A Microwave Device that Helps Treat Strokes By Jane Farrell article A device that detects different kinds of strokes in patients could be a lifesaving instrument, according to new research. Strokefinder, which is placed on a patientΓÇÖs head, uses microwaves to examine the patientΓÇÖs brain tissue. The device interprets the findings to determine if the stroke is caused by a blood clot or bleeding. The difference between those two kinds of strokes can be crucial in emergency treatment. Researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Sahlgrenska Academy and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, in Sweden, studied 45 patients.
_ The Drug That Improves Anti-Cancer Viruses By Jane Farrell article Combining a widely used medication with a cancer-killing virus might improve the effectiveness of the virus in battling malignancies, according to a new study.
_ Heart Health For Women, Improving Accuracy of Heart Disease Diagnosis By Sondra Forsyth article Diagnosing coronary heart disease in women has become more accurate through gender-specific research that clarifies the role of both obstructive and non-obstructive coronary artery disease as contributors to ischemic heart disease in females, according to a statement published in June 2014 in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.
_ Pain Management Getting Rid of Chronic Pain By Jane Farrell article As people age, chronic pain becomes a real problem. In your younger years, you probably had pain for a short while ΓÇô from a broken arm, say, or a bad toothache. But pain can become a constant, unwelcome companion for older people who have age-related illnesses like arthritis, cancer or diabetes. However, though chronic pain often accompanies aging, that doesnΓÇÖt mean itΓÇÖs something you should put up with. DonΓÇÖt delay going to your doctor. Here, from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), are tips on how to talk to your doctor so your pain problem can be solved.
_ Medical Care Docs Say ΓÇ£AMENΓÇ¥ When Patients Pray for a Miracle By Sondra Forsyth article Cancer clinicians and a chaplain at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have developed a new tool to help doctors, nurses, and other health care providers talk to dying patients and families who are, literally, praying for a miracle.
_ Vision Health AMD: Omega-3 Stops Unwanted Blood Vessel Growth By Sondra Forsyth article Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is characterized blood vessel growth, is the primary cause of blindness in the elderly in industrialized countries. The prevalence of the disease is projected to increase 50% by the year 2020. There is an urgent need for new pharmacological interventions for the treatment and prevention of AMD.
_ Aging Well Discussing Sensitive Subjects With Your Doctor By Sondra Forsyth article Much of the communication between doctor and patient is personal. To have a good partnership with your doctor, it is important to talk about sensitive subjects, like sex or memory problems, even if you are embarrassed or uncomfortable.
_ Men's Health Men with Gout Often Have ED By Sondra Forsyth article A study presented in June 2014 in Paris at the European League Against Rheumatism Annual Congress (EULAR 2014) showed that erectile dysfunction (ED) is present in most men with gout and is frequently severe. A release from EULAR reports that in a survey of 201 men, 83 had gout, of whom a significantly greater proportion had ED (76%) compared with those patients without gout. Also, a significantly greater proportion of gout patients (43%) had severe ED compared with patients without gout (30%).
_ Exercise Heart Health Stress Management Stress-Free Living Why Stress & Overexertion Trigger Heart Attacks By Sondra Forsyth article Scientists believe they have an explanation for the axiom that stress, emotional shock, and overexertion may trigger heart attacks in vulnerable people. Hormones released during these events appear to cause bacterial biofilms on arterial walls to disperse, allowing plaque deposits to rupture into the bloodstream, according to research published in published in June 2014 in mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
_ Mental & Emotional Health Imaging the Adult ADHD Brain By Sondra Forsyth article Brain scans done at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology differentiated adults who have recovered from childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and those whose difficulties linger. The study was published in the June 10th 2014 issue of the journal Brain. A release from MIT notes that about 11 percent of school-age children in the United States have been diagnosed with ADHD. While many of these children eventually outgrow the disorder, some carry their difficulties into adulthood: About 10 million American adults are currently diagnosed with ADHD.
_ When a Loved One Is Diagnosed With Parkinson's Disease By Sondra Forsyth article By Judy Santamaria MSPH The incidence of Parkinson's disease, which is common in people over the age of 60, is expected to rise with the aging of our populations. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that mainly affects movement. The primary symptoms of Parkinson's disease are tremor, rigidity or stiffness of the muscles, slow movement, loss of movement, and balance and walking problems.
_ Exercise What You Need to Know About Exercise As You Get Older By Sondra Forsyth article By Soriyya Bawa While exercise and weight loss are both important elements of any anti-aging regimen, many seniors worry that the risks outweigh the potential benefits. Exercise at an older age means risking serious injury due to falling, injuring the ligaments of the knee, and other forms of musculoskeletal injuries; the risk is even greater if the person is obese. However, a recent study has found that the benefits from exercise at an older age, and the subsequent weight loss, far exceed any possible risk of injury.
Mice With MS Walk Again After Stem Cell Tx By Sondra Forsyth article Mice severely disabled by a condition similar to multiple sclerosis (MS) could walk less than two weeks following treatment with human stem cells. The study, which uncovers new avenues for treating MS, was don e at the University of Utah and published online on May 15th 2014, in the journal Stem Cell Reports.
_ Vision Health No More Eye Drops for Glaucoma By Sondra Forsyth article Scientists from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and the Singapore Eye Research Institute have jointly developed a new nanomedicine, liposomal latanoprost, that will allow glaucoma patients to do away with daily eye drops. The nanomedicine is delivered to the front of the eye via a painless injection and will stay and release the anti-glaucoma drugs slowly over the next six months.
_ Vision Health Five Crucial Questions About Cataracts By Jane Farrell article Cataract is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. Approximately 24.5 million Americans have the lens-clouding eye condition, and the incidence is set to grow by 50 percent by 2020. If theyΓÇÖre not treated through a change in eyeglass prescription or surgery, cataracts can increase the risk of permanent blindness.
_ Pain Management Virtual Reality Therapy for Pain By Sondra Forsyth article Virtual reality as a means of distraction, inducing positive emotions, or creating the perception of "swapping" a limb or bodily area affected by chronic pain can be a powerful therapeutic tool, according to a series of studies done in Belgium, the U.S., Korea, and Spain. Subsequent articles were published in print and online in June 2014 Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking.
_ Dietary Supplements For Osteoarthritis By Jane Farrell article Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritisΓÇöaffecting 27 million AmericansΓÇöand is an increasing problem among older adults. Treatments for osteoarthritis address the symptoms, such as pain, swelling, and reduced function in the joints. Nonmedicinal approaches involve lifestyle changes such as exercise, weight control, and rest.
_ Mental & Emotional Health Mental Illness: What's Normal, What's Not By Jane Farrell article What's the difference between mental health and mental illness? Sometimes the answer is clear, but often the distinction between mental health and mental illness isn't so obvious. For example, if you're afraid of giving a speech in public, does it mean you have a mental health condition or a run-of-the-mill case of nerves? Or, when does shyness become a case of social phobia? Here's some help in telling the difference. It's often difficult to distinguish normal mental health from mental illness because there's no easy test to show if something's wrong.