Recently, a new risk was discovered to be associated with the use of bath salts. Russell R. Russo, MD, discovered that necrotizing fasciitis, a life-threatening condition, can be caused by the injection of bath salts into the muscle. Dr. Russo is an Orthopedic Surgeon in his third year of residency at the LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Medicine.

The study’s findings appear in the January issue of the journal Orthopedics and can also be viewed online. The research documents the first discovered case of necrotizing fasciitis resulting from an injection of bath salts.

Necrotizing fasciitis is an orthopedic disease requiring immediate diagnosis and treatment to prevent a patient from the loss of a limb or even death. Complicating diagnosis, however, is the common mistake of identifying the disease as a much less critical ailment, such as an abscess or cellulitis. Meanwhile, the disease causes significant damage beneath the skin.

Dr. Russo notes in the study the importance of medical centers understanding the various problems resulting from bath salts as they increase in popularity as a street drug. Not only do doctors need to be aware of the risks involved with these drugs but how to recognize the addiction risk they pose.

In the case documented by Dr. Russo a 34-year-old woman was treated for pain in her arm after attending a party. Additional symptoms were not reported by the patient, but the healthcare staff noted that there was a small puncture on her arm. Treated with antibiotics, the patient experienced an improvement in symptoms. When the pain continued, however, an ultrasound was ordered and the case of necrotizing fasciitis was discovered after the patient admitted to the use of bath salts.

The patient was immediately taken to surgery, where surgeons struggled to contain the infection, watching her healthy tissue die as they operated. Challenged to develop a healthy margin of tissue, the surgeons eventually removed the arm, collarbone and shoulder of the patient, in addition to a radical mastectomy.

Fortunately the patient survived and her treatment included skin grafting as well as rehabilitation.

The disease observed in this patient is one usually resulting from farm injury or a crush trauma, but the doctors involved with this case warn that healthcare providers should be prepared to investigate further when examining a celluitis patient who reports needle use.

New Danger Associated with Bath Salts is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

Details of a Roosevelt University report in a recent article show that heroin overdoses increased in various counties surrounding Chicago.

Deaths in Lake County increase by nearly 130 percent between 2000 and 2009. McHenry County jumped to a 150 percent rise in three years while Will County deaths doubled over a two year period. Of those deaths, Cook County had a slight decline, at 16 percent, during a ten year period between 1998 and 2008. But at the same time, Cook County had a drastic increase in heroin overdoses among white women: a 40 percent increase.

The study shows that Chicago ranks first in emergency admittances due to heroin by women, men, African Americans and adults over 21 years old. Overall admittances for heroin are the highest in the Midwest city. The results are similar for percentages of inmates testing positive for heroin. About 29 percent of those arrestees at the Cook County Jail had heroin in their system. Of those arrested, the numbers show that 41 percent are white, 25 percent are African American and 24 percent are Latino.

An author of the report says that Chicago has one of the worst, if not the worst, problems with heroin in the country. Kane-Willis says heroin users are more often young, white women. Second only to alcohol, heroin is one of the more common substances Illinois residents receive treatment for. The illegal drug is demanded more than cocaine and even marijuana.

Kane-Willis blames affordability on Chicago’s problem with heroin use. When an illegal drug is cheaper than a movie ticket, what do you think a youngster will choose for entertainment?

The Affordability of Heroin in Chicago is Drawing More and More Young People is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

Such addiction to painkillers has produced a nationwide increase in robberies of pharmacies where the pills are being targeted. The New York Times reported that there have been excessively high amounts of prescriptions written in areas of Suffolk County, including the Staten Island area. The proposed legislation would call for a tracking system done on the Internet put in place by the Health Department.

The current system in New York requires pharmacists to report every 45 days about the sales of such controlled substances. At present time, the prescriptions alone are not being tracked and therefore pharmacists are unable to confirm the legality of such prescriptions, unless they call each doctor themselves. The proposed system would allow access to a tracking database operated in real-time that is available to doctors and pharmacists.

A previous report showed that nearly 22.5 million prescriptions were written in NY State last year for narcotic painkillers, which was a 36 percent rise in three years. Currently, there are several bills in the works for proposal in Albany that address this prescription problem and the Obama administration is also pursuing legislation on the Federal level as well.

Schneiderman’s proposal is favored by the Pharmacists Society in the State of New York although there are a few objections, one being pharmacists could face fines for failing to check the validity of prescriptions.

State of New York Sees Rise in Oxycodone Prescriptions is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

Short and Long-Term Effect on the Brain

Buried deep within the recesses of the human brain are pleasure centers known as reward centers. When certain events occur the reward center is stimulated and a chemical called dopamine is released. The dopamine travels to miniscule gaps which exist between neurons in the brain. Intense sensations of pleasure are felt when dopamine is released. When the brain is functioning normally, the dopamine next leaves these gaps in a process called reuptake.

When a person uses cocaine, the reward center in the brain is stimulated and dopamine is released. However, rather than experiencing reuptake, the chemical remains in the gaps and actually builds up, keeping the brain in a state of pleasured stimulation. This intense and extended sense of euphoria is one reason why cocaine is so highly addictive.

The pleasure comes at tremendous cost however. More and more cocaine will be needed over time in order to achieve the desired effect and the brain has a great capacity for remembering pleasure which triggers intense cravings and makes relapse so common when a person is trying to quit.

Short-term Effects on Body

Using cocaine will create immediate but short-lived harmful effects upon the person’s body.

• Increase in energy and mental alertness
• Decrease in appetite – dramatic weight loss is a tell-tale sign of cocaine abuse
• Increase in heart rate and blood pressure – the entire body is stimulated by its use
• Constriction of blood vessels – this explains the rise in blood pressure
• Increase in body temperature – use of cocaine can lead to fever
• Pupils dilate – person becomes highly sensitive to light
• Digestive problems – nausea and stomach pain are not uncommon

Long-term Effects on Body

Using cocaine will also produce long-term damage to the body.

• Addiction is one obvious long-term effect of using the drug
• Long-lasting mood disorders such as depression or intense mood swings, irritability is common
• Paranoia
• Anxiety and general restlessness
• Auditory hallucinations – long after use has ceased, a person may continue to "hear things"
• Gangrene in the bowels as a result of poor circulation
• Continuing health problems related to damage done to the heart and/or respiratory system: stroke, heart attack, lung failure

A person may snort or inject cocaine or super-heat the drug and inhale the vapors, but however it is consumed, cocaine is a powerful and dangerous substance. People have died the very first time they took the drug while others have been left to manage lifelong debilitating conditions as a result of their previous cocaine habit.

Health Effects of Cocaine On the Body is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

A recent post on Reading Eagle addresses the reality that the holiday season can be one of the most anxiety-filled seasons of the year for people who are striving to maintain their alcohol addiction recovery. While the members of a recovering addict’s family are not directly responsible for that person’s progress toward sobriety, their level of support can be helpful in seeing a loved one through a difficult time.

Helping create a supportive atmosphere for a loved one or friend who has recently completed alcohol rehab, or is currently in the rehab process, may mean big changes – such as carrying out family celebrations without alcohol. Some families may even consider moving the date of a home-based party to later in the winter to help ease the stress for their loved one who is a recovering addict.

Several non-alcoholic beverages should be available freely, such as sparkling juices, but not promoted in such a way as to embarrass or put the person on the spot. While some members of the family will definitely notice the change, it’s also important to reiterate that when the person completes rehab successfully and moves toward long-term recovery, everyone benefits.

If friends are invited to participate in holiday gatherings where a person in recovery is present, experts ask party hosts to make sure these friends know that they can offer their support without judgment. Sometimes a person experiencing rehab from alcohol addiction may choose for the first time not to attend a family event – and this is a decision family members and friends should honor, realizing recovery comes first before the rest of their life can be carried out successfully.

Another tool people may use to maintain a focus on their recovery is to engage the support of a sponsor or 12-step support group. Many offer chapter meetings at whatever city the person may be visiting during the holidays.

Holiday Season Can Bring Stress for Those in Alcohol Rehab is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

Featured in a Medscape article, the study found the risk for psychosis exists even for those with no history of a disorder. In fact, the study findings suggest the risk is even higher in Spice as compared with its natural counterpart.

Carlos Alverio, MD, with the Boston University School of Medicine was the lead author on this study. He stressed his findings at the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP) 22nd Annual Meeting & Symposium, highlighting that synthetic substances are more potent than cannabis in its natural state.

In its synthetic form, cannabis is generally labeled as herbal incense, but will cause psychoactive effects that resemble the outcome of cannabis use. Such use led to hundreds of emergency room visits in 2010.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has responded to this increasing abuse by banning five chemicals commonly found in synthetic cannabis products, including K2 and Spice. The DEA reported these herbal products – which can be smoked – were becoming increasingly popular among young adults and teens as they contained chemicals that were legal.

The FDA has not approved any of the chemicals for human consumption, according to the DEA, which renders the manufacturing process completely without oversight. Young individuals were consuming products they assumed were safe simple because they were available through retail outlets.

Young people using the synthetic products reported episodes of hallucinations, hearing voices, extreme paranoia, disorganization, anxiety and confusion.

Study Finds Synthetic Cannabis More Potent than Natural Counterpart is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

What would rehab be like for those with an addiction to cocaine if once the program is complete, they never remembered having taken the drug? This World Crunch report takes a look at a recent study that identified the potential for erasing a memory with the use of a new laser technique.

The idea of erasing the memory of taking the drug is important where cocaine addiction is concerned, simply because this particular drug does not trigger an addiction of the physical nature. In some 20 percent of its users, however, it does cause a psychological addiction, which can quickly lead to a loss of control in cocaine use.

The psychological cocaine addiction can last after the completion of even the most successful rehab program as the brain always remembers having taken the drug. A laser technique identified by Geneva University suggests targeting the reward circuit of the brain could help erase the memories associated with cocaine use.

Dopamine in the brain is raised to an unnatural level by cocaine use. Dopamine is the substance used to transmit information between both parts of the brain. This transmission process leaves permanent marks in the brain, ensuring the cocaine addict never forgets the sensation and explains why a recovering addict can fall back into use even years after rehab was completed.

If this hidden memory, where context and the desire to use are mixed, can be erased, the recovering cocaine addict may have a much better chance of staying clean. To date, only the short-term effects of the laser use have proven successful on mice, yet this success does offer potential promise.

Laser Technique Could Offer Rehab Success for Cocaine Addicts is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

Detoxifying the body of prescription drugs is core to recovery. Unless a person undergoes detox treatment, toxins may remain in the body causing cravings long after the person has ceased using the drug. Such cravings are the reason that many with prescription drug addictions experience relapse. A detox program will flush the body of all residual painkillers and purify the body from the unwanted effects of the drugs.

Prescription Drug Withdrawal

Physiological and psychological symptoms are common problems during the initial stages of any detox program. Of course the precise nature of the symptoms as well as their severity will depend largely upon the kind of painkiller that was abused, along with its frequency.

The best detox facilities offer medically supervised withdrawal care which can alleviate, or in some cases, even eliminate unpleasant symptoms. Painkillers affect the user’s brain function which is why it is nearly impossible to quit on your own. Doctors may use medications like methadone or naltrexone which work as opioid blockers to eliminate the cravings and minimize the symptoms.

Symptoms of Prescription Painkiller Withdrawal

People addicted to prescription painkillers should not simply stop cold turkey. Stopping misuse of painkillers may lead to difficult withdrawal symptoms such as depression, anxiety and severe psychological pain. The person will begin to feel that they require the painkillers just to keep going. Other symptoms may include: cramping, nausea, vomiting, hot or cold sweats, insomnia or pain in joints or muscles.

Follow Through and Follow Up Treatment

Once the body is clean of the toxins and the worst of the withdrawal symptoms have passed, the person will need to follow through on drug rehab treatment by addressing the psychological elements of their addiction. People turn to prescription painkillers for a reason and that reason needs to be examined and addressed. Group and individual therapy will teach the person more appropriate ways of coping with those underlying addiction causes – ways that do not involve taking drugs.

Even after the full rehab treatment has been completed, the person still has a commitment to make. That commitment is to an aftercare program that will help them get through those first delicate months when sobriety is really tough.

Take the First Step

If you are ready to live sober and want to be free of a painkiller addiction, don’t try to go it alone. You will not recover from your addiction until you take the first step of admitting that you have a problem and you need help. Don’t wait until you are in legal trouble or until your addiction unravels your life and the lives of your loved ones. Take one small positive step today and reach out for help.

Prescription Painkiller Detox is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

This post in the Examiner explored the significant rise in deaths as a result of drug overdoses. Such headlines traditionally referred to the overuse of drugs such as heroin or cocaine. Today, the headlines focus on deaths as a result of prescription opioids. Fatal opioid overdoses are outnumbering deaths from cocaine and heroin combined, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse.

A HealthDay News report highlighted a new trend in pain medication – using opioids to treat chronic stomach pain. A new study on opioid painkillers found that this approach to treating chronic stomach pain more than doubled between 1997 and 2008. The increase in prescriptions written was predominately found at outpatient clinics, drawing the concern of those who monitor the industry.

One red flag is the lack of evidence to support opioid use in the treatment of chronic pain not related to cancer. Opioids are one of the most frequently misused and often abused prescription medications, one that can easily cause additional problems in patients, including vomiting, nausea, constipation and increased abdominal pain.

Drug addiction to prescription medications can easily intensify when the medication is only mildly successful in treating the condition for which it was prescribed. When only small benefits are delivered, patients may seek increases in medication to try and close the gap between relief and pain. Dosage amounts grow until drug addiction sets in and a fatal overdose becomes more likely.

To prevent such an addiction, opioids should be used for pain management only when properly managed and monitored by a physician.

Drug Addiction Likely When Opioids Are Used for Stomach Pain is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment

Before being administered marijuana, the participants were introduced to a math exercise that would be used to distract them while driving. Then the researchers gave each participant a marijuana cigarette, with part of the group receiving a placebo. The participants were encouraged to finish the cigarette but were free to stop at any time that discomfort was experienced.

Following the cigarette, participants were given a driving assessment using a driving simulator. The subjects drove for about 15 miles, with the first minute serving as an uneventful introduction.

Following the first minute, however, several distractions and obstacles were introduced. The drivers were instructed to complete a math task, and were evaluated for how they responded to the appearance of an emergency vehicle. They were also evaluated for their hesitation in response to a yellow light and avoiding a dog.

The drivers were measured for accuracy and speed with each task that was introduced to the driving simulation segment of the study. The results were included for only those participants who consumed the entire marijuana cigarette before performing the driving task.

The drivers were all assessed for heart rate, self-reported "highness" and levels of sleepiness at baseline, after the cigarette was completed and after the driving exercise was complete.

The results showed that across the participants who smoked marijuana there was a significantly elevated heart rate and feeling of euphoria when compared to placebo. Women, however, rated their feelings of "highness" higher than men for both the marijuana cigarette and the placebo.

The analysis showed that the driving simulation tasks were performed at similar levels for both marijuana and the placebo groups, and there was no difference based on genders.

The researchers conclude that several limitations must be taken into account with the results. For instance, the study included only the first 15 miles driven after completing the consumption of a marijuana cigarette.

Over time, driving may be affected differently by the presence of marijuana. In addition, the use of driving simulators is not directly transferable to actual driving.

Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana is a post from: Drug Addiction Treatment