Therapist Unlimited Blog

Drinking too much liquor might be bad for the health but for some instances it is not that harmful.
A recent medical study has shown that drunk patients have better chances of surviving trauma injuries than their sober counterparts.
According to the report, trauma patients who were intoxicated before their injuries were more likely to survive than trauma patients who suffered similar injuries but were sober at
the time.
To get the result, researchers at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (LA BioMed) surveyed 7,985 trauma patients of similar age and with similar injuries to determine if the consumption of alcohol prior to injury affected
outcome.
Based on their study they discovered that 7 percent of the sober patients died compared to just 1 percent of the patients who had been drinking.

Getting drunk is not that all bad after-all.

"This study is not encouraging the use of alcohol," said Christian de Virgilio, MD, LA BioMed’s principal investigator for the study. "It is seeking to
further explore earlier studies that had found alcohol may improve the body’s response to severe injuries. If alcohol is proven to improve the body’s
response to traumatic injury, it could lead to treatments that help patients survive and recover more quickly."
Alcohol consumption is already known to be one of the leading causes of accident and injury, with a previous study finding it contributes to about
one-third of all trauma-related deaths. Previous studies found trauma patients who had abused alcohol for a long period of time had lower survival rates.
But recent studies also found alcohol consumption may protect against death by changing the chemical response to injury.
"This study adds further support to the possibility that alcohol could be altering the body’s response to injury in a way that helps ensure survival," said
Dr. de Virgilio. "Given these findings, more research is needed to determine if there is some role for alcohol in the management of trauma 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.
 

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.

According to a latest medical study African Americans have more chances to suffer from hypertension and kidney disease than white Americans.
Based on the study conducted by the Physician-scientists from NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center it was believed that a heightened level a certain growth factor in the blood may explain explained why blacks have a greater prevalence of hypertension and kidney disease compared to whites.
Recent medical statistics from the National Institutes of Health’s U.S. Renal Data System it was shown that African Americans constitute about 32 percent of all patients treated for kidney failure in the U.S. and are four times more likely to develop renal disease than whites.
With their discovery, researchers hoped that someday their study will lead to the development of a new class of anti-hypertensive and kidney disease drugs that target the TGF-b1 protein Dr. Manikkam Suthanthiran, first author of the study and attending physician at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell explained he believe their study is a took for the world to understand the great puzzle: why the black population has a greater prevalence of hypertension and kidney disease.

African Americans need to be vigilant at all times since they are at higher risk of hypertension and kidney disease than the white Americans.

Suthanthiran revealed after controlling for race, sex and age, TGF-b1 protein levels were highest in hypertensive blacks (46 ng/ml).
Non-hypertensive blacks also had higher levels (42 ng/ml) compared to hypertensive whites (40 ng/ml) and non-hypertensive whites (39 ng/ml), demonstrating that even healthy black patients may be at higher risk for future hypertension and renal disease compared to healthy and hypertensive whites.
Moreover, Suthanthiran and his team revealed many black patients may have a disadvantage from the start having a higher baseline level of TGF-b1.
Dr. Phyllis August, senior author and attending physician in the division of hypertension at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center for his part said while the exact mechanisms of TGF-b1 require further study, he believe that in black patients, higher levels of the growth factor are correlated with lower renin activity an enzyme that constricts blood vessels and raises blood pressure.
It is said that high blood pressure is the leading risk factor for end-stage kidney disease.
The researchers perceive it may be possible that higher levels of TGF-b1 boost retention of sodium salt within the kidneys, leading to higher blood pressure in the kidney and also lower levels of renin.
The researchers also concluded greater levels of TGF-b1 in blacks were also positively associated with body mass index (BMI) an indicator of body fatness compared to height and metabolic syndrome, a group of abnormalities that is associated with atherosclerotic vascular disease and diabetes.
They believe future clinical studies must be done so we may fully understand the specific role of TGF-b1 in how the kidney handles sodium, blood pressure and kidney disease.

According to the latest medical study, acidic drinks are more deadly for the teeth than whitening creams.
Based on the study conducted by the Eastman Institute for Oral Health at the University of Rochester Medical Center, it was discovered that the effects of 6 percent hydrogen peroxide, the common ingredient in professional and over-the-counter whitening products, are insignificant compared to acidic fruit juices.
Researchers found out that orange juice markedly decreased hardness and increased roughness of tooth enamel.
Eastman Institute’s YanFang Ren, DDS, PhD, and his team determined that the acid is so strong that the tooth is literally washed away.
Ren explained the orange juice decreased enamel hardness by 84 percent.
Ren added no significant change in hardness or surface enamel was found from whitening.
The researchers revealed weakened and eroded enamel might speed up the wear of the tooth and increase the risk for tooth decay to quickly develop and spread.
The team of experts said most soft drinks, including sodas and fruit juices, are acidic in nature.
They said their studies demonstrated that the orange juice, as an example, could potentially cause significant erosion of teeth.
The researchers said it’s long been known that juice and sodas have high acid content, and can negatively affect enamel hardness.
Furthermore, the researchers said there are also some studies that showed whitening can affect the hardness of dental enamel, but until now, nobody had compared the two.

Contrary to public perception, acidic according to medical studies are more harmful for the teeth than most whitening creams.

The researchers said the study allowed them to understand the effect of whitening on enamel relative to the effect of a daily dietary activity, such as drinking juices.
The researchers said it is potentially a very serious problem for people who drink sodas and fruit juices daily, adding that dental researchers nationwide are increasingly studying tooth erosion, and are investing significant resources into possible preventions and treatments.
The researchers admitted they do not yet have an effective tool to avert the erosive effects, although there are early indications that higher levels of fluoride may help slow down the erosion.
Meanwhile, Ren advises that consumers be aware of the acidic nature of beverages, including sodas, fruit juices, sports and energy drinks.
He said the longer teeth are in contact with the acidic drinks, the more severe the erosion will be.
The lead researcher said people who sip their drinks slowly over 20 minutes are more likely to have tooth erosion than those who finish a drink quickly.
The lead researcher added it’s also very important to keep good oral hygiene practices, by brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, and see a dentist for a fluoride treatment at least once a year if you are at risk.

Women around the world should strive hard to achieve ample time of sleep ideally eight hours a day to avoid chances of suffering from heart related medical problems.
According to the research conducted by the University of Warwick and University College London it was discovered that women who get less than the recommended eight hours sleep a night are at higher risk of heart disease and heart-related problems than men with the same sleeping patterns.
The researchers have found out that levels of inflammatory markers vary significantly with sleep duration in women, but not men.
The researchers revealed they found Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a marker related to coronary heart disease, were significantly lower in women who reported sleeping eight hours as compared with seven hours.
Lead author of the study, Associate Professor of Biochemical Medicine at Warwick Medical School Michelle Miller said short-term sleep deprivation studies have shown that inflammatory markers are elevated in sleep-deprived individuals, suggesting that inflammatory mechanisms may play a role in the cardiovascular risk associated with sleep deprivation.
The lead researcher said their study could provide some insight into a potential mechanism for the observation in previous studies, which indicates an increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease in individuals who have less than five hours sleep per night, and increased risk of non-cardiovascular death in long sleepers.

Women need to have adequate sleep to avoid suffering from heart related diseases.

She said this is the first large-scale study to describe the associations between measures of inflammation and sleep duration in both men and women.
To get the data, Miller said they carefully evaluated 4,600 white participants from the University College London-based Whitehall II cohort study; 73% were men.
She said participants between the ages of 35 and 55 years were recruited between 1985 and 1988 from 20 London-based civil service departments.
Data for this study is from the phase 3 follow-up (1991-1993). Sleep duration was determined by subjective questionnaires, and general health was assessed during a screening examination.
Furthermore, Miller said the findings add to the growing body of evidence, which suggests that there is a non-linear relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and duration of sleep. She said her team fully support the idea that short sleep is associated with an increase in cardiovascular risk and that the association between sleep duration and cardiovascular risk factors is markedly different in men and women.

 

Medical experts revealed if not treated and detected earlier groin injuries could be more serious than a pulled muscle.
Based on a recent research it was also uncovered that a number of athletes around the world are diagnosed with a pulled groin muscle when they actually might be suffering from a much more serious hip injury.
Dr. Kaare Kolstad, an orthopaedic surgeon with The Methodist Hospital in Houston explained because the hip is located closely to the groin area, many people mistake hip injuries for groin pulls and is misdiagnosed.
It is said that the groin muscles consist of six muscles that cover the area from the inner pelvis to the inner part of the femur (thigh bone).
These muscles pull the leg together and help with other movements of the hip joint. This is why a hip injury is sometimes mistaken for a groin pull, an injury to the inner thigh.
Recent studies revealed the two most common sports-related hip injuries are a labral tear, which can be caused by sudden stops and turns on the field and cause pain in the groin area, and a stress fracture, which are hairline cracks in the bone that can get worse over time.

Patients around the world should not take groin injuries easy since it could be worse than a pulled muscle.

The study also showed that a hip injury brought on by athletic activity would cause deep, persistent pain that can last for weeks.
Physicians and orthopaedics said the pain can get so bad that it can even hurt to sit down.
The medical personnel around the world can determine from an X-ray or MRI if the problem is a groin pull or hip injury that would require either physical therapy, cortisone injections or surgery.
 If hip surgery is necessary, a minimally invasive procedure is now available that will get athletes back on their feet in four to six weeks as opposed to four to five months with open surgery.
Kolstad said to avoid further complications it is important to see a physician if pain in the groin area persists for a week or two.
He added if doctors catch it, early enough, he or she could fix the problem and get the patient to his or her feet.
He explained the longer the patient wait to have the problem fixed, the higher the risk that degeneration of the hip will occur, which will eventually lead to a hip replacement.
 

In is time to gain weight for those who are underweight and lose weight to the obese.
This developed after a recent medical study has shown that obese and underweight people to die early than people with normal weight.
In the study conducted by the Statistics Canada, Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Portland State University, Oregon Health & Science University, and McGill University it was discovered that, those who are underweight and obese are in a higher risk of dying that those who have normal weight.
Mark Kaplan, DrPH, co-author and Professor of Community Health at Portland State University explained their study only looked at mortality, not at quality of life, and there are many negative health consequences associated with obesity, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
To get the data, the researchers examined the relationship between body mass index and death among 11,326 adults in Canada over a 12-year period (BMI uses height and weight to estimate body fat.)

It is time to lose weight for obese people if they wish to live longer like those persons who have normal weight.
 

Researchers found that underweight people had the highest risk of dying, and the extremely obese had the second highest risk. Overweight people had a lower risk of dying than those of normal weight.
This medical finding should serve as motivation to both obese and underweight to do something about their weight if they wish to live longer and spend more time with their family and friends.
 

The women population in this planet need to be extra careful since according to a recent medical study there are more prone to migraines than men.
Migraines are the constricting of blood vessels in the brain that cause intense, recurring vascular headaches.
Medical reports state that migraine headaches affect millions of Americans each year they are the most common type of headache that sends patients running to their doctor’s office.
According to research, like other forms of headaches, women suffer from migraines more frequently than men do.
It is said that approximately three out of four migraine sufferers are women.
Researchers have often cited hormones as a possible explanation.
Based on the data gathered by
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, more than half of migraines in women transpire right before, during or after a woman has her menstrual period.
In addition, although some women experience migraines throughout their cycle, menstrual-related migraines may explain one trigger of the condition.
The researchers noted right before a woman’s cycle begins, the levels of estrogen and progesterone drop sharply.
This decrease in hormone levels may initiate migraine headaches because estrogen has been shown to control brain chemicals that affect pain sensation in women.
The medical experts revealed although hormones are unlikely to explain the entire picture, a recent study revealed that women with a history of migraines might be less likely to develop breast cancer than other women.
Because breast cancer has been linked to higher lifetime exposure to estrogen, the fact that migraines are more common when there is a drop in estrogen may support the hormone theory.

Latest medical data has shown that more women are suffering from migraines than men are.

The symptoms, duration and frequency of migraines can vary greatly from person to person. They may be debilitating for some people. Often times, migraines can come along with sensory warning signs such as seeing flashes of light, blind spots or feeling nauseous (with or without vomiting). Other symptoms include:
– Intense, throbbing pain on one, or sometimes, both sides of the head.
– Feeling "pins and needles" in a limb.
– Sensitivity to light or loud sounds.
– Pain that worsens with physical activity and/or interferes with daily functioning.
In some people, the pain lasts for a short period of time; other patients describe lingering symptoms that can last up to three days. In addition, some people get migraines on a regular basis, yet others may experience them much less frequently.
Currently, there is no cure for migraine headaches, but the symptoms can be managed effectively with pharmaceuticals and lifestyle changes made under medical supervision
In addition to pharmaceutical treatments, migraine sufferers should not discount the value of lifestyle changes. Many experts recommend keeping a diary to record potential triggers, so patients can attempt to avoid them.
Behavioral changes that have been proven effective include limiting caffeine and alcohol, engaging in regular physical activity and coping with stress.
 

According to a recent study, men are prone to cancer than women are as far as statistics from United Kingdom revealed.
Based on the records from the National Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN) and Cancer Research UK it was discovered that men are 40 per cent more likely to die of cancer than women are and 16 per cent more likely to get it in the first place.
According to their records, it was also discovered that after excluding breast cancer and cancers that only affect one sex, the difference between men and women was even greater, with men being about 70 per cent more likely to die from cancer than women and over 60 per cent more likely to develop it in the first place.
The researchers revealed even when they excluded lung cancer, which removes the counfounder introduced by the fact more men smoke than women, the underlying figures were the same.
The remaining cancers that were included in the analysis were cancers of the oesophagus, stomach, colorectal, liver, pancreas, kidney, bladder, brain and central nervous system (CNS), non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, malignant melanoma, multiple myeloma and leukaemia.
The team of experts explained more research was needed to understand the gap, but speculated it could be behavioural: perhaps men have unhealthier lifestyles and they do not notice early cancer symptoms, or they are more reluctant to deal with them, whereas women tend to notice them earlier and do not delay in going to the doctor about them.

Men need to be careful since they are more prone to cancer than women according to a study done in the United Kingdom.

For, Alan White, Professor of Men’s Health at Leeds Metropolitan University and Chair of the Men’s Health Forum, the evidence shows that men are generally not aware that, as well as smoking, carrying excess weight around the waist, having a high alcohol intake and a poor diet and their family history all contribute to their increased risk of developing and dying prematurely from cancer, adding that more research needs to be done before we can be sure exactly why this gender gap exists.
White added the report clearly shows that we need to try much harder to get the public, health professionals and the people who make the policies to understand the risks that men face.
He said many of these deaths could be avoided by changes in lifestyle and earlier diagnosis.
Moreover, Professor David Forman of the NCIN said for many of the types of cancer we looked at that affect both sexes, there’s no known biological reason why men should be at a greater risk than women, so we were surprised to see such consistent differences.
Forman said after taking out the effect of age, men were significantly more likely than women to die from every one of the specific types of cancer considered and, apart from melanoma; they were significantly more likely to develop the disease.
He revealed men have a reputation for having a ’stiff upper lip’ and not being as health-conscious as women do.
To get the data, the researchers looked at cancer deaths in the UK for 2007 and new cases categorized by cancer type for 2006.
They summed cancer cases that were not sex-specific and then looked at male and female ratios in each category.