CHRONIC PAIN
• Hyperbaric Hope for Fibromyalgia Sufferers: Women who suffer from fibromyalgia benefit from a treatment regimen in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, according to researchers. Hyperbaric oxygen chambers that expose patients to pure oxygen at higher-than-atmospheric pressures. Plos One
• Why Chronic Pain is All In Your Head: The first longitudinal brain
imaging study to track participants with a new back injury shows that the more
two sections of the brain related to emotional and motivational behavior
communicate, the greater likelihood a patient will develop chronic pain.
Researchers were able to predict, at the beginning of the study, which
participants would go on to develop chronic pain based on the level of brain
interaction. Nature Neuroscience
• Promising new NSAID-Derivative May be Well Tolerated by Chronic Pain Sufferers:
Long-term use of naproxen (ALEVE), a type of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drug (NSAID), is often prescribed for chronic pain conditions such as
osteoarthritis. However, because of NSAID-related gastrointestinal problems
including stomach and intestinal inflammation and ulcers, many are unable to
tolerate ongoing use. A new study finds that a naproxen-derivative may provide both
symptom relief and gastrointestinal protection. American Journal of
Physiology - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology
• Improving Sleep Quality Has Pain Control Benefits: Sleep
disruption appears to be associated with altered pain processing and central
sensitization, according to research. For the study, participants with knee
pain were recruited from the community with eligibility being age 45 to 85,
African American or non-Hispanic white and knee OA based on American College of
Rheumatology criteria. Subjects completed sleep questionnaires and experimental
pain applications. The Journal of Pain
COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
• Most Uses of Medical Marijuana
Wouldn’t Pass FDA Reviews:
An international meta analysis of dozens of clinical trails for medical
marijuana for 10 conditions concludes there is very little reliable evidence to
support the drug’s use for most of the conditions. The exceptions are those
with chronic neuropathic pain or cancer pain and muscle spasticity in people
with multiple sclerosis. In both cases, the panel found that there was
“moderate-quality evidence” to support its use in such patients. Trials
testing the pain-relieving effects of medical marijuana in people with
fibromyalgia, HIV-associated sensory neuropathy, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple
sclerosis and other conditions did not show that it worked. This was also true
for treating depression, anxiety disorder and psychosis and to reduce eye
pressure in glaucoma patients. “Low-quality evidence” was found for medical
marijuana in relieving nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy patients, appetite
stimulant in HIV patients, assist with insomnia and other sleep disorder and
reduce tics of people with Tourette Syndrome. One of the things the studies
showed most clearly is that people who use medical marijuana had a “much
greater risk” of side effects, including serious problems like kidney, liver and
psychiatric disorders. The most common adverse effects included dizziness,
confusion and disorientation JAMA
• Cannabis
May Be Used To Treat Fractures: A new study explores another promising
new medical application for marijuana. According to the research, the
administration of the non-psychotropic component significantly helps heal bone
fractures. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research
FDA ACTION
• Approved
Orkambi to treat cystic fibrosis in patients 12 years and up.
• Announced
intention to take enforcement against companies that manufacture and/or
distribute certain unapproved prescription ear products (otic products) labeled
to relieve ear pain, infection and inflammation.
• Investigating
the safety of using codeine-containing medicines to treat coughs and colds in
children under 18 years because of the potential for serious side effects,
including slowed or difficult breathing.
• Strengthens Warning of Heart Attack Stroke Risk
for Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (e.g. Motrin, Advil, Aleve). The
warning does not apply to aspirin.
PREVENTION
• Bad Neighbor May Make You Age Faster: Researchers looked at more than 2,900
people in the Netherlands and found that those living in neighborhoods with
high levels of noise, crime and vandalism were biologically 12 years older than
those of similar chronological age living in other areas. Plos One
• Even Light Activity Can Boost Seniors’ Health: Researchers
reviewed information from a U.S. national survey done between 2003 and 2006 and
found that high amounts of low-intensity workouts provided significant benefits
for people older than 65.
Light activity includes things such as walking, slow
dancing, household chores and leisurely sports such as table tennis. Seniors
who did 300 minutes or more per week of light activity were 18 percent
healthier than seniors who didn't. They also had less body fat and smaller
waists than their less active peers. American Journal of Health Promotion
• Weight Loss Surgery May Beat Diet, Exercise as Type 2 Diabetes Treatment: In a
small study of obese patients, weight-loss surgery was better at keeping type 2
diabetes at bay than diet and exercise alone, researchers report. JAMA Surgery
• A Healthy Body Often Equals a Healthy Brain: People
who want to stay sharp as they age often turn to brain teasers, puzzles and
games, figuring correctly that they'll lose it if they don't use it.
But a healthy body is also key to maintaining a
healthy brain, and that's something many people tend to overlook, experts say.
Alzheimer’s Association
• Diabetes Rates Fall in Neighborhoods with Healthy Food, Parks and Gyms: A new study found that the risk of developing diabetes
was 12 percent lower in neighborhoods with access to healthy foods. The
researchers also found a 21 percent reduced risk of type 2 diabetes in areas
with greater opportunities for physical activity. JAMA Internal Medicine
• Men with “low Testosterone” Have Higher Rates of Depression: Researchers
found that men referred for tertiary care for borderline testosterone levels
had much higher rates of depression and depressive symptoms than those of the
general population. Science Daily
• Lung Cancer Patients Who Quit Smoking Live Longer: Lung cancer patients live longer if they quit smoking
around the time of their cancer diagnosis, a new study finds. Those who quit
smoking shortly before or after they learned they had lung cancer lived an
average of 28 months. Those who continued to smoke lived an average of 18
months. Even patients with advanced lung cancer gained extra survival time if
they quit smoking. Journal of Thoracic Oncology
• Young Women Opting for “Very Light” Smoking: While overall smoking rates are falling in the United
States, a new study points to one exception: Young women who often opt for
"very light" smoking. The study defined a very light habit as smoking
five or fewer cigarettes a day. "Even light smoking can triple the
lifetime risk of heart disease.” Preventing Chronic Disease
• Secondhand Smoke Tied to Raised Stroke Risk: New research suggests that
exposure to secondhand smoke may increase nonsmokers' risk of stroke by nearly
one-third. American Journal of Preventive Medicine
• More Exercise equals More Fat Loss for Older Women:
Canadian researchers found that postmenopausal women who got five hours of
moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise every week -- double the normally
recommended amount -- lost significantly more body fat within a year than women
who exercised less. JAMA Oncology
SUPPLMENTATION/VITAMINS/NUTRITION
• OJ, Grapefruit Slightly Raise Melanoma
Risk: A study
of more than 100,000 U.S. adults followed for about 25 years found that those
who regularly consumed orange juice or whole grapefruit had a higher risk of
developing melanoma, compared to people who avoided those foods. Journal of
Clinical Oncology
• Vitamin
B12 Supplements Questioned for Older Adults: Taking vitamin B12 supplements
does not benefit neurological or cognitive function in older people with
moderate deficiency of vitamin B12, research has shown for the first time. Am
Journal of Clinical Nutrition
• Omega 3 Supplements Show Promise for Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A very small study (n=12) found that people with mild cognitive
impairment (MCI) saw clearance of the hallmark amyloid-beta protein and reduced
inflammation in neurological tissues with use of omega 3 supplements and
antioxidants. Federation of American Societies for Experimental
Biology
• More Evidence a Healthy Diet Can Lower Risks of Heart Disease, Cancer: Eating a healthy diet was linked
to lower death rates from heart disease, cancer and other diseases among
low-income adults living in the southeastern United States, a new study
reports. PLOS Medicine
• Only 1 in 10 Americans Eats Enough Fruits and Veggies: Just 13 percent of U.S. residents
consume one and a half to two cups of fruit every day as recommended by federal
dietary guidelines. Less than 9 percent of Americans eat two to three cups of
vegetables every day as recommended, the report showed. MMWR
• Low Chance of Obese People Recovering Normal Body Weight: The chance of an obese person attaining
normal body weight is 1 in 210 for men and 1 in 124 for women, increasing to 1
in 1,290 for men and 1 in 677 for women with severe obesity, according to a new
study. The findings suggest that current weight management programs focused on
dieting and exercise are not effective in tackling obesity at population level.
American Journal of Public Health
• Dairy Products Boost Effectiveness of Probiotics: The success of probiotics for boosting human health
may depend partly upon the food, beverage, or other material carrying the
probiotics, according to research. Applied and Environmental Microbiology
TREATMENT
• Can Smartphones Interfere with Pacemakers: Another
study suggests that smartphones should be kept a safe distance from implanted
cardiac devices like pacemakers and defibrillators, in the rare chance that
signaling "interference" occurs. European Society of Cardiology
• Under the Tongue Hay Fever Pills Offer Little Benefit:
Under-the-tongue pills for hay fever sufferers provide little symptom relief
and often come with bothersome side effects, new research finds. JAMA Internal
Medicine
• Aspirin
Use Common Among Americans with Heart Trouble: About
seven in 10 Americans who’ve had heart disease or stroke regularly take
aspirin. MMWR
• Antidepressant, Painkiller Combo May
Raise Risk of Brain Bleed: Taking
both an antidepressant and a painkiller such as ibuprofen or naproxen may
increase risk of a brain hemorrhage, a new study suggests. BMJ online
• Ultrasound Accelerates Skin Healing, Especially for Diabetics and the Elderly: Healing
times for skin ulcers and bedsores can be reduced by a third with the use of
low-intensity ultrasound, scientists have found. Journal of Investigative
Dermatology
OTHER
• Americans’ Risk of Dying from Cancer is Falling: The
risk that any one American will die from cancer -- the cancer death rate -- is
going down, regardless of sex or race, a new government study reports. However,
because the United States has a growing aging population, the overall number of
people dying from cancer is on the rise, officials from the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention reported. Preventing Chronic Disease
• Menopausal Women at Lower Heart Risk Than Men of Similar Age:
Menopause is commonly considered a risk factor for heart disease, as the
protective effect of estrogen declines. However, in a new study, researchers
found that postmenopausal women had a lower risk of dying from heart attack
than did men of similar ages. Journal of the American Heart Association
• Online Symptom Checkers Often Miss Diagnosis: Automated online "symptom
checkers" that seem to offer patients a quick opportunity for
self-diagnosis provide the right diagnosis in only about one-third of cases, a
new analysis reveals. The investigation also found that online medical checkers
are about as accurate as primary care physician phone services that offer
patients advice on whether or not a condition requires urgent care. They are
pretty good at effectively directing people with an (emergency) situation to
seek some kind of appropriate care, and to do so quickly. BMJ Online
• Consumer
Reports Takes Liquid Detergent Pods off “Recommended” List:
Consumer Reports said that it has removed liquid laundry pods from its
"recommended" list because of the dangers they pose to small
children. They also urged that the convenient laundry aids be
avoided altogether in homes where children younger than 6 years of age live or
ever visit.
• Health Care Access Improves with Expansion of Obamacare: While more Americans have health insurance following
the expansion of the Affordable Care Act, Hispanic adults have realized some of
the biggest gains in access to medical care, a new government report shows.
Approximately 34 percent of Hispanic adults were uninsured in 2014, compared
with 41 percent in 2013. NCHS Data Brief
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