|
Why do older
people fall over?
Scientists at the
University of Birmingham have been investigating this troubling
phenomenon, and they’ve found that vision plays a part.
It seems that the normal thing to do, when walking
through cluttered environments, is to look ahead to locate safe places
to put one’s feet. But older people need to look much sooner to these
targets, possibly through a slow-down of reflexes or a need to make
sure that the way is clear.
Result is, they are in danger of looking ahead before
they have sufficient visual information to negotiate the step
immediately in front of them. And this makes for a higher risk of
tripping and falling.
Three questions that could save a life
Could you
recognise the symptoms of a stroke? After discovering that a group of
non-medical volunteers could identify facial weakness, arm weakness
and speech problems, researchers reporting at the American Stroke
Association are urging the general public to learn the following three
questions.
If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call
999 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
Widespread use of this test could result in prompt diagnosis and
treatment of the stroke and prevent brain damage.
Heart attack
self-help
Let's say you're
driving home (alone, of course) after an unusually hard day. You're
really tired, upset and frustrated. Suddenly you start experiencing
severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm and
up into your jaw.
You are only about five miles from the hospital
nearest to your home. Unfortunately, you don't know if you'll be able
to make it that far. What do you do?
Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart
attack, without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and
who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing
consciousness.
However, there are ways people can help themselves
according to the American Stroke Association.
Start by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. A deep breath should
be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged,
as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest.
A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two
seconds without let-up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt
to be beating normally again. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs
and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood
circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain
normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a
hospital.
HRT (again)
Latest advice from
the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is more or less
back to base. Not so long ago, the verdict on HRT was: safe for five
years, and then review the situation. Then it was give up the
treatment altogether, or safe for a couple of years, according to
different pieces of research and medical opinions.
Now, the verdict is once again OK for five years.
This is the conclusion of a book, Menopause and Hormone Replacement
published by the Royal College. And after five years? Talk to your GP
and think about gradually phasing out over a period of six months.
Have we heard all there is to hear about HRT? Watch
this space.
And a new
drug for osteoporosis
Reducing the rate
of bone loss and accelerating bone growth are two approaches to the
problem of osteoporosis. Now a drug is available that combines both.
The drug, Protelos, has been tested at St Thomas’ Hospital in London,
and is proving to be a good choice for patients.
At least one in three women and one in twelve men
over the age of fifty will suffer a broken bone, particularly in the
spine, hip or wrist. Up to half of those suffering from a broken hip
lose the ability to live independently.
Protelos reduced the risk of spinal fractures by a
third and other fractures by 31% compared to a placebo (dummy pill).
It is taken daily in a tasteless powder form, mixed with water. Talk
to your doctor if you are taking medicines for osteoporosis to see if
this new drug would suit you.
Hearing aids of
the future
The digital
revolution in hearing aids means that you don’t have to advertise to
the world that you need to wear one. But a whole new generation of
aids could be on the way.
The ideal implanted aid would be a microphone under
the skin of the external ear canal, linked to a mechanism with a sound
processor and an output that vibrates, says the London Clinic
Newsletter. But it won’t be a reality for about ten years.
Meanwhile, cochlear implants are available for
children, bone-anchored aids are suitable for people with no external
ear canal, and the Retrox overcomes the disadvantages of conventional
aids in a novel fashion.
This recent technique involves a titanium tube
implant which creates a better fit and avoids irritating effects of
whistling and uneven amplification found in many hearing aids. It’s
suitable for people with mid- to high-frequency hearing loss and the
surgical procedure takes about fifteen minutes with a local
anaesthetic.
Private insurance companies may pay for Retrox or
similar devices, but be prepared to fork out yourself. You can find
out more by emailing consultant Mr Jonathan Harcourt of the London
Clinic at:
office@harco.demon.co.uk.
|
|
Heard the one about GORD?
Only 20 per cent
of the public have, and it’s definitely no joke. GORD stands for
gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. In other words, the problem is
heartburn, that sensation of burning that seems to rise from the
stomach or lower chest.
Most people don’t seek help from their GP for the
problem. They are more likely to suck peppermints or try indigestion
pills. But there are medications available on prescription that are
likely to be far more effective in controlling symptoms.
If you want to know more about GORD or other digestive
disorders, there are a number of useful websites:
Primary Care Society for Gastroenterology:
www.pcsg.org.uk
Patient UK: Heartburn:
www.patient.co.uk
/illness/h/heartburn.htm
Digestive Disorders Foundation:
www.digestive
disorders.org.uk
Supplementary benefits
Hangover cure?
Call it detox
Nowadays, the
smart thing is not to talk about hangovers. The key word is detox.
When the detoxification system becomes overloaded, toxic metabolites
accumulate, so the theory goes, and we become progressively more
sensitive to other chemicals. This accumulation of toxins can wreak
havoc on our normal metabolic processes, particularly when it comes to
liver function.
Get rid of those harmful chemicals and you get
healthy, is the logical conclusion of detox fans, and of course
there’s a herbal remedy to do the job. Herbal detox remedies include a
special extract of milk thistle (Silybum marianum) known as silymarin.
You can take milk thistle before a long night of
drinking, and afterwards for a couple of days if needed. Milk Thistle
300mg ?8.80 for 90 capsules is available from Nutri Centre.
Relief for the bedfellows of snorers
Most cases of
snoring are caused by vibrations of the uvula and soft tissues in the
throat as the muscles slacken and narrow the air passage during sleep.
Recent surveys reveal that:
-
84% of
couples acknowledge snoring is a cause of arguments and disputes,
-
82% of the
population regularly leave the bedroom to escape a partner’s snoring
and
-
58% claim
snoring causes problems with their relationship.
Since 70% of offenders are male, women are the ones
losing most sleep. So Snore Relief , could be something of a godsend
for a considerable part of the population. This new product is
designed to lubricate the soft tissues and facilitate the circulation
of air, thus, say makers Arkopharma, reducing snoring.
The product contains natural plant oils and is
administered with a hygienic spray applicator and held in the mouth
for 20 seconds before being swallowed (the spray, not the applicator).
Snore Relief costs ?7.50 and is available from Nutri Centre, health
food stores, independent pharmacies
If in any
doubt about any of the information covered in
healthwise articles and it's relevance for you, consult
your GP.
In edition 57:-
When to see your dentist
If your teeth can stand it, latest advice is to see your dentist once in two
years.
How to sell bowel
cancer screening to men
Bowel cancer is the third most common form of cancer in men
Bones out of balance
Research has revealed that only a quarter of local NHS organisations are
getting the services they need to screen for thinning bones..
Meanwhile, bones tests
make it at pharmacies
A new product, a bone health supplement, is being launched in 2005
A cuppa is good for you
Drinking tea regularly might help memory and even protect against
Alzheimer`s disease.
Bad news for drug
companies
A Lancet review of nine studies show the drug Atenolol, prescribed to
reduce raised blood pressure, is no better than a placebo in reducing fatal
heart attacks
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.
Index to all
previous Healthwise editions
For books on Health visit the
Amazon Family and Health Section.
Don't forget if you buy books or videos from Amazon by
linking from laterlife, you generate money for Charity.
|
