In a study by psychologists and surgeons concerning elective, open abdominal surgeries conducted in 167 patients, communication by the surgical team that was relevant to the procedure was linked with a reduced risk of the development of surgical site infections. On the other hand, irrelevant communication during the closing phase of the procedure was linked… Continue reading Good Communication in the OR Prevents Patient Complications
Author: Adprime Admin
Women with Knee Osteoarthritis Experience More Pain Than Men Do
Among patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, women experienced greater sensitivity to various pain modalities — such as lower tolerance to heat, cold, and pressure — and greater widespread pain than men. The study was published in October 2015 in Arthritis Care & Research. A release from the pubisher notes that the findings may be… Continue reading Women with Knee Osteoarthritis Experience More Pain Than Men Do
How to Handle Urinary Incontinence
Sarah loves to spend time with her friends talking about her grandchildren and going to exercise classes with neighbors. But she’s started to have a problem that keeps her from getting out. It’s embarrassing, but lately Sarah hasn’t been able to get to the bathroom before she wets her pants. She doesn’t know what’s happening,… Continue reading How to Handle Urinary Incontinence
Should Women Have an Annual Pelvic Exam?
For decades, pelvic exams have been a regular part of a woman’s annual doctor visit. In 2014, new evidence-based guidelines from the American College of Physicians (ACP) recommended against routine pelvic exam for asymptomatic adult women at average risk. The evidence showed that the diagnostic accuracy of the screening pelvic examination for detecting ovarian cancer… Continue reading Should Women Have an Annual Pelvic Exam?
Parental Relationships, Sibling Rivalry, and Fear of Asking for Help
The familiar saying “you can choose your friends but not your family” becomes a glaring reality when adult parents might benefit significantly from a little assistance. The situation may not only be that adult children are concerned about the demands of caring for parents but that adult siblings simply may not get along and refuse… Continue reading Parental Relationships, Sibling Rivalry, and Fear of Asking for Help
In-Person Contact Is Critical to Seniors’ Mental Well-Being
In a study of adults aged 50 years and older, the probability of experiencing depressive symptoms steadily increased as the frequency of in-person, but not phone or written/email contact, decreased. The article was published in October 2015 in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. A release from the publisher reports that people without in-person social… Continue reading In-Person Contact Is Critical to Seniors’ Mental Well-Being
New Dietary Guidelines Must Be Sustainable
The new iteration of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) must incorporate sustainability considerations both for the health and well-being of Americans and the world in which we live, according to an article co-authored by public health and sustainability experts at George Washington and Tufts universities. The paper was published in Science Express in October… Continue reading New Dietary Guidelines Must Be Sustainable
Post-Concussion Symptoms More Serious in Older People
Older patients recover from concussion more slowly than younger ones, according to new research. Functional MR imaging (fMRI) showed different activation patterns during working memory (WM) performance tasks in younger and older patients, confirming the importance of age in the activation, modulation and allocation of WM processing resources after mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), according… Continue reading Post-Concussion Symptoms More Serious in Older People
The Risk of “All-Natural” ED Treatments
Men, beware! Products falsely marketed as “dietary supplements” or “foods” that promise to enhance your sexual performance or increase sexual stimulation might contain hidden drug ingredients or other undisclosed ingredients — and can endanger your health. Thus far, FDA lab tests have found that nearly 300 of these products contain undisclosed drug ingredients. These can… Continue reading The Risk of “All-Natural” ED Treatments
Track Your Spending Habits With a Money-Management App
Money management is probably at the forefront of your mind. While everyone should have a long-term plan for their investments, yours will do you no good if you aren’t also watching your money on a day-to-day basis. You should have a monthly budget, spending categories with soft and hard caps, and a system to keep… Continue reading Track Your Spending Habits With a Money-Management App
Information Handling by Some Health Apps Not as Secure as It Should Be
Some health apps that have been clinically-accredited may not have been complying with principles of data protection, according to research published in September 2015 inthe open access journal BMC Medicine. In some instances health apps were found to be sending unencrypted personal and health information, which means users of these apps may have had their… Continue reading Information Handling by Some Health Apps Not as Secure as It Should Be
Drug Allergies: 6 Questions to Ask Your Doctor
At one time or another, you or someone you know has probably had some sort of allergic reaction. But how can you tell if you’re allergic to a medication or if the “weirdness” you’re feeling is a side effect? The first step is to try to understand the difference between an allergy versus side effect… Continue reading Drug Allergies: 6 Questions to Ask Your Doctor
High-Volume Facilities Better for Nursing Hip Fractures
There isn’t a lot of information available to help family caregivers choose the best skilled nursing facility for an elderly loved one who breaks a hip, but a September 2015 study done at Brown University suggests a potentially useful quality indicator: the facility’s number of hip fracture patients during the prior year. The sweeping new… Continue reading High-Volume Facilities Better for Nursing Hip Fractures
Taming Hot Flashes Without Hormones
Some three-quarters of North American women have menopausal hot flashes, but many cannot use hormones for medical reasons or choose not to. Numerous products and techniques are promoted for hot flashes, but do they work and are they safe? To answer these questions, a North American Menopause Society (NAMS) panel of experts weighed the evidence… Continue reading Taming Hot Flashes Without Hormones
How Women Can Catch Up on Retirement Savings
Because women live longer and earn less money than men, they need to save $126 for every $100 men save in order to have a decent standard of living in old age. And the biggest financial challenge women face is longevity – we live longer than men and are more likely to end up alone… Continue reading How Women Can Catch Up on Retirement Savings
No Link Between Coffee and AFib
There is no association between coffee consumption and an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib), according to research published September 2015 in the open access journal BMC Medicine. The research includes a meta-analysis of four other studies, making it the largest study its kind, involving nearly 250,000 individuals over the course of 12 years. A… Continue reading No Link Between Coffee and AFib
Solve the Medical Riddle: She Has Had a Constant Headache for Two Weeks and Her Pupils Are Not the Same Size, Second Week
Editor’s note: Welcome to our ThirdAge feature that gives you a chance to play medical sleuth as we share the details of what happened when a patient presented with a problem that stumped the physician at first. Last week, the patient reported her symptoms. The doctor proceeded with the examination using the components of the… Continue reading Solve the Medical Riddle: She Has Had a Constant Headache for Two Weeks and Her Pupils Are Not the Same Size, Second Week
Mobile App Records Erratic Eating Habits
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner? For too many of us, the three meals of the day go more like: office meeting pastry, mid-afternoon energy drink, and midnight pizza. In Cell Metabolism on September 24 2015, Salk Institute scientists presented daily food and beverage intake data collected from over 150 participants of a mobile research app over… Continue reading Mobile App Records Erratic Eating Habits