Doctors are trained to treat an ailment, a disease, an affliction, a broken this or that. Something I’ve learned in my decades of writing about health topics is that whatever it is that needs fixing, it’s not black or white. It depends. Read the rest of this entry
Baby boomers will spend up to $100 monthly for technology if it helps them stay independent and keeps them healthy.
That is what the focus groups with people age 50 to 65 responded when asked if they would pay for such technologies as electronic monitoring and medication reminders. They were also interested in owning a device that kept their medical records and provided them with control over the information.
The focus group was sponsored by the Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST) and were reported at a Healthcare Unbound conference. Some of the other key findings include:
Do any of these findings sound like something you might say? What would you hope for in technology that might make life easier for you as you age? Send me your thoughts. Let’s take our own survey.
To your successful aging.
Ruthan
The story is told about a patient scheduled for shoulder surgery who receives a letter from the orthopedic surgeon that he is one of the designers of the artificial shoulder the patient is about to receive and that he is paid royalties from the implant manufacturer.
This doctor is unusual because most physicians do not reveal their business connections with equipment or pharmaceutical companies. Read the rest of this entry
When your head is pounding, your eyes light-sensitive, every sound is a roar and you feel nauseated, the chances are good you are having a migraine headache.
A headache that comes and goes over the years and long-lasting is most likely a migraine or a vascular headache related to blood vessels. Symptoms include recurrent pain, throbbing, and pressure all of which can last for days.
There are many causes for migraines including stress, insomnia, barometric pressure, altitude changes and some foods. It is no longer unusual these days to find that children and teens also suffer from migraines along with adults.
Recently a new association for migraine has come to light, the patent foramen ovale (PFO) or a hole in the heart. Usually this congenital defect closes on its own, but many people live their whole lives with it open and without negative effects. However, for some it can be the cause for a stroke or migraines.
There is no proof of this yet and research is ongoing, but one out of every four to five patients with migraines have holes in their hearts. Apparently closing the PFO provides relief from the migraines and people who have their PFO closed feel more energetic, and their hands and feet feel warmer.
Preventive therapy usually includes an anti-inflammatory, seizure medication, or an anti-depressant heart medication. A physician may also order a migraine-specific drug that turns off the pain center in the brain.
Whatever the treatment, the advice is to see your physician first.
Heart failure is a confusing and frightening term for many people.
I bring up this topic because a neighbor’s husband was diagnosed with heart failure. During a conversation about his condition, his wife thought that her husband’s heart had stopped beating when the doctor told her the diagnosis was heart failure.
At that moment I took a deep breath not knowing whether or not it was my place to help her understand the term, but I did explain that heart failure really means that the heart isn’t working as effectively as it should.
In other words the pump is broken. Either the heart isn’t able to fill up with enough blood or pump with enough force, or both. If the heart is not pumping as efficiently as it should, then your need for oxygen and nutrients is also not being met. When the heart does not pump powerfully as it should, fluid backs up into the lungs and builds up in the feet, ankles and legs. That means the organs are also not getting enough blood and oxygen.
On the other hand, heart failure does not mean the situation is hopeless. It is true that heart failure cannot be cured, but patients can take steps to manage their heart failure so it does not get worse.
Medications such as diuretics, ACE inhibitors to lower blood pressure, beta-blockers to slow heart rate, and Digoxin to strengthen the heart beat may be prescribed to help alleviate the symptoms and make the heart function more efficiently. When patients experience severe heart failure they may have a pacemaker, heart pump or even a heart transplant.
There are warning signs that you or someone you know may be experiencing heart failure. They include:
All of the above are possible signs that fluid is building up in your body. Contact your doctor if you are experiencing any of these symptoms. Remember early detection, regardless of the disease or condition, means early treatment, which is likely to equate to a more quality lifestyle.
To your healthy aging.
Ruthan Brodsky
Sleep patterns to change as you get older along with all the other physical changes. Most people tend to have a tougher time falling asleep and then more trouble staying asleep than they did when they were younger. The problem is, no matter what the common thinking is all about, your need for sleep doesn’t decline as you get older. In fact your sleep needs remain fairly constant. Read the rest of this entry
Our Internist retired after his heart attack. I had partnered with him for close to 25 years and dreaded the thought of finding a new doctor.
Dr. K was perfect for us. He was an excellent diagnostician, he cared deeply for his patients, he was friendly, outgoing, and I could argue with him. The fact is we became socially friendly with Dr. K and his wife who also worked in the office.
I knew what I wanted and I was going to be careful in my selection because I knew that as I got older the chances were I would need more medical care. I wanted someone who would partner with me in my health. I was to be the captain of my health ship and the doctor was to be my navigator and my coach. And it is very important to me that my doctor be involved in prevention. Over a period of six years I went through four different doctors until I found one whose approach to medicine and his patients is very much like our previous physician. Read the rest of this entry
