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shokeen123
November 11th, 2002, 04:20 AM
I have been very troubled by the misleading medical information posted on Jatland (about amazing curing power of water). It is one thing to update the community on controversial issues, discuus their pros and cons, but to prescribe "quack medicine" on board is inappropriate, unacceptable and misleading. Some one has to become the devil’s advocate to warn people about such blatant claims. If that someone happens to be me, I can live with that.

Please do the needful.

rsdalal
November 11th, 2002, 05:29 AM
Sujata ji,
I myselft do not believe THAT MUCH on this water therapy.
But that is for sure that it will benefit rather than harming any body.
So in my opinion we should not discourage any body for doing this.

akdalal
November 11th, 2002, 01:03 PM
This is too much of water at one time. I believe that one should drink 1 to 1.5 litres of water in a whole day. Be it summer or winter. This is required as 85% of our body constitutes water.

I also believe that anything in Excess is really Harmful. Let's not believe in this type of misleading information.

sandylawyer
November 11th, 2002, 08:51 PM
Anandji,
there is nothing like excess drinking .of course it's true if u r talking about water mixed with alcohol.
daily requirement of water intake differs from person to person(from one glass to eight litres everyday)
so lets not decide the amount of water a person should drink in a day.

shamsher
November 11th, 2002, 10:10 PM
hi sujata, how very thoughtful of u.But in an indian setup quackery is being promoted at almost every level,what to talk of preventing it.I am sure the problem is much more than just drinking excess water or wasting time discussing about it.Being a specialist it is really painful to see these things going around.i would sure like to extend my help in any way possible....count me in...shamsher

akdalal
November 12th, 2002, 09:50 AM
Dear Sandeep,

I am talking about average intake. if anybody is drinking less water than he should increase the water intake. moreover alchol ka to jikar mania kario as we are talking about H2O (minus alchol).

Anyway water is really essential for all and should be taken in decent quantity to keep yourself afreash.

I agree with Samsher that quackary is unavoidable at least in India. the best way is to try to educate all about its negative points.


sandeep dahiya (Nov 11, 2002 10:21 a.m.):
Anandji,
there is nothing like excess drinking .of course it's true if u r talking about water mixed with alcohol.
daily requirement of water intake differs from person to person(from one glass to eight litres everyday)
so lets not decide the amount of water a person should drink in a day.

amarsirohi
November 12th, 2002, 05:24 PM
I fully agree with what Sujata says...
Some info on the "Amazing" thread might be true but most of it is just enough to let it in from one ear and out of the other.

I strongly feel that the starting of such threads should be discouraged by the site admin beofre someone out of us actually goes ahead and tries one of the remedies floated by the thread and in due course of time does bodily harm....

anurana
November 12th, 2002, 10:36 PM
Amar Sirohi (Nov 12, 2002 06:54 a.m.):
I strongly feel that the starting of such threads should be discouraged by the site admin beofre someone out of us actually goes ahead and tries one of the remedies floated by the thread and in due course of time does bodily harm....
Amar,
It is not possible for a moderator to verify the factual correctness of the posts here on the forum.
In this particular case it needs medical expertise to be able to comment on it.
But as a member we all including myself share the responsibility that we don't post any misleading information.
In light of the confrontations of the claims in " Amazing ....." post by some of the medically educated jatland members
I want to suggest to the author to provide some of the references on which his post is based.
- Moderator (General Talk)

shokeen123
November 13th, 2002, 08:32 AM
Dear all:

Despite the miracle discovery of penicillin, eradication of small pox, and vaccine development for polio, there are many improbabilities in the medical sciences (e.g., to date there is no surefire treatment for all types of cancer), however, ignorance about the therapeutic uses of water is not one of them! The scientific community has well documented and utilized the beneficial effects of water. Under no circumstances, has water been proven to cure, diabetes, cancer, asthma, tuberculosis, and an overwhelming majority of the diseases mentioned in the “amazing” post.

The scientific and medical community believes water is life. Every system of the body depends on water for survival. Water is necessary for the digestion and absorption of vitamins and nutrients. It is also true that fiber alone cannot aid proper digestive function, and as a result of inadequate water, fiber can cause constipation. Water also carries away waste from the body, detoxifying the liver and the kidneys. Dehydration thickens the blood causing the body to work much harder. Because of dehydration the brain is less active, effecting concentration and acuity, therefore, the body becomes fatigued. However, water only helps in maintaining optimal function of these systems, WATER DOES NOT CURE ANY DISEASE (other than dehydration).

Finally, the rhetoric is not about the uses of water; it is about the undue implications to cure some of the most serious medical conditions such as cancer and diabetes. I believe it is neither practical nor is it within the scope of Jatland.com to provide in-depth description of the 31 conditions listed in the “amazing” post. The text book description of each disease can take up to several pages, and since this is not a medical board, it will be irrelevant to describe it here. Additionally, a comprehensive description of each disease must, in the least include the following:

Definition

Etiology (causes)

Signs and symptoms (clinical features)

Diagnosis
(e.g., medical, and radiological tests, e.g., blood chemistry, x-ray etc.)

Differential diagnosis
(from other diseases that may manifest similar clinical features)

Types
(e.g., Juvenile-onset diabetes, or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is type 1 diabetes. Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or adult-onset diabetes is type 2 diabetes).

Stages
(cancer is usually described in stages, e.g., based on metastasis to other organs).

Patho-physiology
(the mechanism of disease process or proliferation. e.g., cellular, metabolic, hormonal).

Management or Treatment
(empirical, medical, surgical, radiological, chemotherpeutic)

Prognosis (the pattern of disease progression and probable outcome)

Prevention strategies (e.g., vaccine, gamaglobulin, prophylaxis).

Medical conditions are very difficult to diagnose and even within the medical community there is a lot of debate about approaches to diagnosis and treatment modalities. In the west the fear of malpractice has given rise to a booming law industry.

Litigation was brought into practice because in some cases, because of the negligence of the physician, sometimes even the most basic and crucial tests that could have saved a patient’s life were not performed. Even a simple case of headache is not so simple when it comes to the underlying pathology. Headache is also the most common physical symptom in most medical conditions however; it shouldn’t be treated so casually. I am going to try to use headache as an example. One can say with a great degree of confidence that even this detailed description does cover everything there is, about headache!

In due course of time I could provide more information on the other 30 conditions, however, that could take a lot of space, therefore, here is a very useful link for A-Z medical topics: http://www.nih.gov/

1. Headache

What is Headache?

When a person has a headache, several areas of the head can hurt, including a network of nerves that extends over the scalp and certain nerves in the face, mouth, and throat. The muscles of the head and the blood vessels found along the surface and at the base of the brain are also sensitive to pain because they contain delicate nerve fibers. The bones of the skull and tissues of the brain itself never hurt because they lack pain-sensitive nerve fibers. The ends of these pain-sensitive nerves, called nociceptors, can be stimulated by stress, muscular tension, dilated blood vessels, and others triggers of headache. Vascular headaches (migraines are a kind of vascular headache) are thought to involve abnormal function of the brain's blood vessels or vascular system; muscle contraction headaches appear to involve the tightening or tensing of facial and neck muscles; and traction and inflammatory headaches are symptoms of other disorders, ranging from brain tumor to stroke to sinus infection. Some types of headache are signals of more serious disorders: sudden, severe headache; headache associated with convulsions; headache accompanied by confusion or loss of consciousness; headache following a blow on the head; headache associated with pain in the eye or ear; persistent headache in a person who was previously headache free; recurring headache in children; headache associated with fever; headache that interferes with normal life. Physicians will obtain a full medical history and may order a blood test to screen for thyroid disease, anemia, or infections or x-rays to rule out a brain tumor or blood clots. CTs, MRIs, and EEGs may be recommended. An eye exam is usually performed to check for weakness in the eye muscle or unequal pupil size. Some scientists believe that fatigue, glaring or flickering lights, the weather, and certain foods may trigger migraine headaches.

Source: http://www.nih.gov/

2. Types of Headache

Tension-Type Headache
Migraine Headache
Cluster Headache
Hormone Headache
Rebound Headache,
Medication-Induced Headache,
Sinus,
Organic

3. What to Expect during the First Visit to
a Doctor for Headache Diagnosis

Date of every headache
Time of day headache occurs
Do the headaches occur during your menstrual cycle?
Type of pain: dull, aching, throbbing, piercing, squeezing, or excruciating
Other symptoms accompanying headache, possibly including: nausea, vomiting, dizziness, head/neck muscles contracting, senses (eyesight, hearing or touch) affected
Location of pain: one side of head, both sides of head, front or back of head, over or behind one eye
How long do the headaches last? Hours, days?
Do you take over-the-counter medications for your headaches? Did another doctor prescribe a medication? Does it work and for how long?
Do you take any natural remedies or herbs?
Where were you when the headache occurred: home, office, shopping, etc.?
Were you under stress when the headache occurred?
What was the weather like when the headache occurred?
Were you exposed to odors (e.g., perfume, chemicals) or smoke?
Had you eaten a meal or snack recently, or had you missed a meal?
Were you exercising or physically strained?
Did you fall, bump your head, or suffer a head trauma?
What are your sleeping patterns?
If you had eaten, what foods did you eat or what beverages did you drink (within last 24 hours)?
Is there a history of headaches in your family?

In addition to a headache history and any diagnostic studies that were performed by a previous doctor, your headache specialist will want a general medical history. This will start with information from you:

Besides the headaches, do you have other medical disorders or conditions?
What is your family's medical history?
In addition to the medications you have taken for the headaches, do you take any other medications?

Tests that Your Doctor May Ask For:

After your doctor has established your headache and medical history, he or she will require diagnostic tests. They could include:

Blood Chemistry and Urinalysis
These tests may determine many medical conditions, including thyroid problems and infections, which can precipitate headaches.

CT Scan (computerized tomography) or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
The CT or brain scan reveals sinus problems, tumors or strokes. Although it is more costly than the CT Scan, the MRI does not use iodine containing contrast dye and may be more definitive in picking up problems in the head or brain. These scans can reveal skull fractures, malignant diseases, sinus problems, concussions, hematomas and other possible medical problems.

Lumbar Puncture or Spinal Tap
This test is used only if the symptoms warrant it, and it can cause a headache for a few hours afterward.

Sinus X-Ray
Although the CT Scan and MRI provide more details, your physician may use this test if your symptoms seem to point to sinus.

Neurological and Ophthalmology Tests
Neurological tests focus on such diseases as epilepsy and other neurological diseases, while an eye pressure test will rule out glaucoma.

4. Treatment for Headache could include any of the drugs, depending on the etiology (e.g.. what caused the headache). However, drugs can only be prescribed after thorough and complete evaluation of the above.

Abortive Drugs for Migraine Amitriptyline (Elavil®)Aspirin Atenolol (Tenormin®, Tenoretic®)Bellergal-S® Beta Blockers Cafergot® Calcium Channel Blockers
Capsaicin Catapres® Corgard® D.H.E.45® Demerol® Depakote® Diflunisal (Dolobid®) Dilantin® DMSO Ergomar® Esgic® Fiorinal® and Fioricet®
Flurbiprofen (Ansaid®) Frovatriptan (FrovaTM) Ibuprofen Imipramine (Tofranil®)
Imitrex® (Sumatriptan) Inderal® (Propranolol) Indocin® Keterolac (Toradol®)
Lidocaine Limbitrol® Lithium Lopressor® Ludiomil® MAO (Monoamine Oxidase)
Medihaler® Methadone Methergine® Midrin® MigraSpray Motrin® Nimodipine
Nubain® Percodan® Periactin® Phenobarbital Prednisone Provera® Prozac® Repan®
Sansert® Stadol® Toprolxl® Triavil® Verapamil Vistaril® Wigraine® Wygesic®

Source: http://www.headaches.org


PS: There is absolutely no obligation to follow any of the advices given here. This was an effort to clear the misleading information.

amarsirohi
November 13th, 2002, 05:13 PM
[quote]Anu Rana (Nov 12, 2002 12:06 p.m.):
Amar,
It is not possible for a moderator to verify the factual correctness of the posts here on the forum.
In this particular case it needs medical expertise to be able to comment on it.

I want to suggest to the author to provide some of the references on which his post is based.


Anu,

I am in complete agreement with you when you say that it is not possible for a moderator to verify the factual correctness of the various posts on the board that she/he is moderating. This is because we cannot expect the moderator to be a genious in any and all fields....

Also we cannot expect the owner of the thread to post all relevant references in support of her/his thread (as pointed out very correctly by Sujata).

But what i wanted to point out is that after watching / reading a discussion thread where most of the replies pertain to the "factual correctness" of the "amazing..." post, i think it becomes a obligation for the moderator to look into the matter so that the thread does not de-generate into something which needs drastic actions like deleting the thread altogether (like it happened once before)....

On a more general note threads like "Amazing...." can attract legal attention from people who read them and although jatland.com displays notices which say "None of the views posted on the site necessarily reflect the thinking of the administrators of the site" but the webiste can and would become a involved in case someone goes to court....

Being in India we have the "Who wants to go to court....all of it will take more time than my entire life..." attitude but it is a little different when you step into Europe ...

I think i have diverted a lot from the initial topic so i will stop here. But i did this just so that all members become fully aware of what can happen in extreme circumstances.