lowest pair of ribs and the top of the pelvis.
Symptoms. Swelling and pain in the loins.
Treatment. Temporary relief only. Until doctor arrives.
American Cranesbill. Valerian.
Hydronephrosis from prostatitis. Treat Prostate gland.
Hydronephrosis from stone in the kidney. Colic indicates stone. Treat stone. Hydronephrosis from tumour. See Tumour of the Kidney.
Hydronephrosis with infection. Echinacea and Goldenseal. ... hydronephrosis
Its branches, in order, are: two coronary arteries to the heart wall; the brachiocephalic, left common carotid, and left subclavian arteries to the head, neck and upper limbs; several small branches to the oesophagus, bronchi, and other organs of the chest; nine pairs of intercostal arteries which run around the body between the ribs; one pair of subcostal arteries which is in series with the intercostal arteries; four (or ?ve) lumbar arteries to the muscles of the loins; coeliac trunk to the stomach, liver and pancreas; two mesenteric arteries to the bowels; and suprarenal, renal and testicular arteries to the suprarenal body, kidney, and testicle on each side. From the termination of the aorta rises a small branch, the median sacral artery, which runs down into the pelvis. In the female the ovarian arteries replace the testicular.
The chief diseases of the aorta are ATHEROMA
and ANEURYSM. (See ARTERIES, DISEASES OF; COARCTATION OF THE AORTA.)... aorta
The embryo develops upon one side of the ovum, its ?rst appearance consisting of a groove, the edges of which grow up and join to form a tube, which in turn develops into the brain and spinal cord. At the same time, a part of the ovum beneath this is becoming pinched o? to form the body, and within this the endoderm forms a second tube, which in time is changed in shape and lengthened to form the digestive canal. From the gut there grows out very early a process called the allantois, which attaches itself to the wall of the uterus, developing into the PLACENTA (afterbirth), a structure well supplied with blood vessels which draws nourishment from the mother’s circulation via the wall of the womb.
The remainder of the ovum – which within two weeks of conception has increased to about 2 mm (1/12 inch) in size – splits into an outer and inner shell, from the outer of which are developed two covering membranes, the chorion and amnion; while the inner constitutes the yolk sac, attached by a pedicle to the developing gut of the embryo. From two weeks after conception onwards, the various organs and limbs appear and grow. The human embryo at this stage is almost indistinguishable in appearance from the embryo of other animals. After around the middle of the second month, it begins to show a distinctly human form and then is called the fetus. The property of ‘life’ is present from the very beginning, although the movements of the fetus are not usually felt by the mother until the ?fth month.
During the ?rst few days after conception the eye begins to be formed, beginning as a cup-shaped outgrowth from the mid-brain, its lens being formed as a thickening in the skin. It is very soon followed by the beginnings of the nose and ear, both of which arise as pits on the surface, which increase in complexity and are joined by nerves that grow outward from the brain. These three organs of sense have practically their ?nal appearance as early as the beginning of the second month.
The body closes in from behind forwards, the sides growing forwards from the spinal region. In the neck, the growth takes the form of ?ve arches, similar to those which bear gills in ?shes. From the ?rst of these the lower jaw is formed; from the second the hyoid bone, all the arches uniting, and the gaps between them closing up by the end of the second month. At this time the head and neck have assumed quite a human appearance.
The digestive canal begins as a simple tube running from end to end of the embryo, but it grows in length and becomes twisted in various directions to form the stomach and bowels. The lungs and the liver arise from this tube as two little buds, which quickly increase in size and complexity. The kidneys also appear very early, but go through several changes before their ?nal form is reached.
The genital organs appear late. The swellings, which form the ovary in the female and the testicle (or testis) in the male, are produced in the region of the loins, and gradually descend to their ?nal positions. The external genitals are similar in the two sexes till the end of the third month, and the sex is not clearly distinguishable till late in the fourth month.
The blood vessels appear in the ovum even before the embryo. The heart, originally double, forms as a dilatation upon the arteries which later produce the aorta. These two hearts later fuse into one.
The limbs appear at about the end of the third week, as buds which increase quickly in length and split at their ends into ?ve parts, for ?ngers or toes. The bones at ?rst are formed of cartilage, in which true bone begins to appear during the third month. The average period of human gestation is 266 days – or 280 days from the ?rst day of the last menstrual period. The average birth weight of an infant born of a healthy mother (in the UK) is 3,200 g (see table).
The following table gives the average size and weight of the fetus at di?erent periods:
(See also PREGNANCY AND LABOUR.)... fetus
Structure of bone Bone is composed partly of ?brous tissue, partly of bone matrix comprising phosphate and carbonate of lime, intimately mixed together. The bones of a child are about two-thirds ?brous tissue, whilst those of the aged contain one-third; the toughness of the former and the brittleness of the latter are therefore evident.
The shafts of the limb bones are composed of dense bone, the bone being a hard tube surrounded by a membrane (the periosteum) and enclosing a fatty substance (the BONE MARROW); and of cancellous bone, which forms the short bones and the ends of long bones, in which a ?ne lace-work of bone ?lls up the whole interior, enclosing marrow in its meshes. The marrow of the smaller bones is of great importance. It is red in colour, and in it red blood corpuscles are formed. Even the densest bone is tunnelled by ?ne canals (Haversian canals) in which run small blood vessels, nerves and lymphatics, for the maintenance and repair of the bone. Around these Haversian canals the bone is arranged in circular plates called lamellae, the lamellae being separated from one another by clefts, known as lacunae, in which single bone-cells are contained. Even the lamellae are pierced by ?ne tubes known as canaliculi lodging processes of these cells. Each lamella is composed of very ?ne interlacing ?bres.
GROWTH OF BONES Bones grow in thickness from the ?brous tissue and lime salts laid down by cells in their substance. The long bones grow in length from a plate of cartilage (epiphyseal cartilage) which runs across the bone about 1·5 cm or more from its ends, and which on one surface is also constantly forming bone until the bone ceases to lengthen at about the age of 16 or 18. Epiphyseal injury in children may lead to diminished growth of the limb.
REPAIR OF BONE is e?ected by cells of microscopic size, some called osteoblasts, elaborating the materials brought by the blood and laying down strands of ?brous tissue, between which bone earth is later deposited; while other cells, known as osteoclasts, dissolve and break up dead or damaged bone. When a fracture has occurred, and the broken ends have been brought into contact, these are surrounded by a mass of blood at ?rst; this is partly absorbed and partly organised by these cells, ?rst into ?brous tissue and later into bone. The mass surrounding the fractured ends is called the callus, and for some months it forms a distinct thickening which is gradually smoothed away, leaving the bone as before the fracture. If the ends have not been brought accurately into contact, a permanent thickening results.
VARIETIES OF BONES Apart from the structural varieties, bones fall into four classes: (a) long bones like those of the limbs; (b) short bones composed of cancellous tissue, like those of the wrist and the ankle; (c) ?at bones like those of the skull; (d) irregular bones like those of the face or the vertebrae of the spinal column (backbone).
The skeleton consists of more than 200 bones. It is divided into an axial part, comprising the skull, the vertebral column, the ribs with their cartilages, and the breastbone; and an appendicular portion comprising the four limbs. The hyoid bone in the neck, together with the cartilages protecting the larynx and windpipe, may be described as the visceral skeleton.
AXIAL SKELETON The skull consists of the cranium, which has eight bones, viz. occipital, two parietal, two temporal, one frontal, ethmoid, and sphenoid; and of the face, which has 14 bones, viz. two maxillae or upper jaw-bones, one mandible or lower jaw-bone, two malar or cheek bones, two nasal, two lacrimal, two turbinal, two palate bones, and one vomer bone. (For further details, see SKULL.) The vertebral column consists of seven vertebrae in the cervical or neck region, 12 dorsal vertebrae, ?ve vertebrae in the lumbar or loin region, the sacrum or sacral bone (a mass formed of ?ve vertebrae fused together and forming the back part of the pelvis, which is closed at the sides by the haunch-bones), and ?nally the coccyx (four small vertebrae representing the tail of lower animals). The vertebral column has four curves: the ?rst forwards in the neck, the second backwards in the dorsal region, the third forwards in the loins, and the lowest, involving the sacrum and coccyx, backwards. These are associated with the erect attitude, develop after a child learns to walk, and have the e?ect of diminishing jars and shocks before these reach internal organs. This is aided still further by discs of cartilage placed between each pair of vertebrae. Each vertebra has a solid part, the body in front, and behind this a ring of bone, the series of rings one above another forming a bony canal up which runs the spinal cord to pass through an opening in the skull at the upper end of the canal and there join the brain. (For further details, see SPINAL COLUMN.) The ribs – 12 in number, on each side – are attached behind to the 12 dorsal vertebrae, while in front they end a few inches away from the breastbone, but are continued forwards by cartilages. Of these the upper seven reach the breastbone, these ribs being called true ribs; the next three are joined each to the cartilage above it, while the last two have their ends free and are called ?oating ribs. The breastbone, or sternum, is shaped something like a short sword, about 15 cm (6 inches) long, and rather over 2·5 cm (1 inch) wide.
APPENDICULAR SKELETON The upper limb consists of the shoulder region and three segments – the upper arm, the forearm, and the wrist with the hand, separated from each other by joints. In the shoulder lie the clavicle or collar-bone (which is immediately beneath the skin, and forms a prominent object on the front of the neck), and the scapula or shoulder-blade behind the chest. In the upper arm is a single bone, the humerus. In the forearm are two bones, the radius and ulna; the radius, in the movements of alternately turning the hand palm up and back up (called supination and pronation respectively), rotating around the ulna, which remains ?xed. In the carpus or wrist are eight small bones: the scaphoid, lunate, triquetral, pisiform, trapezium, trapezoid, capitate and hamate. In the hand proper are ?ve bones called metacarpals, upon which are set the four ?ngers, each containing the three bones known as phalanges, and the thumb with two phalanges.
The lower limb consists similarly of the region of the hip-bone and three segments – the thigh, the leg and the foot. The hip-bone is a large ?at bone made up of three – the ilium, the ischium and the pubis – fused together, and forms the side of the pelvis or basin which encloses some of the abdominal organs. The thigh contains the femur, and the leg contains two bones – the tibia and ?bula. In the tarsus are seven bones: the talus (which forms part of the ankle joint); the calcaneus or heel-bone; the navicular; the lateral, intermediate and medial cuneiforms; and the cuboid. These bones are so shaped as to form a distinct arch in the foot both from before back and from side to side. Finally, as in the hand, there are ?ve metatarsals and 14 phalanges, of which the great toe has two, the other toes three each.
Besides these named bones there are others sometimes found in sinews, called sesamoid bones, while the numbers of the regular bones may be increased by extra ribs or diminished by the fusion together of two or more bones.... bone
K
Diagram of glomerulus (Malpighian corpuscle).
Fortunately the body has two kidneys and, as most people can survive on one, there is a good ‘functional reserve’ of kidney tissue.
Symptoms Many patients with kidney disorders do not have any symptoms, even when the condition is quite advanced. However,
others experience loin pain associated with obstruction (renal colic) or due to infection; fevers; swelling (oedema), usually of the legs but occasionally including the face and arms; blood in the urine (haematuria); and excess quantities of urine (polyuria), including at night (nocturia), due to failure of normal mechanisms in the kidney for concentrating urine. Patients with chronic renal failure often have very di?use symptoms including nausea and vomiting, tiredness due to ANAEMIA, shortness of breath, skin irritation, pins and needles (paraesthesia) due to damage of the peripheral nerves (peripheral neuropathy), and eventually (rarely seen nowadays) clouding of consciousness and death.
Signs of kidney disease include loin tenderness, enlarged kidneys, signs of ?uid retention, high blood pressure and, in patients with end-stage renal failure, pallor, pigmentation and a variety of neurological signs including absent re?exes, reduced sensation, and a coarse ?apping tremor (asterixis) due to severe disturbance of the body’s normal metabolism.
Renal failure Serious kidney disease may lead to impairment or failure of the kidney’s ability to ?lter waste products from the blood and excrete them in the urine – a process that controls the body’s water and salt balance and helps to maintain a stable blood pressure. Failure of this process causes URAEMIA – an increase in urea and other metabolic waste products – as well as other metabolic upsets in the blood and tissues, all of which produce varying symptoms. Failure can be sudden or develop more slowly (chronic). In the former, function usually returns to normal once the underlying cause has been treated. Chronic failure, however, usually irreparably reduces or stops normal function.
Acute failure commonly results from physiological shock following a bad injury or major illness. Serious bleeding or burns can reduce blood volume and pressure to the point where blood-supply to the kidney is greatly reduced. Acute myocardial infarction (see HEART, DISEASES OF) or pancreatitis (see PANCREAS, DISORDERS OF) may produce a similar result. A mismatched blood transfusion can produce acute failure. Obstruction to the urine-?ow by a stone (calculus) in the urinary tract, a bladder tumour or an enlarged prostate can also cause acute renal failure, as can glomerulonephritis (see below) and the haemolytic-uraemia syndrome.
HYPERTENSION, DIABETES MELLITUS, polycystic kidney disease (see below) or AMYLOIDOSIS are among conditions that cause chronic renal failure. Others include stone, tumour, prostatic enlargement and overuse of analgesic drugs. Chronic failure may eventually lead to end-stage renal failure, a life-threatening situation that will need DIALYSIS or a renal transplant (see TRANSPLANTATION).
Familial renal disorders include autosomal dominant inherited polycystic kidney disease and sex-linked familial nephropathy. Polycystic kidney disease is an important cause of renal failure in the UK. Patients, usually aged 30–50, present with HAEMATURIA, loin or abdominal discomfort or, rarely, urinary-tract infection, hypertension and enlarged kidneys. Diagnosis is based on ultrasound examination of the abdomen. Complications include renal failure, hepatic cysts and, rarely, SUBARACHNOID HAEMORRHAGE. No speci?c treatment is available. Familial nephropathy occurs more often in boys than in girls and commonly presents as Alport’s syndrome (familial nephritis with nerve DEAFNESS) with PROTEINURIA, haematuria, progressing to renal failure and deafness. The cause of the disease lies in an absence of a speci?c ANTIGEN in a part of the glomerulus. The treatment is conservative, with most patients eventually requiring dialysis or transplantation.
Acute glomerulonephritis is an immune-complex disorder due to entrapment within glomerular capillaries of ANTIGEN (usually derived from B haemolytic streptococci – see STREPTOCOCCUS) antibody complexes initiating an acute in?ammatory response (see IMMUNITY). The disease affects children and young adults, and classically presents with a sore throat followed two weeks later by a fall in urine output (oliguria), haematuria, hypertension and mildly abnormal renal function. The disease is self-limiting with 90 per cent of patients spontaneously recovering. Treatment consists of control of blood pressure, reduced ?uid and salt intake, and occasional DIURETICS and ANTIBIOTICS.
Chronic glomerulonephritis is also due to immunological renal problems and is also classi?ed by taking a renal biopsy. It may be subdivided into various histological varieties as determined by renal biospy. Proteinuria of various degrees is present in all these conditions but the clinical presentations vary, as do their treatments. Some resolve spontaneously; others are treated with steroids or even the cytotoxic drug CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE or the immunosuppressant cyclosporin. Prognoses are generally satisfactory but some patients may require renal dialysis or kidney transplantation – an operation with a good success rate.
Hydronephrosis A chronic disease in which the kidney becomes greatly distended with ?uid. It is caused by obstruction to the ?ow of urine at the pelvi-ureteric junction (see KIDNEYS – Structure). If the ureter is obstructed, the ureter proximal to the obstruction will dilate and pressure will be transmitted back to the kidney to cause hydronephrosis. Obstruction may occur at the bladder neck or in the urethra itself. Enlargement of the prostate is a common cause of bladder-neck obstruction; this would give rise to hypertrophy of the bladder muscle and both dilatation of the ureter and hydronephrosis. If the obstruction is not relieved, progressive destruction of renal tissue will occur. As a result of the stagnation of the urine, infection is probable and CYSTITIS and PYELONEPHRITIS may occur.
Impaired blood supply may be the outcome of diabetes mellitus and physiological shock, which lowers the blood pressure, also affecting the blood supply. The result can be acute tubular necrosis. POLYARTERITIS NODOSA and SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS (SLE) may damage the large blood vessels in the kidney. Treatment is of the underlying condition.
Infection of the kidney is called pyelonephritis, a key predisposing factor being obstruction of urine ?ow through the urinary tract. This causes stagnation and provides a fertile ground for bacterial growth. Acute pyelonephritis is more common in women, especially during pregnancy when bladder infection (CYSTITIS) spreads up the ureters to the kidney. Symptoms are fever, malaise and backache. Antibiotics and high ?uid intake are the most e?ective treatment. Chronic pyelonephritis may start in childhood as a result of congenital deformities that permit urine to ?ow up from the bladder to the kidney (re?ux). Persistent re?ux leads to recurrent infections causing permanent damage to the kidney. Specialist investigations are usually required as possible complications include hypertension and kidney failure.
Tumours of the kidney are fortunately rare. Non-malignant ones commonly do not cause symptoms, and even malignant tumours (renal cell carcinoma) may be asymptomatic for many years. As soon as symptoms appear – haematuria, back pain, nausea, malaise, sometimes secondary growths in the lungs, bones or liver, and weight loss – urgent treatment including surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy is necessary. This cancer occurs mostly in adults over 40 and has a hereditary element. The prognosis is not good unless diagnosed early. In young children a rare cancer called nephroblastoma (Wilm’s tumour) can occur; treatment is with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. It may grow to a substantial size before being diagnosed.
Cystinuria is an inherited metabolic defect in the renal tubular reabsorption of cystine, ornithine, lysine and arginine. Cystine precipitates in an alkaline urine to form cystine stones. Triple phosphate stones are associated with infection and may develop into a very large branching calculi (staghorn calculi). Stones present as renal or ureteric pain, or as an infection. Treatment has undergone considerable change with the introduction of MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY (MIS) and the destruction of stone by sound waves (LITHOTRIPSY).... kidneys, diseases of
The human backbone is about 70 cm (28
inches) in length, and varies little in full-grown people; di?erences in height depend mainly upon the length of the lower limbs. The number of vertebrae is 33 in children, although in adult life ?ve of these fuse together to form the sacrum, and the lowest four unite in the coccyx, so that the number of separate bones is reduced to 26. Of these there are seven in the neck, known as cervical vertebrae; 12 with ribs attached, in the region of the thorax known as thoracic or dorsal vertebrae; ?ve in the loins, called lumbar vertebrae; ?ve fused to form the sacrum; and four joined in the coccyx. These numbers are expressed in a formula thus: C7, D12, L5, S5, Coc4=33.
Although the vertebrae in each of these regions have distinguishing features, all the vertebrae are constructed on the same general plan. Each has a thick, rounded, bony part in front, known as the body, and these bodies form the main thickness of the column. Behind the body of each is a ring of bone, the neural ring, these rings placed one above another forming the bony canal which lodges the spinal cord. From each side of the ring a short process of bone known as the transverse process stands out, and from the back of the ring a larger process, the spinous process, projects. These processes give attachment to the strong ligaments and muscles which unite, support, and bend the column. The spines can be seen or felt beneath the skin of the back lying in the centre of a groove between the muscular masses of the two sides, and they give to the column its name of the spinal column. One of these spines, that of the seventh cervical vertebra, is especially large and forms a distinct bony prominence, where the neck joins the back. Between the bodies of the vertebrae lies a series of thick discs of ?brocartilage known as intervertebral discs. Each disc consists of an outer portion, known as the annulus ?brosus, and an inner core, known as the nucleus pulposus. These 23 discs provide the upper part of the spine with pliability and resilience.
The ?rst and second cervical vertebrae are specially modi?ed. The ?rst vertebra, known as the atlas, is devoid of a body, but has a specially large and strong ring with two hollows upon which the skull rests, thus allowing forward and backward movements (nodding). The second vertebra, known as the axis, has a pivot on its body which ?ts into the ?rst vertebra and thus allows free rotation of the head from side to side. The spinal column has four natural curves (see diagram) which help to cushion the shocks of walking and running.
The neural rings of the vertebrae form a canal, which is wide in the neck, smaller and almost round in the dorsal region, and wide again in the lumbar vertebrae. Down the canal runs the spinal cord, and the nerves leaving the cord do so through openings between the vertebrae which are produced by notches on the upper and lower margins of each ring. The intervertebral foramina formed by these notches are so large in comparison with the nerves passing through them that there is no chance of pressure upon the latter, except in very serious injuries which dislocate and fracture the spine.... spinal column
Cystitis Most cases of cystitis are caused by bacteria which have spread from the bowel, especially Escherichia coli, and entered the bladder via the urethra. Females are more prone to cystitis than are males, owing to their shorter urethra which allows easier entry for bacteria. Chronic or recurrent cystitis may result in infection spreading up the ureter to the kidney (see KIDNEY, DISEASES OF).
Symptoms Typically there is frequency and urgency of MICTURITION, with stinging and burning on passing urine (dysuria), which is often smelly or bloodstained. In severe infection patients develop fever and rigors, or loin pain. Before starting treatment a urine sample should be obtained for laboratory testing, including identi?cation of the invading bacteria.
Treatment This includes an increased ?uid intake, ANALGESICS, doses of potassium citrate to make the urine alkaline to discourage bacterial growth, and an appropriate course of ANTIBIOTICS once a urine sample has been ana-lysed in the laboratory to con?rm the diagnosis and determine what antibiotics the causative organism is likely to respond to.
Stone or calculus The usual reason for the formation of a bladder stone is an obstruction to the bladder out?ow, which results in stagnant residual urine – ideal conditions for the crystallisation of the chemicals that form stones – or from long-term indwelling CATHETERS which weaken the natural mechanical protection against bacterial entry and, by bruising the lining tissues, encourage infection.
Symptoms The classic symptom is a stoppage in the ?ow of urine during urination, associated with severe pain and the passage of blood.
Treatment This involves surgical removal of the stone either endoscopically (litholapaxy); by passing a cystoscope into the bladder via the urethra and breaking the stone; or by LITHOTRIPSY in which the stone (or stones) is destroyed by applying ultrasonic shock waves. If the stone cannot be destroyed by these methods, the bladder is opened and the stone removed (cystolithotomy).
Cancer Cancer of the bladder accounts for 7 per cent of all cancers in men and 2·5 per cent in women. The incidence increases with age, with smoking and with exposure to the industrial chemicals, beta-napththylamine and benzidine. In 2003, 2,884 men and 1,507 women died of bladder cancer in England and Wales.
Symptoms The classical presenting symptom of a bladder cancer is the painless passing of blood in the urine – haematuria. All patients with haematuria must be investigated with an X-ray of their kidneys, an INTRAVENOUS PYELOGRAM (UROGRAM) and a cystoscopy.
Treatment Super?cial bladder tumours on the lining of the bladder can be treated by local removal via the cystoscope using DIATHERMY (cystodiathermy). Invasive cancers into the bladder muscle are usually treated with RADIOTHERAPY, systemic CHEMOTHERAPY or surgical removal of the bladder (cystectomy). Local chemotherapy may be useful in some patients with multiple small tumours.... urinary bladder, diseases of
Action: cooling astringent, diuretic anodyne, sedative, alterative (mild), action similar to Hydrangea, reducing specific gravity of urine.
Its properties are destroyed by heat.
Uses: Irritation of the urinary tract, sharp pain in loins, and rheumatic pains in shoulders. (Scudder) Relieves spasm of low back pain after changing turbid discharge to a free easy flow of urine. (J. Henry Finch MD, Savannah, Ga, USA) Inability to urinate. Cystitis. Burns (external). Eyestrain: slice of cucumber over each eye when resting.
Tapeworms. “Take 60g (2oz) ground seeds and mix with honey. Take fasting and followed after 2 hours by a cathartic.” (David Hoffmann MNIMH)
Preparation. Cucumber passed through a liquidiser yields a clear pea-green fluid. Dose: 2-4 teaspoons, neat or with water, every 3 hours. Cucumber and Yoghurt face pack to rid skin of impurities and discourage wrinkles: blend equal parts fresh cucumber and yoghurt in a liquidiser and apply. ... cucumber
Symptoms: legs and hands cold, pale face, alternate heats and chills, loss of appetite, nervous exhaustion, pain in the back and loins.
General use. Uterine astringents.
Alternatives. Bayberry bark, Beth root, Black Haw, Blue Cohosh, Broom, Cranesbill (American), Goldenseal, Lady’s Mantle, Life root, Periwinkle (greater), Raspberry leaves, Rhatany root, Shepherd’s Purse, Yarrow. For reduction of menstrual flow without arrest.
Raspberry leaves. A gentle astringent tea for mild cases.
Agnus Castus. Heavy bleeding between periods.
Formula. Tea. Equal parts: Lady’s Mantle, Raspberry leaves, Shepherd’s Purse. 2 teaspoons to each cup boiling water; infuse 15 minutes. 1 cup freely.
Formula. Powders. Black Haw 3; Bayberry bark 3; Cinnamon 1. Dose: 750mg (three 00 capsules or half a teaspoon) 3-4 times daily.
For the severe case. Formula. Bur-marigold 2; Lady’s Mantle 2; Beth root 1. Dose: Liquid Extracts: 1-2 teaspoons; Tinctures: 2-3 teaspoons; every 2 hours.
Prophylactic: Mistletoe, taken at least 14 days before period. For prolonged heavy loss, refer patient to a gynaecologist.
Diet. Vitamin K foods. Iron foods. Prunes. Kelp. Irish Moss.
Supplements. Daily. Vitamin A, 7,500iu, Vitamin C, 1g. Vitamin E, 200iu. Vitamin K, 5mcg. Bioflavonoids. Calcium. Iodine. Iron – Floradix.
Sitz bath. Has a toning effect upon the pelvic organs, arresting high blood loss. See: SITZ BATH. ... menorrhagia
A constant fear is the onset of uraemia caused by accumulation in the blood of waste by-products of protein digestion, therefore the patient should reject meat in favour of fish. Eggs and dairy products taken in strict moderation.
Where urea accumulates in the circulation ‘sustaining’ diuretics are indicated; these favour excretion of solids without forcing the discharge of more urine: including Shepherd’s Purse, Gravel root, or Uva Ursi when an astringent diuretic is needed for a show of blood in the urine. According to the case, other agents in common practice: Dandelion root, Yarrow, Hawthorn, Marigold, Stone root, Hydrangea. Parsley Piert, Buchu, Hawthorn, Golden Rod.
The patient will feel the cold intensely and always be tired. Warm clothing and ample rest are essential. Heart symptoms require treatment with Lily of the Valley or Broom.
This condition should be treated by or in liaison with a qualified medical practitioner.
Treatment. As kidney damage would be established, treatment would be palliative; efforts being to relieve strain and obtain maximum efficiency. There may be days of total bed-rest, raw foods and quiet. Consumption of fluids may not be as abundant as formerly. Soothing herb teas promote well-being and facilitate elimination. Oil of Juniper is avoided.
Efforts should be made to promote a rapid absorption – to restore the balance between the circulation and the lymphatics. For this purpose Mullein is effective. A few grains of Cayenne or drops of Tincture Capsicum enhances action.
Indicated. Antimicrobials, urinary antiseptics, diuretics, anti-hypertensives. For septic conditions add Echinacea.
Of Therapeutic Value. Alfalfa, Broom, Buchu, Couchgrass, Cornsilk, Dandelion, Lime flowers, Marigold, Mullein, Marshmallow, Parsley Piert, Periwinkle (major), Wild Carrot, Water Melon seed tea. Tea. Combine equal parts: Couchgrass, Dandelion, Mullein. 2 teaspoons to each cup boiling water. Infuse 5-15 minutes. 1 cup freely.
Powders. Combine equal parts: Stone root, Hydrangea, Hawthorn. Dose: 500mg (two 00 capsules or one-third teaspoon) 3 or more times daily in water or cup Cornsilk tea. A few grains Cayenne enhances action. Formula. Buchu 2; Mullein 2; Echinacea 1; Senna leaves half. Mix. Liquid extracts: 1 teaspoon. Tinctures: 2 teaspoons. In water or cup Cornsilk tea 3 or more times daily. 2-3 drops Tincture Capsicum to each dose enhances action.
Diffusive stimulant for the lymphatic vessels. Onion milk is an effective potassium-conserving diuretic and diaphoretic. Onions are simmered gently in milk for 2 hours and drunk when thirsty or as desired – a welcome alternative to water. May be eaten uncooked.
Diet. Salt-free, low fat, high protein. Spring water. Raw goat’s milk, potassium broth. Fish oils. Avoid eggs and dairy products. No alcohol.
Supplements. Vitamins A, B-complex, C plus bioflavonoids, B6, D, E, Magnesium, Lecithin. Herbal treatment offers a supportive role. ... bright’s disease (chronic)
Most urinary tract stones are composed of calcium oxalate or other salts crystallized from the urine. These may be associated with a diet rich in oxalic acid (found in leafy vegetables and coffee); high levels of calcium in the blood as a result of hyperparathyroidism; or chronic dehydration. Other types of stone are associated with gout and some cancers. An infective stone is usually a result of chronic urinary tract infection.
In developing countries, bladder stones usually occur as a result of dietary deficiencies. In developed countries, they are usually caused by an obstruction to urine flow from the bladder and/or a longstanding urinary tract infection.
The most common symptom of a stone in the kidney or ureter is renal colic (a severe pain in the loin) that may cause nausea and vomiting. There may be haematuria (blood in the urine). A bladder stone is usually indicated by difficulty in passing urine. The site of the stone can usually be confirmed by intravenous or retrograde urography.
Renal colic is treated with bed rest and an opioid analgesic (painkiller).
With an adequate fluid intake, small stones are usually passed in the urine without problems.
The first line of treatment for larger stones is lithotripsy, which uses ultrasonic or shock waves to disintegrate the stones.
Alternatively, cytoscopy can be used to crush and remove stones in the bladder and lower ureter.
In some cases, surgery may be needed.... calculus, urinary tract
Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) affects between 1 in 400 and 1 in 1000 individuals and is one of the most common hereditary diseases. Two types have been defined. ADPKD 1 is the commonest and responsible for about 85% of cases. It is due to a mutation in the PKD1 gene on chromosome 16, which encodes polycystin 1, an *ion-channel-regulating protein. ADPKD2 is due to a mutation in the PKD2 gene on chromosome 4, which encodes the protein polycystin 2, a calcium-release channel. ADPKD2 tends to be a milder disease with later presentation.
ADPKD is a multisystem disorder that is also associated with cyst formation in other organs (particularly the liver), cardiovascular disorders, and colonic diverticular disease. Renal disease presents in early adult life with haematuria, loin pain, urinary tract infection, hypertension, renal stone disease, or the finding of a mass in the abdomen. Other cases are identified by family contact tracing; the findings of a few cysts on renal ultrasonography in a young adult with a family history of ADPKD is highly suggestive of the disease. Renal disease is progressive and about 50% of patients will have reached end-stage by the time they enter their seventh decade. The progress of the renal failure can be slowed by good blood pressure control. In the UK, patients with ADPKD are responsible for 5–10% of the total on renal replacement therapy.
There are a number of separate rare autosomal dominant conditions other than ADPKD1 and ADPKD 2 that can present with polycystic kidneys. These include *von Hippel-Lindau disease and *tuberous sclerosis.... polycystic disease of the kidneys
FAMILY: Pinaceae
SYNONYMS: Longleaf yellow pine, southern yellow pine, pitch pine, pine (oil).
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: A tall evergreen tree with long needles and a straight trunk, grown extensively for its timber. It exudes a natural oleoresin from the trunk, which provides the largest source for the production of turpentine in America – see also entry on turpentine.
DISTRIBUTION: Native to south eastern USA, where the oil is largely produced.
OTHER SPECIES: There are numerous other species of pine all over the world which are used to produce pine oil, as well as pine needle and turpentine oil – see Botanical Classification section.
HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: Pine sawdust has been used for centuries as a highly esteemed household remedy for a variety of ailments. ‘It is a grand, gentle, although powerful external antiseptic remedy, applied as a poultice in rheumatism when localised, hard cancerous tumours, tuberculosis in the knee or ankle joints, disease of the bone, in short, all sluggish morbid deposits ... I have used it behind the head for failing sight, down the spine for general debility, on the loins for lumbago, etc. all with the best results.’.
ACTIONS: Analgesic (mild), antirheumatic, antiseptic, bactericidal, expectorant, insecticidal, stimulant.
EXTRACTION: The crude oil is obtained by steam distillation from the sawdust and wood chips from the heartwood and roots of the tree (wastage from the timber mills), and then submitted to fractional distillation under atmospheric pressure to produce pine essential oil.
CHARACTERISTICS: A water-white or pale yellow liquid with a sweet-balsamic, pinewood scent. It blends well with rosemary, pine needle, cedarwood, citronella, rosewood, ho leaf and oakmoss.
PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Terpineol, estragole, fenchone, fenchyl alcohol and borneol, among others.
SAFETY DATA: Non-toxic; non-irritant (except in concentration); possible sensitization in some individuals.
AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE
Circulation muscles and joints: Arthritis, debility, lumbago, muscular aches and pains, poor circulation, rheumatism, stiffness, etc.
Respiratory system: Asthma, bronchitis, catarrh, sinusitis.
OTHER USES: Used extensively in medicine, particularly in veterinary antiseptic sprays, disinfectants, detergents and insecticides (as a solvent carrier). Employed as a fragrance component in soaps, toiletries, bath products and perfumes. Also used in paint manufacture although it is increasingly being replaced by synthetic ‘pine oil’.... pine, longleaf
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