Health information

QUESTION: Its taken some effort to make up my mind to do it, but now’s the
time
Do you have any tips on how to reduce sodium in my diet?

ANSWER: I sure do
If you’re concerned about sodium, you’re probably already
keeping the salt shaker in a hard-to-reach place in your kitchen
If you’re
still using salt in cooking or at the table, gradually reduce its use until
you’ve stopped.
The next thing to do is learn the foods that are high in sodium, and some
of these may surprise you
Read labels on prepared, canned and frozen foods.
Foods that are low in calories and fats can still be high in sodium
Examples
are cottage cheese, milk and tuna
Generally, canned vegetables are higher in
sodium than frozen ones
Bacon, ham, olives, luncheon meat, and canned soups
are generally high in sodium.
Know that softened water is high in sodium, as are many over-the-counter
drugs
You may be getting unwelcome and unnecessary sodium in antacids,
mouthwashes, antibiotics, cough medicines, and laxatives
Your pharmacist can
help you evaluate the sodium content of any medicine you are taking
Sodium
is measured in milligrams, and a “no-added salt diet” usually means you should
limit your sodium to 4 grams per day, which is 4,000 milligrams.

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.

Lynoral
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Lynoral (Ethinyl Estradiol) is a synthetic estrogen that is used to prevent pregnancy.

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QUESTION: In my day, an athletic injury to the spleen meant that it had to be
removed immediately
Just recently, my son’s best friend was hurt but no
removal took place
Shouldn’t the spleen have been taken out?

ANSWER: No
Splenectomy (the operation to remove the spleen) was once done
routinely after an injury to the upper left quadrant of the abdomen where the
spleen is located
Because doctors did not know what, if any, function was
performed by the spleen, they believed it was not needed.
That belief was substantiated by the fact that the death rate from injury
to the spleen was 90 to 100 percent before 1900, and before surgical removal
of the spleen was used as treatment.
Now, however, doctors understand that the spleen plays an important role
in preventing infection
In fact, some studies have shown that the death rate
due to infection is 58 times greater than the normal population in patients
who have had their spleen removed after injury
(Postoperative infection only
occurs in 0.5 to 1 percent of these patients though).
Because of the new understanding of the spleen’s function, today’s
treatment is more conservative when a patient has received a possible injury
to the spleen
A direct blow to the abdomen, a fall, and car accidents are
common causes of damage to the spleen
Children especially are at risk; for
them the spleen is the most commonly injured abdominal organ.
Although in some cases, the extent of injury will make removal of the
spleen necessary, physicians often try to repair the organ surgically, or they
may closely observe the patient and let the body heal itself.

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.

Mobic
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Mobic (Meloxicam) treats rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and juvenile arthritis.

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QUESTION: As I hobbled about on a sorely sprained ankle, it seems as if
everyone I met had a different technique for treating my problem
I thought
you might have a word or two of advice to offer as well
How should I go
about treating my ankle?

ANSWER: The first thing to do is be certain that the ankle is not broken
If
you have pain and swelling in your ankle after an injury, you’ll need an x-ray
to be sure there’s no fracture
Ankle sprains are graded from Grade I (mild)
to Grade III (severe), depending on how severely the ligaments are injured.
Grade I sprains can be treated by elevating the foot above the level of the
heart, applying ice and keeping the joint from moving by wearing a
properly-applied splint for 3-4 days
Grade II sprains may require the same
treatment but for a longer period of time, and Grade III sprains may need a
cast
Your doctor may wait until the swelling goes down before applying a
cast.
Any time you injure your ankle, it is very important to elevate it, apply
ice and keep it still
Don’t stand on it! See your doctor, to be sure there
is no hairline fracture and to get it properly splinted
Be very cautious
about splinting the ankle yourself
An elastic bandage improperly placed can
cause circulatory and nerve problems
If you notice any tingling, loss of
sensation in the toes or increased swelling, even in an ankle that has been
examined and splinted by your doctor, notify him immediately.
Finally, the most important thing to remember about treating a sprained
ankle is to protect it from bearing weight and movement until your doctor
tells you it’s healed
If you try to rush the healing process, you may pay
for it later in chronic pain and weakness in the ankle.

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.

Lynoral
Our price: $1.1
Lynoral (Ethinyl Estradiol) is a synthetic estrogen that is used to prevent pregnancy.

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QUESTION: With all the new developments in medicine, is syphilis still
considered a dangerous disease? There doesn’t seem to be much written about
it these days.

ANSWER: Yes, syphilis is a very serious sexually transmitted disease still
raging throughout the world.
Although the overall incidence of syphilis remained relatively stable
during recent years, cases of congenital syphilis (meaning a condition
acquired during a baby’s development in the uterus, not through heredity)
increased by 77 percent between 1983 and 1985
When pregnant women with
syphilis give birth, their babies almost always suffer from the disease
Most
commonly found in cities, syphilis attacks about 90,000 Americans annually.
Syphilis occurs most frequently in men and women between 20 and 29 years old,
with about three times more males than females suffering from it
It is most
prevalent among the poorly educated and economically deprived
There are many
different effects from syphilis and most of them depend on how long a person
has had it.
After exposure (yes, always from sexual contact), about 10 to 90 days
will pass before a “chancre” (often a single, visible, painless “sore”)
develops on the part of the body involved in the sexual activity when the
disease was spread
That is called primary syphilis.
If medical treatment is not begun, increasingly serious results from the
disease will bring about loss of hair, sores on the genitals and mouth, fever,
sore throat, headache and pain in the bones
Other, even more serious stages
can develop later which lead to death unless medical treatment is successful.
Fortunately, syphilis can be treated and usually cured using modern
antibiotics
But like all diseases, the quicker treatment is begun the
quicker a cure can be expected
If you think you have been exposed to
syphilis, see a doctor IMMEDIATELY, you have little time to waste.

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.

Didronel
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Didronel (Etidronate) is used to treat osteoporosis (thinning of bone) in women after menopause.

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QUESTION: My doctor says that it is as important for me to examine my
testicles for cancer as for my wife to examine her breasts
Isn’t he being
overly dramatic?

ANSWER: Not in the least
Just as a self-examination of the breasts may
reveal a tumorous lump beneath the surface, it is also possible for a man to
discover a case of testicular cancer in the same way
A monthly examination
of the testes can easily and comfortably be performed while in the bath or
shower
Simply place the index and middle fingers under each testis, and the
thumb on top
Slowly rotate the testis with a gentle motion, feeling for any
lumps
Repeat the process for the epididymis, the small curved structure
located atop each testis
If you discover any small lumps, a slight
enlargement or change in the consistency of the testes, consult your doctor
immediately
Testicular cancer is exceptionally treatable, with a combined
cure rate of 85% for all forms of the disease; the earlier the condition is
uncovered, the more likely a complete recovery and an unhampered sex life.
Cancer detection is just as much a personal responsibility and a necessity in
a man as it is in a women
And it is easy to overcome the first few moments
of reluctance when you come to realize that it is your own health you are
protecting.

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.

Kytril
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Kytril (Granisetron) is an anti-emetic agent, used to prevent nausea and vomiting, caused by cancer chemotherapy and radiation.

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QUESTION: My husband has been complaining about tenderness in his neck for
over a month, along with feelings of fatigue and even a slight fever
Could
the problem be in his thyroid gland?

ANSWER: Well, that’s one possibility, so let’s discuss it
To determine if
the source of your husband’s pain is in fact the thyroid gland, a physician
will usually inquire if the pain has existed for less than three months, since
most conditions which cause thyroid pain rarely last for a longer period.
Next, a careful examination of the neck to see if there is tenderness,
swelling, or a sensation of warmth in the area of the thyroid.
Thyroid conditions can cause considerable discomfort for sufferers.
Luckily, however, such disorders are nearly always relatively short-lived, as
well as benign and easy to treat
Among the most common pain-causing thyroid
conditions: subacute thyroiditis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and benign thyroid
nodules.
Subacute thyroiditis is the most common of the three and often follows an
upper respiratory tract infection
Some characteristics of the disorder,
which usually runs its own course within three months with no medication
required, include fever, malaise, fatigue and muscle soreness
The symptoms
of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis resemble those of subacute thyroiditis although the
pain is usually less intense
This condition also disappears on its own.
Benign thyroid nodules can cause patients pain because of hemorrhage into the
swollen nodules.
Most conditions that cause pain in the thyroid can be helped with
relatively little medication and a lot of patience as they run their rapid and
benign course
Just a word: although we have discussed thyroid conditions as
the cause of your husband’s problems, there are other possibilities which may
best be discovered by a thorough examination.

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.

Prilosec
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Prilosec (Omeprazole) blocks the production of acid by the stomach.

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QUESTION: The results of a recent pap smear were read as “slightly abnormal.”
Now my physician is advising “follow up tests”
What does this involve? What
could this mean?

ANSWER: The pap test or smear is used most commonly to detect cancer of the
uterus and cervix
The test can reveal abnormalities at a stage at which such
changes produce no visible symptoms and have done no damage
Most often the
pap test catches uterine or cervical cancer at such an early stage that the
problem can be completely cured
The next step for your doctor to take is to
perform a colposcopy an examination with an instrument that is inserted into
the vagina and permits visual examination of the neck of the womb and the
upper part of the vagina
The colposcope has a magnification lens and can
detect early malignant changes.
If your doctor sees any problem areas, he or she then knows which areas a
biopsy sample should be taken from
If the biopsy turns out to have
precancerous tissue, or even malignancies, one relatively simple, painless and
inexpensive treatment option is cryotherapy
This involves the destruction of
the abnormal tissue with the application of extreme cold
About 20 to 25% of
patients with an abnormal pap smear require a different procedure because of
possible invasive cancer
The procedure is called cervical conization, which
is the surgical removal of a cone of tissue.
Another form of treatment is Carbon Dioxide Laser Therapy
In this
method, a laser vaporizes the altered cervical tissue
Laser therapy may
provide a better cure rate than cryotherapy, but it is less widely available,
more expensive, and requires anesthesia.
Hysterectomy is very rarely indicated, even with extensive changes of the
cervix
In the early stages, relatively simple techniques can accomplish
lasting cures, so stay the course.

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.

Chitosan
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Chitosan is a fiber-based fat blocker.

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QUESTION: We have an epidemic of pink eye in our house these days
I am at
my wit’s end
What causes this horror and what can we do?

ANSWER: Pink eye is another name for “acute conjunctivitis” which is an acute
inflammation of the transparent tissue that covers the outside of our eyeballs
(the conjunctiva)
It is most frequently caused by viruses, but can also be
the result of an allergic reaction or a bacterial infection
Bacterial
conjunctivitis is highly contagious and special precautions are necessary to
prevent its spreading to all members of the family
Once the diagnosis has
been made, antibiotic eye drops are usually prescribed and you should follow
your physician’s instructions carefully
Everyone in the household must wash
their hands very frequently and be restricted to using their own towels and
washcloths
Put away your handkerchiefs for now and distribute paper tissues
which should then be discarded immediately after any use.
Though this condition is most annoying and may look terrible at times, it
is not serious and responds rapidly to the right medication.

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.

Trandate
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Trandate (Labetalol) is used to treat severe high blood pressure (hypertension).

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QUESTION: My clock is ticking and I am past 35 now, and still looking forward
to my first child
Will my age present any special problems for me?

ANSWER: Are you pregnant? If you are, get good obstetrical care now and your
chances of producing a healthy baby are excellent
It is true that you are at
increased risk for a number of complications, but with good care and
counseling, you and your baby will do best.
What kinds of problems does the older mother have? She may have problems
with the placenta, bleeding and diabetes
More babies with Down’s syndrome
are born to older women (the incidence is one Down’s baby in 1,923 for
20-year-old mothers and one in 225 for 37-year-old mothers)
Genetic
counseling can help parents deal with this and other problems
Older mothers
are also more likely to have their babies by Cesarean section.
If you are not yet pregnant, it may take you a bit longer to become
pregnant than it would have taken you ten years ago
A baby girl is born with
all her ovum (eggs) in place
If she conceives as a young woman, those eggs
are healthier
If she waits several years to become pregnant, a higher
percentage of those eggs are defective and may not be fertilized or may grow
into babies with problems.
You’re not alone in having your first baby at “past 35.” The U.S.
Census Bureau tells us the number of births to women aged 35-44 will rise 46%
by 1990
Good prenatal care, genetic counseling and delivery in a center with
a capable newborn intensive care unit are all precautions the older mother is
wise to take.

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.

Arimidex
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Arimidex (Anastrozole) is an aromatase inhibitor used to treat breast cancer in women after menopause.

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QUESTION: My doctors thinks I may have an infected prostate, and wants to
conduct a series of tests on me
He used a term I didn’t understand to
describe the exact condition he suspects
How serious is an infected prostate
and what condition do you think he was referring to?

ANSWER: A variety of conditions fall under the overall diagnosis of
“prostatitis”, which refers to an inflammation of the prostate gland
While
as many as 50% of the male population develops symptoms of the disorder at one
time or another, doctors estimate that it actually occurs in only one out of
every 20 to 25 men.
The tests your doctor wants to conduct will help him determine the exact
form of prostatitis you may be suffering from
The condition usually begins
as an inflammation on the outer, or peripheral zone of the prostate, and in
severe cases can expand into its inner, or periurethral zone
While it is not
known precisely how the condition originates, researchers theorize that
bacteria may travel up the urethra (the canal that carries urine from the
bladder through the penis) to the prostate either on its own or via a
catheter
Other theories hold that the bacteria may originate in infected
urine, blood, or even the rectum (traveling through the lymphatic system to
reach the prostate).
Since the symptoms associated with prostatitis are often vague and
nonspecific, it is necessary for your doctor to take a series of urine samples
and prostatic secretions in order to pinpoint the precise condition you may
have
Prostatitis can be classified into four distinct clinical types,
detailed below.
Acute bacterial prostatitis involves frequent, painful, or
sleep-interrupting urination; low back pain, fever and chills may also be
present, while the prostate itself is unusually tense and tender
The
condition is treated with antibiotics, bed rest, plenty of liquids and
hospitalization if necessary.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis is usually the result of a recurring
urinary tract infection (triggered by the same microorganism); its symptoms
may include painful ejaculation in orgasm, or blood present in the semen.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis is treated similar to the acute condition, but
with a lower rate of success due to the elusiveness of the bacteria
responsible
Often, the symptoms can be controlled with a specific regimen of
antibiotics.
Nonbacterial prostatitis is marked by a dull pain in the pelvic area, and
shares symptoms of urinary pain with the bacterial forms of the disease
Its
cause or causes are open to debate, with cystitis and carcinoma originating in
the bladder suspected
Antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs are
administered, while patients have found that cutting back on alcohol,
caffeine, and spicy foods often alleviates symptoms.
The symptoms of prostatodynia (it means “painful prostate”), the fourth
type of prostatitis, vary widely from case to case
The condition may be the
result of a neuromuscular abnormality (such as unusual spasms of the urethral
sphincter), or it may have its roots in emotional stress
While antibiotics
are ineffective, a variety of medications have been used to treat it,
including muscle relaxants such as diazepam.

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.

Cystone
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Cystone is a proprietary herbal formula that naturally promotes a healthy urinary tract.

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