Therapist Unlimited Blog

Recent medical studies has shown that being circumcise will not protect gay men from Human Immuno Virus (HIV) if ever they engage in sex with another men.
Based on the research conducted by CDC researchers involving 4,900 men who had sex with HIV-positive men, it was discovered that the infection rate, about 3.5 percent, was approximately the same whether
the men were circumcised or not.
Peter Kilmarx, chief of the epidemiology branch in the CDC’s HIV division, explained that circumcision is not considered beneficial in preventing the spread of HIV among men who have sex with men.
Kimarx concluded CDC is still considering recommending it for other groups, including baby boys and high-risk heterosexual men.

Gay men who engage in sex with another men better be careful since circumcision is no protection against HIV.

Aside from CDC, the Boston Globe editorial also discussed circumcision and HIV.
According to the editorial, there is no evidence that circumcision protects against male-to-male transmission of the virus, or from men to women.
Still, a technique that reduces the prevalence of the disease will ultimately benefit all groups.
Furthermore, the popular US newspaper revealed while a majority of U.S. parents already circumcise their babies, rates are lower among two groups that suffer disproportionately from HIV/AIDS: African-Americans
and Hispanics.
The  Globe concluded, no one should be forced to circumcise a son.
 

Contrary to what most people think hookah smoking is as deadly as cigarette puffing recent medical studies has shown.
Brian Primack, M.D., Ed.M., M.S., assistant professor of medicine and pediatrics at Pitt’s School of Medicine and lead author of the study. "What they don’t realize", revealed hookah smokers are are exposing themselves to many of the same toxic chemicals contained in cigarettes.
A hookah, or waterpipe, is used to inhale tobacco that usually is flavored or sweetened.
The opening of hundreds of hookah cafes in the U.S. over the past decade demonstrates the increasing popularity of hookah smoking.
Primacj said although the aesthetic appeal of the practise suggests that it is not harmful, studies show that hookah tobacco smoke is just as toxic as cigarette smoke and is associated with substantial harm and addictiveness.
For example, one average hookah smoking session exposes the user to 40 times the tar of a single cigarette.
Meanwhile according to a latest study made by the University of Pittsburgh, college students who participate in intramural or club sports are less likely to smoke cigarettes than non-athletes, but are more likely than non-athletes to smoke from a hookah.

Smoking hookah is as deadly as puffing cigarettes.
 

To get the data, researchers at Pitt examined survey data from 8,745 college-age individuals who participated in the National College Health Assessment administered by the American College Health Association in 2008, and found that 33 percent of the respondents reported participating in varsity, club and intramural sport in the preceding 12 months.
Overall, 29.5 percent of the total sample reported having smoked from a hookah.
Consistent with what has been reported in the past, all types of athletes were less likely than non-athletes to smoke cigarettes.
Similarly, varsity athletes were 22 percent less likely than non-athletes to have smoked tobacco from a hookah.
However, club and intramural participants were each 15 percent more likely than non-athletes to have smoked tobacco from a hookah.

Middle-aged white women in the United States had reasons to be careful these days.
This developed after recent data has shown that death rate from unintentional poisoning already triples in the US for these people.
Based on the study made by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Center for Injury Research and Policy it was discovered that white women between 45 and 64 years old experienced a 230 percent increase in the rate of poisoning mortality over the study period.
The data they gathered also showed that white men in this age group experienced an increase of 137 percent.
The researchers also discovered that mortality rates from falls varied widely across age and gender.
The researchers revealed the death rate from falls increased 38 percent for white men and 48 percent for white women 65 and older.
The research team explained mortality rate did not increase significantly for older blacks of either sex.
The researchers said overall, 89 percent of the total increase in unintentional injury deaths in the U.S. between 1999 and 2005 was due to poisoning among those 15 to 64 years old and falls among those 45 and older, which increased by about 11,200 and 6,600, respectively.

Middle-aged women need to be careful since they are prone to unintentional poisoning.

Study co-author Susan P. Baker, MPH, a professor with the Bloomberg School’s Center for Injury Research and Policy said the large increases in the number of deaths attributable to poisoning and falls underscore the need for more research on the specific circumstances involved.
Baker added that while we don’t know the cause behind the recent increase in falls mortality, it appears that the increase in poisonings is largely due to prescription drugs.
She said national prevention efforts are needed to control the abuse of prescription drugs and limit access.
She added prescriptions for opioid analgesics to address pain have increased dramatically in the past decade, and data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that prescription drugs have replaced illegal drugs such as cocaine as the most prominent substances in fatal drug overdoses.
In addition to falls and poisonings, four other leading causes of intentional injury deaths were identified for subsequent analyses: suffocation, drowning, fire/burns and motor vehicle crashes. Suffocation rates generally decreased or had no significant change, but they greatly increased in white children less than one year old.
Drowning rates increased among white men 65 and older and among white middle-aged women, but decreased in black males 5 to 24 years old, black females 5 to14 years old, and whites females 15 to 24 years.
Mortality from fires and burns decreased the most.
The rate of dying due to a motorcycle crash more than doubled in Hispanic males 15 to 24 years and in white males ages 45 to 64 years.

A recent study has shown that those who drink heavily are at higher risk of getting inflicted with prostate cancer.
Based on the research heavy drinking consist of four glasses of liquor a day on five days a week.
The researchers in their study also found out that heavy drinking made finasteride ineffective for reducing prostate cancer risk.

Heavy drinkers better stop their habit or limit their liquor intake if they wish to avoid suffering from prostate cancer.

The research has shown that that finasteride’s ability to lower prostate cancer risk was blocked in men drinking 50g alcohol per day.
To avoid chances of suffering from prostate cancer, medical experts hope heavy drinkers will stop their habit or limit their liquor intake for the sake of their health.Prostate cancer, a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system is a deadly disease that should not be overlooked.
The cancer cells may metastasize (spread) from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly the bones and lymph nodes.
Prostate cancer may cause pain, difficulty in urinating, problems during sexual intercourse, or erectile dysfunction. Other symptoms can potentially develop during later stages of the disease.

Researchers has recently discovered that women who get pregnant have a more positive outlook in life.
The researchers also found out that due to the positive effect of childbearing women are also protected against any negative impact on their body image.
The team who made the study also discovered that women’s interpersonal relationships were also very important in relation to their body image, and investment in their
relationships with their baby, partner, family and friends also seemed to protect against body image concerns.

Women who get pregnant have a more positive outlook in life due to their condition.

It is said that the result of the research confirmed the fact all along that giving birth is the greatest gift a woman could have in their lifetime.
Not all women were given the privilege to bore their own child so having the opportunity to get pregnant and eventually give birth is such a memorable moment for any woman in this planet.
It had been chronicled that despite the pain in giving birth to a child and the common instances of getting fat due to the situation, women still accept the responsibility bravely.

Some people view insect bites as minor injuries that do not medical attention.
Well, to all these people it is time for you to change your outlook in life.
Recent studies have shown that insect bites can kill you if you do not do some proper medical attention if ever insects stung you.
The death of legendary skateboarder Andy Kessler’s death after being stung by an insect is a reminder that stings can
be deadly for those with stinging insect allergy.
Based on the data gathered by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI),up to 5% of Americans are at risk for a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction from insect stings.
Unfortunately, most people are not aware they are allergic to insect stings until after experiencing a reaction.
Accordingly, an allergic reaction occurs when the immune system overreacts to the insect venom. When this happens, an allergic person’s body produces an allergic substance called Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody, which reacts with the venom.

Seek immidiate medical help if ever an insect stung you since delayed treatment can kill you.

This triggers the release of histamine and other chemicals that cause allergic symptoms and, in the most severe of cases, a rapid fall in
blood pressure, loss of consciousness and sometimes even death.

Here is a list of the common stinging insects in the United States:

- Yellow jackets - black with yellow markings, found in various climates
- Honeybees - a round, fuzzy body covered with dark brown and yellow markings
- Paper wasps - slender, elongated bodies that are black, brown or red and have yellow markings
- Hornets - black or brown with white, orange or yellow markings and are larger than yellow jackets
- Fire ants - reddish-brown ants living in large mounds, mostly in warmer climates.
 

Practical steps to avoid being stung by insects

- Avoid the "territory" of the stinging insect’s nest. These insects are most likely to sting if their homes are disturbed.
- Remain calm, quiet and slowly move away from stinging insects. Do not swat them.
- Avoid brightly colored clothing and perfume outdoors that may attract stinging insects.
- Be careful when cooking, eating or drinking sweet beverages outdoors. Keep all food and beverages covered until consuming
them.
- Avoid loose-fitting garments that can trap insects between material and the skin.
 

A recent study has shown that people over the age of 60 are the most vulnerable to heat waves, with 82% to 92% more deaths than average occurring in this age group.
Based on the research, risks for heat-related illness or injury such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion and heat cramps are also
heightened in people with obesity, heart disease, diabetes and respiratory conditions as these decrease the body’s ability to adapt to temperature changes.
The researchers said physicians and their patients must be aware of the risk factors for older people and people with chronic disease in excessive heat conditions and counsel and manage accordingly.
According to the researchers, laboratory-based physiologic studies show that the ability to detect heat is reduced, and the physiological response to heat with adequate blood distribution and sweating to cool the body is slower, in otherwise healthy older individuals compared to younger people.
The research team explained their ability to respond to thirst is also delayed and they take longer to recover from dehydration.
Moreover, the study has also shown that people of lower socio-economic groups, lower levels of education and those who are socially isolated have a greater risk of mortality.

The elderly need to be careful since they are at higher risk from suffering from heat stress.

The researchers said air conditioning is associated with a risk reduction of 80% and working fans with a 30% reduction.
The researchers added housing may be a factor as lower income people often live in crowded or poor-quality housing, with inadequate ventilation and cooling systems.
They revealed homeless people are at risk because of lack of shelter from extreme heat and often also by underlying physical or psychiatric issues.
Dr. Glen Kenny from the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa and his co-authors said the new research should focus not only on filling these gaps in the science-based information but also on developing clinical guidelines for health professionals to facilitate the giving of advice to patients.

Who says it is better to find medical cure in the past than today?
A recent analysis has found that adolescents and young adults who were recently diagnosed with blood-related cancers have
better long-term survival rates than those who were diagnosed in the 1980s.
Based on the study it was uncovered that significant advances have been made in the treatment of 15 to 24 year-olds with leukemias and lymphomas; however, survival rates in this age group are
still lower than those seen in younger children.
It is said that few studies have looked at trends in the long-term survival of adolescents and young adults with blood-related cancers, which include Hodgkin’s lymphoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloblastic leukemia, and chronic myelocytic leukemia.
To get the data, Dianne Pulte, MD, of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and her colleagues analyzed data from the Surveillance,
Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, which is a population-based cancer registry in the United States.
The team then compare survival rates of young patients diagnosed in recent years with those diagnosed two decades ago.

Those who are suffering from leukemia and lymphoma find better cure today than in the past.

Based on the information they gathered from SEER data from 1981-1985 with data from 2001-2005, they found that survival significantly improved in each of the five blood-related malignancies.
The researchers revealed the 10-year survival rates increased from 80.4 percent to 93.4 percent among adolescents and young adults with Hodgkin’s lymphoma; from 55.6 percent to 76.2 percent for non-Hodgkin’s
lymphoma; from 30.5 percent to 52.1 percent for acute lymphoblastic leukemia; from 15.2 percent to 45.1 percent for acute myeloblastic leukemia; and from 0 percent to 74.5 percent for chronic myelocytic leukemia.
Furthermore, the researchers also that survival improved steadily over the two decades for the lymphomas and chronic myelocytic leukemia, but survival was stable during the late 1990s and early 21st century for the
acute leukemias.
In addition, the exception of Hodgkin’s lymphoma, survival in adolescents and young adults still lags behind survival in children and, in the case of acute myeloblastic leukemia, even behind survival in older adults.
The researchers explained the persistent lower survival rates for adolescents and young adults with acute leukemias compared with children with these diseases remain a major challenge.
They said more research into how to treat these diseases and how to make sure that all patients have access to the best treatment is needed.
 

Medical researchers has recently discovered that men diagnosed with infertility suffer intense negative sexual, personal and social strains that might be considered typical for other medical illnesses, including cancer.
Based on the study, the researchers found out that from being a "silent disease" in men the findings makes clear, for the first time, that male infertility is a ‘disease’ like any other, silent or not, and can have a serious effect on the overall well-being of the individual, the couple, and the family.
The researchers revealed the study also shows that the diagnosis of infertility increases social strain in male partners of infertile couples.
The team who conducted the study explained male partners in couples with perceived, isolated male factor infertility have a lower sexual and personal quality of life compared to male partners of couples without perceived male factor infertility.

The family of those men suffering from infertility should provide 100 percent love to their loves ones since these people are suffering big due to their medical condition.

According to the latest statistics, about one in eight couples around 7.3 million Americans have trouble conceiving.
It is said that half of those cases have male infertility issues often easily treatable ones.
Furthermore, the statistics also shows that male infertility affects 10% to 15% of reproductive aged couples worldwide and is treatable in many cases.
The medical experts hoped the data gathered in the research should serve as driving force for the family of men facing infertility to understand and care more this person in connection with the ordeal he is facing.

A recent medical study has shown that early stage cancers of the esophagus can be treated as effectively by less-invasive,organ-sparing endoscopic therapy as compared to more complex surgical removal of the esophagus.
In a research made by Mayo Clinic it was discovered that 20 percent of esophageal cancer cases in the United States, the cancer is detected in the early stages.
Ganapathy Prasad, M.D., gastroenterologist and lead author on the study revealed that traditionally, esophageal cancer patients undergo a complicated surgery to remove the esophagus.
Prasad added their team compared surgery to the use of endoscopic therapy, where a scope is inserted in the esophagus and the cancer cells are shaved off.
He said the results showed the less-invasive therapy was just as effective as surgery for early-stage cancers.

To treat esophageal cancer minimal invasive treatment is found effective.

To get the data, some 178 patients with early-stage esophageal adenocarcinoma, 132 (74 percent) were treated with endoscopic mucosal resection and 46 (26 percent) were treated surgically.
The endoscopic mucosal resection patients underwent a procedure where a liquid is injected under the lesion and then an endoscope is used to shave off the lesions. The other patients underwent more traditional esophagectomy or removal of the esophagus.
In following these patients for nine years, both groups had a comparable overall mortality rate of approximately 20 percent.
Cancer recurred in 12 percent of patients treated endoscopically, but recurrence could be re-treated endoscopically.
Moreover, Prasad explains that esophagectomy surgery patients are typically in the hospital for a week, and 30 to 50 percent of patients have complications post surgery.
Prasad cited, patients whose esophagus has been removed face lifelong dietary restrictions.
Endoscopic treatments, however, are performed in an outpatient care setting, and patients can eat full meals in a couple of days.