Therapist Unlimited Blog

According to a recent medical study music might also help premature infants learn to suckle better and reduce their pain.
Dr. Manoj Kumar, an assistant clinical professor in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry’s
Department of Pediatrics said if confirmed, this would be a simple, low-cost way to help these tiny babies feed on their own faster and move them out of neonatal units sooner.
Kumar said if you can get them to feed earlier then you can save health-care resources.
Kumar added music also appears to reduce infants’ pain during circumcision and some medical procedures.
He explained music is increasingly being played in neonatal units on an informal basis because parents and caregivers have a perception that it’s beneficial for the infants.
Kumar, a clinical epidemiologist who also has training in health economics and several of his colleagues associated with the Alberta Research Centre for Child Health Evidence (ARCHE) in the Pediatrics Department decided to conduct a rigorous, systematic review of medical literature to see what research has shown.
Of 180 studies the U of A team examined, nine randomly controlled trials published between 1989 and 2006 met the review criteria and were included.

Those who have premature babies try to play music to improve their feeding and reduce pain at the same time.

These nine studies were all so different that the review team says it was not possible to reach any definitive conclusion.
But the team did find much "preliminary evidence that music may have beneficial effects in terms of physiological parameters, behavioural states and pain reduction during painful medical procedures."
"Music may also improve oral feeding among premature infants," the U of A researchers say.
In particular, Kumar notes one 2003 U.S. study reported that feeding rates increased significantly with use of a pacifier-activated lullaby (PAL) system in preterm infants who previously were having difficulty in making the transition to oral feeding. This result warrants further investigation, given its potential implications for health-care budgets, he says.
The PAL system consisted of a soother connected to a pressure transducer which was further connected to a tape recorder.
When the baby sucked on the soother, the pressure activated recorded lullabies.
Another high-quality pilot study, conducted in the U.S. in 2001, looked at whether music could help with pain control during circumcision. It found that playing recorded lullabies and nursery rhymes lowered pain levels as measured by the babies’ heart rate and oxygen saturation, and according to established pain scales that measure infants’ behavioural responses.
Moreover, the researchers said the link between late motherhood and longevity could be something that is not inherited. It could be good nutrition or good living, suggesting that if you are a healthier mom you live longer.
With these findings, women who gave birth late are very happy since they will more opportunities to be with their baby despite their old age.

According to the latest medical research knee is the most common body part that get injured among high school athletes.
Based on the research made by the Center for Injury Research and Policy (CIRP) of The
Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital it was discovered that ankle accounted for 12 percent followed by shoulder at 11 percent.
The researchers also found out that the most severe and common injury diagnoses were fractures (36 percent), complete ligament sprains (15 percent) and incomplete ligament sprains (14 percent). Commonly fractured body sites included the hand and finger (18 percent), ankle (14 percent) and wrist (11 percent).
The research team also discovered that high school football and wrestling athletes experienced the highest rate of severe injuries that caused high school athletes to miss more than 21 days of sport participation among a nationally representative sample of high school athletes.
It is said that severe injuries accounted for 15 percent of all high school sport-related injuries.
Study co-author Dawn Comstock, PhD, CIRP principal investigator at Nationwide Children’s and a faculty member of The Ohio State University College of Medicine revealed severe injuries negatively affect athletes’ health and often place an increased burden on the health care system.
 

Knee injury is common among high school student athletes.

Comstock added future research is needed to develop effective interventions to decrease the incidence and severity of high school sports injuries.
Among the sports studied in the study were football, boys’ and girls’ soccer, volleyball, boys’ and girls’ basketball, wrestling, and baseball and softball.
The data taken from the study were collected from the 2005-2007 National High School Sports Injury Surveillance Study, which was funded in part by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Center for Injury Research and Policy (CIRP) in The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital works globally to reduce injury-related pediatric death and disabilities. With innovative research at its core, CIRP works to continually improve the scientific understanding of the epidemiology, bio-mechanics, prevention, acute treatment and rehabilitation of injuries.

According to a latest study, four simple questions on well-being asked at the start of each session of ongoing couples therapy can greatly increase chances for reconciliation and improved relationships.
Based on the result of the largest clinical trial with couples to date, it shows that divorce and separation rates for couples that used this feedback technique were 46.2 percent less than that of couples who received therapy as usual.
The data are taken from the 2-year study conducted at the Vestfold Family Counseling Center in Norway by a U.S.-Norwegian team of researchers.
The researchers revealed from October 2005 to December 2007, 205 randomly selected couples receiving therapy in southern Norway participated in the study, which investigated the effects of providing ongoing feedback regarding the progress of treatment to both clients and therapists.
The research team said the couples had problems typical of struggling relationships: communication difficulties, loss of feeling for partner, jealousy/infidelity, conflict, and coping with partner’s physical or psychological problems.
They said half of the study group had feedback incorporated into their therapy while the other half did not.
The team bared couples who used the feedback method rated their well-being on an individual, interpersonal, social, and overall basis by using a visual scale called the Outcome Rating Scale (ORS) at the beginning of each session.

Marriages of couples on the brink of separation were saved by a highly effective therapy technique that uses feedback method.

The researchers explained the results were used to guide each session: if progress was not noted, new directions for therapy were discussed and implemented.
It is noted that therapists participating in the study received training on how to integrate the findings of the ORS and collaborate with couples to find new solutions.
Dr. Barry Duncan, one of the authors of the study said adding feedback can be the start of a revolution in couples therapy.
Duncan explained it encourages couples to honestly evaluate their progress and enables therapists to adjust therapy before it’s too late.
It is said that although feedback has been demonstrated to improve individual psychotherapy outcomes, no studies until now have examined couples therapy.
To get the data, participants were contacted 6 months after the last therapy session.
Respondents then answered questions about their experience in treatment, including whether the couple remained together.
Based on the study it was discovered that the feedback couples were not only more satisfied with their relationships but also reported significantly lower rates of separation or divorce: a 18.4 percent separation/divorce rate for ORS couples versus 34.2 percent for non-ORS couples.
The researchers said this study adds to growing evidence that ongoing client feedback in psychotherapy can significantly improve outcomes.

Pregnant women who wish to have a safe delivery and have a healthy baby as well should do some form of exercise during pregnancy.
Researchers have recently discovered that exercise can strengthen and improve overall musculoskeletal and physiologic health as well as pregnancy related symptoms.
Based on their study, researchers found out that exercise such as aerobics, impact and no impact activities, resistance training and swimming: eases back and other musculoskeletal pain; lowers maternal blood pressure; reduces swelling; and improves post-partum mood, including sadness.
Lead researcher Capt. Marlene DeMaio, M.D., M.C., U.S.N., Research Director, Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Virginia, explained the data shows that the pregnant woman’s body can compensate for the changes with no harm to the fetus during low to moderate intensity exercise.

A latest study has shown that doing some form of exercises during pregnancy is beneficial to pregnant women.

DeMaio said it is important to remember that pregnancy is a temporary condition, not a disease, and that the musculoskeletal and physiologic changes that happen are normal in the majority of patients.
According to the latest study, some physicians continue to advise their pregnant patients to ease back on exercise or refrain from it altogether if they have not already made it a part of their lifestyle.
Moreover, DeMaio, who collaborated with Capt. Everett Magann, M.D., M.C. U.S.N., Chairman in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, also at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, not only reports that exercise is important during pregnancy, but also believes that starting an exercise program when pregnant, is a perfect way to begin and stick with a fitness program.

A recent study has shown that the feelings of depression could be one reason patients fail to follow their doctors’ orders on exercising and eventually become less physically active.
It is said that although past research shows that exercise improves chronic health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes, it also shows that patients with these conditions often suffer from depression.
To get the result, the researchers evaluated 11 studies comprising some 20,000 patients.
Based on eight studies reported that having symptoms of depression after a coronary event, such as heart attack, was a significant risk factor for developing a sedentary lifestyle or a poor adherence to an exercise regimen recommended by the patients’ doctor.

Those patients who are less active could be suffering from depression.

Babak Roshanaei-Moghaddam, M.D. of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at University of Washington in Seattle and lead author of the study explained there are both behavioral habits associated with depression, such as smoking and obesity, which may then limit exercise motivation and enjoyment, as well as biologic factors that can cause obesity and decrease energy level, exercise tolerance and pain threshold.
Evette Joy Ludman, Ph.D., of Seattle-based Group Health Cooperative, who had no affiliation with the study, for her part said depression can indeed make people have less motivation and energy to exercise.
Ludman added the physical activity is not only important for preventing and managing many chronic conditions; it can be very helpful for improving mood and other symptoms of depression.

Parents should be more vigilant with regards to the television viewing and computer games playing of their children.
A recent study has shown that watching too much TV and playing computer games could result in high blood pressure for children.
Based on the study, the discovery is a major public health concern and its effect on blood pressure is of particular concern.
In their study, the researchers said the clustering of cardiovascular disease risk factors in overweight youth suggests that risks may be immediate and not just indicative of potential future problems.
The researchers added although elevated blood pressure is associated with genetic factors, healthy physical, dietary and sleep habits seem to be relevant contributors to blood pressure levels in children.
However, the researchers revealed there have not been any clear links between sedentary behavior and elevated blood pressure in children younger than age 9.

Children should avoid watching too much television and playing computer games since it could lead to high blood pressure.

David Martinez-Gomez, B.Sc., of Iowa State University, Ames, and the Spanish National Research Council, Madrid, Spain, and colleagues examined associations between sedentary behavior and elevated blood pressure in 111 young children (57 boys and 54 girls ages 3 to 8).
According to their research they found out that sedentary behavior was determined by an accelerometer generally worn over the right hip and by parental reports stating the average time the children spent watching TV, playing video games, painting, sitting or taking part in other activities with low levels of physical activity each day for seven days.
Moreover, the researchers said the results of this study showed that TV viewing and screen time were associated with elevated blood pressure independent of body composition in children.
The researchers added given that total objective sedentary time was not associated with elevated blood pressure, it appears that other factors, which occur during excessive screen time, should also be considered in the context of sedentary behavior and elevated blood pressure development in children.

Parents around the world should strive hard to keep their children away from smoking cigarettes since tobacco can lead to life-threatening diseases and premature death.
In a recent data gathered by the Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) it was discovered that although it is illegal to sell cigarettes to children under the age of 18, 42% of 13 year old regular smokers and 57% of 15 year old regular smokers are reportedly buying cigarettes from a shop, while 13% of 13 year old regular smokers and 10% of 15 year old regular smokers buy their tobacco from a vending machine.
With the alarming result of their research a group of doctors in Scotland wants to see a robust approach to tobacco control in order to reduce the number of teens who smoke.
Dr. Peter Terry, Chairman of physicians group in Scotland explained it is essential that cigarettes are made less accessible to children.

Medical experts revealed children hooked on smoking cigarettes can suffer death if their addiction could not be stopped.

Terry said banning point of sale displays and getting rid of tobacco vending machines will go some way to doing this.
He said smoking causes lung cancer, heart disease and respiratory problems.
He added smoking also ages skin, makes your breath smell and stains fingers yellow.
Moreover, Terry said every day doctors witness the death and despair caused by smoking.
Terry said there is a need to break the tobacco trap.
Terry added young smokers will become tomorrow’s parents who smoke and they will continue the cycle of smoking-related ill health.

According to a latest medical data one in every 25 persons who died around the world is due to alcohol addiction.
In the research conducted by Dr. Jürgen Rehm, of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, and the University of Toronto, and colleagues they found out that in 2004, the net effect of alcohol consumption on health is harmful, accounting for 3.8 per cent of deaths globally (6.3 per cent for men and 1.8 per cent for women), and 4.6 per cent of years lived with disability.
The team of experts revealed most of the alcohol-related deaths were due to cancer, cardiovascular disease, liver disorders like cirrhosis, plus injuries and violence.
Based on the result of their research, the medical experts suggested that the level of alcohol-related disease is linked to the amount consumed, the effect being strongest on poor people and those marginalized from society, for every extra unit consumed.

People who are addicted to drinking better stop their habit now since latest data has shown that one in 25 deaths worldwide are caused by alcohol.

According to the researchers, the cost of this burden is equal to more than one per cent of gross national product in high income and middle-income countries and most of this is not the health care cost but the social harm caused.
The researchers said they looked at two different aspects of alcohol consumption: the total amount drunk and the pattern of drinking, such as binge drinking where a lot is consumed in a short time.
The researchers explained they calculated the average global alcohol consumption per person per year is about 6.2 liters of pure ethanol, which is a rate of a dozen or so units of 10 mls each per week. One unit is roughly the amount of alcohol in a shot of spirits, a medium strength bottle of beer or a medium glass of wine.

A recent medical study has shown that pregnant women who work on their first-trimester are putting the welfare of their baby at higher risk.
Based on the research conducted by medical experts pregnant women who work on the first three months of their pregnancy are associated with reduced birth weight and an increased risk of delivering a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant.
The significant pieces of information were taken from the study made on 8,266 pregnant women in Amsterdam, Netherlands who all work on the first-trimester of their pregnancy.

Pregnant women should stop working or reduce their workload for the sake of their incoming babies.

The medical experts found out that workweek of 32 hours or more and high job strain were significantly associated with low birth weight.
The team of experts also discovered that the combination of high job strain and a long workweek resulted in the largest birth weight reduction and the highest risk of delivering an SGA infant.
To avoid harm and complications to their incoming offspring, the experts recommended that women temporarily stop working while they are still pregnant.
The experts said if ever they could not really stop working it would be best that she reduce her workload and make it minimal to ensure the well-being of her baby will be sufficiently protected from harm.

According to a latest medical research organic food are no better nutritionally than conventionally produced.
The finding was based on the 50-year study conducted by researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
According to the data from 2007, the organic food industry is estimated to be worth 29 billion pounds (about 48 billion US dollars) worldwide and continues to grow while consumers appear willing to pay premium prices for food they believe to be superior in health and nutritional benefits.
Based on the study it was discovered that conventionally produced crops had a significantly higher content of nitrogen.
The researchers found out that organically produced crops had a significantly higher content of phosphorus and higher titratable acidity.
The research team also discovered that there was no evidence of a difference among the remaining eight crop nutrition categories.
The team said analysis of the few quality studies on livestock products showed no evidence of differences in nutrition content between those that were organically and those that were conventionally produced.
With the result of their study, the researchers concluded that on the basis of a systematic review of studies of satisfactory quality, there is no evidence of a difference in nutrient quality between organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs.

A recent research has shown that organic food no better nutritionally than conventionally produced.

The researchers explained the small differences in nutrient content detected are biologically plausible and mostly relate to differences in production methods.
The researchers added the differences detected were most likely due to differences in fertilizer use (nitrogen and phosphorous) and ripeness at harvest (acidity).
Gill Fine, director of consumer choice and dietary health at the FSA, the body that sponsored the research, said that the FSA was neither for nor against organic food, but ensuring people have.
Fine said accurate information is absolutely essential in allowing us all to make informed choices about the food we eat.
She said the study did not say people should not eat organic food, but it did show that there was no evidence of a nutritional difference between organic and conventionally produced food.
Moreover, Fine said that there were many reasons why people might choose to eat organic, such as being concerned about animal welfare and the environment.