What is Scar Tissue?

Scar tissue replaces normal skin tissue after the skin is damaged. Though scar tissue is made up of the same substance as undamaged skin, it looks different because of the way the fibers in the tissue are arranged. Scars form every time the skin is damaged beyond its first layer, whether that damage comes from a cut, burn, or a skin condition like acne or a fungal infection. Though there are ways to minimize the appearance of scars, there is no way to remove them entirely.

How it Forms

Human skin is made up of three main layers, the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. When the dermis — the pink middle layer in the cross-section of skin — is injured, the body first responds by making blood clot in the area to close off the wound. After the blood clots, the body then sends in fibroblasts, a type of cell that helps rebuild skin tissue. These cells break down the clot and start replacing it with proteins, primarily collagen, that make up scar tissue.

Though both scar tissue and normal skin are made with these collagen proteins, they look different because of the way the collagen is arranged. In regular skin, the collagen proteins overlap in many random directions, but in scar tissue, they generally align in one direction. This makes the scar have a different texture than the surrounding skin. Scar tissue is also not as flexible as normal skin, and does not have a normal blood supply, sweat glands, or hair.

Types of Scar Tissue

How an individual scar looks depends on a few things, including the circumstances of the injury and a person's skin tone. For instance, a puncture wound causes a different looking scar than a burn wound, and whether the wound gets infected or not can also influence the appearance of the scar. A wound in a place where the skin is stretched tight, like the chest, often causes a thicker scar, since the body has to make more tissue to keep the wound from pulling open. Skin tone plays a role too. Though scars in general tend to turn white over time, those with dark skin may get scars that get darker with time. Those with darker skin may also be more prone to keloid scars.

There are five main types of scars:

Atrophic scars: These scars are sunken down into the skin. This type of scarring is often seen with acne scars or with wounds where skin or muscle is removed by an injury. This type of scarring can also happen when the body produces so much scar tissue in one area that it prevents new cells from growing where the wound took place.
Hypertrophic scars: These are usually red or purple and are slightly raised above the skin. They tend to fade and get flat over time.
Contracture scars: These types of scars often happen with burns, and end up pulling the skin in towards the site of the injury. This can make the skin look puckered around the wound.
Keloid scars: These are very elevated, red or dark scars that form when the body produces a lot of extra collagen in a scar. Keloid scars are actually a benign type of tumor, and often grow bigger than the area of the original injury. Those with darker pigmented skin are thought to be more prone to keloid scarring, but it's not clear why.
Stretch marks: Also called striae, these are considered a unique type of scar since they don't happen in response to an injury, but because of the skin being stretched rapidly, often during pregnancy or adolescence. The tissue here is often sunken a little into the skin, and tends to fade with time.

Preventing and Treating Scar Tissue

Though there is no way to entirely get rid of scar tissue aside from avoiding a skin injury, there are ways to minimize its appearance both while the wound is healing and after a scar has formed. Except for keloid scars, most scars will fade on their own even without treatment.

While the wound is healing:

Covering the wound with a bandage — This is particularly important before going out in the sun, since UV rays can cause the newly formed tissue to get discolored and may slow down the healing process.
Cleaning wounds properly — Doctors recommend cleaning a wound with a gentle soap and lukewarm water. Cleaning with hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, or iodine can all damage the newly forming cells and lead to a more noticeable scar.
Soothing gels — Rubbing aloe vera gel on the skin after the wound has closed can help lessen redness. Vitamin E gels are not recommended, since studies show that they are not very effective are minimizing scars.
Anti-itch cream — This can help with the urge to scratch or touch the healing wound, which could irritate it and make a more noticeable scar.
Pressure bandages — Some doctors say that putting a specific type of pressure bandage on a wound can help prevent the appearance of elevated scars since it pushes the collagen down. There are several different brand name versions of these bandages, which are often called scar therapy bandages or scar sheets.

Ways to minimize scars after they form:

Massage — Massaging a scar with lotion or a doctor-recommended gel can help fade many types of scars. This is particularly recommended for keloid scars, since this can keep them from getting sensitive and painful, and can help break down some of the built-up collagen.
Injections — Steroid injections may help with hypertrophic or keloid scars, and atrophic scars can sometimes be filled in with collagen injections. One downside to this type of treatment is that it is almost always temporary, and has to be repeated regularly.
Skin resurfacing — This can be done with lasers or with equipment that works like very fine sandpaper in a procedure called dermabrasion.
Cryotherapy — This is a technique of freezing the scar, and can reduce the appearance of keloid and hypertrophic scars.

In extreme cases, a doctor might recommend surgery. Though surgery can't get rid of a scar, it can make it less noticeable. Surgery is not recommended for hypertrophic or keloid scars though, since it can make them worse. Another type of treatment for severe scars is radiation therapy, which can sometimes reduce keloid and hypertrophic scars.

This article originally appeared on wisegeekhealth.com

Your Partner in Allergy Relief Strategies: Acupuncture

Acupuncture already helps to relieve pain in some patients, and the latest study hints that it might relieve sneezing and itchy eyes as well.

Most patients plagued with sniffles brought on by seasonal allergies turn to antihistamines for relief, but when they don't get relief, some opt for alternative treatments like acupuncture, in which tiny needles inserted just under the skin at specific points in the body are used to reduce certain symptoms.

In a study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers examined 422 people who tested positive for pollen allergies and had allergic nasal symptoms such as a runny nose. The participants reported their symptoms as well as what medication and doses they used to treat them.

The researchers then divided them into three groups; one received 12 acupuncture treatments and took antihistamines as needed, a second group received 12 fake acupuncture treatments (needles placed at random, non-meaningful points in the body) and took antihistamines as needed, while the final group only took antihistamines for symptoms.

After two months, the researchers asked the patients about their symptoms and how much medication they used. The participants who received the real acupuncture treatments with their antihistamines showed a greater improvement in their allergy symptoms and less use of antihistamines compared to the other groups.

But the fact that even the participants receiving the sham acupuncture therapy reported some relief of their symptoms suggests that a strong placebo effect may be responsible for at least part of the improvement.

That possibility was supported by the fact that after four months of follow-up, the difference between the groups was less pronounced. The researchers speculate that the patients' expectations of how much the acupuncture might help them could have influenced their reports of improved symptoms.

But if the treatments are providing some type of relief, then acupuncture's potential role in treating allergies should be investigated further, the authors say. "The effectiveness of acupuncture for (seasonal allergies) compared with other antiallergic interventions and the possible underlying mechanisms of any effect, including context effects, need to be addressed in further research," they write in the study.

That view is supported by Dr. Remy Coeytaux of the Duke Clinical Research Institute and Dr. Jongbae of the Regional Center for Neurosensory Disorders and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who wrote an editorial accompanying the study.

They note that acupuncture's benefits have started to emerge over the last 15 years and enough high-quality clinical trials support "patient-level meta-analyses for several clinical indications." They suggest that more rigorous research, which would include comparing acupuncture with existing treatments for conditions such as allergies, should be conducted in coming years.

They write: "It may be time to begin asking such questions as: How does acupuncture compare directly with other therapeutic approaches? Which of the many acupuncture traditions or approaches is most effective or appropriate for a given clinical indication? What outcomes or process measures should we be assessing in clinical trials of acupuncture? Is the magnitude of effect, if any, associated with acupuncture for a given clinical indication 'worth it' from the perspective of patients, payers, or policymakers?"

In the meantime, study author Dr. Benno Brinkhaus of the Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics at Charité University Medical Center in Berlin wrote in an e-mail response describing the study that "From my experience as a physician and acupuncturist, and as a researcher, I would recommend trying acupuncture if patients are not satisfied with the conventional anti-allergic medication or treatment or they suffer from more or less serious sides effects of the conventional medication. Also because acupuncture is a relative safe treatment."

This article originally appeared on time.com and was written by Alexandra Sifferlin.

Float Therapy: Mental and Physical Relief From Chronic Pain

Chronic pain (anytime) in the summertime can be a double whammy of discomfort. Those suffering from chronic pain find that relaxation and sleep is even harder to come by due to the heat, and lack of sleep can intensify pain. It’s a vicious circle. There are ways to beat the heat in the summer, including keeping a cool, dark bedroom for sleeping, exercising in the morning when it is coolest, and eating refreshing summer fruits and veggies to keep your internal fires cool.

In addition to those tips, many chronic pain sufferers find relief through meditation.

One way to get your zen on is by visiting a float tank, also known as a sensory deprivation tank. Flotation REST (reduced environmental stimuli therapy) was developed in the 1950s by John C. Lilly, M.D. and uses a water-filled tank that is approximately the size of a bed and heated to skin temperature. The water is saturated with Epsom salts so that the patient can float without any effort.

Patients remove their clothes, enter the tank, turn off the lights, and relax. The idea is that this sensation of zero stimuli will help to focus inward, eliminating distractions and calming the mind and body. The Fibromyalgia Floatation Project (FFP) believes that spending an hour in a float tank will help sufferers reduce pain significantly.

Some of the potential benefits for fibromyalgia include:

• Eliminates stress, or improves ability to handle stress better, by lowering cortisol
• Promotes deep rest, eliminating fatigue
• Aids in combating insomnia
• Improves focus and concentration
• Increases dopamine production, the “feel good” hormone produced by the brain
• Reduces pain by relaxation and hormone production

When external stimuli are eliminated, the fight-or-flight response is deactivated. This response is the cornerstone of the stress response, and many chronic pain sufferers are constantly in this state of stress as their body reacts to pain. Chronic stress increases pain intensity. Eliminating or coping with stress better can help decrease sensitivity to pain.

• Manages arthritis, back pain, sports injuries, and pregnancy discomforts
• Improves chronic pain conditions
• Relieves pain and emotional stress for fibromyalgia patients
• Creates an ideal environment for pain relief with weightlessness and lack of effort
• Floating provides natural traction for a wide range of spine-related injuries

These claims are supported by research done by Thomas H. Fine, associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry of the Medical College of Ohio, and Roderick A Borrie, Ph.D., clinical psychologist at South Oaks Hospital, Amityville, New York. They found that:

“[F]lotation REST can have an important role at several stages of the pain management process. By reducing both muscle tension and pain in a relatively short time and without effort on the part of the patient, flotation provides a dramatic demonstration of the benefits of relaxation. Relief is immediate and, although temporary, offers promise of further relief from REST and other relaxation-based strategies. Symptom reduction gained from flotation can increase a patient’s motivation and interest in the remainder of the therapy plan. Pain patients generally come into treatment feeling suspicious and skeptical, requiring a clear demonstration that they can be helped.”

In their research, they found extraordinary benefits for chronic pain patients. Most of the patients that utilized flotation REST suffered from chronic pain for longer than six months and floated from one to 16 sessions. Overall, they reported a reduction in pain that averaged 31.3%, with the highest level of relief in the upper back at 63.6%, and the lowest in the legs at 15.3%. This seems to be a “clear demonstration” that float tanks help with chronic pain.

A small-scale 2012 study also showed the profound benefits of float tanks. 81 volunteers with fibromyalgia were given three free float sessions in exchange for feedback on a questionnaire.  Across the board, participants reported an immediate drop in pain and an increase in well-being. They also indicated a drop in pain over the course of the three sessions, so that their pain levels when they entered the tank were lower than they had been when they entered in the previous sessions.

This result speaks to the long-term potential for pain reduction.

In addition to chronic pain, advocates of flotation therapy also tout its benefits for creativity and excellence in sports. Researchers Oshin Vartanian of the University of Toronto and Peter Suedfeld of the University of British Columbia found that musicians who floated in the tank for one hour per week for four weeks showed better technical ability at the end of the research. The researchers compared two-minute recordings before and after from the study participants and the control group and found “a significant difference between the treatment and comparison groups on technical ability, but not on any other dimension.”

College athletes benefited from REST also. Multiple studies have found that when combined with imagery, athletes from gymnasts to professional tennis players to collegiate basketball players improved performance measurably over the long term.

This article originally appeared on paindoctor.com

Strategies For Eliminating Jaw Pain

Clenching your jaw can cause headaches, tooth damage, and other problems. The habit may occur during daytime or nighttime hours, but correcting it usually requires mindful retraining of the jaw and reduction of any underlying stress responsible for the problem. Home treatment works in most cases, but professional medical care might be necessary in others.

(Don't worry, you can do this)

Part 1

Correcting the Habit

1. Apply a warm compress. Soak a clean washcloth in hot water. Wring out the excess, then hold the moist cloth over the tensed or pained portion of your jaw for 10 minutes.[1]

   • Perform this procedure as soon as you notice tension or pain in your jaw. You can also repeat the procedure immediately before known times of high stress to help prevent tension before it builds.
   • The warmth should relax the muscles in your jaw and help them loosen up. A relaxed jaw is less likely to tense up and begin clenching again.
      

2. Massage the jaw. Use your fingers to gently massage the affected muscles. Apply firm yet gentle pressure to the tensed portion of your jaw, then work around the entire jaw and mouth area with small, circular motions.

   • It's best to perform this exercise before you have the opportunity to clench your jaw, but you can also repeat it after you notice jaw tension or pain.
   • Massaging the affected area can release tension in the muscles of your jaw. Once the muscles have relaxed and loosened up, you'll naturally be less inclined to clench them.
      

3. Practice proper jaw placement. If jaw clenching has become a chronic problem, you've likely trained yourself to hold your jaw improperly at a subconscious level. Practicing proper jaw placement every few hours throughout the day can re-train your brain and muscles.

   • When you close your lips, a slight gap between your upper and lower teeth should still remain.
   • Place the tip of your tongue in between your front teeth. Hold it there for at least five minutes. During this time, your jaw muscles should relax and reset to a more natural position.
   • If this simple correction doesn't feel comfortable or helpful, you may need to ask your dentist to show you the best position for your jaw. Memorize the way it feels and take pictures of the way it looks. Consult those pictures later while practicing the same placement in front of a mirror.
      

4. Take the right dietary supplements. In particular, you should increase your intake of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin C. Having adequate amounts of these nutrients can help regulate muscle activity, including muscle activity in the jaw.

   • You can increase your intake of these nutrients through diet or by taking daily nutritional supplements.
   • If you choose to take nutritional supplements, know that you should take one part magnesium for every two parts calcium. For instance, you might take 600 mg of calcium and 300 mg of magnesium. The amount of vitamin C should be determined independently; an adequate daily dose is 90 mg daily.
   • Repeat your nutrient ritual daily for at least two months before determining if it has or hasn't been helpful.

Part 2

Dealing with Stress (truly the most helpful consideration)

1. Identify stress triggers. Stress can cause you to clench your jaw during daytime and nighttime hours. While stress is unavoidable, you can figure out ways of dealing with causes of stress once you identify them.

   • Consider keeping a journal to help track your causes of stress. Make a note of any incident that causes anxiety, even if it seems mild, and pay special attention to causes of stress that occur immediately before or during daytime incidents of jaw clenching.
   • Avoid any stress triggers that can be eliminated. For triggers that cannot be eliminated, balance them out with behaviors that help relax your mind. For instance, you might listen to soothing music, indulge in a warm bubble bath, meditate, or ease your mind with aromatherapy.
      

2. Regulate your sleep cycle. Following a regular sleep pattern should improve your quality of sleep, which may reduce jaw clenching at night. Getting eight hours of good, quality sleep each night can also reduce your overall stress, and that may make it easier to quit clenching your jaw during the day, too.

   • Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, regardless of your schedule. Try to schedule a full eight hours of sleep in between.
   • In addition to increasing the amount of sleep you get, you should also try to improve the quality of sleep. Try to completely relax your body and mind before going to bed. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, since both can alter the body's sleep cycle. Sleep at comfortable, slightly cool temperatures, and turn off all bright lights and sources of irregular noise.
      

3. Exercise. Regular exercise can relieve stress while regulating your mood and immune system. As a result, the tension causing your jaw clenching should lessen, and the muscles in your jaw should become stronger and more elastic.

   • You don't need to perform strenuous exercise to gain these benefits. Try walking at a slow to moderate pace for 30 minutes a day, three to five times a week. Make this a regular part of your routine for at least two months, if not permanently.

Part 3

Seeking Professional Medical Help

1. Schedule appointments with your dentist and your doctor. Jaw clenching is often a multifaceted problem that involves both physical and mental factors. A qualified dentist should be able to treat the oral components of the problem, but you'll need to talk with a general physician to determine a treatment plan for any other factors.
    

2. Invest in dental splints. Both mouth guards and dental splits can keep teeth separated and protect them against the sort of damage caused by jaw clenching. While more expensive, dental splits are better than over-the-counter mouth guards.[2]

   • Mouth guards are generally made of hard plastic. You'll still feel pain caused by clenching the jaw, and that pain may worsen the underlying tension.
   • Dental splints are made from soft acrylic and fitted to the shape of your mouth. They won't stop your jaw from clenching, but they should reduce the associated pain and may prevent the tension in your jaw from worsening.
   • Note that both mouth guards and splints are generally reserved for nighttime treatment, but in extreme cases when daytime clenching is an issue, you can wear the equipment during daytime hours.
      

3. Correct misaligned teeth. If your teeth are damaged or otherwise misaligned, they may contribute to your jaw clenching problem. Consult with your dentist to determine the best way to fix the underlying issue.

   • Braces may help correct severely misaligned teeth. In some cases, however, your dentist may recommend strategically placed crowns to fix the problem.
   • If you have a damaged tooth, rebuilding that tooth can help restore the proper alignment of your teeth.
      

4. Seek professional therapy. There are different types of therapy that may help correct jaw clenching, but the most common are biofeedback and cognitive behavioral therapy.

   • Biofeedback is a type of physical therapy. During the procedure, the doctor will examine the way you hold and control your jaw through specialized monitoring equipment. The doctor can use the same equipment to help train and regulate muscle activity in your jaw.
   • Cognitive behavioral therapy treats the psychological component behind jaw clenching. By talking with a trained psychologist or counselor, you can change the way you approach stress and react to it, which may lead to decreased anxiety.
      

5. Try acupuncture. Talk with a professional acupuncturist about regular treatments that can reduce jaw pain and tension. While there's very little scientific evidence to suggest the effectiveness of acupuncture, it stands as a popular form of alternative medicine.[3]

   • Similarly, you could also learn about professional acupressure treatments. Acupuncture uses strategically placed needles to control pain in the body, but acupressure applies firm pressure to strategic points, instead.

6. Learn about muscle relaxants. Muscle relaxants can relax the muscles in your jaw, which should help prevent your jaw from clenching. You can ask your doctor about both oral relaxants and injected relaxants.[4]

   • Oral muscle relaxants must be prescribed by a doctor, and you should only take them for short periods to avoid dependency. These medications relax your entire body's immune response. They may make you drowsy, so you should take them before bedtime.
   • OnabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) treatments are injected directly into the affected area and only relax the surrounding the jaw muscles. These treatments last for prolonged periods but are usually prescribed only as a last resort.
      

7. Examine your medications. If you're currently taking long-term prescription medications and you didn't clench your jaw before you began treatment, ask your doctor if your jaw clenching habits could be a side effect of the medication.

   • If medications are causing the problem, your doctor may prescribe a different medication to help eliminate the jaw clenching.
   • While there are different types of medications that can cause jaw clenching, some of the most common culprits include antipsychotic and antidepressant drugs, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).[5]
   • Note that alcohol, smoking, and recreational drugs can also cause jaw clenching and should be eliminated.
     
     This article originally appeared on wikihow.com
     
     BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT with Miranda Horvath for Intra-Oral Massage Therapy or Mu Chun Chen or Céline Sandberg for TMJD (Temporomandibular joint dysfunction) Acupuncture to help you release stress and muscle tension around your head, neck and jaw