Helensville Hub

04/12/2012

Market day Kaukapakapa Village Market 16th December.

04/12/2012

Queen St Auckland is buzzing with Xmas spirits, hope Helensville is too.

Last night we turned on Queen Street’s beautiful new Christmas lights for the first time – we think they’re pretty magical! Image: Jeremy Toth

28/11/2012

Guys, HelensvilleHub will launch when we reach 100....please spread the words. Cheers from the Team

25/11/2012

Stay Tuned, something is coming your way to Helensville very soon.

22/11/2012

if it helps someone out there with aching limbs

Binoculars to reduce pain?

Yes, it turns out that you can use binoculars to reduce pain in your aching limbs. Just looking through the binoculars at the affected limb decreases the pain considerably, but, and here's the interesting part, it will happen only if you look at it from the wrong end of the binoculars, thus making the image look smaller than it really is.

Researchers at Oxford published a study in the Nov. 25th, 2008 issue of 'Current Biology' (Source 1) in which they claimed that by manipulating the appearance of a chronically achy hand, they could increase or decrease the pain and even swelling itself in patients with aching limbs.

The researchers tried the method in 10 patients with chronic pain and found that the pain in the limbs was considerably reduced with the above method. But the more interesting part came when they discovered that along with the pain, the swelling also was reduced with the help of binoculars.

G. Lorimer Moseley, one of the researchers, said, "The brain is capable of many wonderful things based on its perception of how the body is doing and the risks to which the body seems to be exposed." (Source 2)

This is very much similar to the case of V.S. Ramachandran's technique of reducing phantom limb pain (or even "amputating" the phantom limb) which we have covered earlier: http://tinyurl.com/c5ugrkv

According to the researchers, on many occasions, the experience of pain is directly proportionate to the brain's perception of danger to the affected limb. And if it looks bigger, it looks more sore and more swollen and the brain acts to protect it (in effect, yelling "Don't touch"). Thus, by reversing the effect with the help of looking at the aching part from the other end of the binoculars, the pain and swelling can be reduced.

Source:
1) http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822%2808%2901259-1
2) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081125141610.htm
3) http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/jeremy-laurance-in-pain-a-pair-of-binoculars-might-be-the-best-medicine-1044077.html

Image:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_N5lQtl6DfL0/TE7WRzSBRcI/AAAAAAAACn4/U3drk2-u6k4/s1600/SHRINK.jpg

08/11/2012

Historical - Long Live Helensville http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/rodney-times/7856944/Helensville-turns-150-in-style

Thousands of people turned out to celebrate Helensville's 150th birthday during Labour Weekend.

02/10/2012

A very sad day in Helensville, our thoughts and prayers to someone very special and family :(

28/09/2012

Kaipara Medical Centre - what a piece of art! This must be Jeff Thomson's work....pretty awesome. www.jeffthomson.co.nz for some more tasteful stuff

I checked out the sculptures on the new ambulance ramp at Kaipara Medical Centre in Auckland today.

26/09/2012

Ok guys, Helensville Hub is going to get pumping soon. Looking for an admin! If you're fab, have heaps of great thinking for the community, smart and witty please send me a message. There will be a reward of course for your hard work :) Don't miss out ~ cheers

26/09/2012

Paintball shooting..how fun is this?

26/09/2012

Spring is here, Daylight Savings approaching....time to dive in the sky while you still have time :)

Falling from 16,500ft above cotton wool clouds anyone ??? YES PLEASE!!!

20/02/2012

Kaipara Classic Car club BURNOUT COMPETITION - 10 MARCH 1.00pm, SWALEYS YARD HELENSVILLE!!