Health information

QUESTION: Please help me, and explain a few things about my most embarrassing
problem
What causes an itchy “backside” and how do you deal with it?

ANSWER: There are many possible causes of “pruritus ani”, the medical name
for your problem, which is a skin condition involving the inflammation of the
anal area
It can be a frustrating affliction that is only exacerbated by the
scratching its sufferers turn to as relief of the maddening itch, but is
actually a common problem which may often be caused by inadequate wiping or
cleansing the anal area after defecation.
In the same way that babies contract diaper rash, so adults can contract
pruritus ani both afflictions work on the same principle
In the case of
pruritus ani, inadequate wiping may not remove all fecal material from the
anal area, where it may settle into the folds surrounding the anus
It
doesn’t take long for this material to irritate the area and cause great
discomfort
Vigorous scratching and wiping only serves to worsen the
condition, and grease-based over-the-counter medications do not provide much
relief.
Dealing with pruritus ani in a way that bids it good-bye is straight
forward
Keep the area clean by bathing often, as many times per day as is
practicable, especially after defecating
A soft, wet cloth (no soap) or a
moist towelette when away from home will work well
Avoid scratching and
vigorous wiping
Wear loose clothing as much as possible avoiding synthetics
to aid in keeping the area dry without irritation
Try changing your toilet
tissue, which might just contain material that could be provoking an allergic
reaction
If these simple measures don’t do the job, you had better obtain a
professional consultation for a diagnosis.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

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QUESTION: I have become most apprehensive about the fact that there is a
nuclear energy plant some 30 miles from our home
I am very upset at the
thought that my family might be endangered by an accident there
Is there any
treatment or medication available in the event of radiation poisoning?

ANSWER: Exposure to high-energy radiation, while definitely a hazard of our
times, is highly unlikely for anyone not directly working with or near nuclear
materials
(Radioactive isotopes used in medical research and testing are far
less dangerous, and do not subject on to the risks discussed here.)
Limited exposure to radiation can result in lowered red and white blood
cell counts, temporary nausea or hair loss, and for a few months afterwards,
the possibility of congenital birth defects in children fathered by exposed
men; on a strictly statistical basis, one’s chance of contracting cancer or
leukemia later in life increases slightly
A larger dose poses more immediate
risks, particularly to the body’s blood supply and bone marrow
Antibiotics,
transfusions and a filtered, germ-free environment can bring a situation back
under control; in more severe cases, bone marrow transplants may be required
to save a victim’s life.
Direct contamination with radioactive material is a far more serious
hazard: the victim suffers the effects of ongoing exposure and becomes a
source of radiation endangering those attempting to provide treatment
The
situation requires medical personnel to wear protective clothing and breathing
devices, and to keep careful track of exposure levels and decontamination
procedures.
Certain isotopes like Iodine 131 can prevent organs in the body (such as
the thyroid gland) from absorbing radiation
However, until our society finds
a way to live without nuclear weapons or nuclear power, we will have to
continue to search for better means of dealing with the risks inherent in this
technology.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

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QUESTION: I am nearing fifty and find myself worrying about my ability to
perform sexually as I get older
Why does aging reduce a man’s potency?

ANSWER: First of all, one’s sexuality is largely a psychological issue; the
better you feel about yourself, the more you’ll enjoy sex
If you see
yourself as aging and growing impotent, you’re starting off with two strikes
against yourself.

There are physiologic changes to deal with as part of aging, but none of
these mean an end to sexual activity
There’s usually a gradual decline in
the frequency of sex, but this is tied to a number of factors, including
general health, educational level and social status, overall life satisfaction
and sexual experience.

The time needed to achieve an erection does increase with aging, while
the amount of semen and the force with which it is ejaculated is reduced.
Other effects of aging include a rapid loss of erection and a longer wait
until the next erection.

Statistically, impotence occurs in 25% of men at age 65, and half of men
aged 75
Endocrine disorders are rarely responsible, but should be
considered
Psychologically, a decreased libido can lead to a sudden onset of
impotence, and is associated with stress, depression or chronic illness.
Vascular disorders or insufficient circulation (a common symptom of aging) may
also be at fault while a variety of drugs and medications are known to cause
the condition.

Neurological causes, diseases affecting the penis directly, and a variety
of miscellaneous conditions can also lead to impotence
However, an active
sex life so far is the main guarantee for sexual satisfaction in the future.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

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QUESTION: My 8-year-old son has occasional episodes of shivering that are
frightening
His head and arms tremble out of control for no apparent reason.
I have taken him to several doctors and epilepsy has been ruled out
The
doctors say what my son has been having are “shuddering attacks” and they say
they aren’t dangerous
What do you think?

ANSWER: It sounds like the doctors have made a good diagnosis
Shuddering or
shivering episodes are common in children, and many young people pass through
this experience at one time or another to some degree
You can be reassured,
this disorder appears to be benign and nonthreatening
These bouts usually
involve rapid shuddering tremors, primarily of the head and arms, so that your
son’s case appears typical
These attacks are different from common shivering
because they last longer and occur more often.

Testing done with an electroencephalograph and videotape monitoring can
confirm that the incidents are nonepileptic in nature
They are actually
associated with abnormal posturing of the arms.

Parents of children with shuddering attacks may also have a history of
similar episodes
There is no treatment for this disorder
Since the attacks
apparently do not cause any real damage, medications are not indicated
It
would seem that you have little to fear here, and that time will put
everything in order.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

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Cordarone (Amiodarone) is an antiarrhythmic that stabilizes the heart rhythm.

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QUESTION: My sinuses are a never ending cause for concern, they just don’t
quit
But I still don’t understand the causes and reasons for sinusitis.
Please explain?

ANSWER: Sinusitis is an inflammation of one or more of the paranasal sinuses.
The paranasal sinuses are cavities in the skull connected with the nasal
passages
They are arranged in four pairs with members of each pair on the
right and left side of the head
Doctors are not 100% sure of the functions
of the sinuses
They are thought to help the nose to circulate, warm and
moisten air as it is inhaled
Therefore, the lungs do not get a shock as cold
or dry air is inhaled
The sinuses also play a minor role in voice
production, as they are believed to act as resonating chambers.
Sinusitis often occurs during an upper respiratory infection
Sometimes
excessive or strong nose blowing may cause the infection to spread from the
nose to the sinuses.
There are, however, many, many other causes of sinusitis, which is why it
is such a tricky, annoying problem.
Some of the factors which trigger sinus troubles are allergies,
infectious diseases, such as pneumonia or the measles, air pollution, diving
and underwater swimming, sudden extreme changes of temperature, structural
defects of the nose, or a complication from a tooth infection
When you have
a sinusitis flare-up, you may feel pressure on the sinus walls, which in turn
causes discomfort, pain, fever, and difficulty with breathing
This happens
because the mucous membranes of the sinus are inflamed, and the openings of
the sinus cavities become partially or fully blocked
The blockage often
causes headaches and may lead to nasal discharge
Sinus sufferers also
complain of dizziness, weakness and general discomfort
People suffering from
these symptoms should certainly seek a doctor’s help
A physician can use
many diagnostic tools to confirm sinusitis, including radiography, ultrasound,
multiple x-ray exposures, and computed tomography.
Most cases of acute sinusitis will respond to antibiotics
The most
commonly prescribed being ampicillin, amoxicillin, cefaclor,
trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and erythromycin
If this treatment is
unsuccessful, your doctor should do further testing with x-rays to determine
whether your case of sinusitis is infectious, allergic, or caused by another
factor.
Decongestants may also help the sinusitis patient by helping to increase
drainage
Discomfort can be relieved through inhalation of steam or warm
moist air.
If you’ve been suffering with sinus problems for a long period of time,
you may be one of those unfortunate people with chronic sinusitis
This
condition occurs when the mucous membranes in the sinuses thicken and normal
drainage becomes obstructed
If the previously mentioned treatments don’t
clear up the problem, surgery may be necessary.
Since the sinuses are close to the ears and brain, it is important to
treat sinusitis aggressively to minimize the risk of spreading the infection
to those organs.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

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QUESTION: I am a member of my high school football varsity team, but have
been down with a bout of mononucleosis for the past several months
I want to
get back to the team though, and would like to know when it would be safe for
me to start practice again?

ANSWER: This is a tough one as many factors must be taken into account, such
as the length of illness, size of the spleen, and the proper use of diagnostic
tests
Otherwise, since infectious mononucleosis causes an enlarged spleen
that persists even after signs and symptoms of infection have abated, there is
the danger of rupturing the spleen with potentially fatal consequences if you
resume strenuous exercise too soon.
Generally speaking, four weeks after the infection has cleared, as
indicated by laboratory tests and x-rays of the spleen, is the least time to
remain inactive, though some physicians recommend layoffs of up to six months.
One month is probably adequate since no study has shown an increase in
ruptured spleens in athletes who resumed activity four weeks after infection
compared to those inactive for six months.
The Epstein-Barr virus, a member of the herpes group that causes
mononucleosis, may also enlarge the liver and alters liver enzymes as well as
blood cells.
So the best policy is to avoid extreme exercise and refrain from using
alcohol for at least one month after all of your lab and diagnostic tests have
returned to normal and you are given a clean bill of health
Now I hope I
have given you the same info that your doctor has, as that’s the person you
should be listening to.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

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QUESTION: I’ve heard that many people get sick after eating Chinese food
because they have a bad reaction to monosodium glutamate
What is MSG? Why
isn’t it banned if so many people get sick from it?

ANSWER: It has never been proven conclusively that monosodium glutamate makes
people sick
MSG is a popular flavor enhancer, not only used by the Chinese
in cooking, but in many prepared foods
MSG is most often made from molasses
derived from sugar beets
The molasses is fermented to form the flavor
enhancer.
MSG has gotten a bad name following an outburst of publicity about
something known as Chinese Restaurant Syndrome
After eating at a Chinese
restaurant, many people report symptoms such as chest pain, dizziness,
lightheadedness, headache, palpitation, weakness, nausea and vomiting.
Researchers investigating these symptoms found that MSG in ordinary quantities
produced only transient symptoms in a small percentage of problems
They
suggested that many of those experiencing Chinese restaurant syndrome had
taken in MSG on an empty stomach, and that may have caused the adverse
reaction
Individuals sensitive to MSG were found to have no reaction to the
additive if they ate a carbohydrate, such as bread, before consuming MSG.
The Food and Drug Administration has not banned monosodium glutamate
because it is not viewed as a health problem affecting a significant
percentage of the population.
Studies in the early 1980’s, in fact, showed that MSG is quite safe.
However, I don’t doubt that there are a number of people who are sensitive to
MSG and who must remain alert to its presence in food to avoid unwanted and
unnecessary reactions
They must firmly request that their choices be
prepared without adding this product or, very simply, eat at another type of
restaurant.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

Aceon
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QUESTION: If I exercise for any length of time, I can develop a muscle
soreness that doesn’t show up for two or three days
Is there anything
special about this pain and what should I do to treat it?

ANSWER: This is called delayed-onset muscle soreness and is thought to be
caused by structural damage to muscle fibers after a certain kind of exercise,
and this damage takes longer to heal.
When you lift a weight your muscles contract and you produce a force to
raise the load against gravity, which is called “concentric” exercise
But
when you lower the same weight your muscles produce the same amount of force
to slow down the descent of the weight, which is called “eccentric exercise.”
Sports and exercise physiologists now believe that delayed-onset muscle
soreness is caused by structural damage to skeletal muscle after eccentric
exercise, in which muscles produce force while lengthening, as in running
downhill.
This damage may take as long as 12 weeks to be repaired by the body
So
athletes should allow plenty of time for recovery after events that may cause
extreme muscle soreness
Patience, along with heat, the appropriate use of
analgesics and rest will be your allies in your recovery.
Because training that involves eccentric exercise has been shown to
prevent delayed-onset muscle soreness and muscle damage, you should pay
special attention to the eccentric part of any exercise or sports you engage
in
For runners this would mean running downhill during training as well as
uphill
This will strengthen the eccentric part of your leg muscles, and thus
help prevent structural damage
And prevention is always the best medicine.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

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QUESTION: It is probably only a difference in terminology and are really the
same thing, but I need to know the difference between a “myomectomy” and a
“hysterectomy”
My medical dictionary didn’t make it clear enough
Please
help.

ANSWER: No they are not the same thing at all, although both are surgical
operations, both deal with the same organ, the uterus, and both terms
frequently occur in the same discussion
A hysterectomy refers to the
surgical removal of the uterus (the word “hystera” in Greek means uterus).
Frequently, the uterus forms benign tumors of muscle and fibrous tissue, in a
condition commonly referred to as “fibroids” or “a fibroid uterus”
These
tumors are called “myomas” since “mys” in Greek means muscle
When a patient
suffers from this condition, the surgeon has two choices
If the tumors are
small, but creating problems such as cramps and bleeding, only the tumor need
be removed (hence myomectomy)
But when the tumors are large, and are
continuing to grow and cause suffering and pain, and particularly when the
patient no longer wishes to bear children, a hysterectomy may be performed to
solve the problem
A well informed patient may have a choice in the decision,
provided these terms are not “Greek” to her.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

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Sarafem (Fluoxetine) is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) used to treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

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QUESTION: I’ve just bought another costly pair of eyeglasses
Why don’t
doctors do something for people who are nearsighted instead of just selling
them glasses?

ANSWER: For years, it is all we’ve known how to do to treat the symptoms of
nearsightedness (myopia)
We haven’t been able to prevent or cure the problem
itself.
It usually begins with puberty and stabilizes in late adolescence
As
the eye grows from infancy through late adolescence, the focal length of the
eyeball and the shape of the lens may stay precisely balanced to maintain good
vision
Fifteen to 20 percent of high school students become nearsighted by
late adolescence because the lens and eyeball become unsynchronized in their
growth.
Currently, there is considerable debate as to whether environmental or
genetic factors cause myopia
If the cause were determined, a cure or
prevention could possibly be found
Back in 1813, it was noted that educated
people who were applying for positions as officers training in the British
army had a much higher incidence of nearsightedness than the farmers and
fishermen who were serving as enlisted men
This seemed to indicate that
people who had spent a good deal of their early years focusing on close
objects were prone to nearsightedness.
It is tempting to theorize that close work leads to myopia, and several
studies have been conducted to try to determine if this is true
However, in
one of the best studies of this theory, the two scientists who conducted it
cannot agree on the significance of its results
This means that the subject
needs more study before we can understand the reasons for myopia
Until that
is accomplished, nothing can be done to prevent it
For now, your only
options are to correct your myopia with glasses, contact lenses or a recently
developed operation called radial keratotomy, which flattens the cornea and
can correct nearsightedness in some cases.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

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Celexa (Citalopram) is used for treating depression.

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