Natural childbirth advocates are apparently desperate to demonstrate that “good mothers” don’t get epidurals for pain relief in labor. Unfortunately for them, the scientific literature, including the Torvaldsen study, fail to demonstrate that epidurals interfere with breastfeeding.

The Torvaldsen study looked at breastfeeding rates at 8, 16, and 24 weeks postpartum. At one week postpartum 93% of women were breastfeeding or partially breastfeeding. the investigators divided women into those who did any breastfeeding at all, regardless of how little, and those who had completely stopped breastfeeding. Strangely, the investigators never asked women about their breastfeeding plans. in other words, they ASSUMED (wrongly, no doubt) that all women planned to breastfeed for 6 months regardless of personal beliefs and regardless of employment status.

The data showed that the rate of breastfeeding dropped in each progressive week in ALL groups. At 24 weeks 52% of women who had received epidurals were still breastfeeding, compared to 72% who had received no pharmacological pain relief. but what percentage of women who stopped breastfeeding had never intended to continue until 24 weeks? we don’t know, because the authors never asked. They simply ASSUMED that anyone who stopped breastfeeding before 24 weeks did so involuntarily.

The investigators looked at many factors that were associated with duration of breastfeeding and of those, three had strong associations with duration of breast feeding. of those three, pain relief had the WEAKEST association with breastfeeding rates. A stronger association was found with maternal education level, and the strongest association was found with maternal age. Women over 30 reported a longer duration of breastfeeding and women with a university degree had the best rate of extended breastfeeding in the entire study.

It is interesting therefore, that lactivists claim that this study indicates that women risk harming the breastfeeding relationship by choosing an epidural. by their “reasoning,” lack of a university degree has an even higher risk of harming the breastfeeding relationship, yet, curiously, they do not recommend that women shouldn’t have children until they have a university degree.

It is obvious that young age does not “cause” a decrease in extended breastfeeding and failure to obtain a college degree does not “cause” a decrease in breastfeeding. They are maternal characteristics associated with a decrease in extended breastfeeding rates. in other words, rates of extended breastfeeding are dependent on personal characteristics of the mothers themselves. Older mothers and more educated mothers have a greater commitment to extended breastfeeding.

Similarly, epidural anesthesia does not “cause” a decreased in extended breastfeeding rates; the willingness to refuse epidural anesthesia is a maternal characteristic associated with extended breastfeeding, and only a minority of women (25%) refused some sort of pharmacologic pain relief.

This study does not show that epidurals interfere with breastfeeding. It shows that maternal personal characteristics determine extended breastfeeding rates. the women who were committed to unmedicated childbirth were also committed to extended breastfeeding, and as a variety of other studies have demonstrated, it is maternal commitment that is most closely associated with extended breastfeeding.

Sorry to disappoint those who insist they merit praise for refusing an epidural, but there is NO need to decline an epidural for fear that it will harm the breastfeeding relationship.

Amy Tuteur, MD commented on Feb 10 11 at 11:53 am

Posted on: Tuesday, 15 March 2011, 00:00 CDT

Tramadol hydrochloride (Ultram) is the best pain moderator. this medicine is too safe to use in chronic and severe pain.

Alexander, AR (PRWEB) March 14, 2011

there is a lot of excellent information about Tramadol at the pain relief community located at SendMeTramadol.com. Registered members will receive massive discounts.

Articles on the site include information on the history, benefits, risks, and side effects of Tramadol. The website is clearly laid out and allows online visitors to click for further details about getting a prescription filled for the product.

Tramadol is prescription medication used for relief of pain which ranges from moderate to severe. It is an opiate agonist, which means that it mimics the effects of opium on one's body. this means it should be used wisely only for use of serious pain and only by those with no history of drug abuse, as it carries some risk of addiction. any person considering Tramadol should consult a doctor to ensure that Tramadol is a good pain relief choice for that individual. Tramadol should be used only as instructed by a physician.

Pill identification, pregnancy considerations (generally should not be taken during pregnancy as this is a Pregnancy Schedule C drug and could harm a pregnant woman or her unborn child; though in some rare cases a doctor may decide the potential benefits outweigh the potential risks), withdrawal symptoms, and risks of use concurrent of Tramadol with alcohol (not recommended) are also discussed.

Tramadol comes in dosages ranging from 37.5 mg to 300 mg. Higher dosages (100 mg, 200 mg, or 300 mg) are in extended release form. It may also be found as in a combination pill with acetaminophen. The pills themselves come in a variety of shapes and colors with varying imprints. It is important that patients are certain they can identify any drug they take.

Tramadol works on the body in a manner that is similar to that of morphine. Both alcohol and Tramadol are central nervous system depressants and should not be used together. It is very important patients don't drink any alcohol while using Tramadol.

The biggest benefit of Tramadol is that it blocks pain signals in the brain. this lets some people with chronic painful conditions, such as arthritis, resume a more active lifestyle. It also offers relief when a person is recovering from an acutely painful condition, such as a broken bone.

Possible side effects of Tramadol include serious allergic reactions, hallucinations, fever, loose stool, dizziness, difficulty breathing, nausea, ringing in the ears, fast heart rate, blurred vision, and many other potential issues. Following a doctor's instructions and very quickly seeking medical assistance if experiencing any side effects from using Tramadol are extremely important, as ignoring a problem could be fatal.

Withdrawal symptoms can include difficulty sleeping, fever, tremors, sweating, anger, feeling anxious or sad, feeling as if one has the flu, loose stool, pain, nausea, reduced desire for food, and mood swings. Some people are able to detoxify the drug from their bodies by going cold turkey, while others need a doctor's support to lower the dose gradually. The longer a patient has been taking Tramadol, the more challenging it can be for that person to stop using it. The time it takes to safely stop using Tramadol can vary. It is best to ask a doctor's advice on this topic. He or she will know the best way to either stop or gradually lower dosages in the most beneficial manner based on medical history and Tramadol use.

The SendMeTramadol.com website is attractive and easy to read with a well designed layout and appropriate graphics, including helpful charts and diagrams. Tramadol is manufactured by Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals. this company also produces some other medicines such as antibiotic and antifungal products.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: prweb.com/releases/prweb2011/03/prweb5147894.htm

More News in this Category

Main symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome include abdominal pain that lasts for about 2 months. Along with this, the pain must be accompanied by at least two of the following factors in a period of 12 weeks, although not necessarily consecutive. the three factors are: change in the appearance of the stool; change in the frequency of stool excretion and pain relief after defecation. 

Other sets of symptoms that doctors watch out for are: abnormal frequency of defecation, which sometimes reach three times a day or less than three times in a week.); abnormal appearance of the stool, which are often lumpy and hard or watery in form.); abnormally hard passage of stool, characterized by a feeling of incomplete evacuation, difficulties that lead to straining and urgency to defecate. in some cases, there are mucus threads that are found on the stool. Mucus is a substance that aid in the passage of stools by moistening the path.

Another symptom is bloating, perhaps because of the inability to defecate or the feeling of abdominal distention. Remember though that these are all secondary symptoms and not the main ones. these symptoms only serve as support for the main symptoms. their presence, even all of them, is not enough for a diagnosis.

Some patients that suffer from irritable bowel syndrome also complain of experiencing heartburn and nausea. About 25 to 50 percent of the patients diagnosed with irritable bowel movement report these. Another symptom that patients may feel is the early feeling of satiety when eating, brought on by the fullness of the stomach.

Many patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome also experience fatigue and muscle pain. There will also be sleep disturbances and even sexual dysfunction. although these items are also symptoms, these may already be consequences or complications that have arisen from body dysfunction. 

As with other problems, symptoms may vary from one person to another. A patient will not feel all the symptoms. the severity of each symptom particularly the abdominal pain also varies from one patient to another. in fact, some patients have abdominal pain that is so mild that they do not even know that they have a problem.

This is often the problem with irritable bowel syndrome. in addition to having no direct cause and no specific diagnostic test, the symptoms are so varied and so common that people do not even recognize the problem. Most, in fact, believe that they have just suffered from a mild case of food poisoning when they do feel the pain and experience diarrhea.

Tags: symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, abdominal distention, symptoms of ibs

San Diego, CA (Vocus/PRWEB) November 30, 2010

Health Link Medical Center, a specialist in San Diego and Oceanside non-surgical pain relief and overall pain management, has announced the debut of a new website, HealthLinkMedicalCenter.com. The new website has been created with the patient in mind, giving each person the tools needed to truly become a partner in the healing process and to live pain-free.

The new website provides a wealth of information about the surgery-free techniques that are helping patients to get a whole new lease on life. Treatments are customized depending on the pain relief and pain management needs, with an individual treatment plan available for virtually any type of body aches and pains. Health Link Medical Center offers detailed patient education resources on the website. "Our new website really acts as a guide for people in the San Diego and Orange County areas who are interested in non-surgical alternatives to health," says Dr. Norman Deitch.

A regular wellness blog is another new website feature that patients can access to get information on wellness care. The blog will post regular articles about achieving, and maintaining, whole body wellness and will discuss how patients can get the most from pain management therapy. One of the most anticipated new website features is the ability to make an appointment online.

Health Link Medical Center believes in working with clients to achieve whole body healing and pain relief. these therapies can allow patients to completely avoid surgery and its pitfalls, but still achieve dramatic levels of pain relief. Osteopathic manipulation therapy is one of the services featured on the website which can assist with immediate pain management, as well as guard against future injuries. Osteopathic manipulation is a non-invasive method of spinal and skeletal manipulation that keeps the body’s skeletal structure in proper alignment. The article explains that the human skeleton is the framework that supports the entire body, so it must properly aligned in order to give proper support to the joints and muscles. One vertebrae slightly out of alignment could cause far-reaching problems –This is precisely the problems that osteopathic manipulation guards against.

The wellness center also offers SottoPelle BioIdentical hormone therapy which has recently been gaining in popularity as a non-surgical option for those suffering with symptoms of menopause or andopause. Individual testing that the clinic provides gives the information needed for the doctors to custom tailor a hormone therapy regimen. The website provides not only a detailed description of the therapy, but also has a video for users to watch from the National Medical Report.

Platelet Rich Plasma therapy is another of the services highlighted within the website that patients can learn more about. PRP Therapy is another non-surgical method of back pain relief that uses pain injections.

While the multi-faceted practice, is located in northern San Diego County in the city of Oceanside, many patients come from all over southern California to take advantage of the many unique services offered. More information about these techniques is available on the website at HealthLinkMedicalCenter.com.