What is the connection between malignant neoplasms and crabs?
The more common term for malignant neoplasms, cancer, is Latin for crab, and the word "carcinogen," meaning a cancer-causing agent, comes from the Greek word for crab, "karkinos." What is the connection between these two seemingly unrelated things?
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Cancer, both the disease and the astronomical constellation, derive from the Latin cancer or cancrum, meaning crab. The astrological sign, of course, is said to resemble a crab and the disease was so named by the ancient Greek physician Galen (129-200 A.D.) who noted the similarity between a certain type of tumor with a crab as well—the swollen veins around the tumor resembling the legs of a crab.
Old English adopted cancer directly from Latin and used it for a variety of spreading sores and ulcers. This early sense survives in the modern word canker. From c.1000 in a manuscript called Læce Boc (Leech Book), collected in Oswald Cockayne’s Leechdoms, Wortcunning, and Starcraft of Early England, Vol. II, 1865:
Gemeng wið þam dustum, clæm on ðone cancer.
(Mix with the dust, smear on the cancer.)
And from Wyclif’s 2 Timothy, 1382:
The word of hem crepith as a kankir
The word was being applied specifically to the disease we today call cancer by the beginning of the 17th century. From Philemon Holland’s translation of Pliny’s Historie of the World:
Cancer is a swelling or sore comming of melancholy bloud, about which the veins appeare of a blacke or swert colour, spread in manner of a Creifish clees.
The astronomical sense of cancer is from the Latin name for the constellation of the crab. The name was known to the Anglo-Saxons, but only as a Latin name and was not assimilated into English until the Middle English period. It appears in Ælfric’s De Temporibus Anni, written c.993, in a list of the constellations of the Zodiac:
Feorða • Cancer • þæt is Crabba
(Fourth, Cancer, that is the crab.)
The Anglicized name appears c.1391 in Chaucer’s Treatise on the Astrolabe:
In this heved of cancer is the grettist declinacioun northward of the sonne...this signe of cancre is clepid the tropik of Somer.
(At this first point (head) of cancer is the greatest declination northward of the sun…this sign of cancer is named the tropic of summer.)
(Source: Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd Edition) (
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Is there different Birthing Positions available with an Epidural?
I would like to have an epidural or a walking epidural (haven't decided yet) And I heard that with an epidural, since you can't feel anything, you have to be on your back. I have also heard that being on your back is the worst position to give birth in. Are there any other positions to facilitate the birth?
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it would be interesting to watch someone stand up with no feelings at all to their legs.... without assistance....... if ur having an Ep - being on ur back wouldnt be the worst thing ever - u wouldnt feel a thing anyway. i had an Ep, but it was given to me late so i still felt the pain until AFTER the birth and there was NO way i could get up till about 8hours later ... (
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How many women normally get an epidural for labor?
Is it safe to get an epidural or is it better to go on and have a natural birth? I am only 11 weeks pregnant, but I am struggling with the safety issues of using an epidural. What are your opinions of them?
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I believe that all women have it in them to give birth with no medication. I also believe that it is the only completely safe way to give birth to a baby.
I do not believe that it is wrong to give birth with an epidural, so don't get me wrong.
I do not believe that it depends on a persons pain tolerance level I believe that it depends on whether or not they truly want a medicine free birth.
I think that women have forgotten how incredibly strong they are. The pain of childbirth cannot kill you but it will make you stronger and it will show you just how strong you can be. It will also allow you to feel how you should position your body during the labor and birthing process. It is not easy, but it is well worth it. It will also lesson the chances of needing other medication to counter act the ones you have already received (potocin for example).
It is very recommended that you be well prepared with an unmedicated birth, learn about your body and how labor works. Research and find ways to calm yourself, have a strong support system who will be a rock for you.
I recommend reading "spiritual midwifery" and " Ina may's guide to childbirth" by Ina May Gaskin. They both have wonderful information and amazing birth stories to get you ready to give birth the way nature intended.
I wish you a beautiful bonding and strengthening birth!!! Your body was made for this!! (
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What are good pain medications during labor besides an epidural?
I am 33 1/2 weeks pregnant with my second child and I had an epidural with the first child and I can't remember alot after I got my epidural, so besides natural child birth and getting an epidural what are some good medications to help ease contractions without making you so disoriented? Personal experience would be very appreciated!! I also received pitocin so the contractions were very strong!!
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You can have Nubaine, Stadol, there are actually quite a few of them that they can give you. They ease the sharpness of a contraction but do not actually kill all the pain. Just make it a bit more bearable. And to spite what some belive, they do not affect your childs apgar scores anymore than an epidural will. (
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How long does an epidural take to be effective?
Just a curiosity question! How long did it take for the epidural to kick in? Was it worth it?
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About 25-30 minutes. (
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For those who have had a natural birth and had a epidural?
I am planning on not having an epidural, for personal reasons i just do not want one. I would like to hear some expierences from women who have had them, and those who did natural. I am going to go in with an open mind, i am not too nervous about the pain because i know i can always opt for the epidural if its too painfull. I am going to try my best not to get one due to the fact that i went threw 9 months of carrying this baby, and im sure i can do 1 day of complete pain to see her face. From your expierence, is a epidural worth it?
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I have had a natural birth with no epi, a natural birth with an epi, and a natural birth with a failed epi.
You are on the right track of not having your mind set on anything. Natural birthing is awesome but, don't get too hung up on it. If you need relief from the pain then do not deny yourself that. It could be the difference of having a wonderful birthing experience or having a horrible one.
My first birth (natural and no epi) was horrible. There was no anesthesiologist present (he was too busy) to give me an epi. I had back labor, where the contractions never radiated to the front, and it was extemely painful. I even started hallucinating from the pain. The hospital treated me like crud. Basically told me to quit moaning and complaining. After 18 hours of labor, I had a handsome healthy son and I knew never to go to that hospital again!
My second birth (natural with epi) was wonderful. The best experience I have ever had. The anesthesiologist was very skilled and it didn't hurt at all. He told me to make a few arched "cat" backs and it was over. I had a walking epi where I was still able to walk around and I even went down to the cafeteria and had a drink. I felt NO pain at all and I actually enjoyed the labor and pushing my daughter out. Again, I had a happy healthy baby!
My third birth was okay. It was relatively quick but, I was having a hard time dealing with the pain towards the end. They called the anesthesiologist in and he tried to perform an epidural. He caused a lot of pain and I was screaming for him to stop. He claimed the needle was in but, it did nothing. I still felt every contraction. The midwife thought I should just hang in without calling the anesthesiologist back as the baby was close to being born. I agreed and birthed my 2nd daughter normally although painfully swearing and cursing!
I had back spasms for one year after the birth. I'm guessing he messed something up. But, at least I had my 3rd happy healthy baby and that is what matters!
So, my advice would be to make sure that the hospital you choose has a good anesthesiologist! And as far as an epi being worth it...well, if you are in THAT much pain then an epi feels like nothing if done correctly that is. And if it is done right then it can be absolutely wonderful.
Just keep doing what you are doing...go in the hospital with no expectations. Try to go without an epi. If it is too much then do not feel guilty if you need one.
Good luck and I am wishing you a happy healthy baby! (
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How common is it for an epidural to not work properly?
I am definitely getting an epidural when the big day comes, but I've heard a lot of stories of epidurals not doing their job! How common is that & what are some reasons it happens?
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According to my doctor, 1 out of 100 women will experience a mild side effect or minor complication. Chances of serious side effects or major complications are about 3 in 1000. Some problems such as a headache or back pain occur when the anesthesiologist doesn't place the epidural in exactly the right spot. Other issues, such as a drop in Mom's blood pressure that causes a drop in Baby's heartrate, are not caused by an error and are impossible to predict.
The reason you hear so many horror stories is that people who have a nice, easy time with a procedure are not as likely to tell their stories as those few who have problems. (
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How exactly does an epidural work?
I am pregnant with my first and would like to know how exactly an epidural works and what you would recommend, natural or epidural?
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They do use a local anesthetic to numb the area before the epidural needle is inserted. You will either be lying on your side or sitting on the edge of the bed. They clean the area and inject a needle into the epidural space. Don't worry about them hitting nerves because the nerves stop between L1 and L2 and the space they inject is between L3 and L4. The medication will not block all feeling. You will just have decreased sensation in the lower half of your body. The epidural consists of a local anesthetic and a narcotic. After the needle is inserted, a catheter is placed into the needle to let the medication flow. The needle is taken out and sometimes you will have a patient controlled epidural, meaning that if the pain is unbearable, you can push a button to make the medicine flow through the catheter. It is safe because if you push the button too frequently, medicine will not be administered. Hope I helped! (
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Can an epidural trigger an epileptic seizure in a person with epilepsy?
A friend of mine who has epilepsy had just had an epidural done, whatever they are, at a hospital and soon after had a seizure. Could the treatment have led to it?
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An epidural is when anesthesia is injected into part of the spine. I don't see how that could trigger a seizure, but it is possible.
For more on epidurals = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidural (
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What are the disadvantages of using an epidural during labor?
I am only 14 weeks pregnant but i am very concerned about what kind of medications to use during labor? I just wanted to know if using an epidural would harm me or my baby in any way?
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Well, you have to keep in perspective, what they put into your spine during the epidural is a VERY strong VERY fast acting drug and basically, just like right now, while you labor, anything you put into your body goes into your baby, so I've too wondered exactly what the effects are to the baby. Our son was VERY sleepy when he came out, and I got IV drugs and an epidural with him... with our second I had the IV drugs and she wasn't nearly as sleepy... our third, I went natural and can promise, that was by far my best/favorite labor experience. Honestly, part of the bonding process and the entire labor experience is the pain. I think because there is a purpose behind it, by trying to numb the pain, we're denying our bodies the experience we really need to "endure"...
Watch this film, it talks in depth about pain meds and birth and it's just wonderful!
http://www.watch-movies.net/movies/the_business_of_being_born/
Good luck and don't needlessly psych yourself out about "needing" meds. YES, just like with our first, there are legit times when drugs can in fact help relax you enough to speed up labor/help you dilate. However, TOO MANY are denying they are strong enough to go through labor naturally. I personally want to have this baby naturally... something about experiencing birth in it's entirety without drugs is a miracle/amazing experience.
Add: the video link says it's under maintenance, but try it in a while anyways... it should work eventually... (
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