Archive for March, 2008
“Weight control and exercise may protect pancreatic cancer” reported by the studies of cancer of the pancreas by ‘Johns Hopkins Health Alerts’.Pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect is the fourth leading cause of cancer related deaths in United States. Five years after the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer only 4% of people are still alive.
Risk Factors of Pancreatic Cancer
Only Known risk factor was cigarette smoking and it is controllable. Lifestyle changes proved to reduce the risks of heart attack, diabetes and breast, colon, prostrate and rectum cancers may also prevent pancreatic cancer according to recent research. These measures are important for the people with a family history of pancreatic cancer.
It may not be possible. This is according to American Orthopedic Society research results that were revealed on the Sports Medicine specialty day during March 2008 at the Moscone Center, San Francisco. The research concludes that only 45 players amongst 100 that can return to the similar or elevated level of playing baseball.According to Dr. Steven B. Cohen who has been the director of Sports Medicine Research at Philadelphia’s Rothaman Institute and an assistant team physician of the team Phillies of the Philadelphia baseball league, it is by theory possible to bring back all the players to the same level or a little higher than he/she was performing prior to an elbow or shoulder surgery; however, he opines that the demand these kind of sports on a player’s throwing capacity is far greater than that seen in a non player or a common man and it makes the difference and that throwing a ball adds to enormous amounts of pressure on shoulder as well as elbow .
“Polycythemia Vera” is a “Bone Marrow Disorder”, in which there is over production of red blood cells. In certain case there is increase in the production of while blood cells and platelets too in individuals. Most often, it occurs in the age of 50-70 years, but it can occur at any time.
Since there is increased volume of blood in the body and it is thicker too, than normal, so has difficulty circulating in small blood vessels. It may lead to simply symptoms like poor oxygen circulation causing headache, dizziness, vertigo, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), vision changes, chest pain or abnormal bleeding like nosebleeds, gums bleeding, bruising, digestive system bleeding and in certain cases, might result in enlarged spleen (splenomegaly) and liver (hepatomegaly).
Though it is a rare disorder, it often causes death within two years of developing the disease. Since it shares symptoms with almost al the common health problems, make sit often difficult to diagnose and treat accordingly.
However a team of researchers at ‘Acupath Laboratories’ in New York, have developed a new genetic test which could diagnose PV quickly thus resulting in immediate treatment and monitoring of the disease. In majority of the cases of PV, there is a transformation happening in the JAK2 gene. This new test makes it possible to detect this and confirm the disorder.
The ‘PV disorder’ was tackled through various treatment strategies. Controlling the thickening of the blood, ensuring the proper organ function and control on the over production of abnormal blood and bone marrow cells. Among the popular treatments, phlebotomy was the most frequently adopted method. At regular intervals, the old blood is removed with required volume of healthy blood.
Medication ad ministered to lower the quantity of platelets too. The patients properly diagnosed and treated with this disease are usually able to survive an average of 15-20 years.
Dr. Pawar, the leading author of the news study says that the cause of PV is largely unknown, the discovery of this new genetic ’signal’ that the disease has given chance to explore better diagnosis and treatment. Since the cause of the disorder was mainly unknown, now the discovery of the genetic alteration which happens in the body would lead to find out the reason behind it and finally reach its causes.
The same kind of gene transformation happens in other patients too who are diagnosed with other similar ‘myeloproliferative disorders’, such as ‘Essential Thrombocythemia (ET)’ and ‘Idiopathic Myelofibrosis (IMF)’. Further research in this disorder would be able to help in understand other disorders more scientifically.
“The medicines which are being marketed for cough treatments are not the most effective medicines for cough” reported by ‘John Hopkins’ on the surprise new guidelines from the ‘American College of Chest Physicians’.The pulmonary specialists summed up the findings as comprehensive guidelines for treating various types of cough in the John Hopkins latest “Lung Disorders Health Alert”.
One of the reasons for people seeking treatment is cough. According to ACCP guidelines many of the key ingredients in the medications taken for cough and cold are not effective for the cough caused by common cold. The new guidelines also point out that the cough expectorants and suppressants just won’t work. Even though certain old allergy and pain medicines that are not advertised as cough busters, they are more effective in treating coughs.
Parenthood is a life-changing event everyone would agree; nevertheless every parent would also agree that it is a challenge in itself to bring up a child. There are no thumb rules of bringing a child, because each child is different in terms of attention span, energy levels, assertiveness, etc. So a parent has to try means that suits their child and not adopt some thing just because next-door Jack used them.
Teaching a child personal grooming is very important and essential by every parent, especially keeping dental and bodily hygiene. Dental hygiene is more important because if it’s neglected it poses serious problems including loss of teeth, development of crooked teeth, speech and hearing impairment and associated image problems. These days, there is increasing concern with more and more kids experiencing dental problems. Such problems have been observed even at the age of two in many kids. Cavities at that age point to one valid factor, poor brushing and little time spent on brushing.
There are other factors that contribute to this situation and they include an increase in the consumption of sugary stuff including juices and soda pop. Usage of non-fluoridated water as well has largely contributed to the bloating concern not just in United States but also across the world.
