Surprisingly Common Areas Where Germs Thrive

Harmful microbes and germs can lurk in almost any environment. The problem is that they usually remain unseen and hidden. It can be difficult to know where they may be silently wrecking their havoc. It does not help that such germs can also be found in various places commonly exposed to most people. Here are just some of those common areas where germs may lurk.

Bar Snacks

It may be quite a common activity just eating snacks offered at the bar. But imagine just how many hands that have come into contact with the snacks before you put your hands into them. Harmful germs may easily transfer from one person to another this way.

Magazines In Clinics

Waiting for your appointment with your doctor may give you sometime to kill at the waiting room. This may lead you to read the magazines prepared especially for waiting patients. But most clinics may be unaware that it may be easy for microbes to transfer from one person to another. The worse thing about it is that most people coming to the clinic may surely be carrying some microbes and viruses that may easily be contracted by another. Magazines may be just one of the common contact points where these microbes may contaminate.

Day Care Centers

Day care centers may also be a potential area where germs may easily spread. Baby diapers and toys can get easily mixed. Toys can end up in kid’s mouths. Adults picking up used diapers can bring germs along with them. There are just many things happening at day care centers that make it quite an easy place for microbes to spread.

Restaurant Menus

Considering that restaurants are frequent places where people meet to eat, the restaurant menus can be an easy place where different microbes can accumulate. As they go from one eating patron to another, they might carry germs and gets transferred as other people handle the menus. It can even get worse as people eat finger foods along the way.

New Studies Reveal Hidden Risks and Benefits of Aspirin

Recent studies have revealed many things about aspirin. There are previous beliefs that have been debunked while others that show other added benefits that the common aspirin may have. Here are some of them:

Reduce Pre-eclampsia Risk

A study published in Lancet in 2007 indicated that pregnant women who took aspirin or other anti-platelet medication have a 10 percent less chance of developing pre-eclampsia, a condition characterized by sudden increase in blood pressure during pregnancy. This condition can cause serious complications both to the mother and the fetus.

Protect Against Parkinson’s Disease

A 2007 study published in Neurology suggests that women who took aspirin for two or more times a week for at least a month have a 40 percent less chance of developing Parkinson’s.

May Affect Prostate Cancer Test Results

Taking aspirin regularly may hinder the detection of prostate cancer. A study published on the 2008 issue of Cancer suggests that men who regularly take aspirin as well as other NSAID’s had 10 percent lower levels of prostate-specific antigens. This can sometimes hinder the early detection of prostate cancer in regular aspirin users.

May Prevent Asthma In Middle Aged Women

The 2008 issue of Thorax journal contains a study that reported women 45 years old and above who took 100 mg of aspirin every other day also were 10 percent less likely to develop asthma over the next decade as compared to women who took a placebo. It was also noted in the said study that aspirin can worsen the symptoms in about 10 percent of the people who may already have asthma.

What Doctors Want From Patients

When doctors want to provide the best medical diagnosis to their patients and what might be ailing them, utmost cooperation between the two is needed. Many times, doctors may not be able to get all the information that they need from the tests alone and may require help from the patients themselves. Here are some of the things that doctors usually want from their patients every time they come for a visit.

Be honest.

Doctors usually want their patients to be quite honest with them. There are many patients who might try to hide something from their doctors during medical check ups out of embarrassment or shame. This action may sometimes prove serious and may greatly affect a doctor’s diagnosis. Sometimes patients will try to hide something for as long as possible and may only divulge it when it is already to late. It is often better to be quite honest with your doctor and try to tell what might be ailing you right away.

Get a second opinion from another doctor, not from relatives.

A lot of people may find it easy to believe what a relative may say about what might be ailing them. The trust can sometimes get in the way of getting into the bottom of your condition. Getting an accurate assessment of your physical condition and health should come from doctors and medical professionals and not from your mom or relative with no medical experience whatsoever.

Don’t think that you have every ailment out there.

A lot of people can easily be convinced that they may be suffering from something when they actually do not. It may come from something a relative may say or what they saw on TV atone time or another. They become so convinced that they feel they require some treatment for something that they do not actually have. It can also become quite hard for doctors to convince them that they are actually healthy.

Protecting Against Medical Mistakes

Even medical professionals are liable to make mistakes now and then. Even if you are confined in a reputable hospital does not necessarily mean that you are already safe. It may sometimes take some vigilance on your part to make sure that you can protect yourself from certain medical mistakes. Here are some of the ways how to do it.

Always insist on cleanliness.

When staying at the hospital, you might come into contact with several health professionals who try to look into your welfare. Before they do, try to ask if they have washed their hands. Although it is standard procedure for health professionals to do so before giving medication, changing a wound dressing or removing an IV, it pays to remind them in order to make sure.

Look into the safest hospitals and health facilities in your area.

It really pays to do some bit of research on which hospitals in your area are considered to be the safest ones. You can get inputs from colleagues, relatives and friends. This way, you can have a choice to be confined to a health facility that you know will be safe and where medical mistakes may be less likely to occur.

Avoid being a distraction.

Although you try to have talks with doctors or nurses who are attending to your care, you might try to avoid becoming a distraction. Friendly chitchat may be a cause if interruption that might easily distract the hospital staff from administering your medicines or doing a sensitive procedure.

Get informed.

Try to have a good idea why certain things are being done to you while being confined at the hospital. Have a better grasp of what your doctor or the medical staff might be doing and find out the reason behind them. Try to ask the reason behind the medications being administered to you as well as the tests you have to undergo.

Hidden Signs That May Signal Health Risks

The body usually tries to show its conditions through a variety of signs and symptoms. Knowing what some of these physical signs are can help you become more aware of any possible health risks on your part. Aside from the more obvious ones, there are also other little known signs that may signal a possible health risk. Here are some of them.

Swelling Fingers

There might be a variety of reasons why your fingers may swell. Women going through their monthly period may also experience their fingers swelling. Too much sodium intake may also cause the same thing. But apart from those, swollen fingers may also be a sign of hypothyroidism, a condition where the thyroid gland produces insufficient amounts of hormones required by the body to regulate metabolism.

Yellow Eyelid Bumps

This tiny bumps can appear if you have high cholesterol levels. When your cholesterol is high, it can collect on the upper eyelids and form tiny, yellowish deposits. When you find this bumps increasingly appearing in your eyelids, then maybe its time for you to have your cholesterol levels checked.

Chapped Lips

Chapped lips is normally a sign of dehydration or just dry air. One way to get rid of it is by drinking lots of water or applying some lip balm. But in some cases where chapped lips seem to happen even if you drank lots of water, there might be another reason. One of them is too much vitamin A. Too much intake of vitamin A can become dehydrating causing your chapped lips. High levels of vitamin A can also be dangerous since it can lead to birth defects in pregnant women and even blurred vision among other things.

Pale Whitish Nails

Nails normally changes its color to pale when being pressed but then returns to its normal color a brief moment afterward. But prolonged pale nails that stay white long after they are pressed can be a sign that you are anemic. Lack of iron can cause this condition that can become serious if it is not discovered early on.

Physical Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore

The human body usually has a way to indicate that something is wrong with it. They usually come in the form of certain symptoms. Such physical symptoms can either come gradually or all of a sudden. It pays to be aware of such physical symptoms which may indicate certain health problems. Here are the most common ones that are too dangerous to ignore.

Chest Pain

A sudden chest pain may indicate a lot of things. Most often it may suggest an acute heart attack. When you feel sudden chest pain or have been increasingly experiencing it frequently, a trip to your doctor is advised.

High Fever

Fever is a way the body may be telling you that it is fighting off an infection. An unusually high fever that lasts for several days and accompanied by other symptoms such as vomiting, nausea and diarrhea should not be taken too lightly. It can be a sign of a possible serious infection that your body may have a hard time fighting off. It is a serious symptom that requires immediate professional medical help.

Abdominal Pain

Persistent abdominal pain is a common symptom for a variety of ailments. Even though it may be mild, abdominal pain that lasts for more than a week may indicate that you may already be developing ulcer or having gallstones. Abdominal pain may also be a result of internal inflammation such as colitis.

Shortness Of Breath

If you suffer from breathing problems while doing a certain physical activity or just by lying down, then it might be a sign that you need to pay your doctor a visit. Such symptoms may indicate problems that might involve your heart or lungs.

Mental Function Changes

Sudden changes in mental functions such as becoming unresponsive or sleepy should indicate a serious condition that requires prompt medical help. Having sudden stuttering or problems speaking clearly may be an indication of a stroke.

moking-Cessation Vaccine

n the US alone, 400,000 deaths per year are linked to tobacco use. Fortunately, there might be a solution for that in the near future.

HealthDay News reported last October 12 that the National Institute on Drug Abuse has given a $12 million grant to company in Maryland to assist it in the final phases of its research on a possible anti-nicotine vaccine.

The research

Nabi Biopharmaceuticals will begin the third phase of its study of a potential vaccine called NicVax. The study could be the last step of the research if the vaccine works. It also represents the most advanced examination of an anti-smoking vaccine e.

This anti-smoking vaccine is created to help people quit smoking and not relapse. According to the statement issue by director Dr. Nora D. Volkow, the vaccine has received "fast track" designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and has survived a successful "proof-of-concept" study.

There is however, no guarantee that study will prove that the vaccine works. It is also not clear whether it will get federal approval.

How the vaccine works

The vaccine works by making the immune system act when it detects nicotine. This is based on the theory that antibodies will bond with the nicotine molecules and prevent them from reaching the brain where they provide the high smokers want.

So far, the results are still preliminary, but they indicate that smokers who acquire high levels of antibodies in their system are most likely to quit for good. Researchers also report few side effects, and expect the vaccine to work for 6-12 months after it is administered.

Source: MSN Health

Lifesaving Health Care Screening Tests for Women

Women, while taking on more active roles in society, career and family, tend to have a lot on their mind. So much so that their attention to personal well-being may be compromised. Due to their increasing responsibilities, most women have a tendency to pass up on opportunities to take advantage of health care screening tests. Unfortunately, such tests are necessary in detecting (and preventing) potential health risks.

Below are the top five lifesaving screening tests every woman needs, as rated by WebMD.

Heart disease screening

According to the American Heart Association coronary heart disease is the largest cause of women’s deaths – about 500,000 cases every year. As much as 80% of this could be prevented by making the necessary lifestyle changes.

One way to assess your risk factors for heart disease is through screening tests for total cholesterol levels, high density lipoprotein (HDL) or "good" cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) or "bad" cholesterol, and blood fats known as triglycerides. For women over 50 years of age, it is highly recommended to have tests checking your C-reactive protein (CRP), homocysteine, and lipoprotein (a) [LP(a)] levels.

Inflammation, which may cause heart distress, is indicated by CRP. Homocysteine, an amino acid in the blood, may build up in the bloodstream, increasing the risk of heart attack. Lp(a) is a cholesterol-related risk factor that has a tendency to increase blood clotting.

Be on the lookout for extra heartbeats, chest pain, or shortness of breath. If you experience any of these symptoms, schedule for stress echocardiogram as soon as possible, to determine any significant reduction of blood flow to your heart. Always test your blood pressure as well, as high blood pressure is definitely a major factor in heart disease.

If you have are overweight, and/or have family history of diabetes, blood sugar level or other tests for diabetes are something you should not fail to take.

Pap Smear Test

Three years after becoming sexually active or by age 21, women need an annual pap test to detect any abnormal cell changes that could lead to cervical cancer. During a Pap test, a sample of cells is swabbed from the surface of the cervix and examined for abnormalities that may indicate the presence of cancer or the possibility of cancer occurring.

It is recommended to maintain annual testing until the age of 30. After 3 successive tests with satisfactory results, Pap smears may be done every two to three years from then on. However, women should still continue to see their gynecologist for examination regularly, at least once a year.

As a follow-up to an abnormal Pap test, women should take a human papillomavirus (HPV) test. This virus is a common sexually transmitted infection that could lead to cervical cancer. This test will help determine whether one or more high-risk types of HPV caused the abnormal Pap test result. After 30, it is recommended that the HPV test be taken, not only after abnormal pap results, but regularly, along with the annual pap tests.

Mammogram

Women aged 40 should have a mammogram (breast x-ray) every one or two years. If there is a history of breast cancer in the family, a woman should get her first mammogram 10 years before her relative was diagnosed. Unfortunately, this creates a strong psychological impact. Most women would rather not take the test than take it and find out they have breast cancer. But if the cancer is detected at an early stage, there is a 97 percent chance of being cured.

Women should also have annual palpation tests, where doctors feel for suspicious lumps. They may opt to learn how to perform this procedure properly so they can practice it at home.

Colonoscopy

Colon cancer is preventable and treatable. Colonoscopy allows a doctor to search for polyps or other unnatural growths which could eventually become cancerous. After a short process of preparation through diet and medication, the colon is cleansed, and a miniature digital camera is eased into the colon of a sedated patient. The video images are projected on an LCD screen, where the doctor can visually make observations on the interior colon walls.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends that men and women with average risk of colorectal cancer should have a colonoscopy every ten years.

Skin Exam

Every woman should have their skin examined annually by a dermatologist, starting at 18 years of age. The doctor will search your body from head to toe for unusual brown or red spots.

Women should also try to do a self exam every month, checking even the scalp with a mirror. Look for new or unusual moles on your fingernails, toes and soles, and under arms. Inform your doctor of any suspicious finds.

Melanoma causes the most skin cancer deaths, and the number of cases is continually rising. Thus, it is wise to be on the lookout for usually overlooked tell-tale signs.

Sports Physical Exams

Playing sports is a fun way to keep us fit and to meet people. We all know this. But what many of us do not know is the importance of a sports physical exam that we may have to take before participating in sports. Also called as preparticipation physical examination (PPE), sports physicals help determine whether it is safe for your kid to participate in certain sports. PPE is required for kids and teens in most states, but even if it is not required, doctors still recommend sports physicals.

Goals and objectives

The goals of sports physical exams can be summed up as follows: determine that the kid has general good health, detect conditions that put the kid at risk of new injuries, assess his or her current fitness level, and evaluate any of the kid’s existing injuries. PPE also assesses the developmental maturation and size of the kid, detect any congenital anomaly that increases his or her risk of injury, and detects poor preparticipation conditions that may put the kid at increased risk.

Key features

According to the American Heart Association, wherever a sports physical is done, it should include a full medical history and physical exam with a blood pressure check. Another key feature of preparticipation evaluation is precordial auscultation (or listening to the heart) in the standing and supine (laying down) positions.

Importance of a sports physical

A sports physical exam can help parents in finding out about and dealing with health issues that might get in the way with their kids’ participation in sports. For example, if your kid has frequent asthma attacks but is into track and field, your doctor might prescribe him or her a different type of inhaler so that he or she can breathe with more ease when running.

The doctor may even give good training tips and some ideas to avoid injuries. In addition, a doctor can also discover some risk factors associated with specific sports. A professional’s advice will make your kid a better and stronger athlete.

Where

Some sports physicals are done in schools. During the physical exam, your kid may go to a number of "stations" that are set up in the school gym. Each station is staffed by medical professionals who perform specific parts of the physicals. However, even if you have sports physical exams at school, it is recommended that you see your family doctor for the physical exam as well. Your doctor knows your child and his or her health history way better than anyone in a gym.