HealthyLife Articles

Category: Medical News

  • Pap Smear Needed Even With Hpv Vaccine

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Image of women talking with her doctor.

    HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccines that are often recommended to help prevent infections related to cervical and other cancers should not discourage women from also getting a Pap smear, UT Southwestern Medical Center cancer experts said.

    “Women should continue to be screened even if they have undergone HPV vaccination. The vaccine does not target all types of HPV that cause cancer. It is intended to reduce the risk of cancer, but has not been proven to eliminate the need for screening,” explains Dr. Jayanthi Lea.

    Unless you have a history of precancerous lesions, cancer, immune deficiency, or other risks, testing every three years between ages 21 and 65 is sufficient, Dr. Lea said. “There is also the option of combining a Pap test with HPV testing for women over age 30. Screening this way is typically performed every five years.”

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Surprisingly Simple Ways To Prevent Disease

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Image of happy man with thumbs up as he weighs himself.

    Five new studies support simple steps to prevent illness and improve overall health. The American Journal of Medicine reports the following based on multiple studies in several countries:

    *  Eating fresh fish regularly may reduce your risk of colorectal cancer.

    *  Still trying to stop smoking? Try acupuncture and hypnosis. Several studies found smokers had good success.

    *  Have your teeth cleaned regularly. Scaling removes harmful bacteria. You can reduce your risk for heart attack and stroke.

    *  Talk to your doctor about weight loss. People who were moderately obese, followed a diet plan from their doctors (not a weight loss clinic), and stuck with it at least 12 weeks, lost over 10% of their body weight.

    *  Low-dose aspirin, for people who can take it, offers preventive cancer benefits along with heart healthy help.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Understanding Your Gallbladder

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Image of man talking to his doctor.

    The hardest working digestive helper might well be your gallbladder, a pear-sized organ that sits just under the liver and next to the pancreas.

    The gallbladder stores bile, a thick liquid that’s produced by the liver to help digest fat. When you eat, the gallbladder’s thin, muscular lining squeezes bile into the small intestine through the main bile duct. The more fat you eat, the more bile the gallbladder injects into the digestive tract.

    Bile has a delicate chemical balance. It’s full of soluble cholesterol produced by the liver. This is a different type of cholesterol than the kind related to cardiovascular disease. If the chemical balance of bile gets slightly off, the cholesterol can crystalize and stick to the wall of the gallbladder. Over time, these crystals can combine and form gallstones.

    Gallstones can range from the size of a grain of sand to that of a golf ball. When the gallbladder injects bile into the small intestine, the main bile duct can become blocked by these stones. That may cause pressure, pain, and nausea, especially after eating meals.

    Gallstones can cause sudden pain in the upper-right abdomen, called a gallbladder attack. In most cases, though, people with gallstones don’t realize they have them.

    The causes of gallstones are unclear, but you’re more likely to have gallstone problems if you have too much body fat, especially around your waist, or if you’re losing weight very quickly.

    If left untreated, a blocked main bile duct and gallbladder can become infected and lead to a life-threatening situation. A surgeon can remove the gallbladder. You can live normally without it.

    Symptoms of a gallstone attack

    Talk with your doctor if you have:

    *  Severe pain in the upper-right side of the abdomen that starts suddenly and lasts from 30 minutes to many hours

    *  Pain under the right shoulder or in the right shoulder blade

    *  Indigestion after eating foods high in fat or protein, including desserts and fried foods

    Seek help right away if you have these signs of a serious attack:

    *  Abdominal pain that lasts more than 5 hours

    *  Nausea and vomiting

    *  Fever or chills

    *  Yellowish color of the skin or the whites of the eyes

    *  Dark urine or light-colored stools

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Bloody Nose Know-How

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Image of a nose bleed.

    Maybe you blew your nose too hard or bumped your nose. Causes aren’t always known. But when the blood starts gushing, nosebleeds can be frightening.

    Experts at eMedicineHealth tell what to do: Remain calm. Sit up straight and lean your head forward. Contrary to what some people think, do not lean your head back, you’ll only swallow the blood.

    Ice packs do not help either. Pinch your nostrils tightly together with your thumb and index finger for 10 minutes. Just hold it. Breathe through your mouth, of course. Do not release your grip.

    That should stop the blood flow, usually from an artery in the front of your nose. Then be nice to your tender nose for the rest of the day. Think about adding humidity to the air when you sleep, especially in dry winter weather.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Endometriosis: A Mysterious Condition

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Image of women holding her stomach in pain.

    Millions of women are affected by endometriosis. Yet, it remains a mysterious, often painful disease that is difficult to treat. Get to know the symptoms of this condition and what you can do about it.

    Signs of endometriosis include:

    *  Stomach or pelvic pain during menstruation

    *  Nausea or diarrhea during menstruation

    *  Severe menstrual cramps

    *  Infertility without a known cause

    If you think you may have endometriosis, see your gynecologist.

    Treatment options may include:

    *  Birth control pills

    *  Hormonal treatments that stop menstruation temporarily

    *  Surgery (this is often a minimally invasive procedure called a laparoscopy)

    Some women have also found relief with alternative therapies such as acupuncture. Be sure to talk with your doctor about any supplements or medications you are taking. If you plan to become pregnant, talk with your doctor about this as well. Endometriosis can be treated and many women are able to become pregnant with this disease.

    Source: National Institutes of Health

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Kidney Stones Hurt

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Image of male doctor.

    Although they can be painful, kidney stones rarely cause permanent damage, and you may be able to prevent them, according to the National Institutes of Health. Back or side pain that won’t go away is the primary symptom of a kidney stone. You may also have pinkish or foul-smelling urine, a fever, or painful urination. Caucasians are more prone to kidney stones than African Americans, and men are more prone than women. Age is also a factor. The chance of getting a kidney stone rises as men enter their 40s and continues to rise into their 70s. For women, the risk peaks in their 50s.

    Each day, about 50 gallons of blood flows through your kidneys. The kidneys remove waste products including various minerals and other substances from the blood and transfer them into urine so your body can get rid of these waste products. In people who get stones, certain minerals in the urine combine with other waste products and start to form a stone.

    Kidney stones aren’t all the same. The most common type is made of the mineral calcium, combined with either oxalate or phosphate. Less common types of stones are made of uric acid or other chemicals, all of which are naturally found in the body. No one knows why these substances form kidney stones in some people but not in others, since we all have them in our urine.

    Most kidney stones eventually pass out of the body during urination. But some can grow large enough to begin blocking the flow of urine. That causes intense pain and may also put you at risk for infection. Most kidney stones that don’t pass on their own are treated in an outpatient setting. The most common procedure is called lithotripsy. Greek for “stone crushing,” this technique uses shock waves to reduce kidney stones into small fragments, which then easily flow away in urine.

    If you’ve had more than one kidney stone, you’re at higher risk for forming another. But there are ways to help prevent most types of kidney stones. First, your doctor needs to know what type of stone it is. If you pass a stone, try to catch it in a strainer. A laboratory analysis can help your doctor plan a strategy to prevent more stones. Other tests, which may include urine and blood tests, can help your doctor figure out why you had a kidney stone.

    Drinking more water may help prevent kidney stones. Depending on the type of stone you’re at risk for, your doctor may also advise you to avoid certain foods or drinks. For example, people prone to forming calcium oxalate stones should avoid spinach, peanuts, and chocolate. People prone to forming uric acid stones should cut back on meat. Doctors can also prescribe certain medications to help prevent these types of stones.

    Stone watch

    Call a doctor if you have any of the following signs of a kidney stone:

    *  Extreme pain in your back or side that won’t go away

    *  Blood in your urine (it will look pink)

    *  Fever and chills

    *  Vomiting

    *  Urine that smells bad or looks cloudy

    *  A burning feeling when you urinate

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Parkinson’s Disease 2

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Image of older man.

    Parkinson’s disease evolves gradually over time. Early signs may not be noticed. As Americans age, the number of people with this disease is expected to increase.

    Parkinson’s is a brain and nerve disorder. Brain cells gradually malfunction and die. The disease damages brain cells that make a chemical called dopamine. The resulting dopamine shortage causes movement problems, like those seen with TV actor Michael J. Fox, for example.

    Research suggests that eating right and exercising may help reduce or delay symptoms. Potential new treatments are being studied including deep brain stimulation, according to NIH in Health.

    The National Institutes of Health urges patients to find a clinical trial atwww.nih.gov/health/clinicaltrials.

    Know the signs of parkinson’s disease

    *  Movement problems such as shaking or tremor, especially in the fingers, hand, arm, or face

    *  Rigidity, stiffness, or slowness

    *  Problems standing or balancing

    *  Trouble speaking or choosing words

    *  Changes in handwriting

    *  Difficulty completing simple tasks or making decisions

    *  Inability to detect odors

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Take These Small Steps To Manage Diabetes

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Close up image of female hands taking a sugar glucose reading.

    Nearly 26 million Americans have diabetes, and more than a quarter of them do not know it. Left untreated, diabetes can lead to serious problems such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and loss of limbs.

    An estimated 79 million adults have pre-diabetes, a condition that places them at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

    Even if you know what to do to improve your health, figuring out how to do it and fitting it into your daily routine can be a big challenge. Making changes in how you care for your health is a matter of trying and learning.

    The National Diabetes Education Program suggests you make a plan and take small, but important steps to help you reach your goal:

    *  Think about what is important to you and your health.

    *  What changes are you willing and able to make (such as testing your blood glucose, exercising, planning diabetes-friendly meals and snacks)?

    *  Decide what steps will help you reach your health goals (such as talking with your doctor about your blood glucose goal, taking a tour of the grocery store with a diabetes educator, learning how to make healthier meals).

    *  Choose one goal to work on first. Start this week. Pick one change you can start to make right now.

    *  Don’t give up. It’s common to run into some problems along the way. If things don’t go as planned, think about other ways to reach your goal.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Use Antibiotics Wisely

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Image of mother with sick child in bed.

    Antibiotics do not fight infections caused by viruses such as colds, flu, most sore throats, bronchitis, and many sinus and ear infections. Instead, symptom relief might be the best treatment option for viral infections, advises the CDC.

    Get smart about when antibiotics are needed-to fight bacterial infections. When you use antibiotics appropriately, you do the best for your health, your family’s health, and the health of those around you.

    Know that antibiotics

    *  Will not cure a viral infection

    *  Will not keep other people from getting sick

    *  Will not help you or your child feel better

    *  May cause unnecessary and harmful side effects

    *  May contribute to antibiotic resistance, which is when bacteria are able to resist the effects of an antibiotic and continue to cause harm

    Rest, fluids, and over-the-counter products may be your or your child’s best treatment option against viral infections.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Breast Cancer And Rashes

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Image of pink ribbon.

    When you spot a rash on your skin, you probably don’t worry too much about it. After all, most rashes are simply due to minor problems like a mosquito bite, chafing, or an irritating skin care product. Though most rashes are not dangerous, it’s important to pay attention to your skin. A rare, dangerous form of breast cancer known as inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) often starts with a rash or skin changes on the breast. IBC doesn’t cause a telltale “lump” that many people expect from breast cancer. It may not show up on a mammogram either.

    What rashes should be checked?

    Many things can cause rashes on the breast, but some signs should be checked by a doctor. Call your doctor if you notice any of these changes on the breast:

    *  Pain, tenderness or itching on the breast

    *  Skin that looks or feels thicker

    *  An area that feels hard

    *  Skin that has pits or ridges or looks like an orange peel

    *  A nipple that turns inward or changes shape

    *  Swelling that makes one breast look larger than the other

    *  Skin that is swollen

    *  A breast that feels warm or heavy

    Don’t panic – but get checked

    It’s important to know that IBC is very rare. It makes up about 1 to 3 percent of all breast cancer cases.

    Some less serious problems like mastitis (an infection of the milk ducts) can have some of the same symptoms as IBC. If you notice any changes in your breasts, be sure to contact your health care provider.

    The many types of breast cancer

    There are several different kinds of breast cancer. Some start in the milk ducts, glands or other tissue, such as muscle or fat.

    The most common type of cancer is invasive (or infiltrating) ductal carcinoma. This type of cancer makes up about 80 percent of all breast cancer cases. It starts in a milk duct and spreads into the fatty tissue in the breast.

    Be aware of these other breast cancer signs and call your doctor if you notice them:

    *  A lump or mass in the breast

    *  Nipple discharge (not breast milk for nursing mothers)

    *  Pain or swelling in the breast or nipple

    *  Any unusual changes to the breast or nipple, including new moles

    Seeing your doctor for regular visits and getting mammograms as recommended is the best way to detect breast cancer early.

    Source: American Cancer Society

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine