Posts Tagged anxiety
Types of Dental Sedation
Many people suffer an intense, deep fear of having dental work done and they may go to extreme lengths to avoid it. Only the most severe pain of a dental abscess or other emergency will drive them to finally seek care. About 10% to 15% of Americans suffer this type of fear, which has been diagnosed as “Dental Phobia”. For these dental patients, some form of sedation is a blessing which helps them get through most dental procedures.
Dental Sedation Is Beneficial For The Patient Who:
- Suffers from severe dental phobia
- Has a high level of anxiety or fear about dental procedures
- Is a patient with special needs, such as autism, which can make dental treatment quite difficult for both the patient and the dentist
- Have an uncontrollable or severe gag reflex
- Have a high tolerance for local anesthetics and “do not get numb”
- Patients who have adverse reactions to local anesthetics
- Patients who require extensive dental work and must have it completed within a limited number of visits.
- Patients with certain medical conditions, such as cerebral palsy, which makes dental procedures difficult, uncomfortable or unsafe.
Patients should be encouraged to let their dentist know their level of fear and anxiety. The first visit is a good time to share this anxiety so an appropriate plan of treatment can be developed. It will take the patient’s fears into consideration as well as the type and amount of dental work that must be done. Adequate sedation must be planned for the patient that may need some lengthy dental procedures.
Types Of Dental Sedation
Oral Sedation
Medication such as Valium, Xanax, or Halcion is given to the patient the night before the appointment with a second dose about one hour before seeing the dentist. This helps relaxation and the patient remains awake and able to follow instructions. A local anesthetic is given so there is no pain at the site for the dental work.
Nitrous Oxide – “Laughing Gas”
This gas reduces anxiety and helps the patient become calm and relaxed. This is most effective when given to patients who have mild anxiety but will be having a relatively short, uncomplicated dental procedure. Gas is administered with a mask and local anesthesia is also used.
Intravenous Conscious Sedation
A medication is injected into a vein to produce a lowered state of consciousness. The patient can not smell, feel, or taste. Because there are different levels of sedation, a local anesthetic may be used in conjunction.. The patient’s blood pressure, pulse and heart rate are monitored as well as respiration rate. The level of oxygen in the patient’s blood is also observed closely. Sedation dentist are specially trained in dental anesthesia.
Deep Intravenous Sedation
This is a state that is between IV Conscious Sedation and Unconscious Dental Sedation. The patient is not able to respond to questions or follow simple instructions. These patients must be monitored closely and the blood pressure, heart and pulse rate are watched closely as well as their respiratory status. Advanced training is required to administer this type of dental anesthesia.
When the dental procedures are completed patients are observed closely until they are fully awake and their vital signs are stable. Dental sedation provides a way for patients with a high level of fear, as well as other problems, to have dental procedures carried out with relative ease.
Tags: anxiety, blood pressure, cerebral palsy, fear and anxiety, heart, level, levels, levels of, treatment, xanaxRelated posts
When the Cure Harms
Zoloft is an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor); a prescription drug that combats depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), as well as other various problems. An SSRI works by allowing more serotonin to be released through the brain. The more seratonin in the brain, the more chance it will be picked up and carried.
Seratonin is a brain chemical associated with happiness. Between nerve endings in the brain, there are synapses. All signals in the brain are transmitted through chemicals being produced then absorbed by one nerve and another. When these chemicals are released the next nerve either takes them in or the nerve that released them will re-absorb them and the signal doesn’t pass. When this happens, depression occurs.
Some antidepressants work by blocking the reuptake of Seratonin by the releasing nerve. That means that more Seratonin stays in the synapse in the hopes that the new nerve that, in the case of Seratonin, will absorb it.
The problem with Zoloft is that it has been shown to cause a condition known as akathisia. Akathisia is described as an overwhelming physical and mental restlessness that often leads people to destructive behavior.
Pfizer, the manufacturer of Zoloft has been charged with purposefully concealing information they had about the side effects of Zoloft including akathisia. Pfizer has furthermore been charged with promoting the drug for off-label use not approved of by the FDA. A few cases of homicide or violent behavior have used Zoloft induced akathisia as a defense.
If you or a loved on has been affected by Zoloft, find a doctor to see if you may have one of the serious side effects from the drug which includes akathisia. If you can tie your health problem to Zoloft you may be able to pursue your case in court to receive financial compensation
Tags: antidepressant, antidepressants, anxiety, brain, compulsive disorder, depression, health, panic disorder, reuptake inhibitor, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, seratonin, serotonin, serotonin reuptake, serotonin reuptake inhibitor, side effects of zoloft, stress, stress disorder, traumatic stress, traumatic stress disorder, zoloftRelated posts
When Fear Paralyzes
General Anxiety Disorder affects roughly 4 to 5 million people of the American population alone. The symptoms are many and vary from person to person. There are however a few symptoms that are the same across the board for most people and which generally characterize their lives and lifestyles. The sufferer will live in a chronic and exaggerated state of worry and tension most of the time. Extreme emotions may arise even if there is nothing happening to provoke these feelings. Symptoms can also induce the sufferer to be always anticipating disaster.
Although worry is a natural emotion and most of us experience it from time to time in our daily lives, for the sufferer worry is chronic and most times pathological. Many times the chronic worrier will let their worries overtake their world and will sometimes let it go so far as to incapacitate them in their daily lives.
It can bring on insomnia, panic attacks and depression. Intense anxiety and fear are also quite common to these symptoms. Other more physical, symptoms include headaches, diarrhea and nausea, lightheadedness, trembling or twitching. A palpitating or pounding heart, shortness of breath and trouble concentrating are also effects that can occur.
Irritability and mood swings, constant tension coupled with the inability to relax are all General Anxiety Disorder symptoms, and are all contributing features to other symptoms as well.
This vicious cycle can sometimes take its toll not only on the Disorder sufferer but also on the family of the sufferer. The pressures of living with a person who suffers from GAD, the inability to cope with the persistent and sometimes inconsequential worrying, the constant depression and mood swings can all take their toll. Most families do not survive too well if someone within the family suffers from this disorder.
Tags: anxiety, anxiety disorder, anxiety disorder symptoms, depression, general anxiety, headache, headaches, heart, insomnia, panic attacks, shortness of breathRelated posts
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