February 15th, 2011 by KevinMD in Better Health Network, Opinion
Tags: Abdominal Pain, Belly Complaints, CT Scans, Definite Diagnosis, Diagnostic Tools, Doctors' Diagnostic Limitations, Doctors' Diagnostic Skills, Dr. Kevin Pho, Dr. Zachary Meisel, ED, Emergency Department, Emergency Medicine, Emergency Room, ER, Gastroenterology, Gastrointestional Medicine, KevinMD, Overtesting, Patients' Expectations, Potential Patient Harm, Radiation Exposure, Radiation Risks, Radiology, Time Magazine, Too Many Medical Tests, Too Much Testing, Treatment Variables, Unnecesary Medical Complications, Unnecessary Risks, Unnecessary Testing, Value of Medical Commentaries
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Abdominal pain is the bane of many emergency physicians. Recently, I wrote how CT scans are on the rise in the ER. Much of those scans look for potential causes of abdominal pain.
In an essay from Time, Dr. Zachary Meisel discusses why abdominal pain, in his words, is the doctor’s “booby prize.” And when you consider that there are 7 million visits annually by people who report abdominal pain, that’s a lot of proverbial prizes.
One reason is the myriad of causes that lead bring a patient to the hospital clutching his abdomen. It can range from something as relatively benign as viral gastroenteritis where a patient be safely discharged home, to any number of “acute” abdominal problems necessitating surgery.
But more importantly, we need to consider how limited doctors actually are in the ER. Consider the ubiquitous CT scan, which is being ordered with increasing regularity:
The pros: CT scans are readily available, able to look at every organ in the abdomen and pelvis, and very good for ruling out many of the immediately life-threatening causes of belly pain. CT scans can also reduce the need for exploratory surgery. The cons: Often, CTs can’t diagnose the actual cause of ER patients’ abdominal pain. Worse, CTs deliver significant doses of radiation to a patient’s abdomen and pelvis (equivalent to between 100 and 250 chest X-rays). Over a lifetime, patients who receive two or three abdominal CT scans are exposed to more radiation than many Hiroshima survivors.
Add that to the fact that patients expect a definitive diagnosis when visiting the hospital — one that doctors can’t always give when it comes to abdominal pain. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at KevinMD.com*
February 14th, 2011 by Jeffrey Benabio, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips
Tags: Athlete's Foot, Bare Feet, Barefoot, Dermatology, Dr. Jeff Benabio, Fungal Infection, Fungicide, Fungus, Hand Sanitizer, Infectious Disease, Preventing Infections, Preventive Health, Preventive Medicine, Reducing Infection, Ringworm, Self-Care, Skin Care, Skin Infection, Spread of Infection, Vinegar and Water, Yoga
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Yoga is good for your mind and body, including your skin. Yoga mats, on the other hand, might not be. Using someone else’s yoga mat for an hour could lead to an infection.
Fungal infections are common and appear as athlete’s foot, toenail fungus, and ringworm. Unfortunately, the fungus can survive on surfaces like mats long after the infected person has left. Although most people blame the gym locker room when they develop athlete’s foot, you can catch the fungus from a variety of places anytime you walk barefoot.
Fortunately, even if the fungus comes into contact with your skin, it doesn’t always lead to infection. Dry, cracked skin, or soft, wet skin disrupt your primary defense against the fungus — the densely packed barrier of skin cells, oils and proteins on your healthy skin’s surface. Here are five ways to prevent taking a fungus home with you from your next yoga class:
1. Bring your own mat. At least you know what you have.
2. Use an alcohol sanitizer on your hands and feet after your class. Sanitizers with at least 60 percent alcohol are excellent at drying up the fungus and killing it long before it has a chance to infect you. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at The Dermatology Blog*
February 14th, 2011 by RamonaBatesMD in Better Health Network, Book Reviews
Tags: Biography of the Human Heart, Bottom Of My Heart, Cardiology, Dr. Pauline Chen, Dr. Ramona Bates, Dr. Thomas Amidon, Heart-Love Connection, Medical Language, Medicine and Metaphors, Metaphorical Heart, Metaphorical Power of the Heart, NPR, Physical Heart, Real Human Heart, Red Heart Symbol, Science and Medicine, Stephen Amidon, Story of the Human Heart, Sublime Engine, Suture For A Living, Valentine's Day
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Listening to NPR on Saturday morning I caught part of Scott Simon’s interview with brothers Stephen Amidon and Thomas Amidon, M.D. discussing their book “The Sublime Engine: A Biography of the Human Heart.” The interview touched on the story of the human heart in science and medicine, history, and culture:
It turns out that the classic red heart symbol we see almost everywhere around Valentine’s Day doesn’t look much like a real human heart at all.
“Of all the theories about where that symbol comes from, my favorite is that it is a representation of a sixth century B.C. aphrodisiac from northern Africa,” says Stephen Amidon…”And I kind of like that history because it sort of suggests that early on, people sort of understood the connection between love and the heart.”
Words and how we use them were the focus of Dr. Pauline Chen’s interview by WIHI host Madge Kaplan this past Thursday, February 10th, “A Legible Prescription for Health“:
On this edition of WIHI, Dr. Chen wants to spend some time talking about language, especially the words doctors use with one another when describing patients; the unintended barriers created the more doctors and nurses don protective, infection-protecting garb; the mounting weight of patient satisfaction surveys; and more.
Back to the NPR interview on the human heart as a “sublime engine,” the authors don’t feel that as our advances in surgical techniques become commonplace that the heart will lose any of its cultural and metaphorical significance. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Suture for a Living*
February 13th, 2011 by AnnMacDonald in Better Health Network, Health Tips
Tags: Ann MacDonald, Arthritis, Back Pain, Cancer, Depression, Diabetes, ED, Erectile Dysfunction, Harvard Health Blog, Harvard Health Publications, Harvard Heart Letter, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Mental Health Letter, Harvard University, Health Problems and Your Love Life, Health-Related Sexual Problems, Healthy Heart, Healthy Relationship, Healthy Sexual Functioning, Healthy Sexuality, Heart Disease, Heart Health, Low Sexual Desire, Men's Health, Mental Health, Romance and Health, Sex and Medical Treatment, Sex and Your Health, Sexual Arousal, Sexual Dysfunction, Sexual Health, Sexual Problems, Valentine's Day, Women's Health
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This is the time of year when stores are filled with red hearts and other reminders that Valentine’s Day is approaching. It’s a mood booster, not to mention a nice break from all that winter grey (at least up here in Boston). After all, what would life be like without romance, love — and sex?
Unfortunately, a variety of health problems — as well as some of the treatments for them — can get in the way of sexual desire and functioning. Here’s a quick look at some of the main sources of trouble and suggestions about what to try first. If these initial strategies don’t work, have a heart to heart with your doctor about what to do next. There may not be a quick fix for health-related sexual problems, but there are steps you can take to help ensure that you can still enjoy a love life while taking care of the rest of your health.
Arthritis
Arthritis comes in many guises, but most forms of this disease cause joints to become stiff and painful. The limitations on movement can interfere with sexual intimacy — especially in people with arthritis of the knees, hips, or spine.
One common solution is to try different positions to find a way to make sex physically more comfortable. Another option is to take a painkiller or a warm shower before sex to ease muscle pain and joint stiffness. Or try a waterbed — which will move with you.
You can read more online by viewing this helpful article posted by the American College of Rheumatology.
Cancer
Cancer treatment may have long-term impact on sexual desire and functioning. Surgery or radiation in the pelvic region, for example, can damage nerves, leading to loss of sensation and inability to have an orgasm in women and erectile dysfunction in men. Chemotherapy can lower sex drive in both men and women. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Harvard Health Blog*
February 13th, 2011 by Toni Brayer, M.D. in Better Health Network, Opinion
Tags: Aging of America, Aging Population, California, Closing Nursing Schools, Dr. Toni Brayer, Everything Health, General Medicine, Healthcare Disconnect, Humboldt University, Nursing Assistants, Nursing Faculty, Nursing Programs, Nursing Shortage, Primary Care, Registered Nurses
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With the aging of America, it’s well known that there will be a shortage of registered nurses and nursing assistants to take care of the population. It’s predicted that the shortage of nurses in California will climb to 80,000 by 2015. California has just 653 registered nurses employed per 100,000 people.
One of the problems is a lack of qualified faculty to teach at nursing schools. California was forced to turn away 23,000 qualified applicants from nursing programs during 2008-2009. And this week Humboldt State University announced plans to discontinue the school’s nursing program because of financial concerns and inability to retain nursing faculty. Shortage of nurses and closing nursing programs — now there’s a big disconnect.
*This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth*
