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Nerve injury is injury to nervous tissue. There is no single classification system that can describe all the many variations of nerve injury. Most systems attempt to correlate the degree of injury with symptoms, pathology and prognosis. In 1941, Seddon introduced a classification of nerve injuries based on three main types of nerve fiber injury and whether there is continuity of the nerve.
This is the least severe form of nerve injury, with complete recovery. In this case, the actual structure of the nerve remains intact, but there is an interruption in conduction of the impulse down the nerve fiber. Most commonly, this involves compression of the nerve or disruption to the blood supply (ischemia). There is a temporary loss of function which is reversible within hours to months of the injury (the average is 6–9 weeks). Wallerian degeneration does not occur, so recovery does not involve actual regeneration. There is frequently greater involvement of motor than sensory function with autonomic function being retained. In electrodiagnostic testing with nerve conduction studies, there is a normal compound motor action potential amplitude distal to the lesion at day 10, and this indicates a diagnosis of mild neuropraxia instead of axonotmesis or neurotmesis.
This is a more severe nerve injury with disruption of the neuronal axon, but with maintenance of the myelin sheath. This type of nerve damage may cause paralysis of the motor, sensory, and autonomic. Mainly seen in crush injury.
If the force creating the nerve damage is removed in a timely fashion, the axon may regenerate, leading to recovery. Electrically, the nerve shows rapid and complete degeneration, with loss of voluntary motor units. Regeneration of the motor end plates will occur, as long as the endoneural tubules are intact.
Axonotmesis involves loss of the relative continuity of the axon and its covering of myelin, but preservation of the connective tissue framework of the nerve ( the encapsulating tissue, the epineurium and perineurium, are preserved ). Because axonal continuity is lost, Wallerian degeneration occurs. Electromyography ( EMG ) performed 2 to 4 weeks later shows fibrillations and denervation potentials in musculature distal to the injury site. Loss in both motor and sensory spines is more complete with axonotmesis than with neurapraxia, and recovery occurs only through regenerations of the axons, a process requiring time.
Axonotmesis is usually the result of a more severe crush or contusion than neurapraxia, but can also occur when the nerve is stretched (without damage to the epineurium). There is usually an element of retrograde proximal degeneration of the axon, and for regeneration to occur, this loss must first be overcome. The regeneration fibers must cross the injury site and regeneration through the proximal or retrograde area of degeneration may require several weeks. Then the neuritis tip progresses down the distal site, such as the wrist or hand. Proximal lesion may grow distally as fast as 2 to 3 mm per day and distal lesion as slowly as 1.5 mm per day. Regeneration occurs over weeks to years.
Neurotmesis is the most severe lesion with potential of recovering. It occurs on severe contusion, stretch, laceration, or Local Anesthetic Toxicity. Not only the axon, but the encapsulating connective tissue lose their continuity. The last (extreme) degree of neurotmesis is transsection, but most neurotmetic injuries do not produce gross loss of continuity of the nerve but rather internal disruption of the architecture of the nerve sufficient to involve perineurium and endoneuruim as well as axons and their covering. Denervation changes recorded by EMG are the same as those seen with axonotmetic injury. There is a complete loss of motor, sensory and autonomic function. If the nerve has been completely divided, axonal regeneration causes a neuroma to form in the proximal stump. For neurotmesis, it is better to use a new more complete classification called the Sunderland System.
Physiological mechanisms or neuroregeneration may include remyelination, generation of new neurons, glia, axons, myelin or synapses. Neuroregeneration differs between the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) and the Central Nervous System (CNS) by the functional mechanisms and especially, the extent and speed.
Surgery can be done in case a nerve has become cut or otherwise divided. Recovery of a nerve after surgical repair depends mainly on the age of the patient. Young children can recover close-to-normal nerve function. In contrast, a patient over 60 years old with a cut nerve in the hand would expect to recover only protective sensation, that is, the ability to distinguish hot/cold or sharp/dull. Many other factors also affect nerve recovery.
In contrast, repair after damage to the central nervous system is limited.
There are three principal types of nerves in the body. Sensory nerves are the ones which send information to our brain regarding our tangible environment, and they comprise our sense of touch. Motor nerves send information to muscles which govern our voluntary movements. Our autonomic nerves control involuntary body functions like our heartbeat.
Nerve damage is any kind of injury, whether minor or severe, that occurs to nerve fibers in any area of the body.
Various causes can be responsible for nerve damage, which generally presents in one of three forms: neurotmesis, neurapraxia, and axonotmesis.
Dozens of different types of nerve damage exist, but almost all of them can be described by one of the three above categories. Neurotmesis is the most severe form of nerve damage, which results in a complete loss of function and nerve continuity. It can be caused by severe bruising, tearing, or stretching of the nerve or surrounding tissue.
Axonotmesis is a less severe form of nerve damage, mainly seen as a result of injuries where the nerve is crushed or placed under too much pressure. The axon of the nerve is disrupted, but the nerve's structural integrity remains intact. This type of injury allows for the possibility of regeneration, which can take months or years to be complete.
Neurapraxia is the mildest type of damage, and usually allows for complete recovery within days or months. It is usually a result of pressure on a nerve which keeps it from functioning, and blocks the transmission of signals. Loss of blood supply may also cause neurapraxia.
The specific situational causes of nerve damage are as varied as the disorders that humans suffer from. Some conditions, however, are well-known for their ability to cause nerve damage. Diabetes is foremost among these, often causing the type of nerve damage called diabetic neuropathy. This term is nonspecific and refers to many types of nerve injury brought about due to diabetes.
About two thirds of people with diabetes suffer from some form of neuropathy.
The symptoms of diabetic neuropathy can strike any part of the nervous system, but there are some common signs to look out for. Pain, tingling sensations, and numbness in the extremities, as well as muscle atrophy in the feet and hands are some of the classic signs of this form of nerve damage. Digestive symptoms and sexual dysfunction, as well as an overall weakness, are also somewhat common for neuropathies of this type, although many people who suffer from it experience no noticeable symptoms at all.
The word neuropathy is derived from two parts: "neuro" referring to the nerve and "pathy" indicating disease. Peripheral neuropathy is a condition involving the nerves outside the central nervous system, mainly in the arms and legs.
Nerves are the communication lines of the body.
Electrical signals from the brain travel through the nerves and give instructions to the various body parts. The body receives information from the environment through the senses and sends this information to the brain via the nerves.
The majority of the peripheral nerves are responsible for sensations you feel such as touch, pain and temperature. There are literally millions of these nerve endings in your fingers, hands, toes and feet which are designed to keep you out of danger and away from the things that are hot, cold, sharp, etc.
These nerves in your hands and feet also help you control the numerous small muscles and intricate movements in these regions of the body. It would also be difficult to walk without knowing what your feet are standing on or to pick things up if you had no idea how hard you were gripping something.
Peripheral nerve cells have three main parts: cell body, axons, and dendrites (or terminal).
Nerve damage or neuropathy normally occurs when the outer sheathing or the myelin (protective covering) of nerve cells degenerate. Without this protection the electrical signals are not transferred properly just like if you stripped the covering off of the electrical wires in your house.
As the nerve damage gets worse, the nerves either lose their ability to transmit information (numbness), or they start sending false signals (pain and tingling).
When the insulation begins to crumble, the unprotected "wire" will start short-circuiting.
When the signal cannot be sent through the nerve, the area not receiving the messages will result in numbness.
Neuropathy is the condition where the nerves have sustained enough damage that there is noticeable numbness, pain or tingling.
Types of Nerves that can be Damaged:
Cranial: Nerves go from your brain to your eyes, mouth, ears and other parts of your head.
Peripheral: Nerves go from your spinal cord to your arms, hands, legs and feet.
Central Nerves are in your brain and spinal cord.
Autonomic: Nerves go from your spinal cord to your lungs, heart, stomach, intestines, bladder and sex organs.
What causes this nerve damage?
Most commonly, it is diabetics that suffer from this type of nerve pain and it is a major complication of the disease. It is the higher than normal sugar levels that creates the damage.
However, there are many other reasons some of which are listed below (alphabetically).
The sad fact is that after a while this misfiring of the nerves can get so bad that people are unable to walk or pick things up and can get to a point where they would rather have a limb amputated then continue with this nerve pain.
How does this happen?
Chronic Neuropathy can start when your nerves are deprived of oxygen (anoxia). But, here are many reasons why this might happen and it is sometimes a combination of reasons.
Too many free radicals in your bloodstream can also attach themselves to the oxygen and make it unavailable to the cells. Sometimes inflammation in the lower back or sciatic nerve area of the buttocks can restrict blood flow, depriving oxygen to the nerves. Common drugs like statins (to reduce cholesterol) can eat away the myelin sheath – which is composed mostly of cholesterol. Statins are designed to lower the cholesterol which is what the body needs to maintain the myelin sheath.
High blood pressure medication can cause neuropathy by decreasing blood flow at the extremities, like the feet or hands. There are many reasons.
Other terms for Neuropathy:
Neuropathy Symptoms:
More than 100 types of neuropathy pain have been identified, each with its own set of symptoms, development, Impaired function and symptoms.
These symptoms depend on the type of nerves — motor, sensory, or autonomic — that are damaged. Some people may experience numbness, tingling, and pricking sensations, sensitivity to touch, or muscle weakness. It is the cause of numbness in the fingers and even left arm pain and tingling.
Others may suffer more extreme symptoms, including burning pain (especially at night), shooting pain, muscle wasting, paralysis, or organ or gland dysfunction. When motor nerves are damaged, the muscles are affected and effect coordination and control. Small fiber neuropathy affects the nerve endings in the fingers or toes.
You can get nerve damage in any part of your body, it depends on what nerve is damaged. It can be your hands, feet, arms, legs, head, face, etc. etc.
The symptoms of nerve damage and thus what is referred to as diabetic nerve pain and other nerve pain are often slight at first. In fact, some mild cases may go unnoticed for a long time.
Numbness, pain, or tingling in the feet and ankles or legs may, after several years, lead to weakness in the muscles of the feet and burning feet.
Diabetic neuropathy can flare up suddenly and affect specific nerves so that an affected individual will develop double vision or drooping eyelids, or weakness and atrophy of the thigh muscles. Nerve damage caused by diabetes generally occurs over a period of years and may lead to problems with the digestive tract and sexual organs, which can cause indigestion, diarrhea or constipation, dizziness, bladder infections, and impotence.
Neuropathy as a side effect of chemotherapy can cause these same symptoms, can create a lack of coordination due to the motor nerves being effected and can even cause chemo-brain as it is due to nerve damage.
The loss of sensation in the feet may increase the possibility for foot injuries to go unnoticed and develop into ulcers or lesions that become infected, not to mention having trouble with coordination.
Certain artificial stimulants, namely cigarettes and alcohol, are known to aggravate the condition. Both of these work to slow blood flow throughout the body. In the process, less nutrients and oxygen is being delivered. This is the last thing that you want if you have neuropathy.
Peripheral neuropathy affects at least 20 million people in the United States.
Treatments for Neuropathy Pain:
There are several drug treatments for neuropathy. There are medications such as Lyrica and Cymbalta that attempt to cover up the pain. Lyrica, is an anti-seizure medication… It is used for neuropathy as it stops the nerves from talking to each other so you don't feel the pain. But long term it can cause more damage. Cymbalta is a anti-depressant which is used because it lowers a person's awareness and thus their awareness of the pain.
As with all medications, they have side effects that do not enhance your health. Additionally, Cymbalta as an anti-depressant can be difficult to stop taking, especially without severe side effects.
Rebuilder: Combines a footbath with an electrical current. Claims to open up nerve channels and stimulate circulation to the affected area.
Alpha lipolic acid which as an anti-oxidant attempts to protect the nerves that no further damage is done to the body. It can help with the symptoms, but will not repair the nerves. In some cases, it can bring some relief, but needs to be taken in large amounts (800-1200 mg) a day.
Glutamine & B6 – (no scientific evidence), some people with chemo induced neuropathy have had some relief. There is, however, some concern that it may stimulate tumor growth.
Anodyne Therapy: Infrared light to increase circulation and stimulate production of nitric acid. It is supposed to relax the arteries and eliminate free radicals. Pads are put over the injured areas. Pain is supposed to be relieved with increased circulation and more nitric oxide in the blood. Can treat common injuries.
None of the above treatments, however, have the nutrients the body needs to repair the damaged nerves They do not address the actual cause of neuropathy – the nerve damage.
Natural Neuropathy Pain Treatment:
Most people with neuropathy are only treating the symptoms of the nerve damage and not the cause of the problem. Whether it is diabetic nerve damage, or damage from chemo, the cause has to be addressed.
Many medications given for this problem only attempts to cover up the pain. Sometimes the medications actually makes the problem worse due to side effects of the drug given. This can cause more problems instead of correcting the problem.
Other electronic devices (infrared) that merely heat the feet have been tried unsuccessfully.
The only way to correctly manage neuropathy is to address the real causes, not the symptoms.
The body will heal the nerve if it is given the correct tools to do so.
It has been known for some time that increased levels of Thiamine (vitamin B1) in the blood stream are very effective in reducing and reversing neuropathy.
Unfortunately, the oral intake of vitamin B1 does not greatly increase the levels of B1 in the blood stream. Previously, intravenous feeding or injections directly into blood stream every few weeks were needed to increased levels of B1.
The reason methods like this had to be used is that Thiamine (sometimes spelled Tiamine), like all of the B vitamins, is water-soluble. Thiamine cannot be stored in the body and flushes out within 4 to 5 hours. Oral intake of Thiamine over 5 mg results in greatly reduced bioavailability (available for the body to use) and immediate flushing from the body (this is why urine frequently turns yellow when taking larger doses of B vitamins).
Neuropathy has also been found to be caused and made worse by deficiencies of vitamin B12 in the body. Vitamin B12 supports the sheathing that protects nerve cells and has shown in studies that it promotes the regeneration and growth of nerve cells.
In the past it has been difficult to remedy this deficiency. The reason for this is that while vitamin B12 is readily stored by the body, it is not readily absorbed by the body. For this reason much larger amounts have been used in supplementation, but even large oral dosages have not been an adequate solution.
The most common type of vitamin B12 used in supplements is called Cyanocobalamine. Taking Cyanocobalamine can result in absorption of as little as 1/2 of 1% of the amount taken, which makes it almost impossible to get enough of this vitally important vitamin.
In addition to the very low absorption, the body must convert the Cyanocobalamine (which cannot be used by the body) to a form of vitamin B12 the body can use called Methylcobalamine. Unfortunately, as the body gets older it loses this ability to convert Cynocobalamine to Methylcobalamine.
For the above reasons, as people get older, many physicians recommend regular monthly injections of vitamin B12 to maintain adequate body levels or to replenish greatly depleted stores of this vital nutrient.
Medical marijuana given as a whole plant extract: tincture, oil, edibles, vaporizer, balm.
A Remedy for this Problem:
You might have heard of the new type of vitamin B1 being produced, called Benfotiamine. It is a fat-soluble version of vitamin B1. What does this mean? It means this new form of vitamin B1 can be taken orally in large dosages and it will not flush out of the body the way ordinary Thiamine (vitamin B1) does.
The result is that by taking Benfotiamine the blood stream levels of vitamin B1 can now be greatly increased, nutritionally supporting the body to rapidly and effectively decrease or eliminate the symptoms of Neuropathy.
Also available is Methylcobalamine (called Methyl B12). This is the form of vitamin B12 that can be directly utilized by the body and is available in the quantities nutritionally needed by the body to repair itself. Methyl B12 can be taken orally and is immediately available to the body much like injectable vitamin B12.
The vitamins talked about above are available together. The name of the product is "Nerve Support Formula" It contains both Benfotiamine and Methyl B12. The result is that the blood stream levels of vitamin B1 and vitamin B12 can be greatly increased, providing the nutritional support needed by the body to rapidly and far more effectively to decrease or eliminate the symptoms of neuropathy by repairing the nerve damage that was done.
Reports are that someone previously using just the Benfotiamine reported a lessening of their symptoms within 4 to 7 days. The "Nerve Support Formula" is far more effective than either the Benfotiamine or Methyl B12 alone.
Both Benfotiamine and Methyl B12 have been shown to be non-toxic and without any side effects even in very high dosages.
These vitamins have a 90 Day money back guarantee and the company who makes it also has a live support line. This money back guarantee means that you can buy 1, 2 or 3 bottles (up to three months worth) and return them if this doesn't work for you. They have consultants that will guide you through whatever you need to do to get relief. They don't just sell you a vitamin. They keep in communication with you by email to make sure that you are getting results from the product.
However, people often have gotten relief in as little as two weeks and less. Some take longer, due to the fact that this remedy is actually giving the body what it needs to heal the body. It allows the body to actually repair the nerves.
The dosage can also be adjusted to get the best results in the least amount of time. If you are experiencing nerve damage with symptoms such as:
What Are the Symptoms of Nerve Pain and Nerve Damage?
With nerve damage there can be a wide array of symptoms. Which ones you may have depends on the location and type of nerves that are affected. Damage can occur to nerves in your brain and spinal cord. It can also occur in the peripheral nerves, which are located throughout the rest of your body.
Autonomic nerve damage may produce the following symptoms:
Damage to motor nerves may produce the following symptoms:
Sensory nerve damage may produce the following symptoms:
tingling or prickling
problems with positional awareness
In some instances, people with nerve damage will have symptoms that indicate damage to two, or even three, different types of nerves. For instance, you might experience weakness and burning of your legs at the same time.
What Causes Nerve Pain and Nerve Damage?
There are more than 100 different types of nerve damage.
The various types may have different symptoms and may require different types of treatment.
More than 20 million Americans are afflicted with peripheral nerve damage. This type of damage becomes increasingly more common with age. In one out of every three people with peripheral nerve damage, the damage comes from diabetes. In another third, the cause of the nerve damage remains unknown.
• Autoimmune diseases. A variety of different types of autoimmune diseases can produce symptoms of nerve pain and nerve damage. These include: multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barré syndrome (a rare condition in which the immune system attacks the peripheral nerves), myasthenia gravis, lupus, and inflammatory bowel disease.
How Are Nerve Pain and Nerve Damage Treated?
In many instances, nerve damage cannot be cured entirely. But there are various treatments that can reduce your symptoms. Because nerve damage is often progressive, it is important to consult with a doctor when you first notice symptoms. That way you can reduce the likelihood of permanent damage.
Often, the first goal of treatment is to address the underlying condition that is causing your nerve pain or nerve damage. This may mean:
Additionally, your doctor may prescribe medications aimed at minimizing the nerve pain you are feeling. These may include:
Complementary and alternative approaches may also help alleviate your nerve pain and discomfort. These include:
Modern research suggests that cannabis is a valuable aid in the treatment of a wide range of clinical applications. These include pain relief-particularly of neuropathic pain (pain from nerve damage)-nausea, spasticity, glaucoma, and movement disorders. Marijuana is also a powerful appetite stimulant, specifically for patients suffering from HIV, the AIDS wasting syndrome, or dementia. Emerging research suggests that marijuana's medicinal properties may protect the body against some types of malignant tumors and are neuroprotective.
Currently, more than 60 U.S. and international health organizations-including the American Public Health Association, Health Canada and the Federation of American Scientists-support granting patients immediate legal access to medicinal marijuana under a physician's supervision. (Click here for a complete listing of organizations.) Several others, including the American Cancer Society and the American Medical Association support the facilitation of wide-scale, clinical research trials so that physicians may better assess cannabis' medical potential. In addition, a 1991 Harvard study found that 44 percent of oncologists had previously advised marijuana therapy to their patients. Fifty percent responded they would do so if marijuana was legal. A more recent national survey performed by researchers at Providence Rhode Island Hospital found that nearly half of physicians with opinions supported legalizing medical marijuana.
The American Medical Association (AMA) was one of the most vocal organizations to testify against the ban, arguing that it would deprive patients of a past, present and future medicine.
Smoking cannabis, also known as marijuana, reduced pain in patients with nerve pain stemming from injuries or surgical complications, new research shows.
Twenty-one adults with chronic nerve pain were taught to take a single inhalation of 25 milligrams of cannabis through a pipe, three times a day, for five days. The cannabis contained one of three levels of potency of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana, as well as a placebo dosage containing no THC.
TOO POOR FOR POT? All of the patients rotated through each of the four dosages, with nine days of no smoking in between.
Patients smoking the highest potency marijuana (9.4%) reported less pain than those smoking samples containing no THC. Patients also reported better sleep and less anxiety, according to the Canadian study.
On an 11-point scale, the average daily pain intensity was 6.1 for those smoking 9.4% THC concentration, compared to 5.4 for those smoking cannabis containing no THC.
"Patients have repeatedly made claims that smoked cannabis helps to treat pain, but the issue for me had always been the lack of clinical research to support that claim," said Dr. Mark Ware, director of clinical research at the Alan Edwards Pain Management Unit of the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal. In this small but randomized, controlled trial, "the pain reductions were modest, but significant," he said. "And it was in people for whom nothing else worked."
The study is published in the Aug. 30 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Persistent nerve pain, clinically known as neuropathy, can be very difficult to treat, Ware said. These patients had tried other treatments for neuropathy, such as opioids, anticonvulsants, antidepressants and local anesthetics, with little relief, Ware said.
In addition, the THC potency levels used in the study were kept at 2.5%, 6% and 9% — considerably less than the 12% to 15% often found in marijuana sold on the street, Ware said.
Researchers kept the levels low for two reasons, Ware explained. One was to minimize the psychoactive effects, such as feeling lightheaded, dizzy, detached, nauseous or euphoric. Secondly, because this was a randomized, controlled clinical trial, minimizing the obvious signs of being "high" helped keep participants in the dark about what potency they were smoking.
In an accompanying commentary, Dr. Henry McQuay, a professor in the chronic pain unit at Oxford University in England, called the study well-designed, adding that it provides more evidence cannabis can help relieve pain.
But the unwanted side effects of cannabis can be significant, McQuay said.
"If you regard each paper like a brick in a wall, we have a number of studies, including this one, that suggest some pain patients are helped by cannabis," McQuay said. "The usual caveat is, 'Do the side effects to the nervous system outweigh the benefits, if they have to push the dose?'"
In his experience working with pain patients, few have seen long-term benefits of smoked cannabis, he said. Most find morphine and other painkillers more effective.
Side effects are a real problem with using smoked cannabis, Ware said. While recreational users are seeking an altered state of mind, research shows that legitimate medical marijuana users are not looking to get high. Instead, they only want to smoke what they need to reduce their pain so they can work and function more normally.
Has anyone here used marijuana to alleviate the side effects of nerve damage and/or nerve regeneration after damage?
Two years ago, I had a gastric bypass operation. I suffered from some post-op aneorexia, and eventually I was numb to my chest, the muscles in my feet and legs atrophed, and I completely lost use of my feet/legs. I had a Bilateral Peripheral Neuropathy/myopathy combination.
It's a much longer story than that, but that's the basics.
I was in a wheelchair for 6 months, then began smoking pot.
I was up walking with a walker within a month, and could walk on my own within two.
I had shown no real improvements until I started smoking the pot. I'm just curious about others who maybe HAVE been scripted for neuropathy or similar Scientifically, how does it work for nerve regen?
Pot May Ease Nerve Pain, Study Shows
Patients Report Less Neuropathic Pain After Smoking Marijuana Cigarettes, but Their Mental Skills Falter
By Miranda Hitti
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
June 26, 2008 — New research on "medical marijuana" shows that smoking pot may ease nerve pain at the expense of certain mental skills.
Researchers at the University of California, Davis report that news in the June edition of The Journal of Pain.
They studied 38 adults with nerve pain (neuropathic pain) who had smoked pot in the past but abstained from smoking marijuana for 30 days before the study.
Participants visited the researchers' lab three times, where they smoked a marijuana cigarette made for research purposes, under the National Institute of Drug Abuse's supervision.
During the sessions, which were held at least three days apart, participants either smoked a pot cigarette containing a high dose of THC (marijuana's active ingredient), a lower dose of THC, or no THC.
Participants got specific instructions about when to light up, inhale, and exhale. They were supervised as they smoked and for two hours after that, and then taken home.
Before and after smoking their assigned cigarette, participants rated their pain. Their pain ratings dropped more after smoking the THC cigarettes than the placebo cigarette lacking THC. The higher dose and lower THC doses had comparable effects, which began to wear off an hour or two after they stopped smoking.
People that suffer with chronic pain either have severed, or damaged pain receptor nerve endings. Scientifically proven, if an opiate nerve receiver is not available to block pain because of nerve damage, or severed nerves, opiates such as morphine, or codeine would have little to no effect on the pain area. Scientific studies further point out, although an opiate nerve ending receiver may be severed, or damaged, the THC (marijuana nerve receivers) are intact and do benefit the pain patient by alleviating pain. This is because the nerve cannabinoid receptors appear to maintain functional pain blocking receivers regardless of damage at a pain trigger point which also benefits neuropathic radial pain (radiating pain to distal portions of the body through neural conduit highways).
Two of the studies recommended for funding would look at whether smoking marijuana helps relieve nerve pain that comes with HIV. Current drugs have proved ineffective at blunting the pain, researchers said.
I believe..Cannabis treats my ulnar nerve damage.
My doctor made the comment you suggested bubble, edibles are way more effective.. but I will tell you this..smoking cannabis has reversed the numbing and tingling in my nerves that vicotin only masked
Bubba Kush is what I was smoking when one morning I woke up without the constant tingling, just as quickly, as it had appeared…i still have pain, and my fingers will "lock up" if i bend my elbow for a long time..hand washing dishes always get me, but other than that, cannabis has improved my quality of life.
Re: Nerve Damage
I have radial nerve damage, use edible cannabis (not weed, sarc.) and feel way better. Perhaps the key is not to smoke cannabis, but to ingest it.
Well, we found something else medical marijuana can help: chronic nerve pain. This comes from the International Anesthesia Research Society, or IARS. Using a compound similar in makeup to marijuana, they were able to significantly reduce neuropathic pain symptoms in adults. What's even better is that this compound, currently called MDA19, successfully treated chronic nerve pain without the usual painkiller side effects.
This is great news, considering how hard it is to treat neuropathic pain. Often, pain doctors prescribe painkillers originally designed for other uses, such as anticonvulsants or antidepressants. Even then, pain may not be well controlled.
Here's hoping that MDA19 research carries on! This could be a major breakthrough for people who suffer from chronic nerve pain every day.
Medical Marijuana for Nerve Pain
From Erica Jacques, About.com Guide July 11, 2010
A decade ago, California gave almost $9 million dollars to the Medicinal Cannabis Research Center at UC San Diego. That money paid for seven clinical trials. Five are done; two are still in the works. The Center's Igor Grant says researchers found marijuana helps relieve pain that's caused by nerve damage or disease — or by taking anti-viral drugs for HIV-AIDS.
"Burning, tingling, painful, unpleasant to sometimes insufferable feelings largely in the feet and legs and also in the arms," Grant said.
The condition's called "painful peripheral neuropathy." UC San Diego's Igor Grant says about 10 percent of people in the U.S. suffer from it.
University researchers focused on this nerve condition because opiates, anti-depressants or other common treatments don't work all the time for any patient — and don't work at all for some.
Researchers added marijuana to the treatment regimen for patients with "painful peripheral neuropathy" — and it helped. They also tested marijuana's effect on muscle spasms that cripple patients with multiple sclerosis and prevent them from sleeping. Marijuana helped reduce the spasms.
"What was interesting to us about the findings is that they were very consistent. That short-term treatment did reduce pain," Grant said.
Very short term treatment. Researchers administered marijuana to patients for as little as a week. California's marijuana studies were also limited in size; just 200 people participated.
UC San Diego's Igor Grant said the clinical trials on marijuana took a long time to complete because of all the federal regulation involved. He says the federal government approved only one source of marijuana for medical research. Once UC San Diego had some of the stuff, federal agents came to the Medicinal Cannabis Research Center in San Diego to verify the stash was kept in a vault — bolted to the floor.
I have terrible nerve damage all over my body. The only thing that has come close to alleviating it is pot.
About 6 years ago, I suffered a skiing accident that left me with nerve damage on my entire left side. I made some recovery for the next 9 months, but was really down in the dumps. At that point I made the decision to try marijuana and man was it the right decision. In the next 5 years I am on the verge of recovering my hand and my leg is almost back to where it was. Similarly, research now suggests that marijuana stimulates the production of new neurons and nerves in the brain. There have been some reports in very recent research that marijuana stimulates the growth of gross motor nerves.
Pot May Ease Nerve Pain, Study Shows
Patients Report Less Neuropathic Pain After Smoking Marijuana Cigarettes, but Their Mental Skills Falter
By Miranda Hitti
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
June 26, 2008 — New research on "medical marijuana" shows that smoking pot may ease nerve pain at the expense of certain mental skills.
Researchers at the University of California, Davis report that news in the June edition of The Journal of Pain.
They studied 38 adults with nerve pain (neuropathic pain) who had smoked pot in the past but abstained from smoking marijuana for 30 days before the study.
Participants visited the researchers' lab three times, where they smoked a marijuana cigarette made for research purposes, under the National Institute of Drug Abuse's supervision.
During the sessions, which were held at least three days apart, participants either smoked a pot cigarette containing a high dose of THC (marijuana's active ingredient), a lower dose of THC, or no THC.
Participants got specific instructions about when to light up, inhale, and exhale. They were supervised as they smoked and for two hours after that, and then taken home.
Before and after smoking their assigned cigarette, participants rated their pain. Their pain ratings dropped more after smoking the THC cigarettes than the placebo cigarette lacking THC. The higher dose and lower THC doses had comparable effects, which began to wear off an hour or two after they stopped smoking.
Recommended Strains for Nerve damage/pain:
Grape Ape, Sour Grape, Blueberry, Trainwreck, Caviar, ChemBerry, Ice, G-13, Purple Kush


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My Autumn Wardrobe
Thursday September 27, 2012
Miia asked what I'm wearing this autumn and recalled the coordinates entry I posted while packing for Tokyo this spring. Asked if I could do a similar wardrobe post again for autumn. So this is for you Miia :P :deco3:
Since this isn't a "trip" coordinates post, I'm not limited by luggage size and vacation duration. I didn't come up with any "theme" beforehand either but instead am just showing exactly which pieces I go for from my closet right now.
It's on average 50°F~75°F out each day and will continue probably until October ends. I went through my clothes last Friday and packed away a few more things while pulling out a nice big donation-sized bag of cardigans and tops not worn much in the past year.
– Madewell denim boyshirt
– Comme des Garcons PLAY long tee
– Rinka x Sweet t-shirt
– Uniqlo white & black dot oxford
– Madewell silk gingham boyshirt
– Madewell Honeycomb sweater
– Madewell Sheepmeadow sweater
– Urban Outfitters shorts
– Banana Republic pencil skirt
– Old Navy Rockstar super skinny jeans
– Madewell Artdot Novelist shirtdress
– H&M peacoat
– Payless black flats
– Target printed loafers
– Barneys New York beret
– Yesstyle fold over tote bag
– Madewell denim dot tote
– Estee Lauder pure red polish
– Chanel Frenzy polish
It's a little winter and still a little summer with the printed Rinka tee and loose shorts. Thinner fabrics overall as well. I often pair tights with these on cooler days or at night. The rest of my clothes are either too summer or too winter to wear right now. :)
So these are the pieces for my favorite coordinates right now. Of course it excludes office attire but I do often use many of these pieces for work. Like pairing the denim boyshirt with a black wool work skirt or adding a cardigan and black heels to the dot dress! I often wear the pencil skirt to work as well.
12 clothing items 36 looks suitable for autumn weather.
Adding or removing the jacket or sweaters not counting shoes, tights, or hat & bag.
I could layer up even more outfits but the temperatures rarely drop below 50°F :) Kept the shorts and tee around for the warmer days too. We have a random 80°F days about once a week still.
- black pants + denim boyshirt
- black pants + white dot shirt
- black pants + comme des garcons
- black pants + gingham blouse + sheepsweater
- black pants + etc…
- dress
- dress + peacoat
- dress + sheepsweater
- pencil skirt + denim boyshirt
- pencil skirt + Rinka tee
- pencil skirt + white dot blouse + comme des garcons
- pencil skirt + etc…
- shorts + denim boyshirt
- shorts + white dot blouse
- shorts + sheepsweater
- shorts + honeycomb sweater
- shorts + denim boyshirt + sheepsweater
- shorts + denim boyshirt + honeycomb sweater
- shorts + white dot blouse + honeycomb sweater
- shorts + etc…
That's it! The packing entry was a little more helpful maybe.
But this was fun to see my autumn wardrobe and realize the color palette at play!
Tags: outfits, wardrobe
46 Responses to "My Autumn Wardrobe"
Love it!!!
heading to japan in november for 2 weeks, your posts really help! :-)
i love the thoughts behind your dressing and clothes! i've learnt alot of helpful tips. thankyou~
Amazing guide!
Thanks for sharing your wardrobe tips!
Jenny, I'm so impressed at how focused your personal style has become! It's quite an inspiration to me.
I'm so glad to see another post like this! The first one inspired me to streamline my wardrobe and start creating a more cohesive style.
Oh YESS~ this makes me really look forward to cleaning out my closet. Essentials, Michelle, essentials. I wish I got your keen eye – that or just you in the flesh to help me pick out keepers and what to part with forever.
i LOVE IT WAT
Can I have your clothes? I think we have the same style haha :) love it!
OOh perfect! I need to do this too! I just have too many clothes right now I feel like :( so disorganized!
I love your clothes!!! We have a very similar sense of style. Thank you for the inspo!
So nice that you really made this post! I love it and feel so inspired again! I'm completely in love with your style. Now I have to start looking at my own fall wardrobe.
Thanks you again!
This is pretty inspiring. I think I need a petticoat now. Thanks.
wish i could be like you and just stick to a few favorite pieces. i always feel like i have too many clothes and nothing to wear! *sweats
I'm inspired! Next time I travel (hopefully to Spain in January or Feb.) I'm going to try to pack after a theme! I can't get over the sweater with sheep! LOVE IT! And that handbag ♥__♥ You really have great taste!
I love this post so much. Everything's beautiful and this motivates me to start wearing autumn outfits (I tend to stick with summer wears because I don't wanna let summer go and end up catching a cold)
Thank youuuuu~
Love love LOVING the color scheme of your Autumn wardrobe. Been enjoying the cooler weather down here too (I'm just a bit south of you, I think) but yesterday it was randomly 85°! (-.-')
Your clothes always look like they're in such wonderful condition. Would love to hear about your laundry care routine and tips in a post someday. (Is this too much of a housewifey request? LOL.)
thanks for the hard work making this post!
Uniclo also did a little lookbook thing with some of the Japanese magazines. Now I want to go through my closet and organize my autumn outfits. I usually wear the same 5 outfits every week. Haha I'm boring…
Great…now I wanna go shopping!
Love your style babes!
Love this post sooo much! You are so organized Jenny, inspired me a lot :)
Jenny you're so fashionable! I'm totally jealous! XD
I love the palette! Also that beret is fabulous. I really want to wear one, but my hair is too huge for them right now. Maybe when it's much longer it'll lie flatter…. T3T
I will use the color coordination that you provide. Is a very useful information. Sometimes I match the wrong color. haha
I totally bought the same Madewell chambray shirt last weekend. It is sooo comfy and I like the nautical button accent ^.^ Since it still summer season in San Diego(in the 90s this weekend!), I have to wait before I can wear any sweaters. I wanted that sheep sweater SO BAD, but knew I would not wear it for months. But that chambray top works for nighttime.
Every item of your autumn wardrobe looks great ! I love how your wardrobe is always so well-thought-out. Ah you must look so cute with this beret ! I'm looking forward to see your outfit/coordinate posts !
Oh and happy mid autumn festival !
Love your selection of clothes and the color scheme. c:
Yay! These are my favourite posts!
I love your fall wardrobe, great inspiration. Few clothes, lots of coordinates, love it!
Very autumn-y! Not sure if you take requests, but it would be great to see how you work with your shoes! For people like me with only one pair of running shoes, one pair of flats, and one pair of winter boots, it would be great to get some clothes-shoe inspiration! XD
Love the colour palette! ^^
i looooooooove this post, im totally going to copy it, but seriously i just love how you've weened down your closet and only keep they essentials, I have done the same thing and it feels great I flounder less getting dressed and why not only have pieces you LOOOOOVE?
I definitely know this feeling! I had so much stuff in my wardrobe that I didn't even like, but held on to just so I had more clothes to wear. I got tired of settling so I tossed all that old ugly stuff and bought a heap of new clothes; only buying stuff that I absolutely love. Such a good feeling!
Beautiful! AND genius!
I really really enjoyed reading this post since I'm in the transitioning process of weeding out my wardrobe and figuring out my style =3 I love that red peacoat you have and contemplated on buying the same madewell sweater with the sheeps! (yeah I know it's suppose to be "sheep" but I still say sheeps lol)
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Detech EDS Reacher 28kHz 12"x12" SEF
Detech detektorid ja poolid » Detech detektorid
Detech, the innovators and designers of the world-wide famous EXcelerator Super Deep search coils are proud to introduce their Newest High-powered EDS REACHER Metal Detector. The new EDS REACHER Metal Detector comes standard with their latest generation 12 X 12" SEF PRO Excelerator Butterfly high-powered search coil. Everything about this detector is specifically designed around the SEF search coil which stands for Symmetrical Electromagnetic Field technology. Excelerator SEF Search Coils are recognized throughout the world of metal detecting and treasure hunting as being absolutely awesome in depth and sensitivity. Whether in Europe, Asia, Africa or here in the USA, customers say they get increased depth, or as one user said "Excelerator Coils Almost Doubled My Detecting Depth".
Want to go deeper than other metal detector users? Want to get deep coins, rings and other treasures still waiting to be found? Detech, the innovators and designers of the world-wide famous EXcelerator Super Deep search coils are proud to introduce their New High Powered EDS REACHER Metal Detector. Using intensive engineering, Detech has produced a formidable detector that proves it can search much deeper than many other types of Metal Detectors. Years of in-the-field testing has produced a truly remarkable detector that detector users have been waiting and hoping for. No fooling, this detector is second to none. You will get Super Depth in a simple to tune, easy to use lightweight, well built Super Deep Metal Detector
Operating Frequency: 28Khz
VLF Operation
Fully Automatic Ground Balancing
Audio Frequency: 570 Hz and 1140Hz
Weigh: 2.0 pounds
Length extended: 51"
Length collapsed: 41"
BIG Search coil: SEF Pro 12x12"
Optional Search coil:
9x9" SEF Pro
8x6" SEF Pro
6" Round DD
1/4 Headphone Jack
Impedance 8 to 32 Ohms
Batteries: 4 X AA Alkaline
Battery Run Time: 15 to 30 Hours
Low Battery Alert: Automatic LED & Audio
Ground Balancing: Fully Automatic
Search Modes: Normal and Deep
On/Off Sensitivity
AMD and Adjustable Discrimination
Tone Control: Tone 1 and 2
Frequency Control: Freq. 1 and Freq. 2
Pin-point Mode: One Button Push
Warranty: Control Box (2 Year)
Warranty: Search Coil (1 Year)
Weight: 1.000 Kgs
Using one of the most advanced search coil design in the field today the EDS REACHER will surpass any detector in its comparable class in the really important areas like, soils with medium to high minerals where improved stable operation is needed for the deeper older buried treasure targets. The name of this new detector is very fitting because with its SEF Excelerator search coil.
Let's talk about the metal detector itself. Weighing in at only 2 pounds with batteries they just don't get much lighter than this. You could literally hunt all day with this detector without fatigue and with its center located pin-point button it's easy to just switch arms for those all day hunts! Detection range on this detector is unbelievable! In an air-test for example, we are seeing huge detection range comparable to some detectors costing 2 or 3 times more. One air-test we were able to detect a 14K medium man's gold ring at 15+ inches! Of course, an air-test does not always determine what depth you will get while detecting in different soils but it is a solid indicator to a very well matched detector/search coil combination. This EDS REACHER detector should have no problems reaching the deeper older coins, gold rings, and relics. Testing proves the EDS REACHER is very sensitive on Gold nuggets too!
The EDS REACHER is a very easy to use and operate. Setting it up is simple because of the easy defined "red colored" pre-set zones for the sensitivity, discrimination and normal setting indicators. The treasure hunter can easily adjust their desired discrimination, sensitivity levels to optimize the detectors depth in different soil conditions. If you are looking for a deep, super lightweight detector outfitted with one of the Best High-performance coils manufactured today then look no further than Detect's EDS REACHER metal detector.
EDS REACHER features:
Advanced Dual zone VLF discrimination control featuring (AMD) All metal discrimination and full range VLF variable discrimination. In the AMD position the detector will achieve maximum depth on the deepest targets including gold nuggets.
On/Off full variable sensitivity control is used to make the detector more stable if it encounters ground minerals and or electromagnetic fields that will also affect the detectors stability.
Dual selectable frequency mode is used for getting the most depth and also used in conjunction with the full variable sensitivity control you can choose the best frequency position for the deepest and smoothest operation.
The Deep/Normal mode switch is one of the most important controls in the EDS REACHER. In the normal position this is called the "mass" hunting position and is used for most ground conditions like medium to high minerals and or using the detector in wet salt beach sand or even in wet salt "black sand" conditions. The Deep mode position is there for the advanced treasure hunter where you are looking to get the deepest performance from the metal detector.
Dual Audio tone control allows the treasure hunter to select the most appropriate sound that they prefer. Tone one position produces the sound or tone of 1140Hz (high pitched sound) and Tone two position produces the sound or tone of 570Hz (low pitched sound).
True Pin-Point mode is used to precisely locate the target so that recovery is very easy and fast! When the mode button is pressed continually you will hear a continuous tone and by moving the coil in an X pattern you then listen for the loudest tone and that will indicate when you are centered on the buried target.


text:
They've served their jail time or they've been released from hospital custody. Then what happens to those diagnosed with a mental illness?
Without sufficient community support, many will cycle back into crisis care at a hospital or the criminal justice system, some sooner than others. A 2008 Old Dominion University study cited a recidivism rate of 77 percent within two years. Currently more than 6,300 Virginians diagnosed with a mental illness are held in a jail; of those, almost half have schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder. Most receive little or no mental health treatment and several hundred are kept in solitary confinement.
The odds are seemingly stacked against successful reentry into the community. Funding cuts have reduced supportive housing options and even though the 2012 report by the Office of the Inspector General put the relative annual costs at $214,000 for institutional care as compared to $44,000 in the community, the funding hasn't been there for community service boards and other support systems to reach all those who need help.
"All the treatment in the world and all the medications in the world aren't going to make a difference without stable housing and supportive services," said Mira Signer, director of the Virginia chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
James W. "Jim" Stewart III, the commissioner for the Department of Behavioral Health, the state agency charged with overseeing mental health services, agreed. "It's very difficult for anyone to make progress without housing. We haven't adequately built in Virginia the array of community supports to enable individuals to avoid crisis," he said.
Hospital or community care?
Stewart is, however, committed to boosting community supports rather than restoring state hospital capacity, which has fallen from 5,967 to 1,252 beds since 1976. "Putting people back in the hospital — that's not the answer. We have the techniques, the tools, the medications. We only need beds for short-term stabilization," he added. He also cited the prohibitive cost of hospitalization.
Not everyone agrees. Gabriel Koz, who retired in 2006 after a decade as medical director of Eastern State Hospital, believes beds are essential. "Crisis teams aren't going to do it. Beds are the answer," he said, referencing New York and Vermont as states that have reversed policy to expand hospital capacity. "It's like closing the emergency rooms and relying on outpatient care. It's too costly to lives and communities," he added.
Others — from David L. Simons, superintendent of the Hampton Roads Regional Jail, to Baltej Gill, senior medical director of the Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board — cite the frustration of families who can't access needed outpatient or hospital mental health care, and for whom jail becomes the default institution. "Jail is not the venue," said Simons, whose jail houses almost 400 inmates diagnosed with a mental illness, half of whom are prescribed psychotropic drugs.
Who pays?
At the HRRJ, which serves the jurisdictions of Hampton, Newport News, Portsmouth and Norfolk, Simons estimates the per-diem cost for an inmate with mental illness escalates from $65 to $500 or more for round-the-clock observation, meds and medical care. Currently, the localities bear the brunt of this cost. The state reimburses the jail at $8 a day for pre-trial inmates and $12 a day for those convicted. "There ought to be a higher per-diem for inmates that need this care and used to get it at state hospitals at state expense," said Simons. "By closing those beds — [Eastern State Hospital downsized by 85 beds in 2010] — and saving money, they should have diverted some to jails." As the director of a correctional facility that houses the most inmates waiting for an ESH bed, he believes a better option would be for the state to fund a mental health wing and supply the appropriate psychiatric treatment and drug therapy. "It would help treat them in a more therapeutic way and give them the treatment they need in a timely manner," he said. The wait to get in to ESH can span months as typically 15 percent of the hospital's discharge-ready patients stay past their release date, unable to find a community placement.
The hospital, whose 300 beds are assigned among geriatric, adult and forensic patients (those involved with the criminal justice system) serves about one-quarter of the state's population, focusing on regions covered by nine of the state's 40 community services boards. In its 2013 budget it received almost $48 million in state general funds and $20.5 million in Medicaid funds.
Chuck Hall, director of the Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board, objects to the hospital's current use of Medicaid funds. "The state shouldn't be running a Medicaid-reimbursed nursing home," he said, referencing ESH's geriatric unit. He would like to see those beds freed up for use instead by "individuals like those residing at the HRRJ."
If Virginia were to adopt the expansion of Medicaid as proposed by the Affordable Care Act, eligibility would increase from 80 percent to 138 percent of the federal poverty level and extend coverage for inpatient psychiatric care to many of the uninsured that the CSBs currently spend $5 million annually on at private hospitals, he said. That, in turn, would free up local funds to pay for beds at ESH for those in jail on account of their mental illness. "Now, there is not sufficient funding to cover both acute care in local private inpatient facilities and pay for this extended care at ESH that would be necessary for these very ill individuals," said Hall.
Community supports
Like Hall, John Pezzoli, assistant commissioner for the Department of Behavioral Health sees the expansion of Medicaid as vital to a better mental health system. "Many more people insured would make a huge difference.… It would be a huge step in the right direction," he said, noting that it would provide access to clinical and rehabilitation services for the neediest population, including those with serious and persistent mental illness. "The basic services that are the least widely available to a population that's all uninsured is seeing a psychiatrist or therapist and getting meds and prescriptions filled," he said.
This year's state budget funneled an additional $7 million to mental health care in the community, divided among drop-off centers, children's mental health crisis services, discharge assistance planning funds, suicide prevention and permanent supportive housing.
"We have to go back to the basics — housing, food, health care, appropriate social activities and jobs," said David Coe, director of Colonial Behavioral Health in Williamsburg. He'd also like to see an end to the stigma along with recognition that mental illness is a brain disease that merits the same treatment, research and funding as any other diagnosis, such as diabetes.
"In the past, priority has been on crisis response rather than intensive ongoing supports," affirmed Stewart, who commended the efficacy of the Crisis Intervention Team, CIT program, which has trained 70 percent of the state's law enforcement in the identification of mental illness and alternatives to arrest. Similarly Cross-System Mapping in 39 communities has identified gaps in services and fostered more effective communication between law enforcement and mental health systems, he said. And he commended PACT, an intensive round-the-clock support system now operating in 18 communities statewide that employs "wrap-around services" with a trained staff and peer supports caring for high-need individuals at a 1 to 8 ratio.
Preemptive help
One barrier to successful reintegration is the up to two-month delay those leaving jail encounter in restoring their SSDI benefits that are cut off during incarceration. At Hampton's Center for Child and Family Services, Ellen Williams, director of behavioral health services, oversees 22 programs that include Fresh Start for re-entry and free counseling and job readiness coaching. "We need to stop being punitive and ask not 'what's wrong with them' but 'what happened to them'" she urged. "I think we're getting more open with juveniles. I want it to take hold in the adult system." She believes it's important for localities to pitch in for mental health care as an investment in the health and safety of the community.
For veterans, the Hampton VA Medical Center has been operating a Veterans Justice Outreach Program since 2009. One of its goals is to assist the transition from jail to residential treatment at the VA with no downtime in the community for those who require that level of treatment, said Kimberly Cheney-James, its coordinator. The VA provides both acute care stabilization services as well as intermediate residential care, along with assistance in connecting veterans with counseling and community resources. The increased number of returning troops exhibiting symptoms of PTSD has the center reaching out proactively to veterans and their families for treatment before a crisis occurs. Outreach workers also scour local jails for veterans in order to connect them with services.
Jail diversion programs
In order for the multiple community resources to be effective, they need to be instituted in a coordinated manner, emphasized NAMI's Signer. Currently, she said, many localities are practicing these efforts, but in a piecemeal fashion.
She pointed to the Sequential Intercept Model as a comprehensive approach that plans for mental health and criminal justice crossover at every juncture: pre-booking, post-booking, jail and re-entry. "At each point, there's a step that can be taken to intercept and alter the outcome," she said. For example, dispatchers can be trained to recognize calls involving mental illness; officers can be trained in crisis intervention, CIT; a defense attorney would have the full health history; there would be a specialty docket or a mental health court; and the need for housing and support groups would be recognized.
Hampton/Newport News has one of the state's 10 drop-off centers and has been a leader in CIT training. A drop-off center is a secure place staffed by medical and mental health professionals and security used as an alternative to arrest and jail. The cities' CIT program, led by Dean Parker, has trained hundreds of officers, and Jay Sexton, coordinator of the new Colonial area CIT program has used it as a model to train 62 officers, as well as crisis workers, dispatchers and nurses. "We try to instill in them a lot of good communication skills and patience," Sexton said.
Nearby, Norfolk General District Court has the only specialty mental health docket in the region; it has met twice a month since September 2011 without extra funding. "It creates a more appropriate atmosphere for family members and more consistency. It allows us to assemble all the services that the court may want to appoint in the disposition of cases," said Judge Joseph Migliozzi, the sole presiding judge. "We're not a therapeutic court, but a docket that facilitates discharge planning for those with mental illness charged with misdemeanors. It requires a great deal of cooperation from city services and the jail." In its first year the court heard cases for 320 individuals and reduced the average wait for admission to a state hospital for evaluation from 160 days to 95.
No solution yet
Thousands of Virginians diagnosed with a serious mental illness continue to cycle in and out of the criminal justice system. With limited access to hospital beds, the appropriate level of community care remains elusive.
"What we don't have is a way for people who used to be served by state hospitals to be served in the community safely for them and for the community," said Associate Inspector General for Behavioral Health Doug Bevelacqua.
To that end, earlier intervention and expanding access to care before a crisis develops are gaining traction as priorities with the state.
"The earlier we intervene, the more successful we can be. There's a wide range of gaps," said Commissioner Stewart, who endorses more psychiatric services for children. "We need more ongoing outpatient support and adequate coordination in the community. It does require more resources."
Day One: "Jail is not the environment for treating the mentally ill'
Day Two: Hampton Roads Regional Jail and Eastern State Hospital: Same population, different treatment
Day Three: Meet some mentally ill inmates in Hampton Roads Regional Jail
Day Four: A Navy veteran with PTSD deals with jail after a vandalism change
Day Five: A better way to look after those diagnosed with a mental illness


text:
It's not really much of a surprise. Every gamer knows that summer is when gaming usually falls off for a bit, but a 15% drop in retail sales in one month is still huge when hundreds of millions are involved. Total spending on video games in the U.S. last month was $1.2 billion, only about 50% of which was made up of physical sales.
Where'd gamers take their business? Mobile games have seen sharp increases in revenue over the last few months, causing many gaming journalists to wonder if mobile gaming is slowly taking over the market. Although the main reason they're so speculative is because the real answer is much less interesting.


text:
Today, I want to talk about buttercream. Not Italian or Swiss Meringue buttercream, just good old-fashioned American buttercream.
I've always thought mastering buttercream was something elusive, that only seasoned cake makers could get exactly right, or that I'd have to start making Swiss buttercream to achieve the silky, smooth, pipeable, spreadable consistency that holds its shape perfectly, but the thought of messing with hot syrup and egg whites when I just want to make something quickly isn't all that appealing.
But what I didn't know, which is sort of embarrassing to admit, is that I was simply doing it all wrong. The answer was in front of me the whole time, and I just didn't see it. That I was using way too little butter and way, way WAY too much powdered sugar. I couldn't understand why the frosting I made was always the wrong consistency, forcing me to add more and more powdered sugar to thicken it, making it overly sweet and overly stiff. It was either too thin and runny, or too thick and too sweet. And neither one held its shape well, although there was the occasional time where I seemed to get it sort of right by accident.
So my biggest problem was the wrong ratio of butter to powdered sugar, but my next problem was my method of mixing. I figured this out kind of by accident, one morning a while back while making doughnuts. I made a chocolate buttercream filling which needed to be whipped for about 5 minutes to reach a delightfully light and fluffy state. And when I saw that chocolate filling, how fluffy and soft and silky it was, it hit me. This is what my buttercream should look like.
I started changing my ways. Not immediately - for a while I was still stubbornly clinging to some of my old notions. But now I've given them up completely and I've reformed. So much so that I felt compelled to go back through all my cake recipes on this blog and rewrite the buttercream portion of the recipes, so that none of my older recipes led anyone astray with bad or ignorant techniques. And I can now say that what I've come up with is a perfect buttercream that is easier than you can imagine.
I also learned a secret ingredient in my cake decorating classes I've been taking this month, a secret I thought I'd keep to myself for a while, but now I'm feeling generous after experimenting with it for a while, and I'd like to share that secret with you!
Our teacher used something in the class buttercream, something I'd never heard of before but is available in lots of hobby/craft stores: Meringue Powder. For some reason, a little bit of this powder just makes buttercream behave a little better. So I've started adding it to mine, and it's absolutely foolproof. I think the meringue powder can be optional for the regular buttercream recipes, but I like the stability it seems to add.
And yes, this is a lot of butter. It's buttercream after all, right? And you don't eat it every day.
So here goes...
Perfect American Buttercream Formula:
from Curly Girl Kitchen
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon meringue powder (Optional, but it adds stability. Also, when I originally wrote this post, I noted that you should use 1 tablespoon meringue powder; however, it's very expensive, and a teaspoon should do the trick. When I quadruple this recipe, I use 1-2 tablespoons of the powder.)
- 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Understand that these ratios are a guideline, and may vary slightly depending on certain factors; for example, one day you may need an extra half cup of powdered sugar, because you added strawberry jam to the buttercream. Cream cheese, also, is softer than butter, and it takes more powdered sugar to reach the right consistency for cream cheese buttercreams. But in general, these ratios shouldn't vary a whole lot. I have found that by sticking to this formula, I'm never disappointed in the result.
I also usually add a pinch of salt as well, which is a nice complement to sweet buttercream, especially if you're using nuts like in a butter pecan buttercream. About 1/4 teaspoon of coarse Kosher salt for 3x the buttercream formula is plenty.
Whipping the buttercream not only makes it light and fluffy, but also lightens the color of the butter to a paler shade of yellow, but all-butter buttercream will always be an off-white color, never pure white. If you'd like a really white buttercream, then substitute half the butter with shortening (using half butter and half shortening also makes a very stable buttercream for a cake that's going to be sitting out in warmer weather).
The milk or cream also serves as a "placeholder" for other things you might like to add, such as concentrated syrups (like the champagne reduction in the Pink Champagne Cupcakes), or fruit reductions (such as in the strawberry buttercream for the Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry Cake), etc. If using these sorts of flavor additions, they take the place of the milk, although a little milk may still be needed. Sometimes I don't use the milk at all if my kitchen is extremely warm and the butter is very soft - use your judgement.
Also note that American buttercream is a "crusting" buttercream. This means that after frosting your cake, the surface will slightly dry or crust over, while remaining soft underneath. This happens in about 30 minutes to an hour, and can be sped up by chilling the cake, which is desirable when you've frosted your cake with a crumb coat, and need that to dry and chill before adding your final pretty coat of buttercream. When decorating with things like sugar pearls or sprinkles, you want to add those to your cake before the frosting crusts over. When adding decorative piping (such as all-over rosettes), or "painting" onto your cake with more buttercream (like in this Christmas cake I recently did), do this after the frosting crusts over.
- Beat butter (or butter + shortening) for 1 minute with whisk attachment.
- Combine powdered sugar with meringue powder (meringue powder should not directly touch any liquid). Add to butter and mix on low to combine.
- Add milk and vanilla.
- Increase speed to medium high and whip for 4-5 minutes until impossibly light and fluffy, scraping as needed.
- If using any add-ins, such as chocolate chips, fold them in with a spatula after whipping the buttercream. Be careful of adding whole pieces of fruit or anything that contains water, as it will dissolve the sugar and turn the buttercream too liquidy.
- Chocolate Buttercream: Swap 1/4 - 1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder for the same amount of powdered sugar.
- Coffee Buttercream: Add 1-2 teaspoons espresso powder per each stick of butter, or as much as you like for the strength of the coffee flavor. Dissolve the espresso powder in the milk before adding to the buttercream.
- Mint Buttercream: Add peppermint extract to taste. (Same for other flavors of extracts...)
- Fruit Buttercream (such as strawberry or raspberry): The fruit must be reduced, or the water content will dissolve the sugar, and the frosting will never get thick and fluffy. For frosting a whole cake (3x the recipe), combine 1 cup sliced/chopped berries with 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Let macerate for 1 hour. Puree in blender until smooth, then strain out and discard the seeds. Pour liquid into a small saucepan and reduce over medium low until thick and syrupy - reduce to 1/4 cup. Chill completely. Beat in with the butter instead of the milk.
- Lemon or Lime Buttercream: Add 1-2 tablespoons lemon or lime curd per stick of butter, plus freshly grated lemon or lime zest. Reduce the milk slightly.
- Peanut Butter Buttercream: Substitute half the butter with peanut butter. I've found that whipping the peanut butter for a long time can dry it out. It works much better to fold the peanut butter in after you've whipped the butter and powdered sugar.
- Cream Cheese Buttercream: I think this is tricky, since cream cheese tends to get softer and runnier the more it's whipped instead of light and fluffy like butter. Frosting with just cream cheese is better for spreading over sheet cakes or bars, since it's thinner and runnier. For frosting a layer cake or piping onto cupcakes where a fluffier consistency that can hold its shape is needed, use half cream cheese / half butter, using the formula above, although extra powdered sugar may be needed. Remember 1/2 package cream cheese is equal to 1 whole stick butter. To frost a three-layer 8-inch cake, I will use 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, 1 cup butter, 5 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon meringue powder, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. This makes a beautiful buttercream that can be spread and piped onto layer cakes without losing its shape or sliding off. I almost never need to add milk to cream cheese buttercream.
Another great tip I learned in class is how to make buttercream specifically for piping roses, borders, leaves, etc. While I have used my recipe above for this, it does tend to soften more quickly from the heat of my hand while squeezing the piping bag. If using the Basic Buttercream Recipe above, you may need to stiffen it with more powdered sugar for techniques like piping roses, and I used it successfully to pipe the roses on my Pink Champagne Cupcakes.
The following recipe is from class, and is not intended to frost an entire cake, but simply for the uses noted below...
Class Buttercream:
This recipe is compliments of Desiree Kelly at The Makery:
- 1 cup shortening (not Crisco brand), or 1/2 cup shortening and 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2-4 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla
- 1 teaspoon clear butter extract
- pinch salt
- 1 pound powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon meringue powder
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (not whisk - you don't want to whip a lot of air bubbles into it if you're piping small, intricate details), mix the shortening on low for a few seconds, just so that it sticks to the sides of the bowl.
Add 2 tablespoons water, the vanilla, butter extract and salt and mix on low to combine. Combine the powdered sugar and meringue powder in a separate bowl (the meringue powder should not directly touch any liquid). Add to the mixing bowl, a cup at a time, mixing on low until combined and smooth, adding just enough additional water as needed to keep it from being too dry.
Now that you've made a batch of buttercream for piping, divide it into three equal portions; each portion will be 1 cup of buttercream. For the three portions, you're going to keep one stiff, one medium and one thin consistency.
Stiff: Used for Roses and Vertical Decor
- Use as is; the recipe is already stiff
- Add 1 drop of food coloring, if desired
- Add 1 teaspoon water, per cup of icing
- Add 1 drop of food coloring, if desired
- Add 2 teaspoons water and 1/2 teaspoon Clear Piping Gel (also found in hobby/craft stores)
- Add 1 drop of food coloring, if desired
And there you have it! I hope these methods help you as much as they have helped me. I think you'll be thrilled with the taste, texture and consistency of my buttercream recipe.
As I learn more techniques of piping, I may eventually share some of those tips in a future post.
Happy baking and decorating!
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Book Reviews
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- BookBrowse.com Bookbrowse carefully selects from the most interesting current books and provides you with multiple reviews and a substantial excerpt of each. Some content is available for free, others with your HPL library card.
- Book Lust Forever Nancy Pearl's book review blog
Book Community Sites
- African American Literature Book Club (AALBC) Authors, books, events, reviews, writers' resources, fun stuff, and discussion groups.
- Completely Novel The community for everyone who loves books
- Good Reads a social networking site dedicated to book lovers everywhere. Here you can post up books you've read or are planning to read on your virtual book shelves and get book suggestions based on what others have reviewed.
- LibraryThing "LibraryThing is an online service to help people catalog their books easily. You can access your catalog from anywhere—even on your mobile phone. Because everyone catalogs together, LibraryThing also connects people with the same books, comes up with suggestions for what to read next, and so forth."
- Oprah's Online Bookclub
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- Bookbrowse: Reviews, recommendations, read-alikes, books by theme, author bios and interviews, resources for book clubs, and more. Access from home using your HPL library card number.
- Book Lists
- 2014 Detroit Public Library African American Booklist
- 2013 Detroit Public Library African American Booklist
- 2012 Detroit Public Library African American Booklist
- Bestseller and Awards Lists From BookLetters
- BookLetters - Sign up for book related e-newsletters
- Great Michigan Read
- Kent District Library's Books and Reading Page book lists, staff recommendations, what to read next, etc.
- Overbooked a website for ravenous and omnivorous readers.
- UC Berkeley Summer Reading List themed reading lists aimed at college students.
- Fiction Finder DB free access to over 50,000 author book lists and 200,000 unique titles. In addition FictionDB provides series lists, synopses and pseudonyms - all in a simple, easy-to-use format.
Book Suggestion Sites
- Gnooks offers several literature-related things, as well as a forum, and a book recommender, called Gnod's Suggestions. (LII)
- IRead Wiki, Iowa librarians' Readers' Advisory wiki
- Reader's Almanac From Library of America, offers a daily update, complete with links to special stories recently featured in their critical print editions, along with video features, interviews, and rare items of interest.
- Reading the Past A blog for historical novels
- What Should I Read Next Enter a book you like and the site will analyse our database of real readers' favourite books (over 32,000 and growing) to suggest what you could read next.
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Book Search Sites
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- Fiction Finder Search by place, character, categories, etc. From OCLC.
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- Series and Sequels database provided by the Los Angeles Public Library.
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- What's Next? search for the next book in a series of adult fiction. From Kent District Library.
- Whichbook.net Wondering what to read next? This site may help by narrowing down what you are looking for in a book.
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Topic: Jango vs. Boba
Okay, just imagine these two were in the same time period for awhile...
They're both equally skilled when it comes to Bounty Hunting and fire power. They both have darts, guns, rocket launching jet packs, wrist mounted flame throwers and whipcords.
Boba got Jango licked when it comes to brains, but other than that they're basically the same. Unless Boba does something to outsmart Jango, it would be a pretty even match.
What do you think?
-Rampage, Beast Wars


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I'm practically forcing myself to write code if I manage to stay in VS for longer than said amount of time.
This has been happening for the last couple of months and it only seems to be related to programming activities. Because of it, I haven't written a full program in those months.
What do you think is wrong with me and what should I do?
This post has been edited by Amrykid: 09 April 2011 - 06:09 PM


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Necktie Code: M104-T85
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Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson (10 December 1830 – 15 May 1886 / Amherst / Massachusetts)
» Click to list general statistics » OR, select a date :
Exclusion (The Soul Selects Her Own Society)
The soul selects her own society,
Then shuts the door;
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Obtrude no more.
read more >>
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For any home to look its best it needs to be neat and organized. This of course requires good habits and routines but you'll also need the correct storage for your items. By choosing shoe storage that suits your needs you can help to ensure you keep clutter at bay.
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It's easy to overlook the need for a convenient place to keep your footwear and that's why so many people forget to do so until it causes an unsightly problem. Piles of shoes near the door, in the closet, or under the bed not just take away from your home's appearance but can cause serious clutter. They can be tripped over causing injuries and the shoes can become damaged themselves since they aren't protected. Fortunately there are a few excellent shoe storage ideas to help keep your home looking fantastic. Continue reading


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#GoodToBeBad - Rule Britannia!
Tuesday, 4 February 2014
Jaguar 2014 Big Game Commercial - British Villains 'Rendezvous'
#GoodToBeBad - Rule Britannia!
Posted by Giles at 15:33 0 comments
Thursday, 16 May 2013
First UK TV Advert
The first TV commercial broadcast in Britain on 22-Sep-1955.
Gibbs SR Toothpaste
Posted by Giles at 06:58 0 comments
Thursday, 11 October 2012
Bits from #ComeTo JUMP
...OMG a blog post...
I was lucky enough to be able to attend Econsultancys JUMP event yesterday. Our new media relations product, Lissted, was a sponsor of the event.
I attended a few sessions and these were some of the main findings and take-away tips I thought were worth sharing:
@MattyCurry from www.lovehoney.co.uk/ "How online PR affects online sales"
- For them a print ad with unique coding and a 'soft' pre-watershed TV didn't work at all.
- Novelty topical product attracted more customers (who bought other stuff) and lots of coverage in media.
- 50 shades of grey was an uncontrollable PR opportunity, but they reacted by taking appropriate products with 'jiggle balls' so they appeared on an in-site search. Coined by the phrase 'Searchandising'.
- Now they now the 50 shades publishing cycle, so can react.
- They only really use social for customer service.
- Get to know the photo desks at papers, if you can do a quick turnaround it is easy coverage.
- Defend PPC places by using sub-brand sites if you know you are about to be searched for a lot.
- A good e-commerce page should follow this pattern: Feature ->Recommend->Educate.
@ChrisLaws0n ex-Guardian News "Multichannel campaign and customer experience management"
- Intermediary's are very important, in there case Amazon (Kindle) and iTunes (App store). Treat them with respect.
- The average age of Facebook app user is under 20.
- Guardian are using Facebook data to tailor content and advertising.
- Create something different, don't always try to compete.
- Repurposse content (They put their crossword on mobile).
@Irishneil from http://www.ispymarketing.com "Search and Social"
- Social links (Twitter, Facebook, Google+ etc) are natural and not engineered.
- Content is King, distribution is Queen.
- 200+ people in your brand Google + circles get you a free placing on Google search page for your brand name.
- Check out H&M on Google +.
- Have a Mobile SEO strategy.
- F-commerce works, they know their 'canvas app' has brought in £350K
- Social sponsorship/sharing added £1 million to donations.
@jonnysteel from www.clicktale.com "How to give the customers what they want and make money doing it"
- Remember micro conversions. The main conversion may have not been achieved, but perhaps a micro conversion occurred, like: they found info, they shared on social media or they subscribed to a newsletter.
- Take away distractions from pages where you want conversions.
Posted by Giles at 05:39 0 comments
Thursday, 19 January 2012
The Bark Side: 2012 Volkswagen Game Day Commercial Teaser
Posted by Giles at 02:27 1 comments
Labels: Star Wars, Super Bowl, TV Advert
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...in the city this week. I can't go outside without melting. A new study shows that summertime heat claims more lives than all other weather-related disasters combined, including tornadoes and hurricanes.
from the press release:
"Heat is a stealth killer," says Dr. Scott Sheridan, Kent State associate professor in geography. Funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, Sheridan recently finished conducting a study on how effectively heat warning systems have been implemented in four cities for which he developed heat warning systems, including Dayton, Ohio, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Toronto, Ontario.
Sheridan surveyed residents 65 and older in each of the four regions about their perception of heat vulnerability, their knowledge of options for dealing with the weather, and why they did or did not take action to avoid negative health outcomes during the heat emergency.
He found that almost 90 percent were aware a heat warning was issued, but only about half of the people did anything about it. Many thought messages were targeting the elderly and did not view themselves as part of that group. For those who did change their behavior on hot days, it was not necessarily due to heat warnings issued by weather forecasters but instead based on their own perceptions of heat.
It's Deathly Hot...
Posted by Virginia Hughes at 3:59 PM
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Everyone in Virginia is trying to save money in every way they possibly can and that includes car insurance. Getting the best possible health insurance is very important and you don't want to skimp on the type of coverage you get. You also don't want to pay astronomical prices for great coverage either. So can you save money and get great car insurance at the same time? Absolutely. Here are some helpful tips when choosing the best coverage for you.
Be smart with your money. You want to make sure you are saving money in every area, and getting discounts on your car insurance is also one of the ways you can save.


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Before Nikki Reed landed the role of Rosalie Hale in "The Twilight Saga," the actress had a major advantage over her competition – "Twilight" director Catherine Hardwicke dated her father.
"I have a long history with Catherine Hardwicke, who directed the first film," Nikki told Billy Bush on Monday during an interview for Access Hollywood and "The Billy Bush Show." "I didn't actually audition, but I did meet with everybody involved. I knew about the project long before everybody else… I got a phone call like I think eight or nine months before we started shooting about 'Twilight,' this little tiny book that a select audience enjoyed. It wasn't this big monster machine franchise at the time."
VIEW THE PHOTOS: See The Men Of 'Twilight' - Shirtless!
In addition to previously working with Catherine on 2003's "Thirteen," Nikki's father had dated the director.
"I've known her," Nikki explained. "She dated my father when I was young a brief period of time."
VIEW THE PHOTOS: All Access: Up Close & Personal With The Stars Of 'New Moon' In Los Angeles
"She was almost your stepmother," Billy said.
"That's an interesting word to use," Nikki told Billy. "I don't think I ever felt like she was my stepmother but…yeah."
Nikki said didn't feel awkward when Catherine was replaced by Chris Weitz to direct "New Moon."
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Behind-The-Scenes Glimpses Of 'New Moon'
"It wasn't as dramatic as the media made it out to be," she said. "She was never signed on to all three, or four."
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
PLAY IT NOW: Nikki Reed: What Kind Of Girl Is On Team Jacob Or Team Edward?
PLAY IT NOW: Access Extended: The Cullens Excited Over 'New Moon'
MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: The Twilight Saga - Twilight - Nikki Reed - New Moon - Media


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As "American Idol's" ratings have fallen into the realm of the ordinary over the past few seasons, the narrative surrounding the decline has obscured just how massive and landscape-altering the show was for so long.
"Idol" acquired the nickname the Death Star for a reason: It wiped out everything in its path for years on end, to the point that for a while in the mid-2000s, you could gauge other networks' confidence — or lack thereof, in some cases — in certain shows by the way they programmed opposite "Idol."
It was so big that on several occasions — the Season 2 finale in 2003 and the premieres of Seasons 5-9 — it outperformed the Oscar ceremony in that same season. It ranked No. 1 in adults 18-49 for seven consecutive seasons.
Here's a look at how the show performed over the years, first in adults 18-49*:
And in total viewers:
(*All season ratings figures cited here are combined averages for all airings.)
The early days
"American Idol" started as a summer series back when "summer series" meant "something we're not sure of" even more than it does now. Its premiere on June 11, 2002 drew a 4.8 rating in adults 18-49 and 9.85 million viewers.
At the time, that was promising but hardly world-beating. In the pre-DVR era, and before cable original programming exploded, top network shows had 18-49 ratings in the 9s; "Friends" finished No. 1 in viewers for the 2001-02 season with an average of 24.5 million.
Even midway through its initial run, "Idol" was finishing behind "CSI" and "Everybody Loves Raymond" reruns in viewers (comprehensive 18-49 numbers for that far back are hard to come by).
But it kept building: 5.3 for the Top 10 performances. A 6.3 for the Top 7, then two straight 6.2s and a jump to 7.9 for the Top 4 (Kelly Clarkson, Justin Guarini, Nikki McKibbin and Tamyra Gray). Results shows ran a little behind the ratings for the performance shows but were climbing as well. The season closed with an 8.3 for the Top 3 results, 9.3 for the last performance shows and a 10.7 for the finale on Sept. 4. FOX officially had a hit.
Peak 'Idol'
Season 2 — the Ruben Studdard-Clay Aiken year — exploded, with 18-49 ratings growing by a ridiculous 62 percent (6.2 to 10.2) and viewers by an even more ridiculous 72 percent (12.64 million to 21.74 million). The Season 2 finale drew "Idol's" best numbers ever: 16.8 in 18-49 and 38.06 million viewers.
And then … it kept growing. Though no single episode ever matched the Ruben-Clay finale, "Idol" built on its season-long ratings in each of the next three years. Season 5, with Taylor Hicks, Katharine McPhee and Chris Daughtry, was the show's apex, averaging 12.6 in the demo and 30.75 million viewers. It had a 25 percent lead over the No. 2 series that year, "Desperate Housewives" (10.1).
Season 6 (12.1, 30.26 million) nearly matched the heights of the previous year, and while subsequent years fell off a bit, the show never declined more than 10 percent year-to-year through Season 10 in 2011. It was a remarkably dominant decade.
Back to earth
With Season 11, however, the show took a tumble. While it was still a ratings force, its 18-49 rating fell by 30 percent from the previous year (8.6 to 6.0). With the ratings drop came a flood of "'American Idol' is in trouble" stories, not helped any by the on-screen mess that was Season 12 and the launch in 2011 of "The Voice," which has since taken over as the top-rated talent competition on TV.
Subsequent drops weren't quite as steep, but they did continue (although this final season is actually up a bit over last year). By its final years "Idol" was not a show other networks feared — heck, it's not even No. 1 on FOX anymore.
The fact that it acted like any other aging TV show in its final years, however, doesn't diminish the incredible run it had. It's not overstating anything to say that the nature of TV now very likely means we'll never see a show dominate the ratings by so much, for so long, again.