_ Pain ManagementChronic Pain & Painkillers: Why You Should Consider Alternatives By Sondra Forsyth article By Dr. Frank King Roughly 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain lasting more than six months, according to a report from the Institute of Medicine. Throughout the past decade, the use of painkillers such as Vicodin, Percocet and OxyContin has soared by 300 percent. For many – 17,000 people per year, or 46 each day – the treatment is worse than the pain. That’s the number of users who die from the medicine, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
_ Menopause Women's Health and WellnessGSM, New Term for Postmenopausal Problems By Sondra Forsyth articleTalking about genital, sexual, and urinary problems can be uncomfortable for postmenopausal women and their doctors. Having a term that doesn't carry stigma, isn't embarrassing to say, and is medically accurate could go a long way in helping women get the help they need and allowing them to make smarter healthcare decisions. That term is "genitourinary syndrome of menopause" or GSM. The term was developed and endorsed by The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) and the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH).
_ Medical Care Medical ProceduresDeep Brain Stim OK for Older PD Patients By Sondra Forsyth articleOlder patients with Parkinson disease (PD) who undergo deep brain stimulation (DBS) appear to have a 90-day complication risk similar to younger patients, suggesting that age alone should not be a primary factor for excluding patients as DBS candidates. That’s the finding of research done by Michael R. DeLong, B.A., of the Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C. and colleagues and published online August 25th 2014 inJAMA Neurology.
_ Men's HealthTailor Made Prostate Treatment By Sondra Forsyth articleSequencing RNA (ribonucleic acid), not just DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), could help doctors predict how prostate cancer tumors will respond to treatment, according to research published in August 2014 the open access journal Genome Biology. Because a tumor's RNA shows the real time changes a treatment is causing, the authors think this could be a useful tool to aid diagnosis and predict which treatment will most benefit individual cancer patients.
_ Mental & Emotional HealthWatch: Do You Have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? By Jane Farrell articleHere's another addition to our Third Age video collection. Press play to start learning.
_ Lung CancerAHA E-Cigarette Recommendations By Sondra Forsyth articleThe American Heart Association issued new policy recommendations August 25th 2014 on the use of e-cigarettes and their impact on tobacco-control efforts. The guidance was published in the association's journal, Circulation. Based on the current evidence, the association's position is that e-cigarettes that contain nicotine are tobacco products and should be subject to all laws that apply to these products. The association also calls for strong new regulations to prevent access, sales and marketing of e-cigarettes to youth, and for more research into the product's health impact.
_ OsteoarthritisKnee Surgery No Help for Mild OA By Sondra Forsyth articleA new study indicates that there is no apparent benefit to arthroscopic knee surgery for age-related tears of the meniscus in comparison with nonsurgical or sham treatments. The study, published August 25th 2014 in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal), provides evidence that middle-aged or older patients with mild or no osteoarthritis of the knee may not benefit from the procedure.
_ Pain ManagementBlocking the Chili Pepper Receptor By Sondra Forsyth articleBiting into a chili pepper causes a burning spiciness that is irresistible to some, but intolerable to others. Scientists exploring the chili pepper's effect are using their findings to develop a new drug candidate for many kinds of pain that can be caused by inflammation or other problems. They reported their progress on the compound, which is being tested in clinical trials, in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.
_ Medical CareSecond Opinions: Necessary or Not? By Sondra Forsyth articleHow important is that second opinion? For some medical insurance companies, second opinions are so important they are required before treatment.Are second opinions as valuable as our insurance companies make them seem? Neurosurgeon Jack Maniscalco M.D. clears up the inconsistency. “Second opinions are important for a number of reasons. If you, as a patient, do not feel as though your doctor is comprehensively addressing your questions or concerns, seek out another physician. If you feel uncomfortable with your diagnosis or suggested treatment, find a doctor who will listen and understand your apprehension with the previous recommendation.”
_ Medical Care Medical ResearchHow Lizards Grow New Tails By Sondra Forsyth articleThe secret of how lizards regenerate their tails could offer hope that researchers may be able to develop ways to stimulate the regeneration of limbs in humans. A team of researchers from Arizona State University in Phoenix is one step closer to solving that mystery. The scientists have discovered the genetic "recipe" for lizard tail regeneration, which may come down to using genetic ingredients in just the right mixture and amounts.
_ Vision HealthVision Loss Increases Risk of Death By Sondra Forsyth articleVision loss can adversely affect the ability of older adults to perform instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), such as using the telephone, shopping and doing housework, which are all measures of an individual's ability to live independently, and that subsequently increases the risk for death. That is the conclusion of Sharon L. Christ, Ph.D., of Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., and colleagues. The study was published online August 21st 2014 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
_ Overactive Bladder (OAB) & Incontinence Urinary HealthLocal Body Clock & Overactive Bladder By Sondra Forsyth articleResearchers at the University of Surrey in the UK have discovered that the local biological clock and its control are weakened in aging bladders. The study, which explains how the receptors responsible for contractions in the bladder regulate the body's clock genes, was published August 21st 2014 in The FASEB Journal. The team found that this clock activity in turn regulates the cycle of all cells in the body.
_ Alzheimer's Disease and other Dementias Brain HealthPomegranate Tx for AD, PD, & RA By Sondra Forsyth articleThe onset of Alzheimer's disease can be slowed and some of its symptoms curbed by a natural compound that is found in pomegranates, according to the findings of a two-year project headed by scientist Dr. Olumayokun Olajide, at the University of Huddersfield in the UK. Also, the painful inflammation that accompanies illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis and Parkinson's disease could be reduced by the pomegranate drug. The study was published in August 2014 in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.
_ StrokeThirdAge Health Close-Up: “I Felt Like I Was Buried Alive” By Sondra Forsyth articleAs told to Sherry Amatenstein, LCSW On October 17, 2010 shortly after her 49th birthday Allison O’Reilly didn’t feel like herself. The McLean, Virginia author of Out of Darkness explains, “My left arm hurt all day. I took Advil. That night the room started spinning, my ears were ringing, and I felt really sick.”
_ Epidemics and the Global Village By Sondra Forsyth article By Bill Miller MD The agitating Ebola emergency has captured headlines. There are some who undoubtedly assume that this kind of epidemic is unusual. However, localized epidemic disease has been a part of the biological system of the planet since the origin of life. Pandemics in which the spread of disease can encompass a continent or the world are just as ancient a process.
_ Breast CancerPerspectives on Breast Reconstruction By Sondra Forsyth articleLess than 42 percent of women underwent breast reconstruction following a mastectomy for cancer, and the factors associated with foregoing reconstruction included being black, having a lower education level and being older. That is the finding of Monica Morrow, M.D., of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, and colleagues who published their results online August 20th 2014 JAMA Surgery.
_ Sleep HealthWhy the Elderly Have Trouble Sleeping By Sondra Forsyth articleAs people grow older, they often have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, and tend to awaken too early in the morning. In people with Alzheimer's disease, this common and troubling symptom of aging tends to be especially pronounced, often leading to nighttime confusion and wandering.
Coming Next Week! August 25th to August 29th 2014 By Sondra Forsyth articleHere’s a sneak preview of the articles, slideshows, and blogs we’ll be posting during the coming week on ThirdAge, the biggest and best site for “boomer and beyond” women since 1997. As always, we’ll bring you the latest information from top experts about maintaining a healthy body, mind, and spirit as you navigate both the challenges and the joys of being a ThirdAger.