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Ménière’s Disease: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

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Ménière’s disease affects the inner ear, which is the part that is related to hearing and balance. It can be debilitating, uncomfortable, and frustrating to deal with each day.

It is an uncommon disorder typically diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 60 but can occur at any age. Treatment can help relieve the symptoms and minimize the impact on your life. Ménière’s caused unexpected attacks that can last for hours or days before the symptoms disappear.

It leads to dizzy spells and hearing loss, and it typically only affects one ear. This disorder also causes a roaring sound in your ears called tinnitus and the sensation of ear pressure or pain. Without treatment, this disease can lead to permanent hearing loss.

What is Ménière’s Disease?

Ménière’s disease is still being studied, but researchers discovered it develops from a pressure deep inside the ear. The pressure comes from fluid build-up within the ear.

Studies from the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders show that nearly 615,000 people have Ménière’s disease and that cases are increasing. There is no cure, but you can do things to treat it while alleviating the symptoms. If you find a treatment option that works for you, remission is possible.

menieres diseaseWhat Causes Ménière’s Disease?

If you have a family history of the disease, you are more likely to develop it yourself. Not everyone that is diagnosed has a genetic disposition, though. If the inner ear is damaged or the fluid levels are off, it can trigger Ménière’s.

Another trigger of this disease is chronic migraine headaches because they constrict the blood vessels. Sometimes, a blockage can lead to improper fluid drainage, which can cause Ménière’s to set in. Other causes include an abnormal immune response, allergies, or a viral infection.

Anytime fluid builds up in the inner ear, it stimulates sensory cells that signal the brain. Each time it sends a signal, you experience the symptoms of Ménière’s. Other potential causes of Ménière’s include:

  • head injury
  • alcohol use
  • stress or anxiety
  • medication side effects
  • smoking
  • fatigue
  • respiratory infection

What Are the Symptoms of Ménière’s Disease?

The symptoms of this disease vary widely in each case. Some people might experience many symptoms, while others only experience one or two. Either way, knowing the signs can help you identify the disease.

The symptoms of Ménière’s disease include the following:

  • Dizziness Or Lightheadedness: You will sometimes feel dizzy or lightheaded as a result of Ménière’s, making it dangerous to drive. When this happens to you, try to sit or lie down until the feeling passes.
  • Pressure or a Feeling of Fullness in the Ear: If you experience a feeling of fullness or pressure in your ear, it is a sign of Ménière’s. This feeling will only occur in the affected ear.
  • Tinnitus: Tinnitus is a ringing, buzzing, roaring, whistling, or hissing sound occurring in your ear.
  • Hearing Loss: In Ménière’s, hearing loss might come and go, especially in the early stages. However, without treatment, the hearing loss can become permanent. People with Ménière’s tend to have problems hearing low frequencies or frequencies combined with low and high.
  • Feeling Uneasy: If you feel uneasy or unstable, especially when in a darkened area, it is a sign of Ménière’s.
  • Intense, Reoccurring Episodes of Vertigo: Vertigo is a spontaneous spinning sensation that starts and stops suddenly, and it sometimes causes nausea. You usually won’t get a warning, and each episode can last anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours, but no more than 24 hours.
  • Blurred Vision and Eye Twitches: As Ménière’s worsens, your symptoms will intensify and change. After dealing with occasional bouts of vertigo for an extended time, you could develop vision and eye problems.
  • Nausea Or Vomiting: This disease can cause nausea or vomiting as it affects your balance. It will make you feel sick, and the symptom worsens the more you move.
  • Diplacusis: In some cases of Ménière’s, people experience diplacusis or double hearing.
  • Fatigue: Attacks can last up to 24 hours, so they take quite a bit of energy out of you. Once the episode passes, you will likely feel an overwhelming need to rest.

Stages Of Ménière’s Disease

Ménière’s has been divided into multiple stages, making it easier to describe the condition. All of the phases differ, so understanding them can give you a better idea.

  • Early Stage: During the early stage of Ménière’s, you might experience vertigo, tinnitus, lightheadedness, nausea, and vomiting. The severity of attacks during this phase varies, but they last anywhere from 20 minutes to a full day. A person might also experience a blocked or full ear and hearing loss during this stage.
  • Middle Stage: The symptoms of vertigo, hearing loss, and tinnitus become more severe during the middle stage of Ménière’s. During this phase, people might also experience long-term remission that can last for up to several months.
  • Late Stage: The late stage of Ménière’s involves less vertigo, and they might not experience it at all. Tinnitus and hearing loss get progressively worse during this phase, however. The person might suffer from unsteady balance regularly, and they’ll feel unstable in dark lighting conditions.

How Is Ménière’s Disease Diagnosed?

Experts explain that getting an official diagnosis for Ménière’s can be difficult and often takes several months to attain. The reason it is so hard is that doctors must rule out other diseases with similar symptoms first. Some of the diagnostic methods the doctor might use include:

  • Physical Exam and Review of Your Medical History: Your doctor will want to know how many episodes of vertigo you experienced and the duration of each. They will ask about episodes of tinnitus or fullness in your ear. Your doctor will also do a physical assessment to check for other causes of Ménière’s disease symptoms.
  • Hearing Assessment: For a Ménière’s diagnosis, your doctor will do a hearing test or audiometry. This test assesses your ability to detect sound at different pitches and volumes, and it will determine how well you can distinguish between similar-sounded words.
  • Balance Assessment: When you have Ménière’s, you might experience balance issues that return to normal between episodes. Other times, you might have ongoing balance problems. There are several tests that your doctor might do to evaluate your balance.
  • Tests to Rule Out Other Conditions: Your doctor might request blood tests and imaging scans to rule out other disorders with similar symptoms. Once they begin to rule out other conditions, the diagnosis process becomes easier.

menieres diseaseHow Is Ménière’s Disease Treated?

Doctors will suggest treatment options to you to help manage the symptoms and alleviate the issues that accompany Ménière’s. While there is no cure, treating the symptoms can help you enter remission. Some of the ways that Ménière’s disease is treated include:

  • Try Medication: Doctors sometimes prescribe medications to control the symptoms of Ménière’s. Studies show that with medication, your chances of controlling the condition increase by about 80%.
  • Take Water Pills: Water pills help reduce the sodium levels in your body but have unpleasant side effects. However, the reduced sodium will help limit the frequency and severity of your attacks.
  • Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy: This therapy can help retrain your brain to process balance differently. If balance issues are making your life hard, vestibular rehabilitation therapy can make a difference.
  • Surgery: Your doctor will save surgery for the last option because it is the most invasive. One of the surgeries they might suggest will relieve excessive pressure from the inner ear. The other type your doctor will consider is surgery to stop the signals from your ear to your brain.
  • Hearing Aid: If you’ve experienced hearing loss due to Ménière’s, a hearing aid can help. Not only will it improve your hearing, but you’ll feel better and more stable, too.
  • Middle Ear Injections: Your doctor might suggest injecting medication into the middle ear. The medications will absorb into the inner ear, improving vertigo symptoms.

Lifestyle Changes for Ménière’s Disease

  • There are things you can change about your life to help with Ménière’s disease, including:
  • Changing Your Diet: Your diet can help manage the symptoms of this disease, so acknowledging the foods you ate before an attack can help. Keep a journal to see which foods seem to trigger it, and try to eliminate them from your diet. One of the biggest dietary issues for Ménière’s is sodium, so reduce your intake as much as you can.
  • Avoid Things That Worsen Vertigo: Anytime you experience vertigo, avoid sudden movements, bright lights, looking at electronics screens, or reading. If you can, sit or lie down when you feel dizzy and stay in that position until it passes. It might help to look at something that isn’t moving, too.
  • Limit Caffeine, Alcohol, and Tobacco: Caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco are three substances that can negatively affect the fluid balance in your ears. It can trigger Ménière’s episodes and worsen the symptoms.
  • Work on Stress Management: Stress and anxiety are both causes and symptoms of Ménière’s disease. If you can learn how to manage stress, you will experience an improvement in your condition.

What Is the Outlook for Someone with Ménière’s Disease?

More than half of the people that suffer from Ménière’s disease get better without help. They can control their symptoms with a change in their diet or with help from a doctor.

With hearing loss, you might develop fear or a loss of confidence. You might also experience anxiety about a conversation with others, causing depression.

There is no cure for Ménière’s, but you can alleviate the symptoms and complications. Plus, with the right treatment methods, you can enter remission.

menieres diseaseFinal Thoughts on Meniere’s Disease: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Living with Ménière’s syndrome is difficult, but you can manage the symptoms and alleviate the severity. This disease affects your ability to walk, hear, and live a normal life. While it isn’t curable, you can manage it and aim for remission.

Talk to your doctor for a diagnosis and treatment options, and make lifestyle changes to help yourself at home. If you can get ahead of worsening conditions, you can avoid the more invasive treatment options and symptoms.

The Inspiring Weight Loss Story of a Man Who Weighed 600 Pounds

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Someone who transforms their body through weight loss doesn’t just change physically; they change mentally and emotionally, too. Daniel lost a whopping 220 pounds, and inspires all of us with his story. This is his weight loss story–how he turned his life around and got his health back.

Daniel said,

“I wanted to live longer; I wanted to live past the age of 40, I wanted to see my grandkids, and the way I was treating my body, I wouldn’t have been able to see those two things.”

Of course, he had to overcome huge mental hurdles in the beginning, but he knew he couldn’t turn back. Once he got into the rhythm of exercising and eating healthier, though, everything fell into place. He dropped the weight quickly at first, and starting feeling better soon after he started the journey.

When someone transforms themselves so dramatically, everyone takes notice. They want to know how you did it, how you got started, and how to achieve similar results. What it all comes down to is consistency and determination. If you have those two things, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

Daniel knows this firsthand, because he couldn’t have achieved such incredible results without believing in himself. He knew it would be a huge uphill battle, but he had the fire in him to fight. He took things slowly at first, though, just focusing on moving his body a little each day.

“I started my weight loss journey in January of 2019. I knew I needed to make a change when I couldn’t do a simple task such as getting off the couch or putting my own socks on,” Daniel said.

This motivated him to start learning about healthy eating and workout routines. He knew he’d have to drastically cut calories in order to start seeing results.

Daniel transforms his body and mind with a healthy lifestyle

“Being 600 pounds, I was eating 6000 or more calories a day, so when I went down to that 1800-2400 calorie range, I was dropping weight fast, and that fueled my fire.”

When he starting losing weight, that gave him the momentum to keep moving forward with his goals. He said, of course, the hardest part of the whole journey was just taking that first step. But, once he began, there was no stopping Daniel. He was going to see this through to the end and achieve what he set out to do.

“In the beginning of my journey, I lost my first 40 pounds by just restricting my calories. Once I lost my first 100 pounds, that’s when I found the passion for lifting. Then, once I got into weight training, that’s when I really saw my body transform.”

For Daniel, he looks at it as almost a whole different journey, and this gave him even more fire to keep at it. Weightlifting has helped him with muscle definition and strength, and he enjoys continually challenging himself. Once he hits a goal, he just keeps setting the bar higher.

“When you have the determination that you’re fighting for your life on an everyday basis, you just make that work,” Daniel said. “And, I had that strength to overcome that.”

He still treats himself from time to time, but he always keeps the end goal in mind.

“Don’t get me wrong – I definitely still eat my favorite foods, but it’s all about balance. I have lost a total of 220 pounds. I’m not completely done with my journey yet; I want to lose another 70 or more pounds.”

Daniel wants to keep progressing, but so far, his weight loss has been more than impressive. Everything in his life has improved since he started this transformational journey.

Daniel’s advice for anyone who wants to get started with their weight loss story

On his Instagram, he says he wouldn’t change anything that he’s accomplished or how he’s done things over the last couple years. He struggled in the beginning with how he would reach his goals and what path to take, but it became clearer with time. Since he decided to let go and trust the process while staying consistent, he’s been able to overcome these struggles.

Now, he doesn’t let the anxiety of achieving his goals get to him; he just keeps striving toward the goal. He credits the people closest to him with being there when he has doubts or worries, because they help keep him going. Daniel has truly made a life-changing transformation. He’s now able to do intense workouts for an hour or more, whereas before he had trouble even walking short distances.

He also says his mental health has improved dramatically. Many people in today’s world struggle with anxiety and depression, but working out can greatly alleviate symptoms. In one of his posts, he says that just a couple years ago, he would binge eat or sit on the couch when his anxiety got bad. Now, he hits the gym or goes for a walk, so he’s come a long way with his mental and physical health over the years.

“Outcomes that I’ve had with this whole journey is simple and short – I just get to live life in a bigger and better capacity.”

Final thoughts: Daniel began his weight loss story by losing over 200 pounds, and he’s not done yet

Daniel’s weight loss success shows that we can indeed do anything we set our minds to. The only thing stopping us, is ourselves. Once we get out of our own way, the sky is the limit. He’s lost an incredible 220 pounds, but he’s far from finished.

His goal weight is 300 pounds, so he has about 70 more to go. We wholeheartedly believe he will get there, as he’s already achieved so much! We hope that Daniel’s weight loss story motivates anyone out there who wants to take their health back. It may seem difficult initially, but you never know how far you can go until you try.

Couple Rescues A Dog…Then A Pig…And Now Has An Animal Sanctuary

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So many animals out there need a loving home, and one couple decided to help out as many as they could. What started with a dog and pig at first, turned into an entire animal sanctuary, where they welcome animals of all kinds with open arms.

Here is their incredible story.

“We started in downtown Cleveland, Ohio on a 0.1-acre lot, and there was really no intention behind having a mini farm,” Carly said. “We started with a pig and a dog, and I just wanted way too many animals that I can fit in this small area.”

She said that with her husband’s organizational skills, he made it work for them with the animals she wanted. After renovating the space and making it animal-friendly, she said their pig Poppy really seemed to enjoy it. They also have a pitbull they absolutely adore named Luna. Carly says people love visiting their quaint farm and watching the animals roam free.


“Then we got chickens, and then we got too many chickens,” Carly jokingly said.

They don’t have quite as many chickens anymore, they have plans to adopt more as their homestead grows. Poppy and the chickens spend a lot of time together, and sometimes the chickens even sit on the pig’s back. Carly wanted to have a pig because of their sweet, intelligent nature, and she enjoys showing this side of Poppy to others.

Carly says of Poppy, “If you’re not your authentic self, and you’re stressed and in a bad mood, she senses it, and she knows how to let you know that that’s not right or she needs you to be in a better headspace before interacting with her.”

“She’s definitely got an attitude, she’s a little defiant, and that’s something I love about pigs is how intelligent they are.”

Important things to know about pigs if you want to adopt one

Carly says many people think pigs stay really small and you can fit them in your purse. However, according to The British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, even mini pigs can weigh up to 150 pounds when fully grown! Any pig that weighs under 350 pounds is classified as a mini pig. So, when people adopt mini pigs, they often have no idea what they’ve gotten themselves into.

Standard farm pigs can weigh over 700 pounds and measure up to 6ft in length. As you can imagine, pigs need lots of room outdoors to explore and play. Many people adopt them thinking they will be similar to a dog, but they have different needs. Pigs don’t adapt well to indoor living since they enjoy rooting through things with their snout and manipulating objects.

Without access to the outdoors or stimulating toys and games, the pig will become bored and start messing up the house. They may tear through cupboards and furniture or knock over breakable items.

Even outdoors, pigs need special accommodations to ensure their health and safety. Since they sunburn easily and have sensitive skin, pigs require shelter from cold and hot temperatures. Pigs don’t sweat and are prone to parasites and insect bites. To protect their skin and help them stay cool, they need a shallow mud pit to roll around in.

Because of the extensive care these animals need, it leads to many abandoned or mistreated pigs that need rehoming. Carly also says they require a lot of work and attention. Any animal you adopt will need adequate love, care, and socialization, so it’s important to do your research beforehand.

What made Carly want to adopt so many animals

Carly has been an animal lover all her life. Growing up, she would even find insects around her neighborhood and give them makeshift homes. She also adopted stray dogs as she got older, and the calling to help animals never went away. It only got stronger.

Carly wanted to help as many animals as possible, and eventually turned her attention to pigs. When she got Poppy, a Julianna pig, in 2013, she dedicated much of her time to caring for her. When family and friends found out about the pig, Carly got inspired to share more about her on social media.

She developed a deep interest in learning about how animals communicate, so she eventually sought out animal behaviorists. Carly just wanted to soak up all the information she could about pigs, and she became an outspoken animal advocate. When she met her husband Andrew in 2016, he didn’t feel completely on board with rescuing tons of animals. However, after they adopted their pitbull Luna from a local shelter, he immediately fell in love.

After that, he too wanted to learn all he could about animals. Together, they took in many different types of animals in Ohio City. They’re currently working with a team to find the ideal property and connections in order to continue building their homestead.

Carly says that one of the best things about adopting animals is watching them grow and thrive. If they can’t adopt them, they also enjoy looking for a forever home for animals. When an animal is given a second chance after being neglected or seen as too aggressive, it reminds Carly why she advocates for animals.

“A lot of these farm animals are misunderstood; they’re so intelligent, and we just love them. We have so much fun with it, “Carly says.

Final thoughts: This couple made it their mission to start their animal sanctuary

While not everyone can buy land and open a sanctuary for animals, Carly and Andrew saw it as a calling. They want to save as many animals as they can, and have gotten off to a great start. They take in abused, neglected, or personally surrendered animals and provide long-term pet care and shelter.

If you’d like to read more about their mission or donate to help their animal sanctuary, please feel free to do so.

20 Positive Affirmations for Kids to Live By

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Positive affirmations are useful for anyone, and they offer many benefits to those who use them. While it seems most of those who use affirmations are adults, there are also many positive affirmations for kids. For kids, the positive affirmations should be a little simpler and should apply to their daily lives.

Teaching positive affirmations for kids to your children can help them immensely as they go through life. You will be instilling positive habits and thoughts at an early age. Plus, you will be giving them the tools they need to live a happy, fulfilling life.

The sooner children start learning these positive affirmations for kids, the better they will remember them. Positivity is learned and practiced over time, but it will become a habit with consistency.

As you read these positive affirmations for kids to live by, focus on the ones you think will help your child. Remember that each child is different and what works for one may not work for another. Have your child repeat a few of these positive affirmations and see which affirmations work for them.

Benefits of Positive Affirmations for Kids

positive affirmations for kidsThere are many benefits to teaching your children positive affirmations. These benefits include:

  • increased levels of happiness and life satisfaction
  • less stress
  • promoting positive habits
  • higher grades and increased academic achievement
  • increased amounts of physical activity
  • help with overcoming negativity and bad habits
  • determination and drive
  • helps with focusing

Positive Affirmations for Kids to Live By

Teach your children these concepts.

1. I am an important person in my family.

Children need to feel like they are an important part of the family unit. Tell them how important they are and in what ways, and then have them say this affirmation. It will help them feel valuable and worthy.

2. I am loved and wanted.

Every child needs to know that they are loved and wanted. Without these things, the child would surely suffer. Make sure your child knows it, and then have them repeat this affirmation whenever they need to.

3. Making mistakes is okay, as long as I learn from them.

Everyone makes mistakes, and it is a necessary part of life. This positive affirmation for kids to live by will help them remember that it is okay. Otherwise, a child may feel ashamed and angry at themselves for each mistake.

4. I have to work hard to get what I want.

Life isn’t easy, and it takes hard work and dedication to accomplish goals. The sooner a child knows this as fact, the sooner they begin to understand it.

5. I have to practice if I want to get good at this.

Everything takes practice, and children should live by this affirmation. If they want to be better at something, they have to practice. This way, they don’t hold back and they don’t feel jealous when someone else is better at something.

6. I can say no when I am not comfortable or I don’t want to do something.

This positive affirmation for kids isn’t to teach your child to disobey. It is important to teach them the appropriate times that it is okay to say no. This teaches them that they are in control of their body and mind, and they can make choices for themselves.

7. I can be myself and I don’t have to change for anyone.

Children need to know that they don’t have to change for anyone else. If they are happy with themselves, that is all that matters.

8. I know what is right, and I don’t have to do things just because my friends are.

This positive affirmation teaches children to be themselves. They will find the strength to be a leader instead of a follower. Plus, they will be strong enough to walk away when they don’t feel comfortable with what their friends are doing.

9. I am never alone because I have people who love and care about me.

Teach children that they carry their loved ones inside of them always. Then, when they feel alone, they can look inside and remember that they are never alone. This positive affirmation for kids to live by will help them throughout their life.

10. Feeling emotions is normal, and I can control my emotions.

When children know that emotions are normal and that it is okay to feel them, they will open up more. They won’t be ashamed of their feelings, and this will help them get through it.

Even better, teach them that they are the only ones in charge of their emotions. If they want to be happy, then they can be happy.

pop meme11. It is okay to be upset, and my feelings are valid.

Oftentimes, other people will try to invalidate a child’s feelings when the child is upset. If your child knows that their feelings are valid, then they won’t struggle with confusion when they are upset.

12. There is always another way to do something if my first plan didn’t work.

This positive affirmation reminds kids that there is always another way to do something. It will help them keep trying when the first plan didn’t work. This affirmation encourages perseverance, determination, and problem-solving.

13. Everyone has bad days, and I will positively work through this.

Having a bad day happens to everyone, but it can still be handled positively. Teach your child this positive affirmation to use when they are having a bad day. It will remind them to avoid negativity.

14. Today I will be happy and I will try to make others happy, too.

Since children are in control of their emotions, they can decide to be happy. Then, they can spread their happiness to others, helping others be happy, too.

15. I can learn anything new.

New things can be scary, but kids should know that they can learn anything. This positive affirmation will help them try new things and give them the confidence to learn.

16. I am responsible for my attitude, and I am the only one who can change it.

This positive affirmation for kids will remind them that they cannot blame their attitude on anyone else. The child is the one responsible for it, whether it is a good attitude or a bad one. Plus, they should know that they can change their attitude if they notice it isn’t the best.

17. I will not give up, even when things get more challenging.

If your child says this affirmation aloud, they will be more likely to keep trying. As they go through life, things are bound to get harder. So, it is essential to find a positive way to keep them going.

18. Today I will make good choices and be the best I can be.

If your child struggles with making good choices, this is the perfect positive affirmation for them to say each morning. As they speak it, their brain will believe it, and their actions will portray that positivity.

19. Doing something wrong does not make me a bad person.

Just like mistakes are normal and okay, doing something wrong is normal, too. Everyone does something bad sometimes, but that doesn’t make them a bad person. Each child must know this so that they don’t start believing they are a bad person and behaving like one.

20. I can always try again because every day is a new chance.

There is always another chance to reach your goals, and kids should know this. When things don’t go how they wanted them to go, this positive affirmation will help them accept it. Plus, it will prevent discouragement when the situation happens again.

How to Use Positive Affirmations for Kids

When using positive affirmations for kids, you must be realistic and avoid overdoing it. If they think you are being dramatic or not being honest, they won’t listen to other positive affirmations. Keep them simple and use words that a child understands.

Each day, start the day with your child with one of these positive affirmations. You can say them to your child throughout the day, too, whenever you notice they might need some positivity. Have your child repeat them back to you each time.

When your child is familiar enough with them and can remember the positive affirmations themselves, allow them to choose their favorite ones to recite. Eventually, your child will be saying positive affirmations even when you aren’t with them.

Other ways to use positive affirmations for kids are to include them in scrapbooks or collages. You can put the affirmations on their binder or notebook, too, so that they will remember throughout their day.

positive affirmations for kidsFinal Thoughts on Positive Affirmations for Kids to Live By

Positive affirmations for kids to live by are so important for kids to learn. The affirmations will help them remain positive, stay confident, stick to their morals, and keep trying. There are many other benefits to children learning these positive affirmations to live by, too.

Once you teach your children these positive affirmations for kids, they’ll use them even when you aren’t around. Make sure your child knows and understands each of them, and then they will use them to their advantage. Give children the best shot at being happy and successful by teaching them these positive affirmations.

Science Proves Spending Time Outdoors Helps Reduce Depression

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Humans have thrived by connecting with the great outdoors since the beginning of our existence. In our modern world, however, many of us have been largely cut off from nature. Sure, we have parks and our backyards to connect with the Earth, but most people don’t spend near enough time outdoors. The huge increase in urban living within the last century may explain the rise in mental and physical illness.

Spending time outdoors provides humans with so many health benefits, not to mention, we need nature for survival. Studies have clearly documented that people who spend more time in nature have improved mental health and lower stress. In fact, a new study from researchers around the world revealed that more time spent in nature strongly correlated with reduced depression symptoms. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, though, as we evolved to live close to nature.

The study focused specifically on how nature affected people’s mental health during the pandemic. Of course, researchers found that people who ventured outdoors instead of staying inside during lockdowns had higher happiness levels. By immersing ourselves in nature, we can take a break from our screens and all our responsibilities for a while. It gives us a chance to recharge and allows our minds to focus on being instead of doing.

Prior studies have shown that being outdoors in green spaces improves mental health by lowering stress and depressive symptoms. Nature also promotes a positive body image since people feel more connected to themselves and their environment. For this study, researchers wanted to analyze how the lockdown affected people’s mental state. Specifically, they took account of participants’ daily screen time, feelings of loneliness, and time spent outdoors.

Study showing how time spent outdoors reduces depression symptoms

outdoorsResearchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in the UK, the Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences in Austria, and Perdana University in Malaysia took part in the study. Researchers measured the happiness levels of 286 adults three times per day at random intervals over the course of 21 days. They used an experience sampling method to ask participants about their thoughts and feelings during their daily lives. This self-reported data allows individuals to provide information in real-time rather than relying on memory, which helps prevent recall biases.

Published in the Journal of Happiness Studies, the academics performed the study in April 2020. Austrian participants could only leave their homes for certain activities, including exercise. The study revealed that participants who spent more time outdoors than indoors had higher happiness levels.

Furthermore, they discovered that people who logged more daily screen time had more feelings of loneliness and less happiness. Interestingly, though, those people who reported feeling lonely showed improvements by spending time outdoors. Lockdowns impacted people differently depending on their living situation and other factors. While the isolation made loneliness more intense, the study showed that nature eased this feeling, even if people went outdoors alone.

Co-lead author Viren Swami, Professor of Social Psychology at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), said, ”While lockdowns can help slow down the transmission of COVID-19, research has also shown that prolonged periods of lockdown take their toll on mental health.”

“Our results are important in this context because they show that being able to spend time outdoors under conditions of lockdown has a beneficial impact on psychological wellbeing. Being outdoors provides opportunities to escape from the stresses of being confined at home, maintain social relationships with others, and engage in physical activity — all of which can improve mental health.”

“Our findings have practical health policy implications. Given that further lockdown restrictions have now become necessary in the UK, public health messages that promote getting some fresh air instead of staying indoors and staring at our screens could really help to lift people’s mood this winter.”

Seasonal depression already impacts millions of people worldwide, especially in colder regions of the world. Spending time outdoors, especially with others, can help mitigate these feelings and boost mental health. Previous studies have shown how spending hours staring at our screens leads to mental and physical health problems.

Just some of the negative outcomes of staring at screens all day include:

  • Eye strain, blurred vision, and long-term vision problems
  • Increased risk of obesity and overweight
  • Disrupted circadian rhythm, especially when using screens at night.
  • Increased occurrence of headaches
  • Neck and back pain
  • Lack of socialization or impaired social skills
  • Higher rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses
  • Decreased attention span
  • Scattered thinking and reduced cognitive abilities
  • Moodiness and irritability
  • Decreases productivity
  • Causes obsessive behaviors, especially when using social media

Humans didn’t evolve to stare at bright screens all day, especially at night when our brains need darkness to prepare for sleep. Scientists and researchers around the world have started spreading awareness about our need to get back to nature. While social media and other technologies have provided many benefits, we need to regulate our use. By putting limits on our technology consumption, we have more free time to spend outdoors or recharging in general.

Other benefits of spending time outdoors include:

  • Lower probabilities of cardiovascular disease
  • Increased longevity
  • Reduced risk of developing obesity and diabetes
  • Better well-being and less mental distress
  • Enhanced short-term memory
  • Increased self-esteem
  • Eases ADHD symptoms

“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” —John Burroughs

outdoorsFinal thoughts: Spend plenty of time outdoors to help ease depression and other mental illnesses

Humans evolved to live close to nature, but our modern way of living severs our ties to Earth. However, we can still connect with the great outdoors, even in urban areas. Simply walking through a local park when you have the day off can do wonders for your mental health. We all require nature for survival, and studies have shown that people who get more outdoor time have fewer depression symptoms. Try to walk in nature a few times per week, and reduce the time you spend on your phone or watching TV. You’ll start feeling better before you know it!

Scientists Reveal How Biofeedback Can Reduce Headaches

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A new study reveals that biofeedback can alleviate headache pain, reduce urinary and fecal incontinence, and help stroke recovery. A VA Portland Healthcare System and Oregon Health & Science University team performed the literature review.

The research appeared in the Journal of General Internal Medicine on Aug. 14, 2019. Dr. Karli Kondo of the VA Evidence Synthesis Program and OHSU, lead author of the study, says their research could aid advancements in biofeedback.

“We are encouraged by the positive findings and the additional findings of potential benefits for a wide range of conditions. Biofeedback is a low-risk, cost-effective intervention. We hope that this report will help to make biofeedback more widely available to veterans across the U.S., and that it will serve as a roadmap for future research in the field.”

Biofeedback involves using instruments to measure patients’ physiological responses, providing instant feedback. Showing patients how their bodies respond to pain can help them learn how to regulate these responses. Biofeedback doesn’t involve medication or invasive treatments and benefits patients with a low risk of side effects.

This mind-body technique measures muscle activity, heart rate, blood pressure, and brainwaves. Therapists often incorporate treatments to help patients learn how to alter maladaptive behaviors, emotions, and thoughts. For instance, using electromyography (EMG) to analyze which muscles tighten due to a health condition may help patients learn to control this response.

Biofeedback can help with a wide range of conditions and is increasingly being offered by therapists as a complementary or alternative treatment. For instance 2017, around 70 VA facilities reported offering some biofeedback in their treatment plans. However, since studies on this technique usually focus on only one condition, it’s not generally offered in primary treatment.

Biofeedback improves many conditions, including headaches.

biofeedbackTo conduct the research, Kondo and her colleagues formulated an “evidence map” to compile studies. Their search found many prior studies and systematic reviews on biofeedback. In total, they used 16 systematic reviews on this topic for their evidence.

The review showed overwhelming evidence that biofeedback can alleviate headaches. Many measures have been used to reduce headaches, including EMG, blood pressure monitoring, and skin temperature. These techniques seem to reduce the duration, occurrence, and intensity of migraine and tension headaches specifically. However, the greatest improvement was in reducing the frequency of headaches.

Moderate-confidence evidence also showed that biofeedback could reduce secondary headaches like medication use, anxiety, depression, and muscle tension. Furthermore, strong evidence exists to prove that biofeedback can reduce urinary incontinence in men who’ve had their prostate removed. Therapists and doctors use EMG to help patients train their pelvic floor muscles. Adding biofeedback results in immediate and long-term improvements, even more than just incorporating muscle training.

What else can biofeedback help?

Additionally, the evidence map revealed that biofeedback might help with several other conditions, though most trials focused on headaches or urinary incontinence. EMG biofeedback can help with fecal incontinence in older men and women and young women who recently gave birth.

This technique also helps improve lower-limb activity in patients undergoing stroke recovery. Stroke therapy can include several types of biofeedback measures. Common ones include platforms to measure weight distribution for improving balance and sensors to analyze joints’ angles while walking. Also, therapists commonly use EMG to observe activity in the muscles.

The team uncovered studies on biofeedback used for other conditions in their research but found no evidence of its effectiveness. For instance, biofeedback didn’t appear to help women with urinary incontinence or high blood pressure management. However, little research has been done on these two conditions regarding biofeedback. Scant evidence also turned up for biofeedback used for bruxism, labor pain, and Reynaud’s disease.

The researchers say that their evidence map shows how biofeedback can help with many conditions. It also shows where research is lacking in several other conditions. They hope to do more research on balance and gait training, fibromyalgia, and intradialytic hypotension. This causes a decrease in blood pressure, leading to symptoms including nausea, dizziness, and anxiety.

 

anxiety

Four other ways to improve headache pain

Since reducing headaches is one of the main benefits of biofeedback, we’ll also go over some other remedies for migraines.

1 – Make sure to drink enough water to prevent a headache

Many people suffer from chronic dehydration today, which can trigger headaches due to lack of oxygen. Make sure to bring a water bottle with you to work so you can stay hydrated.

2 – Get enough magnesium in your diet

The body requires certain minerals to function correctly. Magnesium can significantly help reduce the frequency and intensity of headaches. Scientists believe magnesium may help block signals in the brain, which results in migraines with an aura. This causes changes in vision and other senses.

Research shows that magnesium also stops the production of certain chemicals that cause pain. Finally, lower magnesium levels cause blood vessels in the brain to narrow, which can lead to migraine headaches. Studies show that 600 mg of magnesium can reduce the intensity and frequency of headaches.

3 – Avoid or limit alcohol consumption

Alcohol can cause frequent migraines or headaches because it leads to dehydration. Since alcohol causes increased urination, this throws off the balance of electrolytes in your body, possibly triggering headaches. Also, alcohol increases histamine in the body, leading to inflammation, which can worsen headaches.

Try to limit alcohol to one drink per day, or avoid it if it doesn’t agree with you.

4 – Get enough sleep to avoid a headache

Sleep deprivation can trigger headaches in some people. One study shows that people who sleep less than 6 hours per night have more frequent headaches. Make sure to get at least 7-8 hours per night for optimal health.

headache

Final thoughts on using biofeedback to fix a headache

In conclusion, the evidence map shows the evidence already existing on biofeedback used to treat certain medical conditions. It also reveals what research is lacking, giving scientists areas to focus on in the future.

Editor’s note: 09/27/2023: Updated studies.

15 Habits to Stop Being a Controlling Person

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Are you a controlling person? You should know folks don’t like to be manipulated by a control freak. When a person must always be in command, it can be due to a manipulative and toxic personality flaw.

People don’t like to be around manipulative people, so they will do anything they can to keep their distance. Do you tend to control a situation, then it might be time for you to consider a change of pace? If you continue with these behavioral issues, you will alienate your partner, friends, and loved ones.

Did you know that being a controlling person can have some serious issues that lie below the surface? The first step in getting help is admitting that you have a problem and want to change.

Fifteen Tips to Help You Break the Habit of Being a Controlling Person

Here are 15 ways that you can stop being so overbearing and have more meaningful interactions with others.

controlling person1. Find the Root of Your Behavior

You didn’t wake up one morning and decide to be controlling. Some things happened in your life that made you this way. Typically, someone who needs to be in control of a situation is an individual that has suffered from traumatic experiences in life.

Before you can make any changes to your behaviors, you need to uncover the reasons why you’re so insistent on controlling everyone and everything around you. You might even learn somethings about yourself that you didn’t know.

2. Learn to Trust the Decisions of Others

Part of the reason why you are a controlling person is that you don’t trust others. This can be a real bone of contention when you have a spouse and a lack of trust between the two of you. Start slowly by giving your spouse control over a situation; then, you will see that you can trust them and move onward from there.

3. Walk-in Another Person’s Shoes

One way to stop your toxic behaviors is to put yourself in the other person’s shoes. How would you react to a person like yourself in life? Would you want to run and hide, or would you welcome them?

Chances are, you will see how challenging it is to be around a controlling individual, and it will drive you to work on your issues.

4. Acknowledge You Cannot Control Everything

No matter how hard you try, there is no way that you can control everything. Even if you try to manipulate people, they will turn away from you. Once you realize you have a problem, you must recognize how outlandish your thought processes to fix it.

5. Respect the Differences in Others

Wouldn’t the world be a boring place if everyone were just like you? You don’t want everyone to be the same as variety is the spice of life.

It would help if you learned to respect that there are different people with opposing views and personalities. Embrace the change because it allows for some great relationships in life.

6. Never Threaten Others

One of the ways that a controlling person manipulates others is by using threats. You may tell your spouse that if they don’t buy the new house or car that you want that you’re leaving them. Most of the time, these threats don’t mean anything, so you are just using them as a tactic to get what you want.

However, eventually, your veiled threats will wear the other person down. They may reach their breaking point and call you on your bluff.

7. Stop Being So Hard on Yourself

Are you the parent who starts to help your child with their homework to end up doing the whole paper? Did you do it because you didn’t think your child was good enough? No!

The reason you did it is that you’re afraid your child won’t get a good grade, and it will look bad on your parenting. Give yourself a break and stop being so hard on yourself. It’s okay if you’re not perfect in every way.

relationship killers8. Give Others Privacy and Space

Do you tend to push your way into situations because you’re afraid of being left out? It’s not uncommon for the controlling person to invite themselves to events and try to get a foot in the door. The real fear is that you don’t want to be on the outside looking in.

However, you can’t be invited to every event and party in life. You must realize that sometimes people need space and time to be alone, even your children. If you continue to push yourself into situations where you’re not wanted, then you may find that people must become frank to put you in your place.

9. Learn to Be More Patient and Understanding

Patience is hard to grasp, but if you want people to be patient and understand with you, you must give the same courtesy in return. Don’t expect everyone to be perfect, as you must realize that humans are fallible. If you want to stop being a controlling person, then you must learn how to be patient.

10. Fight Your Inner Insecurities

There’s a little bit of an insecure nature in everyone. However, for the controlling person, they find that the insecurities are much more significant. While you may come across as manipulative and controlling, it’s your inner insecurities that are shining through.

It would be best to fight these demons that haunt you to find any peace in your life. Set small goals each day to work on dealing with this insecure nature.

11. Learn Coping Techniques for Your Anxiety

Since most controlling people have anxiety issues, it’s only wise to learn effective methods to manage them. When you feel your anxiety rises to a dangerous level, you need to engage in some of these methods. Some of the best ways to control your angst are meditation, rhythmic breathing, taping, exercise, and facing your fears head-on.

12. Stop Using Control-Oriented Language

It’s time to clean up your vocabulary. It would help if you erased words that make others feel uncomfortable or even threatened. What common words do you use that make others bow to your commands?

You will find that you will become more endearing to others by ridding these words from your speech. Plus, you should never use sayings like, “you will or else.” Who wants to be friends or lovers with someone who talks to them in that manner? Clean up your language if you’re going to be friendly and have a close inner circle.

13. Avoid the Paranoia

Did you know that many controlling people struggle with an underlying paranoia and anxiety issue? There’s a good chance that the only reason you are utilizing these manipulative behaviors is that you are scared inside.

For instance, how many times have you seen the bride’s mother overstep her bounds because she is afraid she will be left out on her daughter’s big day? It’s a deep-rooted fear that is making you seem selfish.

14. Take Care of Your Psychological Health

At the controlling person’s crux is anxiety, depression, a mood disorder, or another psychological disturbance. It will help if you put effort into making yourself mentally healthy. You can do many things to improve your mental well-being, such as journaling, practicing mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and using herbal supplements.

15. Reach Out for Help

Did you know that you’re not the only person who uses control tactics to hide their inner issues? Thankfully, therapists are well trained to help you get over these insecurities to have a good life surrounded by friends and loved ones.

If you have a partner, why not bring them along in therapy to help you understand where improvements must be made? The sooner you start working on the key issues, the quicker you can fix some of these problems.

controlling personFinal Thoughts on Ways to Stop Being a Controlling Person

The controlling person is acting out because they have inner hurts that are so deep that they shield others from knowing. For instance, an overweight person in school and was often picked last might have lingering mental anguish from these events. So, as an adult, they want to make sure that they’re included in everything, whether people want them there or not.

It’s not that they want to attend every party or event, but they want to protect themselves from feeling that horrible sting of rejection yet again. What is the driving force behind your controlling nature? Has it developed into a mental health disorder that needs to be addressed?

Getting outside help is a great place to start. There are online support groups as well as therapists who specialize in those who have anxiety disorders. If you have something along the lines of a narcissistic personality disorder, then there are ways to fix those things too.

Whatever you do, don’t let things continue the current path, or you will alienate those around you. You can address the things that cause you to be controlling and move on past the traumatic events.

Psychology Explains Why People Feel Disappointed In Their Partner

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It is not uncommon for someone to feel disappointed in a partner, even if they still feel love and affection.

When you fall in love and promise all your tomorrows to one person, you would never dream that love so perfect and right could turn into a battle of resentment. Even in the best relationships, you can hurt each other’s feelings, and the disappointments soon mount.

Bitterness occurs when someone is offended by another person, and they feel that their actions were done with deliberate intent. How do you know if there is bitterness in your relationship that is festering below the surface?

Seven First Signs That You’re Disappointed in Your Relationship

Anger can lie under the surface of any relationship, and as time goes on, it can fester and grow. Here are some common signs that there are underlying issues that are causing you to become disappointed with your partner.

1. You Feel Like an Invisible Entity

Do you feel like your partner is communicating effectively with you, or are you just an invisible entity in the relationship? Can you have a conversation with them, and they can’t recall anything you talked about because they tuned you out? These situations can cause a pool of hurt to start filling, and it won’t take long to get to the point of overflowing with anger and disappointment.

2. Your Arguments Are Over the Same Things

It’s hard to break patterns, but even your arguments can have similar forms. Why is it that your discussions always head towards issues that are not even pertinent to the matter at hand? So, things remain unresolved, and bitterness festers even more.

3. You’ve Begun to Nit Pick At Each Other

It’s good to want to fix the problems in your relationship that are causing issues, but why is it that you become fixated on the problems and can’t get past them? So, instead of coming to some resolve, you begin to nitpick over every little thing. You start throwing up examples of historical events that still don’t sit well with you.

Over time, you start to see your partner as a person that does nothing right, and you can’t stop the disappointments from mounting.

4. You Unleash Your Fury on Your Spouse

Communication is critical, and many people avoid confrontation because they don’t like the outcome. When you talk to your partner, you become sarcastic, vengeful, and may even say nasty things.

This is passive-aggressive behavior, and it’s not healthy in any relationship. You’re releasing your pent-up frustrations on them, and it’s not doing anything to fix the issue at hand.

5. Intimate Moments Are Becoming Scarce

The value of your partnership is reduced when you have unresolved feelings of anger. Once the spark of attraction fizzles, then you will avoid any intimate moments. When there is no physical contact in a relationship, it’s a sign that things are in serious trouble.

6. You Feel the Situation is Hopeless

When you’re disappointed in your partner, you may feel like the whole relationship is hopeless or helpless. When you see no solution to your problems, then you feel trapped. All the unresolved feelings can take a toll on you.

Things that you once celebrated with pride, like your anniversary or birthdays, seem like another day now. There are no cakes, fancy gifts, and you may not even mention the occasion.

7. You Detach From One Another

Detachment doesn’t happen overnight, but you will start to withdraw from one other throughout a few arguments and delicate situations. You make yourself scares so that you don’t have to deal with any drama. Psychologists warn that if you don’t reflect and correct the issues, it might be the end.

It’s okay to take a time out from one another to reassess the relationship. Grab a pen and paper and do a root-cause analysis. You can easily see when it’s written in front of you if the partnership is worth saving.

Understanding Why You Might Feel Disappointed in Your Partner

Do you ever sit back and wonder how you got to this place? How could things that seemed so perfect do a drastic turn and become so unfixable? Here are the most common reasons why disappointments and bitterness creep into even the best relationships.

1 – One Person Is Doing All the Work

It’s not uncommon for one person to try harder than the other. If you’re eager to get them their favorite foods and to show love and affection, then you expect that in return. Sadly, when only one person is giving 100 percent, and the other party is giving about 20 percent, it’s easy to become disappointed.

2 – Adjustment Issues

It’s hard to come together and form a union when you have different backgrounds. Every family has unique beliefs, and they won’t always align perfectly. It’s easy to hurt one another when you don’t have the same sentiments. When you dismiss things that are important to the other person, you will begin to become disappointed in your relationship, and you will harbor resentment.

3 – Your Desires and Needs Aren’t Fulfilled

When you first got together as a couple, you had many hopes and dreams that you would accomplish. Now, over time, the dreams have begun to fade as reality has sunk in. If your partner isn’t giving you the time or attention you want, it’s easy to become frustrated with the whole relationship.

4 – There are Grudges

Part of love is forgiving each other, as you both will make mistakes each day. However, if you cannot forgive them for the things they’ve done, it’s easy to become disappointed and hold a grudge. This is especially true if the other party won’t accept the things they’ve done wrong and rectify the situation.

5 – You Take One Another For Granted

It’s easy to depend on the person to do what they’ve always done. For instance, if your spouse always has your coffee and a breakfast bagel ready for you before work, you will expect that effort and not appreciate it. You will only learn to be grateful for it when they no longer do those nice extra things.

When one person doesn’t feel appreciated or respected, then it can cause an influx of negative emotions between you two.

Four Effects of Bitterness in Relationships

When a relationship is in the wrong place, it can develop malignancies. Some cancers eat away at the union between you, and it will destroy the communication, affection, commitment, and trust you have for one another. If you don’t fix this issue, then it will cause the following things:

1 – Loss of The Emotional Connection

When you are bitter towards your spouse, then distance forms. There is no compromise in this situation, and the accusations and insults are commonly spoken. The emotional connection between you has faltered, and there’s a vast space between where you are and where you should be.

2 – Deep Negative Feelings Develop

When you don’t address the feelings of bitterness, you put yourself in pain. These feelings can cause you to experience both mental and emotional trauma. The relationship has now drained your resources, and the disappointments have become unrepairable.

3 – Trust and Commitment Is Destroyed

When there is bitterness, disappointments, and resentment, then it alters the trust between you. You don’t feel like they’re there for you, and they don’t feel like you’re there for them. You’ve both become complacent and expect less from one another.

4 – The End of The Road

Many relationship issues are not fixable. You can live under the same roof together and still not be a couple. The technical term is the separation of estrangement, which means that the disappointments are so high in your relationship that it’s not repairable.

Final Thoughts on Disappointments in a Relationship

Even the best relationships have their issues. However, the people that can be together for 20-30 years are the ones that learn how to fix the problems before they become disappointed with one another. It would help if you were patient and learn that no one is perfect.

No matter how bad things become, try to keep your physical intimacy intact, even if it’s just a warm embrace. Honor the commitments that you’ve made to one another, even if it’s something as small as going to dinner and a movie on Fridays. Adjusting your expectations and setting appropriate boundaries is also important because you can’t expect more from your spouse than you are willing to give.

A relationship is 50/50, and you both must want this union to last. It can’t be one person putting in all the effort while the other one does nothing. Lastly, you must learn to forgive and stay positive. If you want people to forgive you in this life, you must learn how to forgive others.

There are times that both of you will let one another down, but you can overcome anything that’s thrown your way when you learn that you both are fallible and have to work on your issues daily.

Scientists Develop Contact Lenses That Can Treat Diabetes

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What if I told you that contact lenses could sense and treat diabetes? If you’re a contact lens wearer or someone with diabetes, you’ll probably quickly dismiss the idea. Despite how insane that notion sounds, now it’s true. Researchers have recently developed this technology.

Wait before you start to celebrate. It’s new and preliminary; they aren’t available to the general public yet. Researchers at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)  successfully developed this “smart contact lens” technology. Indeed, they plan on clinical trials soon. You may not be able to get a pair of these contact lenses for a while. But the fact that these researchers have had success with this wild idea is extremely exciting.

The Team from POSTECH

Professor Sei Kwang Han, MSE, led the team. Other team members included Professor Jae-Yoon Sim, MS, Ph.D., and graduate students Jahyun Koo, Do Hee Keum, and Su-Kyoung Kim. The team included members from two departments of the university: the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering. The August 2020 edition of the Science Advances journal published the findings.

pop memeDetails of the Research

There has been a recent explosion in the research and development of soft bioelectronics for use in the health care industry. Researchers like the team from POSTECH have been working to exploit the polymer properties of these soft electronics to create wearable health technology. In fact, many of these ventures have already been successful. We see similar technology in fields such as electrocardiograph, pulse oximetry, photoplethysmography, and even glucose monitoring.

In fact, glucose monitoring is the basis of this research from the team at POSTECH. They have successfully developed wireless smart lenses that can diagnose and treat diabetes – diabetic retinopathy in particular. It’s a revolutionary technology that could have a major positive impact on diabetics.

How the Lenses Work

You’ll probably find the engineering behind the lenses a tad complicated. You may need a background in engineering to understand all the terms and processes that the team described in their publication. However, in this article, the information we summarized and translated the words into more rudimentary terms.

The lenses contain five parts:

  1. Remote radio frequency (RF) communication system
  2. An electrochemical biosensor that detects glucose levels in real-time
  3. On-demand flexible drug delivery system (f-DDS)
  4. A resonant inductive wireless energy transfer system
  5. Integrated circuit (IC)–based microcontroller chip with a power management unit (PMU)

Remotely Controlling and Powering the Lenses

The contact lenses work via remote control using the first part. This RF technology isn’t new. Indeed, you find the same technology in current remote controls. However, applying this to contact lenses is new.

The remote communication unit (RCU) built into the lenses only uses 2.3 mW of power. It transmits data at a rate of 445 kbits·s−1 in the 433-MHz industry-science-medical (ISM) frequency band. This is a great frequency band to use on a global scale, especially since Europe bans the 900-MHz that is allowed in the United States.

The fourth part, the resonant inductive wireless energy transfer system, is how the lenses and the RCU receive power. The lenses have a copper receiving coil built into them. There is an external power source that has a copper transmitter that wirelessly delivers power to the lenses.

Sensing Glucose Levels

The ocular electrochemical biosensor, the second part, allows glucose levels to be measured through tears rather than blood. This replaces the need for traditional lancets, strips, glucose monitors, and finger pricks. While tears aren’t normally used for glucose level measurement, researchers looked into the efficiency of measuring these levels in tears. It was found that glucose levels in tears strongly correlate with the levels found in the blood.

The biosensor contains three electrodes – two made from platinum and one made from silver/silver chloride, which detects the electrochemical glucose reaction. A layer of chromium was also added as an adhesive layer. Finally, a mixture of glucose oxidase (GOx), bovine serum albumin (BSA), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and chitosan was added to one of the sensors along with a layer of glutaraldehyde after the initial mixture had dried. This was tested on diabetic rabbits, and the results were that the measured glucose levels in tears were as accurate as of the blood levels.

pop quoteDelivering Treatment

When glucose levels are high, the lenses have a built-in drug delivery system, the third part, that can treat diabetic retinopathy through remote commands. The engineering behind the system is amazing and slightly complicated. Here is a basic overview of it.

The system measures 1.5mm by 3mm by .13mm. In other words, it’s thin, and the wearer won’t feel it at all when they wear the contact lenses. As a comparison, typical contact lenses measure from 0.04-0.09 mm. That makes the delivery system only slightly thicker than typical lenses, or around the same thickness as hard lenses or toric lenses.

The medicine is implanted in the lens as exfoliation layers and then covered with a gold anode electrode. When a built-in excimer laser remotely activates, it essentially melts the gold layer and one of the exfoliation layers. The medicine then flows into the eye.

After about 40 seconds, the gold then solidifies, blocking medicine flow until the next laser blast. Engineers designed this system to be defect-free and, during trials, they tested this gold-melting laser process 1,000 times. Each time yielded perfect results.

Putting All the Parts Together

All the parts worked perfectly independently, but each had to fit together to make a whole, finished product. That’s where the fifth part came in.

The published research didn’t make a lot of reference to the microcontroller chip. However, it is essentially the CPU of the whole system. It functions just like the microchip in your computer – without it, you just have many fancy electronics that do nothing on their own.

Reading the Data

The CPU of the lens was designed to transmit data to a custom-made amplitude shift keying (ASK) receiver module (receives data via the amplitude of the electronic), an Alf Vergard Risc (AVR) (a microprocessor that is up to four times faster than traditional microprocessors), and a computer. Naturally, if the contact lenses pass the clinical trials and make it to the consumer market, data would eventually transmit in a less “engineer-like” way. The assumption would be through an app so people can monitor their levels from their smart devices.

Researchers experimented on diabetic rabbits, as mentioned before. The rabbits remained unharmed, and the results were widely positive. In other words, the lenses worked. The team says that there will need to be minor adjustments in the clinical phases. But overall, the technology yielded outstanding results.

Disease-Monitoring Lenses on the Market

There have been other ocular lenses for disease monitoring developed already. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) already approved similar technology. An example is Google Lens. This lens stalled in clinical trials because they could not get the glucose-level readings from tears to match those of glucose-level readings in blood.

Another example is the Triggerfish Lens. This lens monitors changes in changes in intraocular pressure for the detection of glaucoma-related issues. However, it doesn’t produce real-time changes and doesn’t offer a drug-delivery system like the POSTECH team’s lenses.

Although these lenses are phenomenal advances in medicine, the lenses from the POSTECH team will quickly make this yesterday’s news. The fact that they can monitor diabetic retinopathy in real-time makes them more useful than the others.

What is Diabetic Retinopathy?

This section is for people who aren’t familiar with this condition. Damaged blood vessels in the retina (in the back of the eye) are a common complication of diabetes. Symptoms include seeing floaters, blurred vision, seeing dark spots or areas, and even going blind.

This eye disease occurs pretty rarely when you compare it to the number of people with diabetes. However, once a person develops the condition, there is no cure. People can manage the disease by keeping glucose levels under control. If the condition is really bad, the doctor might suggest laser surgery.

contact lensesFinal Thoughts on the Research and Diabetic Contact Lenses

With the number of people suffering from diabetes in the world, the development of lenses that can track, monitor, and treat the condition is an anxiously awaited concept. Even if the lenses are only for diabetic retinopathy rather than the entire condition itself, any help is better than what’s available now.

Of course, diabetes is a condition that one must address immediately. This undertaking starts with access to healthier food options and better healthcare. Some people may not be able to help that they have diabetes. But for some people, it’s a self-inflicted condition. Until society can get a handle on the diabetes epidemic, new technology like these lenses from the researchers and scientists at POSTECH will be a valuable addition to the world.

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