HEALTH Tidbits: Radiation behind more cancer cases

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Radiation behind more cancer cases Source: United Press InternationalDENVER (United Press International via COMTEX) -- Federal officialssay radiation exposure is behind more of the cancer among ex-workersat a closed Colorado nuclear weapons plant than first thought.Radiation is the cause of 29 percent of the cancers among former RockFlats workers, the Rocky Mountain News reported Monday.Roberta Mosier, deputy director a program that compensates sickworkers, said they expected to find workplace radiation as the causein only 1 percent to 10 percent of the cancer cases.Nationwide, 20 to 25 percent of the cancers among atom bomb workersare being tied to radiation exposure on the job, she said. The newfigures mean more workers are being paid under the program, which wasset up by Congress in 2000.Former Rocky Flats workers believe the figures are still too low andthey say many more would qualify if records on radiation exposure wereaccurate. Biogen, Elan suspend MS drug Tysabri Source: United Press InternationalCAMBRIDGE, Mass. (United Press International via COMTEX) -- Drugmakers Biogen Idec of Cambridge, Mass., and Britain's Elan Mondaysuspended sales of their multiple sclerosis drug after one user died.The drug Tysabri was approved in November and has been muchanticipated since its launch as a leading medication to treat theautoimmune disorder. But the two companies decided not only to stopsales of the drug worldwide, but also has suspended all clinicaltrials after a patient died of a central nervous system diseasepotentially caused by the product.Multiple sclerosis can cause blurred vision and poor musclecoordination, among other conditions. When a pain in the neck is more than that Source: HealthNewsDigest.com(HealthNewsDigest.com)...ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. - Have you ever beenshopping, tried to grab something just out of reach on an upper shelf,and felt an immediate strain in your neck? Or did you ever wake up inthe morning and for some unknown reason have a painful, stiff neckthat left you barely able to move your head? If you answered yes, thenyou are certainly not alone, as neck pain or discomfort is a verycommon reason for people to seek medical care. Most neck pain iscaused by muscle strain or tension, and although some individualsexperience this chronically, it is usually not serious. A first stepis to identify what activities may be contributing to this neck pain,such as poor posture, work environment, sleeping in an uncomfortableposition, or specific sports/exercise.While most cases do not have serious medical implications, neck paincould be the sign of an underlying condition or problem that requiresmedical attention, according to the American Association ofNeurological Surgeons. Neck pain may be caused by disc degeneration,narrowing of the spinal canal, arthritis, and, in rare cases, canceror meningitis. For serious neck problems, a primary care physician andoften a specialist, such as a neurosurgeon, should be consulted tomake an accurate diagnosis and prescribe treatment.Age, injury, poor posture, or diseases such as arthritis can lead todegeneration of the bones or joints of the cervical spine, causingdisc herniation or bone spurs to form. Sudden severe injury to theneck may also contribute to disc herniation, whiplash, blood vesseldestruction, vertebral injury, and, in extreme cases, permanentparalysis. Herniated discs or bone spurs may narrow the canal throughwhich the spinal cord runs or narrow the small openings through whichspinal nerve roots exit. Pressure on a nerve root from a herniateddisc or bone spur may cause pain in the arm and neck, numbness orweakness in the arm, or tingling in the fingers or hand.Cervical stenosis occurs when the spinal canal narrows and compressesthe spinal cord and is most frequently caused by aging. The discs inthe spine that separate and cushion vertebrae may dry out. As aresult, the space between the vertebrae shrinks, and the discs losetheir ability to act as shock absorbers. At the same time, the bonesand ligaments that make up the spine become less pliable and thicken.These changes result in a narrowing of the spinal canal. In addition,the degenerative changes associated with cervical stenosis can affectthe vertebrae by contributing to the growth of bone spurs thatcompress the nerve roots. Symptoms include neck pain, numbness andweakness in both hands, unsteady gait when walking, and muscle spasmsin the legs. Mild stenosis can be treated conservatively for extendedperiods of time as long as the symptoms are restricted to neck pain.Severe stenosis requires referral to a neurosurgeon.In addition to performing a thorough examination, a neurosurgeon mayorder diagnostic tests to help determine the cause and severity ofyour neck pain. These tests include x-rays, computed tomography (CT orCAT scans), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), myelograms,electromyograms and nerve conduction studies (EMG/NCS), anddiscography. A spinal tap for a cerebrospinal fluid analysis will bedone if meningitis is suspected.You should consult a doctor for neck pain if:- It occurs after an injury or blow to the head- Fever or headache accompanies the neck pain- Stiff neck prevents you from touching your chin to your chest- Pain shoots down one arm- There is tingling, numbness or weakness in your arms or hands- Your pain does not respond to over-the-counter pain medication- Pain does not improve after a weekNonsurgical treatment is the first approach in patients with commonneck pain not involving trauma. For example, many patients withcervical disc herniations improve with conservative treatment and timeand do not require surgery. Conservative treatment includes painmedication, bed rest, reduction of physical activity, and physicaltherapy. Your doctor may prescribe medications to reduce the pain orinflammation and muscle relaxants to allow time for healing to occur.An injection of corticosteroids may be used to temporarily relievepain.You may be a candidate for surgery if:- Conservative therapy is not helping- You experience progressive neurological symptoms involving your armsand legs- You experience difficulty with balance or walking- You are in otherwise good healthTo find out more information about neurological disorders or to locatea qualified neurosurgeon in your area, visit:www.NeurosurgeryToday.org. The dangers of carbon monoxide are many By Michael D. Shaw Source: HealthNewsDigest.com(HealthNewsDigest.com)...One of the most dangerous demons of indoorair quality--whether at home or in the office--is a colorless,odorless gas with serious consequences: carbon monoxide (CO). Itseffects, at relatively low concentrations, which can include nausea,fatigue, headache, malaise, and shortness of breath, will escalate athigher exposures to convulsions, coma, and death. Since CO is aby-product of so many common workplace and household devices, peopletoo easily ignore the severity of this problem, and the solutions attheir disposal, either out of complacency or sheer ignorance.CO is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in America,numbering in the thousands, and accounts for perhaps ten times thisnumber of emergency room visits each year. Moreover, since non-fatalsymptoms of CO poisoning often mimic the flu, many cases are surelymisdiagnosed. By monitoring this gas, and by taking some basic safetymeasures, we can reduce the impact of this silent killer.First, let us identify a relatively acceptable level of CO exposure:At less than 30 parts-per-million (ppm) over the course ofapproximately eight hours, people are certainly safe from the moregrave effects of this gas. Yet, even low level exposure can producehealth effects that are troublesome and persistent, especially insensitive individuals. Real problems--including respiratory issues,dizziness, confusion, and ultimately death--start, respectively, at200 and 800 ppm. The sources for this threat are as real as they arecommon: furnaces, boilers, space-heaters, stove tops, hot waterheaters (gas), clothes dryers (gas), wood stoves, fireplaces,barbecues, smoking, internal combustion engines, candles, incense,kerosene lanterns, and propane appliances.Second, the answer to this threat is right before us: Proper orimproved ventilation is the best way to safeguard against sustained COexposure. However, given the tendency to excessively insulate mostnewly constructed homes and buildings, coupled with non-openingwindows, this problem--and the fatalities that inevitably ensue--maynot immediately diminish.Third, people need to know more about the physiological effects of CO.CO binds to the blood's hemoglobin 240 times more readily than doesoxygen. In fact, CO is actually used in certain lung diagnosticprocedures because of this very property.When CO combines with hemoglobin, the resultant carboxyhemoglobin(COHb) is not only difficult to get out of the bloodstream, it takesup active sites where the proper version ofhemoglobin--oxyhemoglobin--should reside. In classic CO overexposurecases, that were typical with firefighters in years past, the strickenheroes had to breathe pure oxygen for several hours to remove theCOHb. These days, the use of a hyperbaric chamber speeds up theprocess.Sadly, members of the fire service have suffered more than their shareof ischemic heart disease, caused not so much by blood flowrestriction, as its name would indicate, but rather by lack of oxygenin the blood that does flow. Either way, the heart tissue dies overtime.The pioneering work of UCLA's Dr. Jim Barnard proved this in the late1970's, and showed that heavy smoking would produce the same results.While the stereotypical carbon monoxide poisoning victim is either adistraught individual, who uses his car and a closed garage as apersonal gas chamber, or a starving pensioner overcome by a faultyspace heater during a frigid winter night, CO is far more of an equalopportunity killer. Tennis pro Vitas Gerulaitis and 1930's Hollywoodactress Thelma Todd are two of many victims, that don't seem to fitthe popular profile.Add to that recreational boaters, careless barbecue users, and haplessdrivers, who skid off the road into a snow bank, plugging up theirexhaust pipe, asphyxiating themselves while struggling to move theirvehicle back onto the road.As a biochemist, and as an executive interested in properly monitoringCO levels, it is clear that the danger of carbon monoxide, longidentified as a top industrial gas hazard, is by no means limited tothese environments, and should be taken very seriously at the home andoffice, as well.***********************************************************************