New thoughts on DVT
Frequent long-haul flyers
are at greater risk of DVT (deep vein thromboembolism) than previously thought, says
research published in The Lancet. Even taking aspirin and wearing special
compression stockings may not offer sufficient protection if the traveller is already at
risk.
Researchers from the New Zealand Air Traveller's Thrombosis
study monitored the health of 878 air travellers who frequently flew long-haul, defined as
any flight longer than 10 hours. After flying, the participants were tested, and four had
pulmonary embolism. Five had deep venous thrombosis.
Six of those with symptoms were found to have a pre-clinical
risk factor and two had a recognized thrombophilic risk factor. All nine had taken some
preventative action - five had taken aspirin and four were wearing compression stockings.
Exercising every half hour, even if it’s just circling ankles, is an extra
safeguard, and it may help to wear non-constricting clothes, including soft shoes without
laces.
White coat syndrome
That’s the term for a
rise in blood pressure when it’s taken by a nurse or doctor. Up to 30 per cent
of people get this reaction, says the Journal of the American Medical Association,
and it can result in unnecessary medication.
Most doctors and nurses are aware of this, which is why
they often suggest retesting over a period of weeks or months before prescribing.
Even so, regular monitoring doesn’t necessarily eradicate white coat syndrome, though
variations in readings give some idea of what’s going on.
One study suggests that patients who do home testing are
prescribed less medication. Investing in a home testing kit may be the answer if you
know you suffer from white coat syndrome. But the underlying problem seems to be
general nervousness. People just don’t like visiting doctors, and 30 per cent of them
seem to get nervous at the prospect.
Echinacea
and borage oil: do they or don’t they work?
Echinacea is known as a
natural immune system builder, something to take to reduce symptoms of a cold. But a
recent trial among children carried out by the University of Washington, suggests
that is actually worse than useless.
Researchers gave echinacea to one group of children
with an upper respiratory tract infection (UTI), while another group of sufferers was
given a placebo. In all, 407 children were given either echinacea or a placebo, but
symptoms and length of illness were about the same in both groups, and among the
echinacea takers 7 per cent developed a rash.
The National Herbalists Association of Australia responded to
this by saying that the researchers used the wrong kind of echinacea - an extract of
fresh juice, which, they say, is beneficial for building the immune system, but not
fighting viral infections such as colds.
Other defenders of the herb say that the root is the
active part and provides some protection against colds and 'flu, if taken for 10 days each
month but not continuously, and can shorten the duration of the symptoms if taken every
two hours at the onset.
Borage oil, also known as 'starflower oil', is often used to treat eczema because of
its high concentration of linolenic acid. But it, too, failed to stand up to recent
scrutiny.
When researchers from the George Eliot hospital in Nuneaton tested 920 mg of oil daily for
12 weeks on a group of 140 adults and children (the children were given half the
quantity), the oil had been no more effective than the placebo.
Problems of obesity
The Government is
concerned about our increasingly overweight population. Now a survey from the
Men’s Health Forum reveals that 60 per cent of male MPs feel they are
overweight .
Hardly a good example to follow, especially as the survey
revealed that two-thirds of those who felt overweight said they often ate foods they
felt they shouldn’t, and 90 per cent said they felt they should take more
exercise. The Men’s Health Forum is a registered charity. See more on
their website: www.menshealthforum.org.uk.
Meanwhile, a Government survey confirms that obesity levels in
the UK are reaching epidemic proportions. More than 25 per cent of men and 20
per cent of women who took part were obese, with a Body Mass Index (BMI)
of more than 30. In 1987 only 8 per cent of men and 12 per cent of woman surveyed were
over BMI 30.
According to the official figures, 900,000 people claiming
disability benefit (out
of a total of 1.5 million) have been diagnosed as obese. Assuming that the obesity is
connected with the disability, it makes the annual bill from claimants to UK taxpayers a
hefty £3.6bn.
Eating too much, choosing the wrong foods, not exercising – all the factors
leading to obesity are well known. But perhaps the major reason is that
we’ve become a more sedentary society. Heavy industry is phasing out even in less
developed countries. We sit at our computers, take the shortest walk to the bus
stop, use the car as much as possible. Result of being an information society: too
many calories in, too few burned up.
Eating less fattening foods will bring about weight loss,
and some people thrive on a low-carbohydrate diet, while others cut the fat or up the
fibre. But in the end, it’s not the diet that keeps you thinner,
it’s the lifestyle. Clearly, a lot of obese men and women should be
getting out more, whether it’s to the gym or the park.
 Maximise your memory
This work provides detailed instructions, illustrations and sample
exercises that show the reader how to build a system of personalized frameworks for
storing and recalling information on demand.
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Is
self-examining breasts good or bad?
A study involving
over 100,000 women suggests that the answer is bad. Women who self-examine regularly
mainly fail to detect genuine tumours but experience many false scares and a great deal of
anxiety.
When they consult their GPs, they are
often put through further investigation which may result in unnecessary surgery. The
study, which involved major London hospitals, including Queen Mary College, showed
that self-examiners underwent 53 per cent more biopsies than non-examiners.
There was no evidence to show that self-examining saved lives,
and the general consensus now is that regular professional screening is far more
effective. Women aged 50-64 are offered free, regular screening on the NHS, with
reminders every three years, but younger women are not screened unless they have a
family history of breast cancer. Women over 65 need to make sure they are screened
every three years.
For more information, see www.breastcancercare.org.uk.
Bristol Cancer Care latest
Bristol Cancer Help
Centre, the holistic cancer care charity, has announced the launch of a range of new
courses for people affected by cancer, including those supporting someone with cancer.
Four new courses have been developed to help in managing the
day to day challenges that diagnosis and treatment can bring. Find out more through www.bristolcancerhelp.org.
Taking the lid off the pet care industry
Animals have health needs
too. How good is your vet? What should vets advise on certain conditions? How
much should they charge for their services? If you own a dog or cat, it's something you
need to know about, if only to protect the health of your pet.
To find out what's going on, read the WDDTY (What Doctors
Don’t Tell You) guide, What Vets Don't Tell You. To order a copy, click
on this link:
http://www.wddty.co.uk
/shop/
details.asp?product=389
Instead of lasers: new eye treatment
CK or Conductive Kerotoplasty is a new corrective eye
treatment for long sight which does not involve cuts or incisions to the eyes. Success in
correcting long sightedness is said to be 97 per cent, and the treatment is being
offered, in private clinics, as an
alternative to lasers.
The procedure takes less than 5 minutes and results
are usually immediate, though some people experience a slight grittiness in the eye.
More than 20,000 treatments have been performed worldwide, say the
practitioners, with no serious complications or infection so far.
How does it work? CK involves the application of high-frequency radiowaves
through the thin tip of a handheld instrument. The tip is inserted at various spots around
the periphery of the cornea, shrinking the tissue and altering the cornea's shape to
improve vision.
Treatment with CK can eliminate the need to wear reading glasses for the 18 million men
and women who wear glasses due to advanced age. The technique was developed by Dr David
Allamby who runs Horizon Eye Centres, with clinics in Bolton, Manchester and London’s
Harley Street.
The cost is from £1250 per eye, and it will be some time
before it’s available on the NHS. Telephone 0207 0845 330 0010 for further information. A free
consultation and eye test is offered to potential clients.
Free eye tests at home
There’s nothing fancy
in it like CK, but free eye tests at home are now being offered to anyone over 70 who
hasn’t had a test for a year, anyone under 70 who hasn’t had a test for two
years and anyone who has been advised to have more frequent eye examinations.
Presumably, if you are able to get to the optician on your
own two feet, you won’t be too popular with The Outside Clinic, as it calls
itself. But for anyone house-bound this is useful to know about, or if you have a
parent or neighbour who can’t get out too easily, pass the message on.
An optometrist will visit equipped with all the necessary gear
to detect visual problems, and will advise on frames and lenses which will also be
delivered and fitted. Find out more on freephone 0500 295 245.
If in any doubt about any of the
information covered in healthwise articles and it's relevance for you, consult your GP.
In edition 48:-
Signs of a stroke
Few people actually know
what the signs of a stroke are
Treating depression helps arthritis
Depression and arthritis
often go together, but what if just the depression is treated
New breast cancer drug
When trials with a new drug
are stopped early because the results are so promising, it`s very good news indeed.
Get well sooner
Being a positive rather than
a passive patient has long been known to reap benefits
Want to know how long you are
likely to live?
Just log on to this website
to find out...
Sex and the fifty-plus
Worrying statistics show the
increase in STD`s in the older age group
Allergy sufferers get new magazine
The new lifestyle magazine for people with allergies
Index to
all previous Healthwise editions
For books on Health visit the Amazon
Family and Health Section.
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