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WDDTY e-News Service - 11th March 2004

Fri, 12 Mar 2004 01:24:15 0000

 

 

WHAT DOCTORS DON’T TELL YOU - E-NEWS BROADCAST No. 73 - 11 Mar 2004

 

Please feel free to email this broadcast to any friends you feel would

appreciate receiving it.

 

 

 

 

SORE THROATS ARE COMMON: And penicillin therapy should be rare

 

Children often have bad sore throats. It's the most common reason why they are

taken to the family doctor. And in his or her turn, the doctor will usually

prescribe a seven-day course of penicillin.

 

It's been considered 'best practice' for years, but a new study says that doing

nothing is just as good as penicillin, and possibly less harmful. Penicillin

should be reserved for those 15 per cent of cases of sore throat caused by

streptococcal infection, the researchers say.

 

They tested penicillin against placebo (a sugar pill) on a group of 156 children

who had a sore throat for less than seven days. The duration of the sore throat

and the school days lost was the same in both groups-in other words, penicillin

had no effect. Interestingly, those children in the placebo group whose sore

throat was caused by streptococcal infection also fared as well as their

counterparts in the penicillin group, so it could even be argued that doing

nothing is just as good as penicillin even for treating infectious sore throats.

Its sole benefit seems to be in preventing the sore throat worsening to quinsy,

impetigo or scarlet fever.

 

(Source: British Medical Journal, 2003; 327: 1324-7).

 

 

 

HYPERTENSION: Could it be an inflammatory disorder?

 

Hypertension is a major health problem in the West, with around one in six

Americans suffering from it. Despite its prevalence, not enough is known about

its causes.

 

So an interesting piece of pure research-that is, research that's not trying to

push a drug therapy-adds to the debate, and may give clues to some sufferers.

 

Researchers from Harvard Medical School suggest that hypertension may, in part

at least, be an inflammatory disorder. It's an idea that's been floating around

for a while, but nobody before had tested the hypothesis. So they analysed data

collected from the 20,252 participants from the Women's Health Study, and

studied the blood samples before and after hypertension was diagnosed. In

total, 5,365 women went on to develop hypertension. The marker they were looking

for in blood samples was the C-reactive protein.

 

The protein is a symptom of inflammation linked to an increased risk of heart

attack and stroke, and a significant percentage of the hypertension group had

high levels of C-reactive protein in their blood.

 

Tantalizingly, they don't give any suggestions as to the cause of the

inflammation in the first place, but cause never has been medicine's strong

suit.

 

(Source: Journal of the American Medical Association, 2003; 290: 2945-51).

 

 

 

THE SECRETS OF A LONG AND HEALTHY LIFE

 

We can be masters of our own fate, and our health and well-being. But if we are

going to achieve a long and healthy life, we have to be responsible in so many

areas. Our new report, The Secrets of Longevity, gives you the blueprint to

live just such a life, and gives details of the right diet, exercise and

lifestyle you should follow. To order your copy, :

http://www.wddty.co.uk/shop/details.asp?product=390

 

 

 

EPILEPSY: Guess what? Yup, the drugs don't work (part 4,791)

 

There have been several concerns about epilepsy therapy. The drugs are very

powerful (although it can be argued that they have to be), and we're aware of

quite a few people dying while on the drugs. The other problem is that epilepsy

is often wrongly diagnosed, and the patient doesn't have the condition at all.

 

Now there's a new worry. A new study has revealed that nearly half of patients

taking epilepsy drugs continue to have seizures. In other words, the drugs

don't work. (NB: Drugs that don't work still come with the nasty side effects,

like death).

 

The study monitored the seizure rate among 1,652 patients. Of these, one in

three had 'severe' epilepsy, and the rest had a milder form. Despite this, all

the patients were taking up to seven different drugs to control the seizures.

 

Many of those on drugs could have their seizures controlled by other forms of

medical care, the researchers suggest.

 

(Source: Seizure. Online: www.harcourt-international.com/journals/seiz/)

 

 

 

HERBAL CREAMS: More steroids found

 

While we're opposed to the draconian controls of alternative remedies proposed

by the EU, a new study shows they do have a point.

 

Researchers have found that 20 of the 24 herbal creams for atopic eczema, which

can be bought in UK health shops and pharmacies, contained high levels of

steroids.

 

All the creams labeled 'Wau Wau' and two called 'Muijiza' contained the steroid

clobetasol. The packet insert suggests using the cream " all over " , so an

average three-year-old child would receive enough steroids to cause adrenal

suppression.

 

(Source: Archive of Diseases in Childhood, 2003; 88: 1056-7).

 

 

 

SOME LIKE IT HOT: Even if they do have high blood pressure

 

You have a heart problem or high blood pressure. And you've read the signs at

the side of the hotel jacuzzi or hot tub. It's not safe for you to enter. So

there you sit, watching your friends and family having a great time in the

jacuzzi, while you drown your sorrows with an orange juice.

 

But is it really necessary for you to deprive yourself of this simple pleasure?

Not according to researchers who assessed the health risks for themselves. They

got 21 patients with stable hypertension to sit in a hot tub for 10 minutes (no

doubt getting them to sign a disclaimer beforehand)-and guess what? Their blood

pressure actually went down when they were in the tub, and then rose within 10

minutes of them getting out of the tub.

 

(Source: CMAJ, 2003; 169: 1265-8).

 

 

 

READERS' CORNER

 

Wakefield and MMR: Quite a few of you have written letters of support for Dr

Wakefield, who has been pilloried in the London Sunday Times over his research

into a link between the MMR vaccine and autism. One woman points out that the

vaccine has also been associated with other health worries, and recalls

attending a conference where one researcher revealed that incidents of cot death

had dropped by 90 per cent in Japan since the authorities there stopped

vaccinating children under the age of five. Another woman points out that

measles is more likely to be a deadly disease among children who are

malnourished. Governments should be doing something to increase the nutritional

status of children instead of dishing out 'magic shots'. Another says that

vaccines are not effective, and are merely a money-spinner for the

pharmaceutical industry. Finally, one woman says that Dr Wakefield is brave and

important, while his detractors are vile.

 

 

Retroactive prayer: A few of you responded to last week's 'Far Side' piece

about prayer affecting the outcome of patients up to 10 years after the event.

Reiki exponents already know how to send healing over distance and time, even

back into the past, writes one woman. " I have many times agreed to send absent

healing to people, agreeing with them a time and place when they can relax and

receive the healing. Being a very busy lady I often remember to do this some

time after the event. The feedback I have had has always been positive; a

person may have felt the benefit of the healing or even been aware of something

happening to them during their relaxation. Is this wishful thinking or is

something truly happening? I know it works, and trust the process, whatever it

is, " she writes. Another is less convinced, and can't see the point in praying

for people who have already left hospital. (But that would hold if you believe

in time as a forward-only process - Ed) He describes

himself as a Thomas-type who needs to see the scars.

 

 

Alcohol and breast cancer: One woman questions the report last time that

alcohol can increase the risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women. She

says that the risk is greater in women who haven't reached the menopause.

Alcohol has more of an effect when the body is producing larger amounts of

estrogen. Just half a glass of wine can double the levels of estrogen, she

says.

 

 

Osteopathy and otitis media: A homeopath in Western Australia was interested by

the study reported last time that osteopathy can help children with recurring

otitis media. Homeopathic remedies are also effective, she says, in treating

acute pain and fever, and in chronic conditions.

 

 

Coil reactions: One woman has had a bad experience since having had a coil

inserted. She said it was extremely painful when it was inserted and she has

since had ongoing pains during her period. Have other women suffered the same

problems, she asks?

 

 

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research can be found – click on http://www.wddty.co.uk/search/infodatabase.asp

 

 

 

 

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