Anxiety medications are used for specific anxiety disorders (such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, phobias, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Separation Anxiety) as well as general anxiety. This means you might get a prescription to help cope with the trauma of the sudden death of a loved one or another horrible life event. You might even get one if you are terrified of flying on a plane and you have to deliver a presentation in Shanghai. However, anxiety medications are used more broadly than to simply treat anxiety.

Many people take benzodiazepine anxiety medications to treat panic attacks. After anxiety disorders, this is the most common use. These drugs have extremely quick onset times and can immediately help deal with stress, anxiety, and panic.

Depression is the next most common condition treated by these drugs. Benzodiazepines often affect a person to more moderate moods. While some people experience low moods and lethargy, many sufferers of depression have found them to be helpful in coping with depression. Part of this may be that anxiety and depression often go hand in hand. As one would expect, studies have shown that they are most effective when it is moderate depression stemming from anxiety that is being treated. Paradoxically, many people experience depression on the medicine, especially when they were not depressed previous to beginning treatment.

Because benzodiazepines take effect within a week of use whereas most antidepressants onset only after two weeks, they may be preferred in cases where quick relief is necessary, though they are not used to treat extreme depression.

One must be cautioned that long-term use of benzodiazepines is not advised by medical professionals. For one thing, they are habit forming and have heavy withdrawal symptoms.

Another common off-label use of these drugs is treatment of seizure. Benzodiazepines have properties of anti-seizure medications (anticonvulsants), and so can be effective for treating epileptic seizures.

More common than that, however, is their use for the treatment of insomnia. Many benzodiazepines make their users sleepy, as well as relax the body and relieve any anxiety that may contribute to insomnia. The possibility of expanding the role of benzodiazepines in treating insomnia is currently being explored by researchers.

Some benzodiazepines, such as Xanax, have become the preferred treatment method for Premenstual Dyphoric Disorder (PMDD). PMDD has similar symptoms to PMS, but usually more extreme. The often debilitating problems include: (more…)

Muscle cramps are described as involuntary and temporary contractions of muscles or muscle groups, which usually manifest during or after physical activity. The sensation is usually described as being very unpleasant associated with lack of control over the affected muscles and strong contraction that can cause pain. There are numerous causes for muscle cramps to take place, however the most common factor contributing to their development is the lack of proper warm up before physical activity, especially before training in athletes.

Warming up in a correct fashion involves two main stages: general warm up (cardio exercises), which increases the overall body temperature; and specific warm up, which addresses the main muscle groups and joints that will be involved in the training process. Unfortunately, most people forget about one of these stages or completely avoid warming up before training either due to lack of time or simple ignorance. And that’s why cramps can occur.

The second important part of any training that as crucial as the warm up process is the relaxation phase after the training. Just as with warming up, relaxation involves two stages: dynamic (aerobic activity) and static (stretching). As you may guess from the name, the relaxation phase is needed to calm the body down, easing muscle tension and eliminating the catabolic products synthesized in the course of training. Avoiding proper relaxation after the training can make the recovery process longer and lead to muscle cramps during the next training sessions.

Muscle cramps are also known to be caused by electrolytic imbalance, resulting from excessive perspiration that eliminates too much electrolytes from the body. In order to recover the balance, one must employ a special diet rich with fruits and vegetables, as well as supported by periodically using vitamin and mineral supplements. (more…)