Universal Medicine

As you are no doubt aware, the idiom ‘rubbing salt in the wound’ refers to making an already painful or dire situation even worse, but medically, salt is used in the form of saline to sterilise wounds, due to the hydrophilic properties of sodium chloride – the salt in saline absorbs moisture from the wound that would otherwise enable bacteria to proliferate. Unfortunately, despite containing roughly the same proportion of salt to water, the ocean is not a sterile environment, since there are certain bacteria that thrive in the ocean that would not be introduced in a sterile environment, Staphylococcus aureus among these. So why is rubbing salt in a wound so painful? To understand this question, we have to look at the system with which the body identifies pain. An impulse is triggered by sensory receptors in the skin which allow sodium ions to enter the neuron. This increases the resting potential (around -70mV) which gives rise to a generator potential, initiating an action ...

The oral cavity contains many different tissue types that can be affected by many pathologic conditions to represent a local systemic problem. It is also a more accessible region for diagnostic testing to detect systemic disease. Studies have shown that periodontal (gum) disease may be linked to cardiovascular disease, stroke, bacterial pneumonia, preterm births and low-birth weight babies. It is suggested that patients with periodontal disease are nearly three times more likely to suffer from heart disease. This is because oral bacteria can enter the blood stream, attach to fatty plaques in the heart’s blood vessels and contribute to the formation of clots.  Diabetic patients are more susceptible to oral health conditions such as tooth decay, gum disease, dry mouth and infection. High blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels which limits the supply of oxygen and nourishment to the gums. This makes chance of infections to the gums and bones more likely. Levels of glucos...

Sometimes regarded as the ‘sixth sense’, proprioception refers to the perception of your body’s movement and position. Proprioception means that we know where our limbs are in relation to each other, which means that we can perform daily activities such as holding objects and standing upright. Unlike the five senses which rely on receiving information from the outside world (i.e. stimuli), other 'senses' such as proprioception and balance receive information from the body. Proprioception is brought about by nerve pathways that link the brain to muscles to allow for two-way feedback. One set of nerves is responsible for sending messages to muscles to bring about movement. The other set sends messages to the brain to let the brain know what movement has taken place so that you are aware of where your limbs are at any given moment in time. It is difficult to understand the significance of proprioception unless you happen to have impaired proprioception- which, in short,...

Following the high profile Billy Caldwell case doctors are set to be allowed to prescribe medicinal cannabis from this autumn. This change offers hope of safe and effective treatment for many children and adults who’s conditions cannot be helped by licensed drugs Our bodies contain endocannabinoid system which is responsible for releasing human cannabinoids. These interact with cannabinoid receptors that are found in most of our tissues in order to produce a variety of effects. The therapeutic and psychoactive properties of marijuana occur when a cannabinoid activated a receptor is order to bring balance to your tissues and biological systems. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the psychoactive component of marijuana. It is what causes the ‘high’ people feel and gives some of it medicinal properties. THC alters the way you process information and how the information is processed in the hippocampus which can affect the way in which memories are formed and in turn help with mental illnes...