Spider Identification

The color of a brown recluse spider can vary from light tan to brown. Their legs are approximately one inch long and slightly darker than their body. The spider’s body has two sections and the legs protrude from the front section.

The top of the front section is marked with a violin shaped design. The color of the shape is vaguely darker than the rest of the spider’s body. The narrow part of the marking points toward the abdomen.

Spider Bite Symptoms

As soon as a brown recluse spider bites you, its venom begins to attack and kill the cell membranes in your skin around the bite. When you look closely at the bite, you’ll be able to see the fang marks on your skin.

The bite from a brown recluse can cause these symptoms:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever
• Muscle pain
• Itching, burning or pain at the site
• Red ring surrounding the bite area
• White blisters appearing about 2 to 8 hours afterwards

After the spider bite begins to blister, the blisters may turn blue and then black within a day or two. This discoloration is due to the death of the tissue surrounding the bite.

Complications

A severe reaction of a brown recluse spider bite can cause a hole to appear in your skin because of the tissue damage. The hole may be the size of a dime or it can spread to the size of a slice of bread or larger. The dead tissue will eventually fall off and uncover the healthy tissue underneath. The lesion will appear sunken and it may take 6 to 8 weeks before it completely heals.

Before Going To The Doctor

As soon as you discover the bite and before you can get to the doctor, place ice on the area of the bite to reduce swelling. If possible, elevate the part of your body that has the bite. Wash the bite and surrounding area with cool water and a gentle soap. Do not do anything strenuous, as this can cause the venom to spread.

Diagnosis

After an examination of the bite, the doctor will perform lab work including a blood test and a urinalysis. If necessary, he may also choose to give you a chest x-ray or intravenous fluids.

Treatment

Since there is no anti venom for brown recluse spiders, your doctor will consider other treatment options. These may include a tetanus shot and an antibiotic if the bite appears infected. He may also prescribe pain medication and an antihistamine for itching.

Prevention

Brown recluse spiders dwell in environments that are dark, warm, and dry. They’re often found in basements, attics, barns, garages and closets. To prevent a brown recluse bite, follow these tips:

• Wear gloves and a long sleeved shirt if you’re digging around in the attic or garage. These spiders can’t bite through clothing.
• Shake out shoes or clothing that’s been stored in the basement before putting them on.
• Before sticking your hand in a box that’s been stored, always look inside first.

If a brown recluse bites you, visit a medical center or walk in clinic as soon as you can. If possible, put the spider in a sealed container and take it to the clinic with you. This will confirm the species of the spider before your doctor begins treatment.

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Smoking

Smoking is one of the worst things you can do when recovering from eye surgery. Smoking damages the small blood vessels and capillaries that are located behind your eye and in your retina. This causes decreased circulation, poor blood flow and delayed healing.

Smoking after eye surgery also raises your risk for infection and vision loss. If possible, try quitting before you have surgery, and if you’re unable to quit on your own, talk to your doctor about smoking cessation methods.

Stooping

Another hindrance to post-operative eye healing is stooping down or bending over. When you engage in these activities, your intraocular pressure rises, which can injur the surgical site. You should avoid stooping or bending for at least a week, or until your doctor deems it safe to do so.

Prior to your surgery, buy yourself a pair of slip-on shoes so that you won’t have to bend down to tie them. You should also invest in a grabber, or reaching aid so that in case you drop something or need to reach into a high cabinet, you won’t be straining yourself.

Climbing Stairs

Climbing stairs may also delay healing of the surgical site. When you climb stairs, not only are you raising your eye pressure, you may also be re-injuring the surgical site inside your eye as a result of rough stepping motions. If you need to climb stairs, do so very slowly, holding on to the bannister for extra support.

After surgery, your doctor may place a stainless steel shield over the affected eye, which will limit your vision to only one eye. Holding on to the bannister while climbing stairs will help prevent falls until your doctor allows you to remove the protective shield.

Discontinuing Your Medication

After your surgery, your doctor may have prescribed either oral antibiotics or antibiotic eye drops to reduce your risk for infection. If you stop taking your prescription before you’re suppose to, you may get an infection.

If your antibiotics cause side effects, call your eye doctor, who can prescribe an alternate treatment. When you discontinue antibiotic therapy without telling your doctor, not only do you raise your risk for infection, you also delay the healing process and risk losing your vision.

If your surgery was to remove cataracts or to treat glaucoma, your doctor may have prescribed eye drops to lower your eye pressure. While these medications are effective in lowering intra-ocular pressure, they can cause side effects such as dizziness, low pulse, headaches and nausea. If you stop using your pressure-lowering eye drops because of the side effects, your eye pressure may skyrocket, raising the risk for total vision loss.

Call your doctor if your eye isn’t healing as it should, or if you experience increased pain, redness, drainage or itching. You will need to undergo a comprehensive eye examination that may include a test known as fluorescein angiography, which is a procedure that uses a special dye and high-powered camera to evaluate your retina and structures in the back of your eye.

If you experience sudden loss of vision, seek emergency medical treatment at the closest hospital. The sooner the underlying cause of your sudden loss of vision is recognized and treated, the more likely you are to enjoy a good outcome and regain your vision.

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Perform Passive Range Of Motion

When your parent is too weak or debilitated to move their arms and legs on their own, you can keep their muscles loose and limber by performing passive range of motion. These exercises keep the muscle fibers from going into spasms.

Starting with the arms, move every joint slowly five times. For example, take each finger and work them up and down. Then, flex the wrist back and forth. After the wrist, bend their arm at the elbow. 

When you reach the shoulder, move it up and down, then side to side. End with rotating it in a large circle five times in both directions.

Repeat with the other arm. Then, do the same procedure with the legs.

Change Their Position Every Two Hours

When the body lays in one position for too long without moving, the muscles can freeze up and stay that way. It is important to change your loved one’s position in bed every two hours. This not only prevents contractures, but it also prevents skin breakdown that lead to bed sores.

When positioning your parent on their back, place their arms and legs on pillows. This elevates them slightly and aids in circulation. Maintaining good blood flow is also important for keeping the muscles from contracting.

After they are on their back for two hours, roll them on their left side. Prop them up with pillows stuffed behind their back so that they stay in position. Place a pillow between their legs to keep them separated. This cushion allows for some movement as well, even when the muscles try to go into spasms.

At the end of those two hours, position your parent on their right side and do the same with the pillows as you did for them on the left side. After those two hours, repeat the cycle by placing them on their back.

Get Them Out Of Bed, If Possible

Unless their doctor has specifically ordered that they do not get out of bed at all, try to get your loved one up in a chair at least once a day. Just keeping their posture while sitting up works the supporting muscles and keeps the blood moving through their body.

If they are very debilitated, put pillows between them and the arms of the chair to help support them. If they tend to fall forward, gently tie a vest restraint around their body and tie it to the legs of the chair. It can provide soft support and pull them back if they start to fall out.

While they are in the chair, stay with them to keep an eye on them. If they become too tired or do not seem stable, put them back into bed.

You may want to wait for a home care professional to be there with you to sit them up. Not only can they help you put your parent in the chair, but can also stay with them if you have to leave the room.

If you have to work or are unable to get up frequently during the night, you may not be able to provide around the clock preventative care to keep your parent from developing contractures. If so, speak to their home health agency to find out if they qualify for 24 hour home care service. This way, someone will always be with your parent to take care of them when you are unable to. Click this link to find more information about home health care.

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Coffee

The caffeine in coffee may be just what you need for fast pain relief. Caffeine is one of the most common active ingredients in many over-the-counter pain relievers because it helps your body absorb the medication faster. While the effects of caffeine are stronger when combined with aspirin or ibuprofen, it can work well on its own. At the first sign of a backache or nerve pain, drink a strong cup of coffee or a glass of cola.

According to World Of Caffeine, caffeine provides pain relief by a mechanism known as “peripheral action,” which refers to pain relief at the site of an injury. This action causes a physiological response on your muscle tissue by relieving pain and reducing inflammation. Caffeine also has an effect on your central nervous system, and can alter the central processing of certain pain signals, which increase your body’s natural pain killing abilities.

Magnesium

Magnesium is another drug-free method of treating pain related to sciatica. Magnesium helps relax smooth muscle tissue and helps reduce the inflammation of your sciatic nerve. While magnesium is found in many foods such as nuts, whole grains and green leafy vegetables, you may need to take supplements to get enough of this vital mineral to relieve your pain.

Talk to your doctor before taking magnesium supplements because taking too much can cause abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Magnesium is the active ingredient in many antacids and laxatives, and may not be appropriate for those with inflammatory bowel disease. Magnesium also helps promote sleep, which is often elusive during an episode of sciatica.

Fish Oil

Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids which have powerful anti-inflammatory properties. It is especially helpful if your sciatica is causing morning back stiffness, limited mobility and decreased range of motion. Sciatic nerve pain responds well to supplementation with fish oil, however, if you take aspirin on a regular basis, or if you take prescription anticoagulant medications, talk to your doctor before supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids.

Fish oil and omega-3 fatty acid supplements decrease platelet aggregation, which hinders your blood’s ability to clot. If you take fish oil with other anticoagulant medication, you may be at risk for abnormal bleeding.

Heat

Most people believe that back pain should be treated with ice to reduce inflammation. While this may be true during the first few hours of your sciatica attack, it may offer little relief as time goes by. Heat is more effective in relieving pain because it relaxes your muscles, enhances blood flow and promotes circulation so that your nerves can begin to heal.

If possible, take warm baths to relieve your pain, however, if you have limited mobility because of your condition, apply a heating to your back. Always use your heating pad on the lowest setting and turn it off before going to sleep.

Rest

Mild exercise is usually effective in treating lower back pain related to degenerative conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis and disc herniation. It is not, however, generally recommended for sciatic nerve inflammation. When you have sciatica, you should rest as much as you can so that your nerve can heal. Exercising may further inflame your sciatic nerve and delay your healing time.

If you experience sciatic nerve pain, call a doctor or visit websites such as http://www.towncenterorthopaedics.com to discuss drug-free methods of pain relief. If you are unable to manage your pain with the above methods of treatment, pain medication may be indicated. Severe pain should always be treated, especially if you have high blood pressure or diabetes. Pain can cause your blood pressure to rise and may cause an elevation in your blood glucose levels in you have diabetes.

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So if you’re graduating from high school or considering a switch to a job field with only minimal educational requirements and offering plenty of room to grow, perhaps you should consider enrolling in CNC machine operator training.

What Do CNC Machine Operators Do?

Working with CNC machines, operators fashion and produce any of a wide variety of plastic and metal items, depending on what the customer has ordered.

To accomplish this, CNC machine operators review relevant blueprints and instructions, then convert them into computer commands that direct the operations of any of a variety of machines, including drills, lasers, mills and lathes. Given the limitations of the machines and efficiency considerations, most machine operators work on one part at a time, producing large numbers of them before being reassigned.

Where Do CNC Machine Operators Work?

There are a wide range of assignments held by machine operators. According to government data, over 180,000 were employed cutting and punching press machines in 2012, while another 125,000 found work molding and casting. Other popular machine operator positions involved welding and soldering, polishing and buffing, and extruding and drawing.

What Does CNC Machine Operator Training Involve?

A high school education is typically required before training can begin, and many employers look for candidates who have a solid background in math, as well as experience with shop, computer programming and drafting.

Some employers provide on-the-job training, as well as classroom instruction, in order to get novice CNC operators up-to-speed. Other employers prefer to hire people who have completed a formal training program, which typically takes far less time than a college degree, and often can be completed in a single semester.

Regardless of where training happens, operator trainees develop skills in programming and computer-aided design (CAD) and manufacturing (CAM), as well as tooling, and, of course, the safe and proper operation and maintenance of the machines.

Do CNC Machine Operators Need Other Credentials?

Although not necessarily required, many machine operators seek out certification from the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS). Credentials are available to certify proficiency in machining, metal forming, stamping, die making, press braking, slide forming and machine building as well as service and maintenance.

The credentialing process includes both an online exam and hands-on assessments of skills by an on-site, approved supervisor. Credentials are awarded once the candidate demonstrates the required expertise and the supervisor has supplied NIMS with a verified affidavit.

How Much Does a CNC Machine Operator Earn?

In 2012, according to government statistics, metal and plastic machine workers earned an annual median income of $32,950, although those who develop additional skills and expertise enjoy even higher earnings.

Those who go into machinery maintenance earned median annual salaries in 2012 of $45,840, and jobs in this specialty are expected to grow by 17% through 2022.

Likewise, people who progressed from operators to tool and die makers earned an annual median salary of $40,910 in 2012, and this career is expected to add over 33,000 jobs through 2022.

Is CNC Machine Operator Training Worth the Cost?

Whether you pay for a formal program or just accept a lower-paying position while learning the ropes, there are costs involved in taking the time to develop machine operator skills. However, any short-term loss is easily made up by long-term benefits, particularly when considering that, according to another report, a whopping 65% of jobs available by 2020 will require some type of post-high school education or training.

For more information, visit eigerlab.org.

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Oral Infections

Why you are at risk: When your lip or tongue is pierced, jewelry is handled by the piercer and bacteria from the hands is transferred to the metal. These bacteria are not the same as the microorganisms already in the mouth, and the new bacteria can work its may under the gums and cause an infection. Also, the piercing itself opens a wound where mouth bacteria can gain direct access to the blood stream. This places you at risk for an infection along the piercing site.  

Endocarditis is a concern as well when you receive a mouth piercing. Endocarditis is an infection that occurs when bacteria travel through the blood stream to the heart. The bacteria damage the heart valves and surgery is sometimes necessary to repair the tissues.

How you can reduce risks: You can reduce your risk or forming an oral infection by making sure your piercer wears sterile gloves throughout the piercing procedure. Also, make sure all needles and jewelry are removed from sterile packages before they are used. Ask the piercer to open packages in front of you after gloves are placed on the hands so you can be sure that bacteria is not transferred to tools.  

After your lip or tongue has been pierced, do not touch jewelry with your hands. If you need to adjust or remove piercings, wash your hands with antibacterial soap first and rinse them thoroughly with hot water. Also, use mouthwash three or four times a day to clean the piercing site. The rinse will remove bacteria from your mouth that can easily infect the open piercing wound. Dilute your mouthwash though to make sure the alcohol does not burn sensitive tissues. Add one-quarter cup of mouthwash to three-quarters of a cup of water to create your rinse.

Swelling and Excessive Bleeding

Why you are at risk: Lip and tongue piercings are created using sharp needles, and the tissues of your mouth respond to the trauma by swelling. If you receive a tongue piercing, your tongue will swell to two or three times its normal size. This can cause an airway blockage that can stop you from breathing correctly. The inflammation can keep you from swallowing effectively as well, and you drool as saliva builds in the mouth. The excessive fluids can cause you to choke, and saliva irritates skin across the outside of the mouth.

If your piercing professional is not careful, then a blood vessel can be punctured during the piercing process as well. This causes bleeding in the mouth that can continue for 24 to 48 hours. The blood can cause a choking concern and you may feel dizzy from the loss of blood. Also, when the open wound does not clot properly, then there is a greater chance of bacteria moving into the bloodstream.

How you can reduce risks: Try to stay completely still when receiving your piercing so the piercer does not accidentally hit a blood vessel. Also, make sure that gauze is placed over the piercing site to help blood clot properly. Do not remove the gauze for 30 minutes and replace the compress if bleeding continues.

Make sure your piercer secures a long barbell in your tongue to account for tissue swelling. When your tongue does swell, suck on ice cubes and drink cold fluids to reduce inflammation. You can also set an ice pack on your tongue for 10 minutes at a time. Your tongue will appear the most swollen for the first 24 to 48 hours after the piercing is completed. Inflammation will continue for 7 to 10 days though. Continue using ice to limit inflammation throughout the entire healing period.  

Dentists believe that oral piercings can cause a great deal of oral and dental problems. If you want a lip or tongue piercing though, make sure you are aware of the oral health risks and how you can avoid them. Talk to a specialist in family dentistry for more information on how to protect your new piercing from becoming a problem.

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Fortunately, there are a number of solutions available for making your home more accessible to the elderly. Things like stair lifts can make moving about the home a far easier task, while wheelchair ramps may be necessary for accommodating those with limited mobility. By making these alterations, the burden on both aging family members and their caretakers will be eased immensely.

Assessing Elder Needs Is the First Step

Before making any changes, one should go through a step-by-step tour of their home to determine what type of modifications will be necessary. Things like mobility and long-term health issues should factor into the new design of one’s home. The following are a few key questions useful for determining what type of repairs will be needed:

• Can the elderly inhabitant reach things like cabinets/counters/ faucets?
• Is the home well-lit throughout?
• Do rugs or other fixtures pose a risk when it comes to tripping or falling?
• Is there ample room in hallways and the like to accommodate wheelchairs and walkers?
• Are appliances easy to use?
• Can water temperature be regulated to prevent burns?
• Are supports accessible throughout the home?

Once you’ve identified the areas in your home needing improvement, you can then move forward on the necessary repairs.

Grants Can Ease the Financial Burden of Remodeling

Making modifications to one’s home can be exceedingly expensive, especially when it comes to the comprehensive repairs necessary to make a home elder-friendly. Fortunately, there are a number of grants and programs aimed at assisting those looking to alter their home for the benefit of aging loved ones.

The Internet can be a great place to start your search for funding assistance. Many charities and organizations are willing to provide help to individuals to create a safe and comfortable living space for the elderly. This is especially true for veterans, who may be able to secure funding through government programs.

If funding is not available for your particular circumstance, try reaching out to churches and other charitable organizations. Many people are more than willing to donate to a worthy cause, especially when it is endorsed by a well-known and respected organization. These appeals can often work wonders, for both the family in question, as well as a means of fostering a loving and supportive community.

Accommodating Needs Should Be an Ongoing Process

Over time, additional adjustments may be required to better serve aging relatives. These adjustments can include areas all over the home, from bedroom accommodations to ensuring that bathrooms are easily accessible. These renovations can be afforded by taking a proactive approach, while also working with medical professionals to determine what type of care is needed.

For instance, an elderly relative may require assistance when rising from bed. This assistance can be afforded by a number of options, from adjustable beds to medically approved apparatus similar to what is found in a hospital setting. Thankfully, the variety of available devices means that virtually any health issue can be adequately addressed. To start the accommodating process, visit twincitystairlifts.com.

A Safe, Comfortable Home for All

While an extensive overhaul of one’s home may seem daunting, the end result is more than worth the cost and work associated with creating an elder-friendly environment. Caring for loved ones can often be a full-time job, which is why it’s important to ensure that a home is suitable for all inhabitants. A safe and comfortable home for aging relatives can decrease the daily work often required of caregivers, while also making certain that aging relatives can retain as much of their independence as possible.

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How Often Should I Get a Checkup?

It’s recommended that adults receive a checkup at least once per year, according to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. How often you undergo a wellness exam should also depend on your age, general health, and various other factors. Many health insurances will only cover a medical checkup every few years for young adults, and more often as you get older. Consult with your doctor about how often you should have a wellness exam.

What Can I Expect from a Checkup?

While all family practices differ, most healthcare providers cover similar topics during a wellness exam. Generally, your healthcare provider will begin by checking your vision, pulse, blood pressure, height, and weight. He or she may also cover your medical history, including any conditions you may have or have had and any surgeries that have been performed since your last checkup.

Once your healthcare provider gets an overview of your past and current health, he or she may ask questions to evaluate other aspects of your health. This can help your healthcare provider find ways to improve your health and well being. Be prepared to answer questions about your family and medical history. Example questions include:

• Do you have any concerns about your current health?
• What medications or supplements are you currently taking?
• Do you use alcohol, tobacco or other recreational drugs?
• What are your nutritional and exercise habits like?
• Do you have any health conditions that require regular screening?

The actual components of your annual wellness exam will primarily depend on your gender and age. Common aspects included in a routine wellness checkup include:

• Health Review: During a routine health review, your healthcare provider will discuss your overall health and may go over any risk factors based on pre-existing medical conditions and your family history.  
• Routine Blood Work: While not all practices offer blood work, some prefer to check for deficiencies, cholesterol levels, and to see if you’re at risk for various diseases.  
• Immunization Check: During a wellness exam, your healthcare provider may review your immunization records to ensure that you’re not due for any vital vaccinations, such as influenza, tetanus, hepatitis A/B, or pneumonia.    
• Skin Check: Your healthcare provider may review your skin for birthmarks, moles, freckles or other areas of the skin that may be of concern. This skin check can significantly reduce your risk of developing skin cancer.  
• Vital Signs: Checking your vital signs can help your healthcare provider identity a variety of potential health problems. Along with your blood pressure, your temperature and heart rate may be checked and the doctor may listen to your heart and lungs.  
• Additional Tests: If any of the other exam components are worrisome to your healthcare provider, he or she may decide to have you undergo further testing. Examples include mammography, bone density tests, prostate or colon cancer screenings, or various other tests.

Annual wellness exams can be extremely helpful in the prevention of various illnesses and diseases. For more information on wellness exams or to schedule a medical checkup with your doctor, contact your local family practice or click here to read about a potential family practice to visit.

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• poor posture

• sitting for too long

• sleeping on the wrong type of mattress

• lack of exercise

• bending and twisting motions

• improper lifting techniques

• age-related degenerative conditions

• years of calcium and vitamin D deficiency

Improve posture. According to the Cleveland Clinic, maintaining proper posture when you sit and sleep can decrease pressure on the ligaments and joints that hold the spine together and prevent strain on the back.

When you sit down, keep your back straight and your shoulders pulled back. Also, scoot your bum all the way back so it touches the back of the seat. If you have a problem maintaining the normal curve of the back, use a lumbar roll to help.

When you sleep, lie on your back or side so your spine stays naturally aligned. Sleeping on your stomach puts the spine in an unnatural position and places strain on the muscles. If you opt to sleep on your back, place a pillow under your knees to reduce the strain on your lower back. If you snooze on your side, place the pillow between your knees.

Snooze on a good mattress. If you are sleeping on a mattress that’s too soft, rock hard, or rickety and full of lumps, you’re asking for an achy lower back. The best type of mattress is a medium-firm–one that provides equalized support to the back while accommodating the natural curve of the spine.

Lift the right way. When you lift objects off the floor, squat with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your back straight and your shoulders pulled back. Hold the object close to your body and lift slowly by straightening your legs and hips. Never bend over at the waist to lift, or twist while you’re in the process of picking up an object. If the object is too heavy, get someone to help you.

Get up and move. Regular exercise increases bone density, strengthens trunk muscles, improves posture and increases pliability in the spine. A mix of cardio, resistance and flexibility training can improve the spine’s ability to support the weight of the body, as well as its ability to tolerate bending and twisting motions. Some good exercise options include brisk walking, aerobics, Pilates, yoga, dancing, and swimming.

Eat more nutrient-dense foods. Foods rich in calcium and vitamin D help keep the bones strong and reduce the risk of degenerative conditions that can contribute to back pain. Foods that are rich in calcium include low-fat dairy, broccoli, almonds, collard greens and tofu. Fatty fish, eggs and fortified foods are rich sources of vitamin D. If you are not getting enough vitamin D from your diet, speak to a medical professional about adding fish oil supplements to your eating plan.

An aching back is something you shouldn’t take lightly, as it can interfere with every aspect of your life. If you have back pain, don’t sit on the sidelines and suffer in silence. Contact a chiropractor to get the treatment you need to get your life back to normal.You can
click here for more info.

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Rehab in the US Originated With the Temperance Movement

The temperance movement in the US is often misunderstood. History tends to focus on the movement’s goal of banning alcohol. However, there was more to it than that. The movement was meant to encourage individual abstinence and personal responsibility when it came to the subject of alcohol. This movement to educate the public in responsible drinking and aid people in committing to abstinence led to the first rehab centers in the US, known as Sober Houses.

These early rehab centers were populated entirely by men. Sober Houses were typically located in isolated areas, and the men that lived in them kept to themselves. The idea was that this way, they would not be tempted into substance abuse by the outside world.

Medical Science Began to Tackle Addiction in the 1930s

Not long after the end of the Prohibition era, the medical community and the community at large began to recognize addiction as something other than a crime or moral failing. It was around this time that addiction began to be seen as a sickness that might be able to be treated. New rehabilitation centers began to open, and they provided both treatment for patients and the opportunity for doctors to do medical research.

In Kentucky, the first government run treatment center opened its doors in 1935. This treatment center, known as the US Narcotic Farm, housed both prisoners and voluntary patients who wanted addiction treatment. The farm even served several famous patients, including author William S. Burroughs. Patients participated in experimental drug trials such as taking methadone, a drug still used today to treat opiate addiction.

Alcoholics Anonymous was Also Founded in the 1930s

Rehabilitation centers weren’t the only options for patients suffering from drug and alcohol addictions in the 1930s. Around the same time that the Narcotic Farm was opening, another recovery option was starting to take shape: the support group. Alcoholics Anonymous was founded by Bill Wilson and Dr. Robert Smith in 1935, and the Alcoholics Anonymous was published several years later.

In a callback to the temperance movement, Alcoholics Anonymous was designed to teach adherents to abstain from alcohol and exercise personal responsibility, with the help of a higher power and the support of the group. From AA’s example came any number of other Anonymous groups, including Narcotics Anonymous, a similar group formed for those with addictions to narcotics.

AMA Declares Alcoholism an Illness

Despite the research, treatment centers, and support groups, alcoholism wasn’t officially considered an illness until 1956, when the American Medical Association finally declared it an illness. In the years following that declaration, insurance companies began to cover medical treatments for alcoholism, making it possible for more people than ever to be helped to overcome addiction issues. Eventually, treatments for other drug addictions would be covered as well.

From the time of the temperance movement going forward, society has been searching for ways to help those suffering from addictions to overcome their addictions and live fulfilling lives. Today’s methods of addiction treatment have a wealth of history, research, and trial and error behind them. The result is a number of different approaches that are often successful for patients who are ready to live a better life. If you’re looking into addiction treatments and rehab centers such as http://www.thephoenixrc.com for yourself or for someone you care about, it can be comforting to realize how much the field of addiction treatment has improved over the years. 

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