What Could Your Scary Symptoms Mean?

Retirement Better for Health than Work

2013-05-17T09:14:00.001-07:00

Maybe you should retire at the first opportunity to avoid the health ravages of stress.

Your cardiovascular system and metabolic processes can be harmed by workplace stress. Ongoing stress creates inflammation throughout the body, which then can fire up disease processes in the cardiovascular system as well as other systems.

It’s nothing new that work can literally make a person sick, and that there’s a reason why you never hear about “retirement place stress.”

But yet a new study (from the Helmholtz Zentrum München) shows that work leads to stress that leads to cardiovascular disease. The full report is in the journals Brain, Behavior, and Immunity and Psychosomatic Medicine.

The investigation, led by Dr. Rebecca Emeny, shows that healthy workers who were subjected to workplace stress had highly elevated inflammatory parameters. They also had twice the risk of cardiovascular disease. Stress is a risk factor for heart disease.

Stress from work also leads to mental ailments like depression, and causes insomnia. Working also leads to unhealthy behaviors such as lack of exercise.

Here’s something to wonder about: Ever notice how unhealthy elderly people who still work look? Though many retired elderly people are quite frail and sickly, next time you’re out and about, take notice of elderly people who are bagging groceries, greeting people at stores or holding down some other form of employment.

Though in general, elderly people don’t exactly look like they can jump through hula hoops, it seems to be a general phenomenon that elderly people who still work appear to be in much poorer shape and health than they should be for their age.

Source:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130423090940.htm

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Surgery, Drugs, Watchful Waiting

2013-05-13T22:06:00.002-07:00

ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSM INFORMATION

Visit the links below to find the answers to your questions about an abdominal aortic aneurysm:

-Is abdominal aortic aneurysm caused by genetics?

-Endovascular vs. surgical repair

-Are beta blockers effective at shrinkage?

-Endovascular repair for AAA near renal artery

-How often should small abdominal aortic aneurysms be followed?

-New research on a drug that may shrink an AAA

-Survival rates for endovascular repair vs. open surgery

Peripheral Neuropathy Misdiagnosis: Doctors Miss Disease

2013-05-13T21:33:00.003-07:00

Just because doctors haven’t mentioned peripheral neuropathy as the cause of your pain, doesn’t mean you can’t have it.

“Peripheral neuropathy” means disease of the nerves of the peripheral nervous system, and I know at least one person who’s been recently diagnosed with this -- after it was missed for the past four years by a steady stream of doctors: my father.

For about four years he’d been complaining of pain in his legs, and several doctors attributed this to problems with his low back, including spinal stenosis. Two endoscopic back surgeries didn’t help.

Another doctor said it was from osteoarthritis of the hip and recommended a hip replacement, which my father had; it did no good.

He’s had three knee replacement surgeries by two orthopedic surgeons who both said that the leg pain was caused by osteoarthritis in his knees. The second surgeon, who did the third knee surgery (a revision) said that the pain could very well be from a failed knee replacement.

What seems to make it easy for doctors to miss peripheral neuropathy is when the patient actually has these other conditions, which are easily proven with X-rays and MRIs. My father has had more than one primary care physician over this time period, who named back and knee problems, as well as old age, as probable causes of the leg pain.

Other proposed explanations for the leg pain was a knee infection, and allergic reaction to the knee replacement device. Early on, an adverse side effect to my father’s use of a statin drug was suspected, but ruled out after he went off the statin but the leg pain continued.

Strangely, none of these many doctors came up with, “You know, this very well could be peripheral neuropathy. Let’s aggressively pursue this possibility.”

Peripheral Neuropathy Doesn’t Necessarily Work Alone

If you have degenerated knees or lumbar discs, this doesn’t mean you can’t also have peripheral neuropathy adding to your lower body pain, burning and tingling.

Peripheral neuropathy is associated with diabetes; diabetes is the most common cause. A doctor may rule out peripheral neuropathy if you don’t have diabetes (my father doesn’t), and especially if you have other “differentials” that can explain the leg pain, such as degeneration of the lumbar spine as shown on imaging tests.

How did my father finally get diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy? His assortment of doctors would have continued to miss this had he himself not decided one day to review his medical records over the past four years.

He’d had an EMG about three years ago and the doctor said he had “nerve damage.” However, that doctor, plus his primary care doctor at the time, didn’t further pursue this “nerve damage,” and thus, my father had thought nothing of it.

My father found the words “peripheral neuropathy” in the paper work as a diagnosis, and was floored that nothing ever came of this; no further workups or recommended drugs. He immediately contacted his newest PCP, who in turn ordered blood tests to rule everything else out.

Within 24 hours of the blood tests, my father was prescribed Nortriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant that’s also used to suppress the pain of peripheral neuropathy. At the time of this writing, he has not yet gotten the prescription because it was ordered late Friday afternoon.

Why, after four years, did so many doctors not think of peripheral neuropathy? And why didn’t the EMG neurologist pursue it? It’s because sometimes, the patient knows more than their physician.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair: Short Term Mortality

2013-05-07T20:28:00.001-07:00

Find out why the short-term mortality rate is high for an abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

For this article I consulted with Dr. Moji Gashti, Chief, Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, MD.

Dr. Gashti explains, “Most randomized control trials indicate the 30-day perioperative mortality for elective repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm is about 5%. This is major surgery and presence of a AAA is a marker for other significant cardiovascular disease. As a matter of fact, beyond the 30-day, most people die from other cardiovascular causes, such as MI, CVA, etc.”

MI = myocardial infarction (heart attack).

CVA = cerebral vascular accident (stroke).

Time it Takes DVT to Become PE Once It Dislodges

2013-05-07T20:26:00.001-07:00

When a DVT breaks off, how long does it take to embolize in the lung?

For this article I consulted with Dr. Moji Gashti, Chief, Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, MD.

Dr. Gashti explains, ‘Generally it is immediate (do not know the exact time period), but by far the majority remain clinically silent since they can be very small.”

Imagine that you have a DVT anywhere in your leg, and suddenly, a part of it breaks off or dislodges. This clot material then gets swept up by the venous flow that returns de-oxygenated blood to the lungs.

This is akin to tossing stuff in a river, and the flow of the river carries it downstream. Of course, veins in the legs pump blood “upstream,” but the principle is the same: The bits of DVT immediately get carried away with this blood circulation and, like Dr. Gashti says, the time lapse is immediate from when the clot dislodges to when it arrives in the lung (pulmonary artery).

Though most don’t produce symptoms due to being very small, this doesn’t negate the estimated 300,000 U.S. deaths every year to a pulmonary embolus. A pulmonary embolus is a common event in the population.

If you suspect a DVT, and knowing that if it dislodges, the occurrence of a pulmonary embolism will be literally within seconds, don’t delay getting yourself checked out in the emergency room. Better safe than sorry.

Related Reading

-Strongest risk factor for a DVT

-Most common causes of blood clots in children

Can You Get a Pulmonary Embolus without a DVT?

2013-05-07T20:24:00.001-07:00

Find out the interesting answer to the question: Can a pulmonary embolus form in the absence of a DVT?

For this article I consulted with Dr. Moji Gashti, Chief, Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, MD.

Dr. Gashti explains, “By definition a PE is an ‘embolus’ that has traveled to the lungs. An embolus is a thrombus (blood clot) that is dislodged from one place and ends up in another. It can be both venous and arterial. Of course a pulmonary embolus must have a venous source.”

In other words, in order for a blood clot to end up in a pulmonary artery, it has to travel there somehow, and the only way is via veins (venous pertains to veins).

“I assume that one can form a thrombus de novo [originating from] in a pulmonary artery, but that would not be considered a PE.” Remember, embolus refers to a blood clot that has dislodged. So if the clot originates in the lungs, it’s not a “pulmonary embolus.”

“Not infrequently a patient has a pulmonary embolus, but a source cannot be found,” continues Dr. Gashti. “In these cases the possibilities include: thrombus completely broke off from the original vein and therefore none can be found now; thrombus was in a vein in the upper extremity which normally is not studied in a patient with a PE unless clinically indicated, or that it came directly from the right heart (after open heart surgery), after having a heart attack, or from a tumor, i.e., myxoma.”

Can DVT Cause Swelling only in the Ankle?

2013-05-07T19:34:00.003-07:00

A physician answers the question: Can a DVT cause only the ankle to become swollen?

For this article I consulted with Dr. Moji Gashti, Chief, Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, MD.

When I asked if a deep vein thrombosis can cause swelling only in a person’s ankle, Dr. Gashti explained, “That would be unusual, unless the very distal tibial veins are thrombosed, in which case it would not be of great significance, again because these emboli would be very tiny.”

The distal tibial veins are the veins in the front or anterior of the lower leg where the tibia bone is. The tibia is the larger of the two lower leg bones. Distal means distant from the center of the body, so in this case, the location would be near the ankle.

Thus, if a DVT forms near the front of the lower leg near the ankle, the clots would be, as Dr. Gashti says, “very tiny,” and thus not potent enough to cause swelling going up the leg, but rather, more likely confining it to only the ankle.

Related Content

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-Best way to prevent DVT when on birth control pills

Why So Many DVTs Are Missed after Surgery

2013-05-07T19:32:00.002-07:00

A doctor explains why so many DVTs get missed post-op.

For this article I consulted with Dr. Moji Gashti, Chief, Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, MD.

I wondered if this had anything to do with the fact that many DVTs produce no symptoms. After all, nurses check a patient’s legs after surgery on a regular basis. After my father’s four joint replacements, nurses were always inspecting his legs for signs of a deep vein thrombosis.

“Yes, a significant number of DVTs remain asymptomatic, particularly if they involve the smaller (tibial) veins,” says Dr. Gashti. “Even a venous Doppler has a high false negative rate when it comes to these veins.” False negative means that a procedure missed what it was looking for.

“A lot of patients after knee or hip surgery would have pain and swelling related to their surgery anyways; it can be difficult to know if their symptoms are related to their surgery or DVT. It may not be practical or cost effective to study all of these patients.”

“Most of these DVTs would be labeled as provoked, most often secondary to central venous catheters,” says Dr. Gashti. “Generally these are focal and limited to the site of the catheter (most often in the internal jugular vein). These can be watched.

“But if the thrombus extends to the subclavian/innominate veins, then most physicians would consider anticoagulation if there are no contraindications.” Following CABG, a patient can bleed to death from anticoagulant drugs.

“If anticoagulation is contraindicated, then an SVC filter would be indicated,” says Dr. Gashti. SVC stands for superior vena cava, a large vein that transports de-oxygenated blood from the upper body to the heart.

“The SVC is much shorter than the IVC [inferior vena cava], and therefore placement of a filter in the SVC is technically more challenging. You have to make sure the length is adequate. Currently there are no filters in the market indicated for SVC and if you place one, it would be off label. I have only placed a handful of these in 14 years of practice.”

Related Content

-Best way to prevent DVT when on birth control pills

-How long can a DVT measure?

-What to do if you suspect a DVT but the ultrasound is negative

DVT in Neck after CABG: Shouldn’t Patient Get SVC Filter?

2013-05-07T19:31:00.001-07:00

What should be done when a patient gets a DVT in the neck after coronary bypass surgery? Seems like an SVC filter should be placed, no?

For this article I consulted with Dr. Moji Gashti, Chief, Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, MD.

Following coronary bypass surgery (a.k.a. CABG), it’s possible for a patient to develop a DVT in the neck. This happened to my mother following her CABG. “She has a big DVT,” I was told by the nurse after results of the ultrasound came in.

But nothing was done. At the time, I didn’t know about the SVC filter, which is designed to prevent a dislodged portion of a DVT from entering the lungs and becoming a pulmonary embolus.

After learning about the SVC filter, I’ve always wondered what the doctors’ responses would have been had I insisted on an SVC filter placement for my mother.

Related Content

-Best way to prevent DVT when on birth control pills

-How long can a DVT measure?

-What to do if you suspect a DVT but the ultrasound is negative

Risk of DVT in People Confined to Wheelchairs

2013-05-07T19:29:00.002-07:00

Is deep vein thrombosis common in people who use wheelchairs?

For this article I consulted with Dr. Moji Gashti, Chief, Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, MD.

Since prolonged “inactivity” is a risk factor for developing a DVT, the logical conclusion would be that this condition is quite common in people whose legs are completely paralyzed and thus are confined to a wheelchair.

Complete paralysis, for the sake of this article, means that the person cannot move, at all, their lower limbs (such as from a severed spinal cord), versus someone who has a neurological disease (such as multiple sclerosis) and can yield minute movements throughout the day while in a wheelchair.

Dr. Gashti explains, “Immobility is only one of the three factors leading to DVT; the other two being intimal injury [to a vein] and a hypercoagulable state. In addition I am not sure if we can make the statement that DVT is not common in wheelchair bound people; symptomatic DVT may be. Again, majority of these can remain asymptomatic and/or missed. I am not aware of any studies that have looked at this population.”

I did a little searching on this and came up with one study that looked at DVT prevalence in people with late stage multiple sclerosis who were confined to a wheelchair.

The report is in the April 2010 Thrombosis Research. The investigation involved 132 patients. Deep vein thrombosis was present in 58 (43.9 percent).

Furthermore, 32 percent had a history of VTE: venous thromboembolism, the term that pertains to the phenomenon of a deep vein thrombosis dislodging and embolizing in the lungs.

The conclusions include that the rate of DVT in late stage MS may exceed 40 percent, and that doctors should “consider the systematic application of long-term preventive measures” for this demographic.

Related Reading

-Why are so many DVTs missed after surgery?

-Why coumadin (Warfarin) doesn’t always prevent DVT

-How long after air travel is DVT risk present?

Why Coumadin Doesn’t Always Prevent DVT

2013-05-06T18:41:00.006-07:00

Find out why Coumadin is not 100 percent effective against DVT in everyone who takes this drug.

For this article I consulted with Dr. Moji Gashti, Chief, Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, MD.

Why do DVTs occur in some people on Coumadin?

“A hypercoagulable state is certainly one cause of treatment failure,” says Dr. Gashti. This can mean a clotting disorder that has not been diagnosed.

“Other causes include tolerance to Coumadin (for example people with a known malignancy, and DVT would do better with Heparin than Coumadin),” adds Dr. Gashti.

Inadequate dosing can be another reason why a person can develop a DVT while on Coumadin. “You need to make sure that the INR is in the therapeutic range (generally 2.5-3.0).” This is determined by routine blood tests. The INR is the “clottability” of blood. A higher number corresponds to thinner blood.

“In addition foods with high levels of vitamin K can render Coumadin therapy ineffective,” says Dr. Gashti.

When my parents were on Coumadin, they were instructed by nurses, as well as a pamphlet, about consumption of dark leafy green vegetables such as kale and spinach, which are high in vitamin K. The consumption had to be consistent throughout the medication therapy.

This meant that if a patient normally eats two dark green salads per week, they can continue doing so as long as the quantity doesn’t change. While on this blood thinner, they should not then suddenly jump to four salads per week.

If you’re on Coumadin to prevent a DVT, make sure you have full instructions regarding vitamin K consumption.

Related Content

-How long can a DVT measure?

-What to do if you suspect a DVT but the ultrasound is negative

How Long After Air Travel Is DVT Risk Present?

2013-05-06T18:40:00.002-07:00

A doctor addresses the question of how long after flying does a person continue to be at risk for a DVT developing.

For this article I consulted with Dr. Moji Gashti, Chief, Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, MD.

Dr. Gashti explains, “As far as I know, DVT forms while traveling. So once you are no longer in the air and resuming normal activity/oral intake, your risk should be at baseline.”

Do not confuse this with the phenomenon of symptoms of a deep vein thrombosis occurring days after the plane has landed! Some patients do not make this association, since they believe that a blood clot from air travel would necessarily show symptoms right away.

But this is not necessarily so. After your plane has landed, and especially if it was a long flight and you have risk factors for DVT such as oral contraceptive use, or if you didn’t move much during the air travel and were not well-hydrated…be on the lookout for suspicious symptoms:

-Swelling in only one leg

-Pain in calve or behind knee

-Redness in calve

-Warmth in calve

-Pain upon touching the calve or while walking

-Fainting soon after the flight

-Sudden difficulty breathing and/or chest pain

-Sudden difficulty breathing but NO other symptoms? Call 911.

-Strongest risk factor for a DVT

Fibromyalgia Pain: Moderate Exercise Can Help

2013-05-06T12:01:00.003-07:00

If you suffer from fibromyalgia pain, moderate exercise can really help you out.

Though it may seem, from an intuitive standpoint, that if you have pain from fibromyalgia you should avoid exercise, this would be a mistake.

Research from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center reports that exercise will not worsen fibromyalgia pain, and in fact, may even improve this symptom when done consistently.

Light, even moderate exercise, can be beneficial to those with fibromyalgia pain.

The senior study author, Dennis Ang, MD, advises that light to moderate activity over the course of time improves symptoms associated with this condition such as insomnia and fatigue, while preserving the patient from worsening discomfort.

The key is to STICK WITH IT, rather than stop after only a few weeks due to what seems like the activity making the pain worse. Patients must not fear working out, says Dr. Ang, and that physical activity needs to be sustained and consistent, rather than flash in the pan.

The report defines moderate exercise as brisk walking or light jogging 20 minutes a day.

The study showed that subjects who performed moderate level exercise for at least 90 days experienced greater benefits to clinical symptoms, when compared to subjects who were not able to perform higher levels of activity.

Dr. Ang stresses that long-term exercise is not linked to increased pain in fibromyalgia patients. Doctors believe that this condition involves disturbances in how the central nervous system processes pain signals, and that it is NOT “all in one’s head.”

Source: sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130502115525.htm

Virus Kills Melanoma Cells, Leaves Normal Cells Alone

2013-05-06T11:58:00.002-07:00

Here is an exciting discovery in the fight to wipe out the deadliest of skin cancers, melanoma.

A virus called vesicular stomatitis is prolific at locating, infecting and destroying human melanoma cells in the lab while hardly affecting normal cells, says research from Yale University School of Medicine.

"If it works as well in humans, this could confer a substantial benefit on patients afflicted with this deadly disease," reports Anthony van den Pol, one of the researchers.

Cancer cells, including melanoma, are not efficient at resisting a viral attack. The scientists speculated that perhaps a virus could defeat melanoma cells before the patient’s immune system could eliminate the virus.

The human melanoma cells were implanted in a mouse model, and then the virus was infused, selecting out the melanoma but showing little activity towards normal mouse cells. More research will be ongoing.

Source: sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130423135710.htm

Related Content

-What’s an “atypical” mole?

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Women’s Liver Disease: Fatal Results from Drinking, Overweight

2013-05-06T11:54:00.000-07:00

The combination of being overweight and drinking alcohol in women raises the risk of chronic liver disease, says a new, large study.

So though a woman may already connect liver disease to drinking, this problem is compounded if she’s carrying excess body fat.

The new study found that a “combination of a woman's drinking habits and weight has an important effect on liver health and life expectancy," says Dr. Daniele Prati.

Body mass index (a height and weight calculation) was used for the study. A BMI equal to over over 25 is considered overweight. The investigation found that liver disease risk in the women was greatly increased in those with a high BMI plus high intake of alcohol.

Dr. Prati points out that women are particularly at risk for chronic liver disease because their bodies are twice as sensitive when compared to men when it comes to alcohol related liver damage.

In short, women are more likely to develop severe liver disease with lower intake of alcohol when compared to men.

Dr. Prati adds that a woman who drinks a lot yet has a low BMI is at greater risk for chronic liver disease than is a woman who’s very overweight but doesn’t drink. Of course, the best combination is low BMI and abstinence from alcohol.

More research is needed to figure out exact thresholds for each risk factor, but this investigation “is an important first step in the right direction," says Dr. Prati.

Source: sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130425091608.htm

Diarrhea, Stomach Pain: Crohn’s Disease—PillCam Can Diagnose

2013-04-29T16:47:00.006-07:00

Suffer from stomach pain & diarrhea?

This could be Crohn’s disease, which can be diagnosed by swallowing a pill that has a camera.

Crohn’s disease often presents with two key symptoms: diarrhea and stomach or abdominal pain. The diagnosis can be missed by more common tests, resulting in a misdiagnosis.

For example, 24-year-old Sarah had been suffering from diarrhea and abdominal pain, and underwent many tests, getting no answers. Finally she was given the PillCam SB, and was diagnosed correctly with Crohn’s disease.

What is Crohn’s?

It’s a type of Inflammatory bowel disease that can affect any point along the GI tract, and other than abdominal or stomach pain and diarrhea, can also cause blood in the stools, ulcers, appetite suppression, weight loss, fatigue, arthritis, fever, skin disorders, mouth sores and an inflamed liver.

These symptoms, particularly if limited to diarrhea and stomach pain, can also mean many other conditions. Thus, if you suffer from abdominal pain or cramping, and diarrhea, it’s crucial to get an accurate diagnosis.

There’s no cure for Crohn’s, and in three-quarters of patients, lesions exist in the small bowel.

Historically, it’s been difficult for doctors to visualize via instruments the small bowel. Yet this area is crucial for ongoing monitoring for Crohn’s patients, even when symptoms are in remission. In fact, this disorder can progress in the bowel without a symptom presentation.

Options for the direct visualization of the gastrointestinal tract need to be discussed amongst patients and their physicians, says Joel R. Rosh, MD, director of pediatric gastroenterology, Goryeb Children's Hospital/Atlantic Health in NJ.

Many patients, continues Dr. Rosh, express a concern over the exposure of radiation from conventional tests. Many also don’t like the sedation involved.

To assess activity of the Crohn’s condition, doctors typically use a CAT scan, which emits radiation. "Traditionally, most of the small bowel could only be visualized with X-rays,” says Dr. Rosh, “which can miss important diagnostic details,” plus expose people to undesirable radiation levels.

Camera in a Pill: PillCam SB

PillCam SB is capsule endoscopy, a non-invasive, non-radiation method of viewing the lining of the lower bowel, yielding a better view than what a CT scan can deliver. PillCam SB is a “convenient and accurate tool for monitoring disease activity and response to therapy," Dr. Rosh says.

How big is the FDA-approved PillCam SB?

It’s 11 mm x 26 mm and contains an imaging device plus light source. It rapidly transmits images, totaling over 50,000 pictures per procedure duration. Patients as young as two years can use this device, considered the gold standard for evaluating the small bowel.

For those with Crohn’s disease or any disorder who are concerned about any risks from PillCam SB, those risks include retention or aspiration of the capsule, or skin irritation. The endoscopic placement of the capsule may also pose some risks.

If you have unexplained stomach pain and/or diarrhea, make an appointment with a gastroenterologist.

Source: www.givenimaging.com

Noise Induced Hearing Loss Causes, Prevention, Who’s at Risk

2013-04-29T00:12:00.000-07:00

Noise pollution is a very real problem, says the EPA, yet few people take the risks of hearing loss seriously.

We are still in the Dark Ages when it comes to understanding the risks of noise pollution for hearing loss and also its effects on general health.

Humans did not evolve in a loud, noisy environment.
The nerve cells in our ears are fragile and cannot be regenerated once they’re destroyed by the onslaught of loud sounds.

Hearing loss from noise is so permanent that even type II diabetes is more reversible!

To learn more about this growing problem in America, visit the articles below:

-Why hearing protection is so well-worth it

-Why you should wear earplugs at sporting events

-The dangers of subway noise

-Learn why elderly people can have good hearing

-Why every teenager should have hearing protection at concerts

-Motorcycle engine vs. helmet wind: which is worse for ears?

-Why hunters need ear protection

-Is ADHD “noise sensitivity” a myth?

-Can being around screaming kids cause hearing loss?

-Hearing loss from group fitness classes: truth or hype?

-Can slamming weights at the gym cause hearing loss?

Can Being Around Screaming Kids Cause Hearing Loss?

2013-04-29T00:09:00.002-07:00

An audiologist addresses a fair question: Can hearing be damaged by screaming children?

I was inspired to interview an audiologist for this article because my sister has been diagnosed with bilateral moderate hearing loss.

She has three kids and two are particularly loud, the whoop-and-holler type. A game of Scrabble will get these teen girls quite loudly excited. They also have a habit of yelling out to their mother when they want her attention.

By the time they were 17 and 15, my sister had been diagnosed with the hearing loss. That’s a lot of years to be exposed to loud kids. Being that these girls were so loud as teenagers, I can imagine that when younger, they did a lot of screaming when playing or when excited.

After I told the expert source for this article that my sister has always worked in quiet environments, didn’t wear earbuds, blast her music, hang around loud machinery, shoot guns or participate in other loud activities, here is what my expert source stated:

“I suppose it is fair to conclude that repeated exposure to screaming children over a period of many years could have caused her moderate nerve type hearing loss,” says Rachel Raphael, M.A., CCC-A, an audiologist with Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.

“For those who worked in daycare or around loud children, we usually don't consider that a risk factor for noise induced hearing loss, but I'm sure there are exceptions. Once again, not only the loudness/intensity of the sound, but individual susceptibility and length of exposure must be considered.”

Hearing Loss from Group Fitness Classes: Truth or Hype

2013-04-28T23:59:00.002-07:00

Anybody who’s health conscious will want to know the truth about hearing loss dangers from pounding music in group fitness classes.

For this article I consulted with Rachel Raphael, M.A., CCC-A, an audiologist with Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. She’s also a certified group fitness instructor.

Imagine you, the group fitness class enthusiast, are transported back in time about 60 years. Your mission is to spread the word that smoking damages the lungs.

Yeah, right. People will think you’re nuts. Cigarettes are offered to passengers on airplanes. Print ads for cigarettes say, “Just what the doctor ordered.” Ads for cigarettes are all over TV.

It took decades for the truth about smoking’s hazards to be taken seriously. Unfortunately, this same denial continues to be playing out when it comes to the damage that thundering music in group fitness classes causes to hearing.

Attend enough fitness classes and you’ll get hearing loss.

Raphael explains, “It is true that group fitness participants like their music loud to be motivated to move in their workouts. The catchphrase of my popular Les Mills certifying agency (out of New Zealand) was ‘Turn It Up!’ which kind of makes me cringe knowing the potential danger in blasting our music.”

Vast Majority of Fitness Class Instructors in Denial about Hearing Loss Risk

“As an audiologist, I have an obligation to limit the output of the music, and not ‘turn it up,’ so that I don't cause hearing loss in the participants,” says Raphael. “I believe there is a happy medium where the music can be loud enough without being dangerously loud.”

The music in fitness classes is louder today than it was in the 1970s, even ‘80s. It seems to be getting louder and louder. The excessive amplification of the group fitness class leader’s microphone makes the issue even worse.

Raphael says that she jokes to her class she’d be happy to fit them with hearing aids “in the near future if they insist on louder music!”

Group Fitness Classes Are Not Night Clubs or Rock Concerts

The music volume, says Raphael, “should never be in the category of rock concert loud (approximately 120 decibels), or to where people experience tinnitus (ringing in the ears; phantom ear noises) or fullness in the ears following the exposure (a sign of temporary threshold shift), like is often reported after rock concerts.”

Good hearing just as important as good cholesterol, good bone health and good muscle tone!

“Typically, the rule of thumb is sounds of 85 dB (average factory) or louder are potentially damaging to the fragile hair cells of the inner ear cochlea (length of exposure and individual susceptibility also play a big role), and people should limit their duration and/or use hearing protection in their presence.”

Performing complicated or grueling moves in a fitness class will not protect even the fittest person from hearing loss when the music is thundering. Unlike heart disease, hearing loss is NOT reversible.

Can Slamming Weights at Gym Cause Hearing Loss?

2013-04-28T23:54:00.000-07:00

It’s time for the big boys to admit it: Slamming and banging weights will likely damage hearing over time.

For this article on hearing loss resulting from weights being thrown, slammed and banged around at gyms, I consulted with Rachel Raphael, M.A., CCC-A, an audiologist with Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. She’s also a certified group fitness instructor.

An audiologist is an expert in hearing loss, measures people’s hearing and fits patients with hearing aids.

Raphael explains, “I never actually took a sound level meter to the smashing of weights in a weight room, but it is likely that even short durations of loud intense weights dropping, can have the same potential damage to hearing as a shotgun blast or an air bag deploying (both estimated at 140 dB).”

I’ve been lifting heavy weights for years and years, and I’ll admit, even the loudest sound of a 400 pound barbell crashing to the floor from an uncontrolled deadlift doesn’t seem as loud as a shotgun blast.

However, Raphael is pointing out that the banging and clanging of weights need not be as loud as a shotgun blast to cause hearing loss.

So how loud IS all the smashing and banging of weights at a gym?

Imagine when it really gets loud. This can be either from a number of men banging the metal plates together when loading barbells or other equipment, or from one solitary individual deliberately smashing plates or letting the weight stack slam down to get attention.

It’s never an issue of exhaustion. Some heavy lifters utilize control all the way to the end of a mammoth set, and besides, most of the exceedingly loud banging occurs when loading equipment.

Plus, many of the men who let weights crash down at the end of a set don’t even use that much weight.

Anyways, imagine the noise. You know it’s intermittent rather than continuous like a chainsaw. Now, imagine that it’s continuous. To me, it seems as though if continuous, the sound of banging metal upon metal weight plates, or letting very heavy barbells crash to the floor, would be at least as loud as a chainsaw only a few feet away, even louder – maybe almost as loud as firecrackers going off continuously.

With that said, Raphael further explains, “If in fact, the smashing weights are in this range for volume, it wouldn't take much for the person at close range to suffer permanent damage, in the way of high frequency sensorineural hearing loss and/or tinnitus as a symptom secondary to the damage in the cochlea (inner ear).”

Few men who ripple with muscle and bench press 300 pounds will admit they might have hearing loss.

Now here’s a chilling fact: When I speak to men in the gym to ask about equipment availability or have small-talk, they often ask me to repeat myself! My speech is clear and articulate. Why aren’t they hearing me? Well, maybe because the gym is loud.

However, I can hear them just fine, even though they’re not talking particularly loud; their vocal volume is in a normal range.

Now get this: I’m able to hear them even though I have decibel-reduction ear muffs on at all times! The reduction is 29 dB, yet I can understand speech in a noisy gym.

Don’t take this as boasting. It’s my way of pointing out some very powerful anecdotal evidence that many men in gyms have hearing loss. Perhaps for some of these men, the hearing loss stems from a loud factory job, frequent concert or ball game attendance or blasting music in their cars.

But let’s be more realistic: Over a period of years, the amount of time that these men have spent in an environment replete with banging, clashing metal-upon-metal noise is SIGNIFICANT.

Exposure to recurring loud noise is hazardous to the nerve cells in the ears that transmit sound waves to the brain. Repeated insults to these nerve cells will cause hearing loss. It’s a simple concept.

Ramming a 45 pound metal plate into another produces a VERY LOUD sound. Multiply that out over the course of one workout—several times a week—52 weeks a year—over 10 years.

Banging Metal Plates at the Gym Is a Recipe for Hearing Loss

“The person who is more susceptible to damage (no way of knowing in advance) is all the more at risk, with even less intense exposures and shorter durations of exposure of any type,” says Raphael.

"I have no doubt (without any hard data to back me up) that the loud banging of metal plates against each other in the weight room falls into the category of dangerously loud. Most gyms and weight rooms discourage the banging or throwing of weights as a matter of good etiquette. When lifting weights, good ear safety is every bit as important as good technique to keep the workout safe!"

Wood Chipper Can Damage Hearing: Wear Ear Protection

2013-04-28T23:43:00.001-07:00

I’m stunned that often, I see men without hearing protection working around wood chippers.

Wood chippers can be screaming loud, yet many workers continue to “chip” without protection for their ears. A typical wood chipper comes in at 110 decibels. For comparison, a chainsaw is 105 decibels. This data is from Cornell University’s Toolbox Safety Talk Hearing Conservation guidelines.

For this article I consulted with Rachel Raphael, M.A., CCC-A, an audiologist with Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.

She explains she would “urge anyone using this or other loud construction tools, drills, saws, mowers, etc., to use hearing protection!”

Sometimes I DO see tree workers with industrial ear muffs while around the wood chipper. But many don’t think about damage to their ears from these machines.

“Young people think they're not vulnerable to hearing loss (because young ears and hair cells usually bounce back initially from loud exposure), but over time, the temporary damage turns into permanent damage, and for now, scientists have not been able to regenerate hair cell growth in human cochleas (only in some lower forms of lab animals),” explains Raphael.

“I tell my patients to take care of the hearing they have control over, because soon enough, we will all ultimately suffer the effects of hearing loss that comes with old age. And although digital hearing aids are smaller and more sophisticated than ever, they will never be as good as our own healthy normal hearing ears.”

To guard against hearing loss when around a wood chipper, drug store earplugs won’t cut it. You’ll need something more potent, either muffs or custom made earplugs.

Source: http://sp.ehs.cornell.edu/osh/occupational-health/hearing-conservation/Documents/Hearing%20Conservation%20toolbox%20talk.pdf

Smoking and Skin Damage: Top 5 Reasons to Quit

2013-04-28T20:26:00.001-07:00

A dermatologist explains how smoking damages skin, and this includes increasing the risk of cancer.

Many smokers don’t consider skin health when taking puffs. "The skin is the largest organ in the human body," explains Joshua Fox, MD, founder of Advanced Dermatology, spokesman for the American Academy of Dermatology.

"Although we can do many things to care for our skin on the surface, the health of our skin is largely influenced by what goes into our bodies as well," says Dr. Fox. Researchers have found at least five key ways that smoking can harm one’s skin.

1. Smoking causes wrinkles, not only because of the exaggerated facial motions of inhaling and exhaling, plus pursing of the lips to hold a cigarette, but also because the habit constricts the outermost blood vessels that provide oxygen and nutrients to skin cells.

"Smoking also damages collagen and elastin,” says Dr. Fox, “the fibrous substances that give skin its strength and elasticity.” This leads to premature wrinkling and sagging.

2. Smoking discolors skin, partly due to lack of oxygenation at the skin's surface. Facial tone can also become yellowish due to repeated close exposure to a lit cigarette’s heat and smoke.

3. Smoking can cause irritation, due to over 4,000 chemical compounds in the cigarette fumes. At least 40 of these compounds are carcinogens. While such conditions as acne have never been proven to be caused or worsened by the gasses, simple irritation, burning, itching and rashes do occur.

4. Smoking prematurely ages more than just the facial skin. Researchers from the University of Michigan compared skin of the inner arms of smokers (which are not exposed to the sun) to that of nonsmokers.

They found that the amount of premature aging and wrinkling correlated to how much each study subject had smoked and for how long. The study (March 2007 Archives of Dermatology), concludes that the skin anywhere on the body ages prematurely due to blood vessel constriction and lack of oxygenation from smoking.

5. The habit triples risk of a skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma (SSC), which can spread to other parts of the body if not treated early.

A study from the Netherlands and reported at the annual meeting of The American Society of Clinical Oncology (2001) showed a dose-dependent relationship between smoking and risk for developing SSC. People who smoked more than a pack a day had four times the rate of SSC than did nonsmokers.

“Although there are some effects of smoking that may never completely diminish, for the most part, quitting smoking now will greatly improve health and appearance of the skin,” says Dr. Fox.

-Q & A about squamous cell carcinoma

Hot Flashes? Night Sweats? Irritability? Natural Solution

2013-04-28T20:20:00.002-07:00

Lower breast cancer risk with this natural herb while fighting hot flashes, night sweats & irritability from menopause.

Many women are choosing dietary supplements for the management of menopausal symptoms - especially since serious health concerns have been raised about hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Remifemin(r) black cohosh extract, the most extensively researched,
non-prescription menopausal therapy, has been found to safely and effectively reduce hot flashes, night sweats and irritability.

A study published in the International Journal of Cancer (120, 1523-1528 {2007}) has shown that this proprietary herbal product lowers the risk of breast cancer by as much as 60 percent.

"The standardized Remifemin(r) black cohosh extract has anti-estrogenic, anti-proliferative and antioxidant properties," says Dr. Eckehard Liske, Director of the International Medical Department, Schaper & Bruemmer GmbH & Co KG, Salzgitter, Germany. "Rebbeck's research suggests that Remifemin(r) may help in reducing the risk of breast cancer."

The study, conducted at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, used a population-based case-control study in three counties of the Philadelphia metropolitan area, consisting of 949 breast cancer cases and 1,524 controls.

Researchers looked for correlations between dietary supplement usage and the incidence of breast cancer, comparing a range of products including any phytoestrogen, any isoflavone (including genistein), red clover, soy medications, black cohosh or Remifemin(r), DHEA, ginseng, steroid creams, and yam creams.

The results demonstrated that while 15 of the 17 supplements revealed no significant relationship, women who reported using black cohosh/Remifemin(r) had a 60 percent lower risk of developing breast cancer than the women who did not use these supplements.

The study also demonstrated that no significant interaction between tamoxifen/raloxifene (breast cancer prescription drugs) use, and use of any herbal preparation or black cohosh, was observed.

"These findings complement a safety study published in Menopause: The Journal of The North American Menopause Society (14:1 {2007}),” says Dr. Liske, “which showed that Remifemin(r) does not augment breast cancer risk factors as HRT does."

Hot flash and night sweat relief without harmful side effects:

Dr. Liske adds that research by Hirschberg has shown that Remifemin(r) isn’t a promoter of endometrial thickening, increased breast cell proliferation or increased breast density, and that it’s safe.

High blood pressure and obesity in young people

2013-04-28T20:17:00.002-07:00

The American Society of Hypertension provides the following facts on high blood pressure and obesity in young people.

-Hypertension affects over 70 million Americans and is the most prevalent risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney disease.

-Death is 7 times more likely when hypertension is present in patients with diabetes.

-An estimated 30 percent of adults in developed countries have hypertension; prevalence is expected to increase to 60 percent in the next two decades.

-Childhood obesity is a well-established epidemic in the U.S.

-Thirty percent of obese adolescents have obesity associated with high blood pressure and also have other risk factors.

-The prevalence of premature heart disease in young adulthood will more than triple from 5 percent to 16 percent for currently obese adolescents when they reach 35 years of age.

2013-04-26T21:54:00.004-07:00

Can't Lose Fat no Matter What You Do?

Tried "Everything"? DON'T GIVE UP.

Check out the article links below!