Addiction & Substance Overuse Drug Abuse Among Seniors By Jane Farrell article By Judy Kirkwood The problem of older adults abusing prescription and illicit drugs hasn’t gotten enough attention says Dr. Gaya Dowling, acting chief of science policy branch at NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse). “When we think of drug abuse, we think of young people,” says Dowling. But there has been an undeniable rise in the number of patients over 50 who require intervention and treatment. Many more remain in the shadows, undiagnosed.
_ What You Might Not Know about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome By Jane Farrell article By Judy Kirkwood An estimated 12 million Americans suffer from the painful nerve disorder of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). We’ve heard the term so much that it might start to seem as if CTS is simply something you should live with. But investigators are working on new ways to prevent and cure it.
_ Mental & Emotional Health Emotional Recovery After Public Trauma By Jane Farrell article By Judy Kirkwood Horrific events like the shootings in a Colorado movie theater and a Sikh temple in Wisconsin affect not only those directly or peripherally involved, but also many people who only hear about them on the news. “Such events leave most of us feeling vulnerable, helpless, sad and anxious,” says Linda Ligenza, a consultant to the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare. These killings, unlike those in war, happened in ordinary and familiar settings. This could have been me, we think.
_ Overactive Bladder (OAB) & Incontinence Managing "Urge Incontinence" By Jane Farrell article By Judy Kirkwood If you experience the urge to urinate day and night, even though you just went to the bathroom, you may have Overactive Bladder (OAB). A collection of urinary symptoms, the most prominent being an uncontrollable urge to urinate even though the bladder isn’t full, OAB affects millions of Americans. Although up to 40 percent of American women and 30 percent of men have been identified with OAB, there may well be more people who suffer from it because people don’t like to discuss this kind of problem.
Mental & Emotional Health A Lesson from Mary Kennedy's Death By Jane Farrell article By Judy Kirkwood Mary Richardson Kennedy’s death could not have been unanticipated. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than 90 percent of people who die from suicide have the risk factors of depression and other mental disorders, including substance abuse disorders. Any knowledgeable health provider versed in dual diagnosis could have told the Kennedy and Richardson families that it was not a good idea for Mary to be living alone and to have total responsibility for her finances and health.
_ Relationships & Love John Edwards Is Guilty--Of VIolating Human Decency By Jane Farrell article To me the most compelling news to surface in John Edwards’ trial for alleged violation of campaign finance laws is the scene described last week of Elizabeth Edwards ripping off her blouse and bra and confronting her husband with evidence of her scarred life (physical and emotional - she had a double mastectomy and was battling a recurrence of her cancer). “You don’t see me anymore,” she cried, as ex-aide Christina Reynolds recounted in the federal courthouse in Greensboro, North Carolina.
_ Dr. Marie's Advice About Bacterial Vaginosis By Sondra Forsyth article About 50% of all cases of vaginitis, an inflammation or infection of the vagina, are caused by bacterial vaginosis. If BV is not treated, it can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pelvic pain and possible infertility. It can also lower your defenses against other infections. However in this digital age, when many women are turning to the Internet rather than see a doctor, a recent study found that fully two out of three women with bacterial vaginosis misdiagnosed themselves when they Googled their symptoms.
_ Overactive Bladder (OAB) & Incontinence Urinary Health Dr. Marie's Help for Incontinence By Sondra Forsyth article A 2008 article in the New England Journal of Medicinearticle revealed that 25 percent of perimenopausal women and 40 percent of postmenopausal women report leakage of urine. ThirdAge medical expert Marie Savard, M.D., author of "Ask Dr. Marie," says that the main causes of this annoying condition are decreased estrogen levels and aging pelvic muscles that are losing strength. She adds that obesity can exacerbate the condition, as can asthma, diabetes, a chronic cough, and medications such as diuretics, antihistamines, and antidepressants.
_ Wills & Estates The Best Estate-Planning Tips By Jane Farrell article If you don’t have a will, you are not alone. Half of Americans don’t have a will, a living will, or financial and medical powers of attorney. Yet we know a will and other estate documents would ease our family’s burdens if something happened to us.
Mental & Emotional Health What We've Learned On ThirdAge Forums By Jane Farrell article Join the discussions of thirdage.com articles and other topics on our Forum. Click on the orange FORUMS link on the subjects banner at the top of our home page or click the “Join the Conversation!” link at the bottom of most articles. Take a look at the funny, wise and wonderful conversations you’ve been missing:
_ Parenting The Unspeakable Pain of Losing a Child By Sondra Forsyth article The wrenching news of the three teenage boys whose lives were cut short during the recent school shootings in a little Ohio town touched us deeply here at ThirdAge. Like parents and grandparents across the nation, we were riveted by sorrow and horror as the coverage unfolded. The poignant statement by 16-year-old Demetrius Hewlin's mother and father seemed to us especially moving: "We are very saddened by the loss of our son and others in our Chardon community. Demetrius was a happy young man who loved life and his family and friends.
Rare Disease Day: 1 in 10 People Are Afflicted By Sondra Forsyth article Ten years ago at the age of 44, Liz Gorka was stunned when she was diagnosed with a disease she had never heard of before. Systemic sclerodema is a progressive disorder that causes the hardening of connective tissues and can seriously damage vital organs. As the Mayo Clinic site puts it, "For unknown reasons, the immune system turns against the body . . . Scleroderma has no known cure."
_ Mental & Emotional Health When You Love An Addict By Jane Farrell article How many times have I heard variations of this in the last two weeks? “I can’t understand why Whitney Houston would overdose/abuse drugs/get so drunk, when she had been through treatment and achieved sobriety, a child who needed her, a great career, people who loved her, and such a strong faith.” In fact, I was sitting next to a Miami news anchor at dinner the other night who said the same thing.
Exercise How to Start an Exercise Routine By Sondra Forsyth article Does the word "exercise" make you think of boring routines that feel like an obligation you'd just as soon avoid? Follow our step by step checklist to help yourself get moving and stay on track. Let's make 2012 your year to be a fitness maven. Ready, set, glow! Get Your Docs OK Before You Begin
_ Dr. Marie's Hemorrhoid Advice By Sondra Forsyth article One of our favorite experts, Marie (Dr. Marie) Savard, M.D., confides that back when she gave birth for the first time, she ended up with a huge hemorrhoid that made having a bowel movement exquisitely painful. "I was so preoccupied with my sore bottom that I could barely enjoy my new baby," says Dr. Marie. She adds, though, that this incident inspired her to teach her patients how to prevent and treat hemorrhoids, also called "piles." Here is what you need to know about this nuisance ailment that strikes an estimated 90 percent of us at least once.
_ Foods That Whiten Your Teeth By Jane Farrell article We love the look of pearly whites. But constant bleaching isn’t just costly, it can cause mild to severe pain. If you overdo it, the chemical can eat away at your tooth enamel. The good news is that certain fruits and vegetables will can help make your teeth sparkle naturally. Check them out and you might be able to skip some bleaching treatments.
_ Dr. Marie's Hospital Guide By Jane Farrell article No one is in a better position than a nurse to give you insider information about your hospital stay – unless she's a nurse who went on to become a doctor. Marie Savard, M.D., medical contributor to Good Morning America and the author of Ask Dr. Marie and How to Save Your Own Life, offers these tips for taking charge of your healthcare when you're going to the hospital: