Miscellaneous
Ignore These Symptoms at Your Peril
When should you worry about symptoms? After all, we all have an occasional ache and pain, indigestion, diarrhea, constipation, visual troubles and shortness of breath. So how can you separate minor problems from the ones that could end your life? There's no 100 percent guarantee, but here are some good guidelines. Persistent Fever If you have fever for no apparent reason lasting for several days, see your doctor. A persistent fever can be due to a urinary infection, undetected pneumonia, tuberculosis and malignant conditions such as lymphomas. For unexplained fever there is usually a cause. Vision Problems If you need a longer arm to read the newspaper you're middle aged and need glasses. Or, if you've had spots and cobweb-like objects floating in your...Read More
Gynecology, Surgery, Women's Health
Gas and Cesarean Operations at Record Highs
Not only is the price of gas rocketing to high levels. A recent report by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC) says that 26.3 percent of women now have babies delivered by Cesarean section. There are many different opinions of why this has happened in both Canada and the U.S. But William Shakespeare had the ultimate explanation. Not just North America has seen this increase. In Hong Kong the Cesarean rate is 27 percent and in Brazil 32 percent. And the rate in some private clinics in Brazil is an astounding 75 percent! These are hefty figures when the World Health Organization claims that a rate of over 15 percent is questionable. Years ago it would have been utter...Read More
Lifestyle
I Was Married By A Judge I Should Have Asked for A Jury
What's the chance of living to 85 years and beyond? Dr. Bradley J. Wilcox is the lead author of a longevity study carried out by the Pacific Health Research Institute in Hawaii. It's one of the longest studies on aging and it followed the health of 5,820 Japanese-American men for 40 years. At the start of the study their average age was 45 and they were all healthy. What happened to them depended on nine key factors. You can calculate your longevity with simple arithmetic. One - How good is your grip strength which is measured by how hard you can grasp an object? So the next time you squeeze a lemon estimate your strength. If your grip strength is strong...Read More
Vitamins
Vitamin C If It’s Good For Gorillas Why Not Us?
Are you headed for a heart attack because of "marginal scurvy", a condition resulting from a lack of vitamin C? Moreover, if vitamin C is sound medicine for gorillas, why isn't it good for us? And in the 16th century, why did the ship's cat survive long sea voyages when its sailors died from scurvy? Today we know that sailors of old, lacking vitamin C, died of this preventable disease. A shortage of fresh fruit in their diet resulted in degeneration of blood vessels, hemorrhage and death. Today scurvy is considered past history. But recent evidence shows that some people are suffering from marginal scurvy. Dr. Carol S. Johnston, Associate Professor at Arizona State University, reports that 7 per cent of Canadians, 13...Read More
Dermatology, Infection
Kiss Me But Please Don’t Shake My Hand
I've heard the question asked, "How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?" I have no idea. But I know that one million bacteria can fit on the point of a needle. So you don't have to be a genius at math to know that tens of millions can be present on door knobs, telephones and the hand you shake. Health authorities recently announced a crackdown on hand washing in hospitals to prevent fatal hospital infections. But will a snooping campaign work? And what is the greatest misconception about contracting infection? One hundred and fifty years ago, Semmelweiss, a doctor in Vienna, noticed that one in six women died of infection following childbirth. He decided it was because...Read More
Radiation
Use Radiation Like Porcupines Make Love, Very Carefully
It's said that elephants never forget. Neither does radiation. The human body has a natural computer that tabulates every bit of radiation to which it is exposed during a lifetime. Radiation has great benefits in diagnosing disease when used wisely, but potentially harmful when used carelessly. So how much risk is there of developing a radiation-induced cancer? A report in Consumer Health says that 60 million computerized tomography (CT) scans were performed in 2007 in the U.S. This compares with 30 million 10 years ago. And according to Dr. David Brenner, Director of the Center for Radiological Research at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, one-third of these tests may not have been necessary. Remember there are radiation tests and there...Read More
Heroin, Pain
Rights of Addicts? And Rights Of Cancer Patients?
Should the injection site for addicts in Vancouver be closed? Proponents argue that one million injections in Vancouver have saved lives and decreased the risk of HIV infection. Others contend injection sites send the wrong message and it should be closed. But in this heated debate why don't both sides and our government attack the root cause of this cancerous problem. First, how sick are these heroin addicts? I've no idea, as I've never treated addicts. But Dr. Theodore Dalrymple, a British prison doctor and psychiatrist, has treated addicts for years. In his book "Romancing Opiates" he writes that heroin is not as highly addictive as is claimed and withdrawal is not medically serious. He contends that a useless medical bureaucracy...Read More
Vitamins
Why Are Gorillas In Captivity Dying?
Why is the recent epidemic of heart disease in captive gorillas important to humans? Surely we have enough human medical problems without wasting time on our close ancestor. But biologically we share with gorillas one startling similarity. Gorillas and humans lack an enzyme L-gulonolactone which is necessary to convert sugar glucose into vitamin C. You might say, "So what?" Well, before you go back to enjoying your morning coffee, consider this point. Lions, tigers, cats, cows, dogs, chickens and elephants all make their own vitamin C. They make a lot of C, from 3,000 to more than 13,000 milligrams (mg) a day. Unlike humans they also don't suffer from the same cardiovascular disease in the wild. But recently gorillas in captivity have...Read More
Lifestyle
How The “Neat” Theory and “Magic Underwear” Keep You Thin
Why is it that some people are thin and others prone to obesity? Hundreds of books have been written to explain this dilemma. Some blame the under active thyroid. Others cite genetics. But Dr. James Levine, an endocrinologists and Professor of Nutrition at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, has a "neat" theory supported by "Magic Underwear" to explain the difference. In Nutrition Action Health Letter he reports a unique experiment. He gathered together a combination of thin people and obese couch potatoes who never went to the gym. He then gave both groups an extra 1,000 calories a day above their usual caloric intake for eight weeks to see what would happen. They were also fitted with underwear that was equipped...Read More
Dental, Surgery
Saving Thousands of Dollars On Expensive Dental care
My initial reaction was, "It can't be true". I've enough gray hair to know that if something sounds too good to be true, it's normally an easy way to lose money. But this was one of my editors talking. And I've also got enough gray hair to know you don't tell your editor he's full of baloney. That's a speedy way to get fired. So I politely listened. Particularly, since preserving healthy teeth has always been a good way to preserve your health. Karsten Mertens is publisher of the German newspaper, "Neue Welt", Canada's major German newspaper. Several months ago he decided it was time for a dental checkup even though he had no symptoms of dental trouble. His dentist took...Read More
Women's Health
What You Should Know About Generic Birth Control Pills
A 22 year old student at the University of Toronto says, "I've been on birth control pills (BCPs) for several years and have a tight budget. My pharmacist says that a new generic BCP, "Avaine", is available. Are these generic pills safe?" Another reader, who wants to be a grandmother rather than a mother, questions whether generic BCPs offer the same protection against pregnancy". These are good questions. Everyone wants to be sure they're getting the same protection and value for their dollar. Pharmaceutical companies, producing brand name products, have had patent protection from generic drugs, for several years. This allows them to recoup the millions of dollars they've spent on research to develop a drug. But, as you would suspect,...Read More
Sports
How To Prevent Summer Hazards
"Thank God, it will soon be summer!" a patient recently exclaimed to me. I agreed, but I know as sure as night follows day that many people this summer will do dumb things. Dr. David Janda, director of The Institute for Preventive Sports Medicine, Ann Arbour, Michigan, recently addressed the 37th Annual Sport Medicine Symposium in Toronto. He told delegates that injuries kill over 142,000 North Americans each year and 62 million require medical attention. Death may be better than some injuries. Janda reported that every summer in Michigan 60 people are paralyzed from diving into a shallow lake. They forget the golden rule when plunging into unknown waters, "First time feet first." One moment, they're mobile. A split second later, they're...Read More
Lifestyle
Read This, Then Go Out And Have A Beer
Years ago a speaker abruptly broke off his speech. He said, "I know you're bored with this topic and I'm bored, so let's quit and have a beer". I felt this way and nearly tossed this column out. Why bother to waste paper on something you already know? But on the other hand a report from The Harvard Medical School shows it's absolute madness that so many people are taking pills when two simple changes in lifestyle could prevent and treat some health problems. We can also learn from it what happens to a person who loses an arm. Today, there's good reason to be concerned about the depressing economic news. But if you're worried about investments, researchers at Harvard say...Read More
Sports
How To Avoid The Hazards of Summer
A West African Proverb says, "There is only one kind of common sense and 40 varieties of lunacy". Every summer proves the Africans are right. Needless injuries and deaths occur primarily because people have momentary relapses of good old-fashioned horse sense. Dr. David Bishai at Johns Hopkins reports in Annals of Emergency Medicine that an 11 year old ballet student who lost her foot. She had fallen off a power lawn mower while having fun cutting the grass. Shriners Hospitals say that 275,000 people every year are treated in emergency rooms due to lawn mower and garden tools accidents. 35,000 of these injuries involve children under 15 years of age who lose hands, legs or their lives. These are accidents waiting to...Read More
Infection
Beijing Trots And Other Travel Hazards In 2008?
How many people will travel to China for the Olympics this summer or elsewhere on this planet? I don't know. But I do know many will raise this silent prayer to the Almighty, "Please, above all other worldly goods, grant me a bathroom". Desperately needing a toilet is as close to panic as it gets when one isn't available. But toilets can be the least of your worries if you fail to take other precautions when travelling. To get an update on medical problems facing travellers I interviewed Dr. Jay Keystone, Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto and Director of Medisys Travel Clinic in Toronto. He is emphatic that long before you pack your bag it's prudent to obtain...Read More
Philosophy
Religious People: Shame, Shame, Shame
Why would I rather deal with the Mafia than some religious people? Because I hate hypocrisy above all other things. I know the mob has a code they follow strictly and it's crystal clear to everyone what it's all about, such as it is. But religious people talk constantly about brotherly love and yet condemn fellow humans to death. It's hypocrisy at its worst. A report in the Medical Post says that Canadians are being forced to travel to China and India to purchase heart and kidney transplants. Their only alternative is death. How can you blame these people for seeking what's been labelled "transplantation tourism" buying an organ in a foreign land? We all share the desire to live at any...Read More
Cardiovascular
The Holiday Heart Syndrome: A Seaboard Romance?
What does the figure 's 2,575,440,000 indicate? It's not the national debt, or the increase in the world's population in the next 10 years. But, if you live to 70 years of age, your heart will beat this many times. But sometimes it gets weary and develops an irregular rate called atrial fibrillation (AF). So can chocolate help to prevent this problem? AF is not a rare problem. A report in the journal, Circulation, says that one-quarter of North Americans will develop this condition at some time during their lives. Not surprising, since electrical equipment tends to be unpredictable. We know cars get into trouble when their electrical systems falter. It's the same problem with hearts as their beats are controlled by...Read More
Medicine
Natural Ways To Treat Common Diseases
Years ago a speaker abruptly stopped his talk. He said, "I know you're bored with this topic and I'm bored, so let's quit and we'll all go out and have beer". This is how I felt writing this column and nearly tossed it in the basket several times. I know it's boring to tell you to exercise and lose pounds if you're overweight. Why bother to write about things you already know, so why don't we all go out and have a beer? Because so many people are taking pills when these two changes in lifestyle can help to prevent and treat several common problems. Today there's good reason to be concerned about the depressing economic news. However, at the moment,...Read More
Medicine
Dummy Pills, Guns and Doctors
Winston Churchill, Britain's wartime Prime Minister, remarked, "To almost every question there is an answer that is clear, concise, coherent and wrong"! For years we've been told that anti-depressant drugs were the be-all-and-end-all for depressed patients. Now, a recent report claims that placebos are just as effective for many patients. So should doctors use placebos (dummy pills)to trick patients? The FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) helps to answer this dilemma. The opponents of placebo therapy say physicians should never resort to deception. They argue that placebos have no therapeutic value and should be consigned to the Dark Ages. After all, this is 2008 the age of scientific medicine. But how scientific have we been in the past? Henry Beecher, a former professor...Read More
Dermatology
Rosacea : An Overlooked Skin Condition
What did former President Bill Clinton have to blush about? We all know the answer to that delicate question! Like Princess Diana, Rosie O'Donnell and the comedian W.C. Fields also suffered from Rosacea. This April is designated Rosacea month, in an effort to alert people to the warning signs of this condition and the importance of early treatment. Red may be the colour of love, but this is one flush people would prefer not to show. The general public and sometimes doctors, confuse Rosacea with acne, seborrheic dermatitis or lupus. Fortunately, Rosacea is not life-threatening, but the flushing episodes are socially embarrassing and in some instances their psychological impact can be devastating. Some patients shy away from social contacts when pustules appear...Read More
Cardiovascular
How Long Are Your Legs?
How many people in this country haven't had their blood cholesterol level tested? Or had their doctor suggest a stress test or electrocardiogram to evaluate the risk of heart disease? I doubt that many have escaped some of these tests. But has your doctor ever said, "I want to measure the length of your legs?" Or examined your ear lobe? These are examples of the KISS principle, "keep it simple stupid". Dr. Kate Tilling reports an interesting finding in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Tilling and her colleagues at Bristol University in the U.K. measured the leg lengths of 12,252 men and women aged 44 to 65. They discovered the longer the leg, the less risk of heart attack and stroke. But...Read More
Genitourinary
The Powder Room : Course 101 In Overactive Bladder
Whoever remarked, "Timing is everything", was right. I recently wrote about simple ways to prevent urinary infections. This triggered numerous requests from readers saying, "But what can be done when you're constantly rushing to you know where?" Their timing couldn't have been better. The Powder Room web site now has a bilingual course 101 on overactive bladder (OAB). It contains "Everything you've always wanted to know about OAB and didn't know who to ask". OAB can range from a terrible nuisance to a problem that has a dramatic effect on lifestyle. And, if you think you're the only one in town that suffers from this disorder, think again. Several years ago one of my patients hit the nail on the head with...Read More
Cardiovascular, Lifestyle
A Good Postal Code Leads To A Longer Life
I've just returned from a "Canadian Medical Education Course" on Cardiology aboard Norweigen cruise line. Being a former ship's surgeon I love being at sea. Besides, a sea voyage is a great way to recharge your batteries. And it provided an opportunity to listen day after day to a diverse group of international cardiologists who discussed the nation's number one killer. Now I know the importance of one's postal code. And why North Americans should never forget "Matthew's Law" Dr. Stuart Smith, one of Canada's leading cardiologists, reported that heart failure is the new cancer of our society. Each year over one million people in North America suffer heart attack. Half of these patients die within an hour. The rest may...Read More
Gynecology, Sex, Women's Health
Chocolates and Sex, The Wrong Gift for Valentine’s Day
"What did your husband give you for Valentine's Day?" I jokingly asked a 55 year old patient. She replied, "He brought home the usual gift, chocolates, but that won't solve my pain with sex. Nor can my own doctor, as he never talks about sexual matters." This is a scenario I often see in my office and it's time to break the hush that so often surrounds this problem. This woman had started into menopause at 50 years of age, suffering from flushes, insomnia and increased irritability. These symptoms had gradually faded without any treatment over a two-year period. But slowly she noted that sexual intercourse was becoming increasingly painful. And by Valentine's Day this year it was causing problems in...Read More
Cholesterol
It Felt Like Somebody Had Put Lead On My Legs – Cholesterol Drugs
What sells newspapers? Bad news! And every morning I get tired of reading more of it. Good news is exceedingly hard to find, but there are exceptions. Medical publications continue to publish "good" news about cholesterol-lowering drugs (CLDs), that doctors should strive to get blood cholesterol lower and lower, that CLDs can be used to treat an increasing number of other medical problems. But since I'm more than a trifle skeptical about these drugs, it's refreshing to me to read the less than perfect news about CLDs from the Harvard Medical School. Focus, Harvard's news bulletin, reports the medical problem of Dr. Ikas Sukhatme. He's Professor of Medicine at Harvard's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, and like many...Read More
