Tag Archives: emergency

Do gut bacteria rule our minds? In an ecosystem within us, microbes evolved to sway food choices

In an article published this week in the journal BioEssays, researchers from UC San Francisco, Arizona State University and University of New Mexico concluded from a review of the recent scientific literature that microbes influence human eating behavior and dietary choices to favor consumption of the particular nutrients they grow best on, rather than simply passively living off whatever nutrients we choose to send their way. Bacterial species vary in the nutrients they need. …

Dr. Manny: FDA loss of control on Plan B not surprising

I told you so - the government is bamboozling us about Plan B. The Obama administration announced on Monday that it will now allow girls and women of all ages to purchase the Plan B pill without a prescription. This is exactly what I have been warning the American public about. I am now totally convinced that our current federal government loves confusion. When you have a single agenda, and many ways to spin it, the American public never gets a clear answer and that is exactly what has happened with the Plan B emergency contraception controversy. Just last week, a U.S. appeals court ruled that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must make only certain forms of the emergency contraception pill available to children of all ages, without a prescription.  In a confusing ruling, the court stated that while the two-pill version of emergency contraception could be sold over-the-counter to women of all ages, the one-pill version would still only be sold to women age 17 or older. The court did not explain its reasoning. One has to remember that the FDA first approved this form of over-the-counter contraception for women of all ages back in 2011. When that initial FDA ruling came out, there was a loud public outcry and restrictions were quickly put in place barring women under the age of 17 from purchasing these pills. But of course, that was just one spin on the story. In April, a New York judge ruled that restricting access to Plan B was inappropriate, forcing the FDA to reconsider their initial finding that emergency contraception should be available to children of all ages. And then, we got another spin on the story, as the FDA tried to lower the age limit for access to emergency contraception to 15 last month. There was another outcry and more criticism, because we know perfectly well that a 15-year-old may not have a clear understanding of how to utilize emergency contraception. Now, we see that the FDA will get to do what they wanted to do in the first place. How convenient. So, what’s the message here?

Dr. Manny: Government must stop bamboozling Americans about Plan B

I am now totally convinced that our current federal government loves confusion. When you have a single agenda, and many ways to spin it, the American public never gets a clear answer and that is exactly what has happened with the Plan B emergency contraception controversy. A U.S. appeals court ruled on Wednesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must make certain forms of the emergency contraception pill available to children of all ages, without a prescription. This is exactly what I have been warning the American public about. One has to remember that the FDA first approved this form of over-the-counter contraception for women of all ages back in 2011. When that initial FDA ruling came out, there was a loud public outcry and restrictions were quickly put in place barring women under the age of 17 from purchasing these pills. But of course, that was just one spin on the story. In April, a New York judge ruled that restricting access to Plan B was inappropriate, forcing the FDA to reconsider their initial finding that emergency contraception should be available to children of all ages. And then, we got a third spin on the story, as the FDA tried to lower the age limit for access to emergency contraception to15 in May. There was another outcry and more criticism, because we know perfectly well that a 15-year-old may not have a clear understanding of how to utilize emergency contraception. Now, we see that an appeals court is forcing the FDA to do what they wanted to do in the first place. How convenient. And the final ruling is still unclear, after the court decided on Wednesday that while the two-pill version of emergency contraception can now be sold over-the-counter to women of all ages, the one-pill version will still only be sold to women age 17 or older. The court did not explain its reasoning. While there is still a lot of confusion about the ruling, it seems as though the FDA will ultimately get its way. So, what’s the message here?

Dr. Manny Alvarez: Government must stop bamboozling Americans about Plan B

I am now totally convinced that our current federal government loves confusion. When you have a single agenda, and many ways to spin it, the American public never gets a clear answer and that is exactly what has happened with the Plan B emergency contraception controversy. A U.S. appeals court ruled on Wednesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must make certain forms of the emergency contraception pill available to children of all ages, without a prescription. This is exactly what I have been warning the American public about. One has to remember that the FDA first approved this form of over-the-counter contraception for women of all ages back in 2011. When that initial FDA ruling came out, there was a loud public outcry and restrictions were quickly put in place barring women under the age of 17 from purchasing these pills. But of course, that was just one spin on the story. In April, a New York judge ruled that restricting access to Plan B was inappropriate, forcing the FDA to reconsider their initial finding that emergency contraception should be available to children of all ages. And then, we got a third spin on the story, as the FDA tried to lower the age limit for access to emergency contraception to15 in May. There was another outcry and more criticism, because we know perfectly well that a 15-year-old may not have a clear understanding of how to utilize emergency contraception. Now, we see that an appeals court is forcing the FDA to do what they wanted to do in the first place. How convenient. And the final ruling is still unclear, after the court decided on Wednesday that while the two-pill version of emergency contraception can now be sold over-the-counter to women of all ages, the one-pill version will still only be sold to women age 17 or older. The court did not explain its reasoning. While there is still a lot of confusion about the ruling, it seems as though the FDA will ultimately get its way. So, what’s the message here? The polarizing health care agenda of this federal government is like a train without a stop and parents need to be aware of this. As I have said before, this is a medication. Yes, I know that it is safe – but it does have side effects. Side effects to Plan B can include, but are not limited to: migraines, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and blood clots. If this drug is available to young children, it might lead to problems including the misuse of the medication and the risk that children will utilize this as a regular form of contraception. Furthermore, it will exclude parents from the decision-making process. And in my opinion, parents can be very valuable in counseling children about proper behavior and doing the right thing. This is taking parents and caregivers out of the equation and inhibiting their ability to help their children live a healthy and happy life. America, we are being bamboozled. Wake up and pay attention.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/05/dr-manny-government-must-stop-bamboozling-americans-about-plan-b/

Mom issues health warning after 16-year-old son dies of testicular cancer

After the recent loss of their 16-year-old son from testicular cancer, one family is urging other young men to get checked regularly, Gazette Live reported. Michael Rushby from Grangetown, England waited eight long months before telling his brother John on April 17 that he had found a lump on one of his testicles.   “He said he had a problem and showed me one of his testicles,” John told Gazette Live. “The lump was obvious so I took him straight to (the emergency room). The doctor said just by looking at it there was an 80 percent chance it was cancer.” The next day, Michael – known as Mikey by friends and family – was diagnosed with testicular cancer, and doctors discovered that the cancer had also spread to his abdomen and chest. Despite his late diagnosis, Mikey was given a 75 percent chance of survival.  He underwent a week of chemotherapy at Middlesbrough’s James Cook University Hospital and returned home on Friday, April 26.   The following Monday, he was set to return to the hospital for another round of treatments.  But as he was heading downstairs, he lost his strength and collapsed.  He was taken to James Cook, where he died later that day.  It had only been two weeks since he had told his brother about his lump. Now Mikey’s family is speaking out about their son’s death, urging others to get regular health checkups and to not feel ashamed about their medical issues. “I want to say to anyone who ever thinks they might have a problem, go to your mum, go to your dad, go to someone,” Patricia Rushby, Mike’s mom, told Gazette Live. “Mikey could have come to his mum - I wouldn’t have been embarrassed.” “He was my baby. I loved him to pieces,” Patricia said. “I want other young people to know what we have gone through. I wouldn’t want any family to go through what we have.” Click for more from Gazette Live.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/21/after-16-year-old-son-dies-testicular-cancer-mom-urges-others-to-get-checked/

Flesh-eating bacteria victim Aimee Copeland gets new bionic hands

Last summer, the nation was captivated by the story of Aimee Copeland, a University of West Georgia graduate student who lost both her hands and a leg to a terrible bout with flesh-eating bacteria, which she contracted during a zip-lining accident.   Now, a little over a year later, 25-year-old Copeland has been fitted with a new pair of prosthetic hands, which allow her to wipe down tables, fold towels and even straighten her hair, WLTX.com reported.   Thanks to a gift from Touch Bionics in Hilliard, Ohio, Copeland is the first woman in the world with bilateral upper limb amputations to be fitted with iLimb Ultra Prosthetic Hands.  According to the company, the prosthetic hands cost $100,000 each, but Touch Bionics gave them to Copeland free of charge, as she had run out of insurance to pay for them herself. To date, the iLimb hands are the most advanced and most versatile high-tech prosthetic hands available, and Copeland has spent the past week in Hilliard getting them fitted and learning how to use them.  In a video from WXIA of Columbus, Ohio, she was able to delicately pick up a single M&M. “It feels amazing, because you know, with the other arms I had, they really didn’t feel like an extension of my body,” Copeland told WXIA.  “This just feels very freeing; it’s more light-weight. And the hand actually… it seems like this could be my actual hand.” Copeland’s ordeal began in May 2012, when she was enjoying a trip kayaking down a creek with some of her friends in Carrollton, Ga.  But when Copeland stopped to ride on a homemade zip line along the water, the line snapped and cut a large gash in her left calf.   Doctors ultimately had to staple her leg up with 22 staples, and they told her to take pain medication.  But the pain did not subside, so a friend drove Copeland to the emergency room the next day, where doctors diagnosed her with necrotizing fasciitis – the infection and destruction of a layer of tissue right underneath the skin.  The bacteria had entered Copeland’s body through the gash she had received during the zip-lining accident.   Despite her initial odds of survival being “slim to none,” then 24-year-old Copeland eventually pulled through, but both her hands and her entire left leg had to be amputated in order to ensure her survival.  After two months in the hospital and two months of rehabilitation, Copeland returned to her renovated home in Snellville, Ga., where she began physical therapy. Click for more from WLTX.com.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/17/flesh-eating-bacteria-victim-aimee-copeland-gets-new-bionic-hands/

Dance fever, but no injuries

The celebrities on Dancing with the Stars have suffered a slew of injuries over the years  – from Jennifer Grey’s ruptured disc to Nancy O’Dell’s torn meniscus. So if you feel inspired to sign up for a dance class after watching an episode, take some precautions. Doctors warn that while the show's contestants may be more prone to injury due to their grueling schedules, beginning dancers can also hurt themselves if they aren’t careful.   Dr. Mike Salata, an orthopedic/sports medicine specialist at UH Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio, shared his tips on how to make sure a night of swing dancing doesn’t land you in the emergency room.   1. Get in shape before beginning a new workout routine If it’s been awhile since you last worked out, log some hours at the gym before trying out a new dance class. “Start on the exercise bike or elliptical to increase your general physical fitness,” Salata said. This will strengthen your muscles and may even help you shed a few unwanted pounds – reducing the amount of impact on injury-prone joints like the knee. “Also, you will just generally increase your cardiovascular reserve so you can do more stuff without getting tired. A lot of times people get hurt when their muscles are fatigued,” Salata said. “So the better shape you are in, the less likely you will be to get injured.” Salata also recommends doing core-strengtheners like Pilates, planks or crunches. “Your balance will be better…and that will help you avoid lower back injuries, as well as (injuries in) the lower extremities,” Salata said. 2. Work with a seasoned instructor Find a class taught by an experienced teacher rather than relying on a DVD or online class. “Being involved with someone who does this for a  living, in terms of an instructor, would be helpful to minimize the risk of doing things the wrong way,” Salata said. Instructors can also help you address any pain you might feel during class, addressing potential trouble spots before they turn into full-blown problems. “Maybe they can modify the way you are doing something,” Salata recommended. 3. Don’t forget to warm up and cool down Stretch both your upper and lower body before and after every workout, Salata advised. “An appropriate warm up and cool down is important,” Salata said.  “Fifteen minutes before and after, you should really try to stretch things out and cool down appropriately. That minimizes risk of muscular injuries.” 4. Feel pain? Stop! If you feel pain beyond normal muscular soreness, ask your instructor if they have any advice as to how to modify your movements. If the pain persists, take a week off to rest. Salata advised treating your injury at home by icing the sore muscle or by taking anti-inflammatory over-the-counter drugs like Advil. “A week or two later, if it feels OK, then you’re probably safe. If your pain returns or is getting close to the level it was at (before), you need more time off,” Salata advised. If pain persists for more than three to four weeks, make an appointment with your doctor. “People get injured because they try to do stuff too fast. They’re not prepared for the activities and are doing it the wrong way; that’s the recipe for disaster,” Salata said.  “Starting gradually and under supervision – that’s really the best formula.”source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/13/dance-fever-but-no-injuries/