Acute pain is a normal sensation, triggered in the nervous system to alert us about imminent danger. Chronic pain is different. It persists, causing the nervous system to continue firing pain signals for weeks, months even years.

Hugh Laurie's fictional character, Dr. House, a medical genius who is permanently hassled by muscle pain, is perhaps one of the best known examples of this condition. But chronic pain affects about 50 million Americans each year, according to the American Pain Foundation.

Lehigh Valley patients who are enduring similar distress may benefit from inspiring lectures Saturday, April 23 from 12-2 pm at the Lehigh Valley Hospital—Cedar Crest Campus. The educational event is sponsored by the INvisible project and the US Pain Foundation.

The conferences will feature US Pain Foundation's founder and President, Paul Gileno. He will introduce Julian Phillips, current US Pain Ambassador, and chronic pain patient for 29 years.

For additional details visit www.uspainfoundation.org.

 

 

While acute pain is a normal sensation triggered in the nervous system to alert you to possible injury and the need to take care of yourself, chronic pain is different. Chronic pain persists. Pain signals keep firing in the nervous system for weeks, months, even years.

The other day I was in a rush. I wanted to go for a walk and I couldn't find the dog's collar and leash. I walked all through the house looking for both. They had vanished!

Finally, I said to myself out loud, "Alisa, look slowly." So I began to scan the room in grids, much as search crews look for missing persons. That's when I found the leash and collar in plain sight--practically right in front of me and in a place where I'd already looked!

This happens to me often. For a while I thought there might be something wrong with me. Short term memory loss? What? I wasn't sure.

Aparently my problem isn't health related, and, if you have the same problem, yours probably isn't either. It's quite common. It's a condition that nearly 98 percent of the population has. It's called Inattention Blindness and it's brought on by multitasking.

Inattention Blindness takes place when we are overly focused on something else -- the thoughts in our head, the stress of being in a hurry, the conversation we're having with someone, or just something else in our vision. All of our attention is being pulled in one direction, so we fail to pay attention to what is really in plain sight.

It's for this reason, researchers say, that people on cell phones get in more car accidents. They tune into the conversation, which causes them to tune out of what is unfolding on the road in front of them.

In a classic experiment done years ago, study participants were asked to watch a video of people passing a basketball back and forth--and to count how many times the ball changed hands. The participants were so focused on watching the ball that they failed to notice a guy in a gorilla suit who walked right into their field of vision, thumped his chest, and then walked off.

Aparently some people are more prone to inattention blindness than others, though. New research from the University of Utah shows that a very small percentage of people -- 2.5 percent -- are actually capable of talking on a cell phone while driving without impairment. They seem to be able to shift their attention when needed. Whereas people like me who can't find a dog leash until we stop thinking about everything on our to-do list just can't do so.

I'm wondering if Inattention Blindness is causing my husband's inability to find anything in the refrigerator without my help. Is it what's behind my kid's inability to find her jacket and shoes each morning?

I definitely think it's why I can't seem to remember everything I want to put in the cart at the grocery store if my kid is with me. And it's probably why I can't find my car keys and cell phone, even though they are usually right where I left them.

How about you?

 

 

If enough people don't keep up with their family vaccinations, this is what can happen. (H/t to CBC.)

Don't leave home without them.

Wired up or wireless?

That's what researchers were investigating in a report released this week by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the University of Minnesota. Looking at data from 2007-2010, researchers develped estimates of state and selected city data on the prevalence of landline or wireless telephone use.

(It was considered a health issue because much of the data we get about our health -- including the data in this survey -- is gathered from telephone surveys. The increasing use of wireless phones has implications for researchers, as well as politicians and other surveyors. Most major surveyors now include wireless telephone numbers in their surveys, the study said, adding that best practices for conducting surveys of wireless users have yet to be developed.)

With that, the survey says: Pennsylvania is a still largely a landline state. With only 16.5 percent of households going wireless only, the Keystone state ranks 44th among states for wireless-only. The leader is Arkansas at 35.2 percent. The survey also showed that many households were moving toward wireless-only over the past few years, but Pennsylvanians were among the slowest to do so.

Pittsburgh and, to a lesser extent, Philadelphia, skewed Pennsylvania's report in favor of wireless. Take them out and here's how Pennsylvania comes out in the latest year of the survey: 15.1 percent of homes wireless only; 15.1 percent wireless mostly; 33.7 percent dual use; 24.8 percent landline mostly; 10.3 percent landline only.

Since the survey uses estimates, it also concluded that 1 lonely percent of households had no telephone service, which is lower than many other regions.

So what does the survey say for your household?

Painkiller abuse is rampant in the United States and the Feds want to crack down on it.

The White House this week released a plan, called, Epidemic: Responding to America’s Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis, that will include the Food & Drug Administration, the Justice Department, the Veterans Administration and other to target the abuse and misuse of painkillers such as oxycontin, morphine and synthetic painkillers referred to as opioids.

The plan calls for the expansion of state-based prescription drug monitoring programs; recommending convenient and environmentally responsible ways to remove unused medications from homes; supporting education for patients and health care providers; and reducing the number of “pill mills” and doctor-shopping through law enforcement, according to the FDA.

(As it so happens, you'll have an opportunity April 30 to help get rid of unneeded drugs when the Pennsylvania Medical Society, Drug Fee Pennsylvania, the city of Allentown and Wegmans team up to hold a "Medication Clean-up Day" at the Allentown Wegmans, 3900 Tilghman St. it will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.)

The government plan calls for educating doctors as well as patients about painkillers and how to better manage them. The FDA says 33 million Americans misused painkillers in 2007, up from 29 million five years earlier.

The FDA's announcement about the program is here.

Yesterday I wrote about some disturbing ways a sick planet hurts our health. Today Paul R. Epstein, MD, and Dan Ferber offer tips on what to do about it all. As a reminder, Epstein is Director of the Center for Health and Global Environment at Harvard Medical School. Ferber is a contributing correspondent for Science magazine. Together they have written Changing Planet, Changing Health.

 

According to Epstein and Ferber, here are five ways you can make a real impact:

 

1. Drive less, drive greener. Our cars, SUVs and trucks collectively account for a full one-third of our carbon dioxide emissions in the United States, notes Epstein. “But we can dramatically reduce our carbon footprint by dumping our gas-guzzler and buying a fuel-efficient car such as a hybrid electric vehicle like a Toyota Prius or a battery electric like the Chevy Volt,” he says. Other ways to cut back include carpooling, taking mass transit, cycling, and walking. One way I’m personally trying to reduce my carbon footprint is by patronizing banks, physicians, and stores that are within walking and biking distance of my home. I also work at home and have no commute and chose to live in an area that is within walking distance to schools. These changes have allowed me to go two weeks or longer without needing to fill my gas tank. At current gas prices, that’s a savings of $50 - $200 a week.

 

2. Do an energy audit of your home. Up to 80 percent of greenhouse gas emissions come from buildings, says Epstein. Weatherize to seal leaks and keep the heat inside in the winter and outside in the summer. Ditch a the extra freezer or fridge in the garage, buy Energy Star appliances, and choose green energy if your utility offers the option, the authors suggest. When smart metering becomes available, use it to help you save electricity.

 

You can slash energy use even more with one or more of the following: double or triple-pane windows, solar panels, or a ground source heat pump. These may take a few years to pay off with energy savings, say the authors, but you can take a tax break now.

 

3. Eat green, eat local. “Grapes flown in from Chile may taste good, but the fuel consumed on the way is bad for the planet,” says Epstein. “Cut down on your food miles by buying from farmers markets or joining a community supported agriculture group, while supporting your local farmers.” Local farmer’s markets (like the one in Emmaus that is open on Sundays during the growing season) provide easy access to locally raised foods.

 

4. Invest in a healthy planet. Where are your retirement funds invested? You don’t need to be a business expert to invest in companies that are gaining green by going green, say the authors. They suggest you opt for social responsible mutual funds like Progressive Asset Management or Pax World Mutual Funds that invest in companies with good social and environmental performance as well as healthy profits.

 

5. Vote green. The authors suggest that you support local officials who are working to green your city with mass transit, bike lanes, green (LEED) buildings, fighting sprawl and creating walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods. Study the voting records of incumbents and know who has denied climate change, refuse to take action, and who thwart legislation that would rein in dangerous, climate-warming polluters or promote clean energy sources like wind and solar. You can learn more about the environmental voting records of your local politicians by checking their Scorecard on the League of Conservation Voters website LCV.org.

 

Stick around. No one can guarantee that you'll get there, but you will see.

Scientists who study longevity agree on a few traits that seem to help people live longer. Our genes play a great part in this mix of intangibles that determine whether we live a long life or not. If you have a close relative who lived to be 90 or more, it increases your chances of reaching the desired 100 mark. Lifestyle behaviors such as being active, exercising regularly, resting well, being lean, not smoking and coping appropriately with stress are some of the characteristics that most centenarians share.

But there are some who smoked and drank throughout their lives, ate poorly and still managed to live beyond the age of 100. These people possess other remarkable characteristics. Cigar-smoking-Cuban-legendary singer, Compay Segundo, who lived to be 95, comes to mind.

Perhaps the key question is: How true is your yearning to live to be 100? The will to live seems to be vital in helping people survive an illness. I suspect the same could be said when it comes to living a long life. An incredible amount of resilience is necessary to face the less glorified aspects of old age. A decrease in body function, a higher propensity for depression and a vulnerability for abuse, are all latent realities of old age. But if you love life more than you fear death, you'll do your part to stick around.

If you want to experience the days when your body will not forgive the audacity of running after your great-grandchild, follow the scientists' recommendations. Or don't. You might make it anyway or vice versa.

 

 

Lehigh Valley residents are blessed with choices when it comes to their health. There are cities where residents are limited to one health care provider. In some cases, people are forced to fly to undergo a sophisticated medical procedure.

But we live in an area where hospitals pride themselves on being on the cutting edge of medicine. I regularly receive notices from nearby hospitals pioneering a surgery or a medical procedure. We can't publish all of them due to space restrictions. But here is a sample of a few firsts from several of our area's main hospitals.

Pocono Medical Center: The department of surgery announced this week its first anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) to treat patients with severe back pain caused by the degeneration of disc space in the spine. The surgery replaces damaged spinal discs with temporary implants, instead of using bone grafts from patients' hips. Its advantages include less blood loss, shorter surgical time and quicker recovery. Allister Williams MD, a Yale-trained spine surgeon performed the surgery along with General Surgeon, Dr. Maneesh Ailawadi.

Lehigh Valley Health Network: Heart rhythm specialist, Dr. Hari Joshi, recently used a super-cooled balloon to freeze the tissue in a woman's heart that was responsible for causing her an irregular heartbeat.

This is the first time the balloon cryoablation technology is used to combat atrial fibrillation, which causes poor blood circulation to the rest of the body. The Artic Front device was approved by the FDA last December and was used by the cardiologist at the Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg in Bethlehem mid March.

St. Luke's Hospital & Health Network: Bariatric surgeons, Maher El Chaar and Leonardo Claros, performed the first endoscopic flexible surgery in March at St. Luke's Hospital in Allentown. The procedure is particularly helpful in patients who require a revision of original bariatric surgery. This procedure may prove useful for about 10 percent of bariatric patients who regain the lost weight or develop pouch dilation after surgery, according to Dr. El Chaar.

With Earth Day right around the corner, I find myself thinking of the various people who assume that pollution is something they can worry about later, after dealing with more pressing things like financial issues.

 

The problem with this type of thinking, however, is that the planet is sick now, and it’s a condition that is getting worse rather than better. More important, this planetary illness is deceiving because things don’t look dire. Unlike trash and medical waste washing up on a pristine beach, global warming and many types of air pollution are invisible.

 

Yet climate change in particular is causing a cascade of health problems that are anything but invisible. I sought out the expertise of Paul R. Epstein, M.D., M.P.H. the Associate Director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School. He’s a medical doctor who is trained in tropical public health. Along with esteemed science writer Dan Ferber, he’s recently released a book called Changing Planet, Changing Health.

 

Let me tell you: it’s the kind of book that will give any health conscious people bad dreams. This stuff is scary, and it’s taking place now. I highly recommend it.

 

According to Epstein, here are 4 ways climate change is threatening our health:

 

Heat-induced heart attacks. “The brutal 2003 European heat wave killed 52,000 people, and was so far off the historical norm that the chance of it not being caused by climate change was just one in ten million,” says Epstein. If we don't radically cut back on greenhouse gas emissions, Epstein says, heat waves will occur every other year in the United States by the 2040s. 

 

Asthma and allergies. As I’ve written before, the Lehigh Valley is one of the worst areas in the country for allergies and asthma, and this spring might be one of our worst seasons ever. “Vehicles and heavy industry emit several air pollutants that worsen asthma, allergies, and other respiratory diseases,” explains Epstein. “Nitrogen oxides from tailpipe emissions react in the air with air pollutants called volatile organic compounds to form ground-level ozone—a principal ingredient of smog, which corrodes the lining of the lungs and worsen allergies.”

 

Carbon dioxide emissions can also worsen allergies, he says. One of Epstein’s studies, for instance, has found that elevated carbon dioxide levels and warming cause ragweed to produce more pollen, and make the pollen more potent, worsening allergies.

 

GI illnesses. Extremely heavy rains of more than 6 inches in a day are becoming more and more common, and the resulting floods cause disease—especially GI illnesses and mosquito carried illness like encephalitis--to spread.

 

Dangerous food poisoning. “Algae subsist on sunlight and carbon dioxide and form the base of the marine food web, feeding the fisheries that feed us. But warming coastal oceans, especially those polluted by excess nutrients from urban and farm runoff and air pollution, foster population explosions of harmful algae species that produce dangerous toxins,” says Epstein. These toxins make their way into the surrounding sea life, especially shellfish. When consumed by humans, these toxins can lead to vomiting, cramps and diarrhea and even  serious memory loss, seizures and death.

 

 

The battle between Community Health Systems and Tenet Healthcare Corp. remains on full boil.

Community Health, the parent company of Easton Hospital, changed its hostile offer for Tenet to an all-cash deal, even as Community Health confronts a nasty federal lawsuit filed by Tenet. According to a Reuters news report, CHS is offering $6 cash per share instead of $5 cash and $1 in CHS stock.

That sweetens the deal, considering that CHS stock took a ahot after Tenet filed the federal lawsuit last week, charging that CHS overbilled Medicare and Medicaid. CHS confirmed on Friday that it had been subpoenaed by the feds in connection with the lawsuit. CHS stock was down 4 percent on Monday, Reuters said.

Tenet, the third-largest U.S. hospital operator, charged in its suit that CHS, the second, of filing misleading financial reports and claimed that CHS could be liable for more than $1 billion in damages.

 

ABOUT THE WRITERS

ALISA BOWMAN has been a health junkie and health journalist for nearly 20 years. A former newspaper reporter and magazine editor, her articles and essays have appeared in national magazines such as Parade, Better Homes & Gardens and Women's Heath. She runs, adores vegetables and meditates in Emmaus, where her husband and daughter are known to eat Cheetos behind her back. She also writes about marriage at ProjectHappilyEverAfter.com.

MILTON CARRERO is a journalist, singer/songwriter and Yoga Instructor. The son of a physician and medical scholar, he was exposed to health theories since before he was born. He survived cancer at the age of 23, which awoke his interests in nutrition, meditation and alternative forms of medicine. He grew up in Puerto Rico and is married to a Lehigh Valley native. He has one daughter and another child on the way.

TIM DARRAGH has been reporting and editing the news for 30 years, most of it at The Morning Call. For much of that time, he's been doing award-winning investigative and in-depth reporting projects. Tim created the three-year-long Change of Heart project, and wrote a series on the state's fractured food inspection system that led to widespread improvements in food safety. Meantime, that novice jogger you see plodding along the streets around Bethlehem Township? That would be Tim.

IRENE KRAFT has a passion for health and fitness. During her years at The Morning Call, she’s been an award-winning nutrition writer, editor of health sections and an editor of Change of Heart, a three-year project focused on reducing heart disease in the Lehigh Valley. She loves fitness walks with her dog Ranger. And she likes to think her younger son inherited his interest in health from her. He’s a cardiologist practicing in the Valley.

BLOG ROLL
THEMORNINGCALL.COM BLOGS
RECENT ENTRIES
RELATED SEARCHES
ARCHIVES
CATEGORY ARCHIVES
RSS/SYNDICATE
MISC OPTIONS
MORE LINKS