scholarly journals Treatment with Herbal Mouthwash Mediates Improvement of Symptoms in Xerostomia and Oral Mucositis patients

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 202-206
Author(s):  
Jonathan Berrout ◽  
Scott Dahlbeck ◽  
Gianluca Rotino ◽  
Diane Nguyen ◽  
Jose Figueroa
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Oral Mucositis ◽  
Prescription Drugs ◽  
Prescription Medications ◽  
Peppermint Oil ◽  
Cinnamon Oil ◽  
Oral Pain ◽  
Oral Dryness ◽  
Peppermint Extract ◽  
Oral Conditions

Oral discomfort and pain are frequent side-effects of many popular prescription medications. Over 500 prescription drugs are known to result in the development of adverse oral conditions. In fact, approximately 40% of patients suffer from xerostomia and oral mucositis, as a result of cancer medications. The number of affected individuals is expected to continue to rise, given that the incidence of major cancers is predicted to grow over the next decade. Regrettably, there are currently lacks of treatments available to effectively improve xerostomia and oral mucositis symptoms. Interestingly, the use of several herbal ingredients (such as chamomile, cinnamon, and peppermint oil) has been reported to effectively improve pain and oral dryness. For this reason, we examined the effectiveness of an herbal mouthwash, Nature’s Herbal (a blend of cinnamon oil, chamomile, cranberry, and peppermint extract), to alleviate symptoms of oral pain and dry mouth exhibited by patients diagnosed with oral mucositis and xerostomia. Daily treatment with the mouthwash induced a 53% ± 6% and 33.2% ± 3.8% improvement in the severity of symptom, for the oral mucositis and xerostomia patients groups, respectively. Overall, the herbal mouthwash induced an improvement in 91% of oral mucositis and 83% of xerostomia patients.

scholarly journals Exploring the use of cannabis as a substitute for prescription drugs in a convenience sample

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sinikka L. Kvamme ◽  
Michael M. Pedersen ◽  
Kristine Rømer Thomsen ◽  
Birgitte Thylstrup
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Prescription Drug ◽  
Prescription Drugs ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Patient Organizations ◽  
Public Media ◽  
Prescription Drug Use ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The use of cannabis as medicine (CaM) both prescribed and non-prescribed has increased markedly in the last decade, mirrored in a global shift in cannabis policy towards a more permissive stance. There is some evidence that cannabis functions as a substitute for prescription drugs, particularly opioids; however, more knowledge is needed on the motives of substitution users, their patterns of use, and perceived effects of substitution use. Aims To explore who substitutes prescription drugs with cannabis, the type of prescription drugs substituted and the type of cannabis used, and the impact that substitution with cannabis has on prescription drug use as well as the motives for substitution in terms of experienced effects and side effects. Methods A self-selected convenience sample was recruited through social media, public media, and patient organizations to take part in an anonymous online survey. Inclusion criteria were 18 years or older and use of cannabis (prescribed or non-prescribed) with a medical purpose. Results The final sample included 2.841 respondents of which the majority (91%) used non-prescribed cannabis, and more than half (54.6%) had used CaM with the purpose of replacing a prescribed drug. Compared to non-substitution users, substitution users were more likely to be women and to use CaM in the treatment of chronic pain and other somatic conditions. Pain medication (67.2%), antidepressants (24.5%), and arthritis medication (20.7%) were the most common types of drugs replaced with CaM. Among substitution users, 38.1% reported termination of prescription drug use, and 45.9% a substantial decrease in prescription drug use. The most frequent type of cannabis used as a substitute was CBD-oil (65.2%), followed by ‘hash, pot or skunk’ (36.6%). More than half (65.8%) found CaM much more effective compared to prescription drugs, and 85.5% that the side effects associated with prescription drug use were much worse compared to use of CaM. Conclusion CaM is frequently used as a substitute for prescription drugs, particularly opioids. More research is needed on the long-term consequences of use of CaM, including the impact from low and high THC cannabis products on specific somatic and mental health conditions.

Methotrexate-induced oral mucositis in rheumatoid arthritis disease: Therapeutic strategy in a case report/Methotrexat-induzierte orale Mukositis bei rheumatoider Arthritis: Therapeutische Strategie in einem Fallbericht

2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Margherita Gobbo ◽  
Giulia Ottaviani ◽  
Rossana Bussani ◽  
Gabriele Pozzato ◽  
Matteo Biasotto
Keyword(s):  
Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽  
Case Report ◽  
Oral Cavity ◽  
Oral Mucositis ◽  
Low Level Laser Therapy ◽  
Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease ◽  
Oral Pain ◽  
Relieve Pain ◽  
Level Laser

AbstractThe aim of this case report is to evaluate the efficacy of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in the treatment of oral mucositis induced by methotrexate (MTX).A 52-year-old male patient, affected by rheumatoid arthritis and treated with corticosteroids and MTX, complained about severe oral pain and lesions for two months. He had been treated with topical and systemic corticosteroid therapy and chlorhexidine rinses with no significant improvement. He was not able to eat solid food or to wear his dental prosthesis. Examination of the oral cavity revealed retro-commissural and labial bilateral ulcerations and erythema and a 2-cm wide fibrous white lesion on the lower anterior vestibular ridge. Blood tests showed mild pancytopenia, and oral biopsies evidenced a “non-specific inflammatory condition” excluding any precancerous or paraneoplastic lesion or autoimmune diseases of the oral cavity. Previous medical records revealed that MTX had been discontinued many times due to mucositis since 2006, when the therapy had been started. This suggested a correlation between the onset of oral mucositis and MTX accumulation. LLLT was carried out for 4 consecutive days and three once-a-week follow-ups were performed.Lesions had completely healed during the second follow-up and the patient referred no pain at all from the 4th laser session on, therefore, the discontinuation of MTX had not been necessary.LLLT could represent an innovative technique to relieve pain related to MTX side effects thus avoiding dangerous discontinuation of therapy.

scholarly journals How the Lifestyle Leaders View and Manage Medications

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 611-612
Author(s):  
Taylor Patskanick ◽  
Julie Miller
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Medication Management ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Prescription Medication ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Prescription Medications ◽  
Over The Counter ◽  
Attitudes And Behaviors ◽  
The Past ◽  
Drug Companies

Abstract Medication management is an ongoing consideration for adults ages 85 and older, their caregivers, and healthcare providers. When asked about their attitudes and behaviors regarding medication management, over 73% of the Lifestyle Leaders reported taking 3+ prescription medications daily and managing their own medication regimes. 61.9% of participants had taken over-the-counter, non-prescription medication for pain over the past five years. When asked why some participants didn’t currently take prescription medications to manage pain, the most frequently-reported responses were: “I don’t feel that my pain warrants a prescription medication,” (19%, n=8), “I don’t want to deal with the side effects,” and “I don’t trust drug companies,” (9.5%, n=4, respectively). The Lifestyle Leaders reported they would be most likely to go to the internet (over their local pharmacist) to ask for advice about their medication(s). Meanwhile, 39% of Lifestyle Leaders would trust a robot to manage their medication(s) for them.

Topical clobetasol: an overlooked cause of Cushing syndrome

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Ghirardo ◽  
Laura De Nardi ◽  
Alberto Tommasini ◽  
Egidio Barbi ◽  
Gianluca Tornese
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Chronic Granulomatous Disease ◽  
Oral Mucositis ◽  
Cushing Syndrome ◽  
Prolonged Treatment ◽  
Granulomatous Disease ◽  
Oral Corticosteroids ◽  
Severe Oral Mucositis

: We describe the case of an 11-year-old boy affected by chronic granulomatous disease complicated by a Crohn’s like colitis needing prolonged treatment with oral corticosteroids. His therapy for the control of severe oral mucositis was based on topical clobetasol, which did not decrease once the steroids were discontinued. Two years after the oral interruption of the steroids, cushingoid characteristics persisted, the cause of which, after a thorough investigation, was found to be the persistence of the topical clobetasol oral gel. Several studies investigated the efficacy of topical clobetasol for immuno-related mucositis, but little is known about its pharmacokinetics and side effects. In this report, we have reviewed the literature, defining a maximum putative dose of clobetasol mucosal gel to avoid Cushing syndrome.

scholarly journals Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treatment and Prophylaxis of Radiation-Induced Oral Mucositis in Patients Receiving Radiotherapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 444-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cong Wang ◽  
Peiguo Wang ◽  
Huaqiang Ouyang ◽  
Jing Wang ◽  
Lining Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Chinese Medicine ◽  
Treatment Group ◽  
Traditional Chinese Medicine ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Oral Mucositis ◽  
Visual Analysis ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Oral Pain ◽  
Radiation Induced

Objective: To estimate the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (Chining decoction, CHIN) for radiation-induced oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer. Methods: From May 2014 to December 2015, 70 consecutive patients were randomly assigned to receive CHIN (treatment group) or recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) spray (control group) at a 1:1 ratio. CHIN was administered to treatment group from the first day of radiotherapy until the completion of radiotherapy. Simultaneously, the rhEGF spray was administered to control group on the oral mucosa of irradiated area. The clinical benefit was determined by gradation of mucositis (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v4.0), oral pain, and xerostomia (visual analysis scale) for each week during radiotherapy. Body mass index was evaluated before and after radiotherapy. Results: Patients in the treatment group had prominent remission of oral pain and grade of mucositis on each observing point compared with those in control group ( P < .01). Xerostomia was decreased notably in treatment group compared with control group ( P < .01). Body mass index in the treatment group exhibited advantage over control group after radiotherapy, but there was no statistical significance (19.8 ± 3.26 vs 18.8 ± 2.5 kg/m2, P = .153, >.05). Conclusions: CHIN presented an obvious advantage in preventing radiation-induced oral mucositis compared with rhEGF spray.

scholarly journals Non-Medical Use of Cognitive Enhancing Prescription Medications Among Occupational Therapy and Speech Language Pathology Health Care Students: A Pilot Study

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randy McCombie ◽  
Hannah Slanina
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Prescription Drugs ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Prescription Medications ◽  
Speech Language Pathology ◽  
Academic Cheating ◽  
Language Pathology ◽  
Return Envelope

Purpose: This research was designed to serve as a pilot study to generate baseline data on non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) for cognitive/academic enhancement purposes among students representing two healthcare professions, Occupational Therapy (OT) and Speech Language Pathology (SLP) and to assess students’ opinions regarding whether use of these medications constitutes academic “cheating.” Introduction: NMUPD, such as Adderall ® or Ritalin ®, to reduce fatigue, improve memory, and increase concentration to ultimately improve grades has increased among college students in recent years, with estimated use put as high as 35% on some campuses. These drugs appear to be readily available to those not prescribed them, with primary sources including family, friends, and classmates. Aside from health concerns stemming from ingesting non-prescribed medications is the ethical concern whether use of such cognitive enhancers is “cheating.” Methods: Following IRB approval, 150 OT and 150 SLP students, randomly selected from membership in their respective national associations, were mailed survey packets containing a cover letter, questionnaire, and return envelope. Results: A total of 51 completed surveys, including 25 OT and 26 SLP students, were returned and included in analyses. Of these, five (9.8%) reported using cognitive enhancing prescription medications. Four of these reported having a legal prescription, including one who admitted faking symptoms of ADHD to access the prescription. The fifth student had no prescription. Motives included recreational enjoyment, to improve attention/concentration, reduce hyperactivity/impulsivity, and to obtain higher grades. Four out of ten students indicated abuse of prescription medications was a problem at their institutions, with three out of ten believing it was easy to obtain such drugs. Students were visibly divided as to whether use of these medications was academic cheating. Conclusions: The percent of these healthcare profession students reporting to have used non-prescribed medications for academic enhancement purposes mirrors that of studies on the general college student population and reflects the division as to whether use constitutes cheating. As the survey is a self-report, the numbers using the prescription medications may be higher. Results indicate future research on NMUPD among healthcare students is warranted, along with a need to educate students on the risks of use of these medications for non-prescribed purposes.

Fade to Black: Importation and Counterfeit Drugs

2006 ◽  
Vol 32 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 279-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan A. Liang
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Prescription Drugs ◽  
Prescription Medications ◽  
Health Statistics ◽  
Counterfeit Drugs ◽  
Hospital Outpatient ◽  
The Us ◽  
Outpatient Departments ◽  
Outpatient Settings

Americans rely extensively upon prescription medications to maintain health and quality of life. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in 2002, at least 1.5 billion drugs were prescribed to patients in physician offices, 196 million in US emergency departments, and 140 million in outpatient settings. Almost two-thirds of visits to physician offices and hospital outpatient departments had at least one drug associated with the visit, and 7% of visits had five or more drugs. In 2004, US pharmacies dispensed over 3.5 billion prescriptions to patients. Estimates indicate that annual expenditures for prescription drugs in the US top $230 billion dollars each year—and there is every indication that these numbers will only increase.

scholarly journals Photobiomodulation Therapy in the Treatment of Oral Mucositis, Dysphagia, Oral Dryness, Taste Alteration, and Burning Mouth Sensation Due to Cancer Therapy: A Case Series

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (22) ◽  
pp. 4505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marwan El Mobadder ◽  
Fadi Farhat ◽  
Wassim El Mobadder ◽  
Samir Nammour
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Cancer Therapy ◽  
Oral Mucositis ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Oral Complications ◽  
Oral Dryness ◽  
Burning Mouth ◽  
Taste Alteration ◽  
Burning Mouth Sensation

Oral complications of cancer therapy, such as oral dryness, dysphagia, and taste alteration, are associated with a negative impact in the quality of life of the patients. Few supportive care measures are available for such complications. This case series reveals the effectiveness of the photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy when used in a specific protocol and parameters, in the management of oral complications related to cancer therapy. Dysphagia was measured using the functional outcome swallowing scale for staging oropharyngeal dysphagia (FOSS). Oral mucositis was measured according to the National Cancer Institute scale. The quantity of the whole resting and stimulated saliva was measured in order to assess the oral dryness. In addition, the taste alteration was measured according to a protocol suggested by the International Standards organization (ISO). Sensation of burning mouth was measured using a visual analogue scale. These measurements were made before treatment, during, and at the end of the treatment. Diode laser 635 nm was used in 3 J/cm2. Five sessions interleaved with 24 h breaks were conducted for the dysphagia and oral dryness, and 10 sessions were conducted for the taste alteration and burning mouth sensation. Regardless of the limitations of this case series, PBM can be considered safe, time saving, and a promising approach for the management of the oral complications due to cancer therapy and the quality of life of cancer patients.

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