Many of us recall this episode of “The Brady Bunch”: Little Cindy Brady comes down with tonsillitis and is scheduled to have her tonsils removed. Soon, Mrs. Brady ends up getting the same infection, and they both end up having tonsillectomies and recovering in bed together, with neither being able to talk from sore throats.
Sometimes, the smallest efforts can make the biggest difference. In terms of random acts of kindness this is certainly true, and recently, with applied research at Kettering University, small – or, more accurately –“nano-sized” efforts will eventually yield substantial results.
Yoga, westernized, is considered a Complimentary Alternative Medicine (CAM) while its eastern origination (Patajali’s yoga sutras) identifies Yoga as a thorough hygiene of the mind and body in order to attain heightened consciousness. Most Westerners, in their preference for practicality, simplify yogic discipline down to two of the eight limbs of yoga: pranayama (regulated breathing techniques) and asana (a yoga pose). Hatha yoga is the result of this consolidation, and Western students of Hatha yoga attain substantial benefits including improved lung capacity, flexibility and strength. Consistency in practicing the poses in coordination with breathing will also develop a propensity for more healthful living, and one may decide to encompass the remaining six limbs: yamas (five codes of conduct), niyamas (five hygiene guidelines/observances), pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses/stillness of mind), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (heart and mind unify to create heightened state of consciousness).
When most of us think about heart attack symptoms, we list chest pain first. It is one of the most common signs – discomfort in the chest such as a feeling of pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the chest area can signal that the heart is not functioning properly. But there are many other symptoms that are important to be aware of, as well.
Interventional Pain Management is a subspecialty field of medicine that deals with procedures (typically injections) to treat chronic pain.
Research is showing that the main component of turmeric – called curcumin – an herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family – appears to block an enzyme that promotes the growth of head and neck cancers. UCLA studied subjects who had cancer and found that those enzymes in the mouths of patients who consumed curcumin were slowed down, helping to prevent the advancing spread of malignant cells.
“Making surgery more precise” … these words are music to the ears of any person awaiting a medical procedure. According to Dr. Michael McCann, DO, FACOS, FACS, Chief of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care at Hurley Medical Center, the daVinci Surgical System has done just that. The hospital has utilized the daVinci Surgical System for a wide range of surgeries since 2012. “The daVinci Surgical System is designed to facilitate complex surgeries using a minimally invasive approach,” explains Dr. McCann. The surgeon controls it from a console. “This has been extremely beneficial to patients!” he exclaimed. “The incisions are smaller and pain is greatly reduced. It also cuts down on recovery time, lowers the risk of infection, there is less blood loss and it allows the surgery to be more precise.”
As the second issue of My City Wellness hits the streets, I want to take a moment to explain why I decided to publish a health related magazine. We would all undoubtedly agree that we live in the Information Age; the last decade of the Internet has put the power of the world’s information banks at the end of a mouse-click. Therefore, one might ask, Why offer a periodical on health topics when I can get the info on the Web? My answer: if there is one thing we’ve learned over the last decade, it’s that not everything you read on the Internet is factual. It may have a slant, be completely false or one-sided, or it can be presented in the form of an infomercial. Maybe what you find about the new drug that you are researching was written by the company that makes the drug … you get the idea.
Those of us caring for a friend or family member with Alzheimer’s disease must keep many aspects of the affliction in mind.
It’s inevitable: with the start of the school year comes the onslaught of snot. Germs travel throughout the classrooms, cafeterias and locker rooms. As winter draws nearer, the problem multiplies like the bacteria and viruses that cause it, and many of their effects include ear symptoms. The issue lies in knowing when an earache is actually an infection. There is a high likelihood that a visit to an urgent care facility will end with a prescription for an antibiotic; but, most ear pain is not due to bacteria that the medicine is meant to fight. Every year, millions of antibiotic prescriptions are written for otitis media (middle ear infection), despite the fact that 75 percent of them are caused by viruses which, in fact, are not affected in the least by the antibiotic.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Pink ribbons, the symbol for breast cancer, are everywhere – and with good reason. Here are some alarming statistics:
