Health information

QUESTION: I have always prided myself of my cooking and the compliments I
received from guests who sampled my dishes
Lately, however, I seem to have
lost the touch, because my sense of smell and taste do not seem as sharp as
they once were
I visited a doctor who could find nothing wrong with me
Do
you have any explanations to explain my predicament?

ANSWER: I have an explanation, but regrettably no solution
Those wonderful
senses of taste and smell become less sensitive and sharp as we grow older, so
much so that almost half the people over the age of 65 have some problem with
their ability to smell
According to some reports more than 200,000 Americans
will visit their doctors this year alone to complain of a diminished ability
to smell and taste
It is a good time to review any medications you are
taking which may be the cause of the impairment, as well as a thorough check
for a number of disorders and diseases which may affect these senses
If
nothing is discovered, then you may have to learn to cope with the situation,
as it probably will progress slowly
About 75% of people over 80 can not
detect certain odors, and at the present time there are no medications to
treat a disorder of impaired taste or smell
The complaint is so wide spread
that it has interested a number of scientists who are conducting research into
new ways of stimulating these important senses
When the results are in, I’ll
let you know.

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 suppose you must receive many questions about the difficulties
babies experience when teething, but I am in a quandary trying to figure out
what is normal reactions from those that might be signs of more serious
situations
Could you please help an anxious mother?

ANSWER: I don’t know of any subject that has more points of views,
perceptions, and strongly held opinions than the question you pose
Even the
medical literature is filled with an amazing variety of opposing opinions,
observations, some clinical, some less scientific, and almost any physician
that deals with the development of infants has a whole folder full of
experiences
Even Hippocrates wrote about the problem, and probably was as
confused as most other physicians
Teething refers to the eruption of the
primary (deciduous) teeth that occurs in infancy, rather than to the emergence
of the permanent teeth, which occur usually between 6 and 8 years of age.
During the period of cutting the first tooth, usually a lower front tooth
(between 5 and 7 months) to the arrival of the second molars (between 20 and
30 months of age), the infant is progressing through many other development
stages, learning new activities, experiencing new adventures
Any of these
factors can cause changes in behavior, mood and temperament
Should a tooth
be coming in at the same time, it is quite understandable that the mother may
blame the new tooth for the changes in baby’s activity
However, after
reviewing a mass of confused and confusing articles, I am prepared to offer
the following opinion
The frequently mentioned fever, diarrhea, skin rashes,
bronchitis and seizures, do not appear to be the direct result of teething,
although they may occur during periods of teething
However, drooling,
restlessness, loss of appetite, thumb sucking and gum rubbing, are indications
of the infant’s discomfort from teething
When a child becomes ill during the
process, looks and acts truly sick, it’s time for a careful evaluation and a
search for other causes.

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: Although not sickly, my 12 year old son comes down with throat
infections very frequently
His doctor now is advising that he has his
tonsils and adenoids removed
Just what do these glands do, and is removing
them in a youngster considered to be the right thing to do?

ANSWER: Although these glands have an important health role in infants, they
probably have accomplished all they ever will by the time the child is three
years of age
In the first few years of life, these glands are responsible
for sampling the incoming air and catching some of the germs and viruses that
may be present
An infection may then develop in this tissue, causing the
body to develop antibodies to help combat the infection
In this manner an
immunity to similar infections is developed that protects the individual
against future infections
You can easily see the state of your son’s tonsils
for yourself by looking in his mouth
The tonsils are the glands located just
behind a fold of tissue at the back of the mouth, and may be filled with small
pockets (crypts) that are filled with cheesy like material, resulting from
infections and abscess formation
They may be causing a bad breath, but more
important are the reason for repeated infections and possibly breathing
difficulties as well
You can’t see the adenoids without special instruments,
as they are located high in the throat behind the nose, but they probably
would look similar to the tonsils if you could see them
There is nothing
unusual about removing tonsils in a child the age of your son, and
tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T & A) is the second most common operation
performed for children, numbering about 400,000 operations per year
When
symptoms of frequent and recurrent sore throats, fever and chills, bad breath,
nasal congestion or obstruction occur frequently and can not be permanently
relieved with antibiotics, a T & A is considered sound therapy.

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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Vasotec is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) in adults and children.

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QUESTION: Can you supply a bit more help on the matter of successfully
dealing with stress? I can’t seem to get a handle on it, and am sure a few
suggestions from you might help.

ANSWER: Stress must be sweeping the nation for your letter was the fourth in
a row to question about the same subject
Let me try to provide some
“handles”
Stress can be caused by both positive and negative things in one’s
life
A little stress is not unhealthy, but too much stress and tension can
cause serious illnesses, headaches, hostility, or emotional disorders.
Dealing with stress and knowing how to spot the things that cause it (they are
called stressors) are extremely important.
People who are stress survivors stay healthy through the worst of times.
They consider stressful situations opportunities for growth
On the negative
side, such situations can include the loss of a job, children who misbehave,
money problems, not enough time with loved ones, lack of shared family
responsibility, and dozens of other things
Positive stressors may include a
job promotion, having a baby, getting married, etc
Our bodies deal with both
positive and negative stressors in the same way
Research has proven that
extreme tension without an outlet may be the cause of 50 to 80% of all
disease, including high blood pressure, ulcers, insomnia, and sexual problems.
In order to cope with stress, one must work to develop a positive
attitude an attitude that you are in control of your life and not a victim.
To arm yourself against stress overload, develop your own relaxation
techniques
They can be relatively simple deep breathing, a good night’s
sleep, or lying down and visualizing a pleasant atmosphere, such as a beach or
a forest
A jog or brisk walk with a headset playing march music can do it
for me.
When under stress, many people give themselves additional tension through
negative thinking, including self-blame and feelings of inadequacy.
Stop and think whether these thoughts are rational and stop setting up
unrealistic expectations.
A well-balanced diet will really help your body to cope with stress and
can guard against illnesses that can be triggered by tension.
Coping well under stress may mean seeking help
A doctor, minister, or
mental health professional can help, but often, just talking to friends,
relatives and trusted co-workers can do much to reduce stress.

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 never had chest pains, but my father’s family has a history of
heart disease, and he recently had a heart attack
Should I now go for a
stress test?

ANSWER: Unless you have personally had signs of heart disease, you probably
do not need an exercise stress test
But since there is a history of heart
disease in your family, you might want to discuss the possibility with your
doctor.
Your doctor should analyze your risk factors
For example, if you have a
high cholesterol level, drink excessive amounts of alcohol or coffee, or are
overweight, your risks of heart disease are elevated
The stress test may
then provide significant prognostic information.
The exercise stress test is done by monitoring the patient’s heart as he
or she walks on a treadmill or uses a stationery bicycle
When done properly,
it can be one of the most valuable noninvasive tests
But, if your doctor’s
analysis of your risk factors leaves him to believe you have a low probability
of heart disease, the test may just put you several hundred dollars out of
pocket without gaining useful information
If you disagree with your doctor’s
advice against having the test you might seek a second opinion, but the best
way to help yourself and your heart is to strive to reduce your risk factors.
In our new society of exercise enthusiasts, there has been a widespread
misconception that stress tests are a must for anyone who is planning to
embark on an exercise program
The problem with these tests is that there has
been a high incidence of false-positive results
If a patient has been under
unusual tension or emotional stress or is on medication, the results may be
altered
Some patients even eat prior to the test despite instructions not
to, and this too can lead to a false-positive result.
For all these reasons, some researchers are now stating that routine
screening is inadvisable
If the test is warranted, and it shows a
probability of heart disease, the physician must then decide whether to allow
the patient to do active exercise or to prohibit it, or perhaps develop a
modified exercise program
An angiogram (x-ray technique which reveals the
condition of coronary arteries) may be necessary
If the angiogram is
negative, it can rule out life-threatening coronary artery disease, while a
positive angiogram may point to the need for surgery in a high risk patient.
As you can see, there are many important facets to your question, and a sit
down discussion with your family doctor is indicated.

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 husband suffers from leg jerks at night when he is trying to
sleep
Not only is his sleep disturbed, but mine as well
It is becoming a
real problem, and we hope you can offer us some help and suggestions to stop
this and allow us both to get some much needed rest.

ANSWER: There are many causes for such a “restless leg syndrome”, and it may
take a bit of investigation to sort out the different causes that are
possible, and use the proper medication or treatment to bring this sleep
disrupting problem to an end
In certain individuals, myoclonic jerks, or
spastic contraction of leg muscles can occur several times in a night, each
attack lasting anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes
When this breaks the sleep of
the patient or partner, a prescription for oral clonazepam (Klonopin), used
three times a day, can be used over a trial period to assess its actions
If,
however, these involuntary movements are the result of a neuropathy or nerve
problem caused by certain medications or disease, a careful history may reveal
the precipitating cause, which must be removed or treated
Patients with this
type of restless legs often complain that there are achy or crawling
sensations beneath the skin, and they must get up to walk about to get some
relief
This condition may go for years without becoming worse, and, when all
other actions have failed to yield results, treatment with carbamazine
(Tegretol) may offer the hope of some relief
Restless legs are also part of
the Wittmaak-Ekbon Syndrome also know as Anxietas Tibialis
While the
symptoms and complaints are much the same as above, creeping or crawling
sensation in the legs without real pain, an examination may reveal that the
legs and feet are cooler than normal
Blood examination may show a low
hemoglobin or serum iron
Correcting the iron deficiency and the anemia often
leads to the disappearance of the condition and the relief of the symptoms.

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: Recently, while trying to accomplish some home repairs, I banged
the nail on my finger instead of the nail in the board
Now there is an ugly
black spot on my nail
Can this be related to the dangerous type of cancer
which causes black spots?

ANSWER: Your problem is a very common one and most amateur carpenters have
experienced it at one time or another
The medical name for the black spot is
“subungual hematoma.” Those fancy words mean that you have a blood clot
underneath your nail which, since the nail is transparent, appears as if it is
in the nail
Initially, the pain must have been quite intense created by the
pressure of the clot on the sensitive nail bed
A physician can help to
relieve such pain by drilling a small hole in the nail and letting the
accumulated blood seep out
That’s a little late for you now and you’ll just
have to put up with the black spot until the nail grows out
The average
fingernail grows from 0.5 to 1.2 mm per week and full regrowth of the nail
may require from four to six months
When this injury occurs to the great
toe, it’s frequently called “tennis toe” and in that case you would have had
to wait from twelve to eighteen months for full regrowth
Fortunately, this
black spot has nothing to do with the skin cancer called melanoma, a very
serious tumor which must be totally removed surgically.

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.

Cymbalta
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QUESTION: During an examination I pointed out some skin spots to my
physician
His diagnosis was almost instantaneous but hard to understand
I
had him write down the name of the condition so I could ask you about it
Can
you tell me what a telangiectasia is? Is it a type of cancer and can it be
treated?

ANSWER: Amongst other things, telangiectasia is a mouth-filling word which is
derived from two Greek words meaning “dilated vessels.” They are common on
the nose, cheeks and face of individuals who are chronically exposed to wind
and sun and take the form of fine, bright red lines
When they are grouped
together, they are sometimes called “vascular spiders” as they resemble the
outstretched legs of an insect.
In and of themselves, they are harmless, but can be associated with
certain types of cancer like gastric carcinoma, leukemia, and cancer of the
lymph glands
I doubt that you need worry about these diseases, as your
physician has probably checked you and found no positive findings
The spots
themselves are not cancerous, nor do they ever change into cancer.
In general, treatment of the skin lesions is not necessary, although they
won’t go away by themselves
If you consider them unsightly and wish them
removed for cosmetic reasons, the physician can use an electric needle in a
process called “electrodesiccation” which closes the capillaries, preventing
the flow of blood through them, and making the lesions “disappear”.

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.

Eurax
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Eurax (Crotamiton) is used for treating scabies and relieving itching.

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QUESTION: I believe all the bad news about cigarette smoking
So I stopped
smoking cigarettes and took up chewing tobacco so that I wouldn’t get cancer.
Now there’s more bad news about cancer using it
Are these reports true too?

ANSWER: You bet they are! The comeback in popularity of smokeless tobacco
products, snuff, and chewing tobacco has caused a dramatic rise in the number
of people with oral, head and neck cancer
Smokeless tobacco contains a
variety of cancer-causing agents
In the past, head and neck cancer was
considered a disease primarily for men in their 50’s and older
However,
epidemiologists are beginning to find a change in the pattern
As the number
of young men, women, and even school age children who use smokeless tobacco
rises, the ages of patients suffering from cancer of the mouth, head and neck
gets higher
In essence, what you and thousands of others have done by
switching from smoking tobacco to chewing it is to simply switch one possible
cancer site for another.
Unfortunately, the advertising for smokeless tobacco products are aimed
at the young, and there is little knowledge of how dangerous it is
Most
users assume, as you did, that chewing tobacco will help you avoid cancer, but
that couldn’t be further from the truth
In a study last year sponsored by
the National Institutes of Health, nonsmoking women who used snuff had
increased their risk of oral cancer fourfold
Another study with men showed
the same increased risk
Smokeless tobacco also causes a host of other health
problems
The nicotine in chewing tobacco has similar adverse affects to that
in cigarettes
Users have elevated blood nicotine levels and this can cause a
rise in blood pressure, heart rate and certain blood lipids
Addiction is
another side effect of using smokeless tobacco
Dependence and withdrawal
symptoms are the same from the chewable tobacco products as they are from
cigarettes.

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.

Mevacor
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Mevacor (Lovastatin) is a cholesterol-lowering medicine.

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QUESTION: I am concerned about a recent finding in my child’s urine during
her yearly check up
Could you please explain in terms an anxious mother
would understand? Is the presence of protein in my child’s urine dangerous?

ANSWER: Not usually
Excretion of a small amount of urinary protein is
normal, the quantity varying depending on posture and activity level
The
important words for an anxious mother are that this laboratory finding often
occurs in completely normal children
In healthy children, more than one gram
of albumin is filtered by the kidneys every 24 hours
Most of that amount is
reabsorbed into the bloodstream; children excrete between 100 and 200
milligrams of protein daily
The presence of albumin in the urine tends to
increase following vigorous exercise, when the child has a fever or is
emotionally upset, or simply when the child is standing upright.
To be sure the level of protein in your child’s urine is safe, a dipstick
urinalysis at your doctor’s office is advisable at least once a year for the
child’s first six years
If the test reveals excessive amounts of protein
excreted only when the child is upright, there may still be no cause for
worry: orthostatic proteinuria, the name for the condition when other factors
are normal, is almost always benign, although the condition itself may persist
for decades.
Heavier rates of protein excretion can sometimes indicate more serious
forms of kidney disease, such as glomerular disease or nephritis
If this is
the case, however, I’m sure your physician would advise you of the fact, and
begin other investigations and tests to determine the exact diagnosis and
promptly begin the appropriate treatment.

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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