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In the market for a new home? Don't miss the Open House guide in the paper Saturday and Sunday.
THE PEOPLE'S PHARMACY: How doctors can improve patient health without scolding
Doctors often admonish their patients to make lifestyle changes that will help their health: stop smoking, eat better, exercise more and lose weight. If patients don’t make progress on these challenging goals, doctors may get frustrated and scold patients. Then they prescribe pills to lower cholesterol, control blood sugar or reduce blood pressure. Patients also feel frustrated. Making big changes can be extremely difficult. People get defensive when they are
YOU DOCS: Your hairdo might signal hidden health hazards
Psst .... is your hair — or lack of it — trying to tell you something? Two new reports link male pattern baldness (not that celebrity-inspired shaved noggin) with higher odds for heart disease and prostate cancer. Those aren’t the only hairdo and health connections sprouting in the news. Blondes, redheads and young silver foxes: You’re on the list, too, but don’t wig out just yet! We think these offbeat
TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH: Tylenol less likely to cause kidney damage than is RA medicine
Q: I am an 80-plus-year-old man with rheumatoid arthritis. My doctor has reduced my methotrexate dosage due to his concern about kidney damage. He prescribed Tylenol. My question is whether Tylenol also has a potential problem for my kidneys. A: Rheumatoid arthritis is a serious form of arthritis that can cause severe damage to joints if not aggressively treated. Methotrexate is a powerful medicine, often used as chemotherapy for some
Same procedure, wide price gap at 2 Roanoke Valley hospitals
Charges for the same medical procedures can vary by thousands of dollars at hospitals across the country — and at the two cross-town rivals in the Roanoke Valley, according to data released Wednesday by the federal government. At LewisGale Medical Center in Salem, the list price for nearly all of the treatments included in the data was higher than what was charged by Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. For example, the
TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH: Use of CPAP machine does not worsen apnea
Q: I went to a sleep lab and was diagnosed with borderline sleep apnea. The doctor said I could get the CPAP machine, but it was up to me. I chose to get it, and I use it every night. Now, when I nap, I wake myself up gasping. Could the CPAP be making my muscles weaker so I need it more? A: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition
THE PEOPLE'S PHARMACY: How to stock your first-aid kit from the kitchen
The trouble with most first-aid kits is that you don’t have them when you need them. They usually are stored safely in a bathroom closet or perhaps in the trunk of the car. What if you could put together an easy-to-carry first-aid kit from items you already have on hand? Readers of this column frequently share the remedies that they use in an emergency. Most are simple to assemble and
YOU DOCS: 5 ways not to mess up your blood sugar
With the diabetes epidemic picking up steam — 1.6 million new cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year. Some say that by 2020, half of all Americans could have diabetes or prediabetes — you want to make sure you’re not part of that statistic. So listen up! We talk with people every day who have taken charge of their health and seen astounding benefits. They’re happier, have more energy,
YOU DOCS: Breathe easier in pollen season and beyond
If you’re among the 27 million North Americans with asthma, chances are it’s triggered by allergies to airborne irritants in your environment (a whopping 75 percent of adults with sensitive airways have allergic asthma). Unfortunately, only 25 percent of people with asthma know what they’re allergic to and how to avoid the triggers that make their airways constrict, swell and clog up with mucus. That may be why more than
THE PEOPLE'S PHARMACY: Science can explain why beet juice lowers blood pressure
Doctors love scientific explanations for how things work. That is why they are quick to prescribe medications for a variety of conditions. Food and Drug Administration approval provides reassuring evidence of effectiveness. Dietary supplements, herbs and home remedies rarely have scientific support and usually lack an explanation for the way they work. That may be why it is hard for physicians to recommend such treatments. There is, however, a growing
TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH: Don’t put off endoscopy
Q: At age 79, I’ve been dealing with the effects of GERD for the past two or more years. For a year, I took omeprazole, which I believe was responsible for an immediate weight gain and a worsening of my osteopenia. It was a nasty drug from which to wean myself, but I did it. Currently, I’m not taking any medication for this condition. I’ve made changes in diet and
YOU DOCS: Budget-friendly diet: healthy food your wallet will love
Another health myth bites the dust! You don’t need to spend a fortune to eat good-for-you food. In fact, a new report reveals that buying healthy food saves money. That’s worth celebrating (you could hear our whoops and cheers for miles when this important info made the news), because plenty of wrong-headed reports have led North Americans to believe that healthy diets are wallet-busters. What we love most about this
THE PEOPLE'S PHARMACY: Don’t dismiss drugs that can cause deadly dizziness
Some reactions to medications seem so inconsequential that doctors rarely mention them. Dizziness is just such a side effect. On the surface, it seems like a minor problem. This might be because it’s so common. Hundreds of frequently prescribed medications cause dizziness or vertigo. As the saying goes, familiarity breeds contempt. In reality, though, dizziness can be a killer. Medications that make older people unsteady on their feet can lead
TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH: Timing key to some meds’ success
Q: I take Bystolic for blood pressure, and was instructed to take it in the morning. The side effects leave me feeling washed out, drowsy and listless all day. Because blood pressure is lower during sleep and rises slowly near morning, I think it would be better to take it at bedtime, when the side effects would occur and help me sleep. Also, Bystolic reaches peak plasma levels in one
AGE MATTERS: Make a difference: Be the match
Dear Dr. Camardi: I promised I would write and tell you how the bone marrow donation experience went. I’m all done and I’m so glad I did it! Thanks so much for giving me all the time I took to discuss it . More than anything else, thanks for not letting me feel any pressure with whatever decision I made. I was very, very afraid of the anesthesia, but now
YOU DOCS: An owner’s manual for your new lease on life
A record number of North Americans — nearly 15 million — are cancer survivors. Earlier and better screenings and advanced treatment options are a huge reason so many folks can say, “I beat cancer!” If you’re among this number, it’s important to know that thriving after you triumph over cancer is much more certain if you and your doctor create a new owner’s manual for YOU. We’re talking about a
THE PEOPLE'S PHARMACY: Beware zombie drivers, especially during allergy season
Driving drowsy may be almost as risky as driving drunk. People who would never get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol frequently drive while impaired and don’t even realize it. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an extraordinary number of Americans drive drowsy, and many even fall asleep: “Among nearly 150,000 adults aged at least 18 years or older in 19 states and the District of Columbia,
TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH: Cause of leaking lymph fluid may be in skin
Q: Three days ago, there appeared an unexplained wet spot at the inside of my husband’s sock, and also near the cuff of his slacks. It happened again during the next two days. We consulted his doctor, who diagnosed it as a leaking lymph node, and said he had no way of treating it, but increased the furosemide my husband is taking from every other day to a daily dose,
YOU DOCS: 6 ways to break out of a bad mood, fast
What do you do when you’re in a funk? Overeat? Sleep too much, or not enough? Snap at your loved ones? Mess up at work? Well, at least you’re not alone with your blues: A whopping 49 percent of people report feeling cranky and glum at least once a week. But did you know down-in-the-dumps feelings stimulate health-threatening inflammation and trigger brain changes that make high-fat, high-sugar foods look extra-tempting?
TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH: New treatments available for pulmonary hypertension
Q: I am an 85-year-old woman, and I’ve been incredibly healthy all my life, until a couple of years ago. Recently, my complaints of breathlessness and fatigue took me to a pulmonologist, who diagnosed pulmonary hypertension. What can you tell me about this condition? How is it diagnosed? What treatment can be prescribed? I understand that it is incurable, but is it likely to get worse? A: “Hypertension” just means
THE PEOPLE'S PHARMACY: Generics: Is it safe to save money on medicine?
America loves generic drugs. Anyone who has to pay for medication is thrilled at the prospect of saving big bucks on prescription medicine. That includes insurance companies, hospitals, government agencies like Medicare and Medicaid, and lots of patients who pay out of pocket. The brand-name, cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor, for example, can cost more than $200 for a month’s supply. Purchase the generic atorvastatin at some discount drugstores, and you might
1. 9 people taken to hospital after car drives into Trail Days parade Saturday
2. Student robbed on Virginia Tech campus Saturday morning
3. Hollins University custodian shows persistence in earning her degree
4. NFL 'grind' over for former Virginia, Cave Spring star Ronde Barber
5. Franklin Co. officials say funds can’t be diverted to fill school cuts
6. Attorney General Cuccinelli not subject to Freedom of Information Act
7. Salem man arrested on child porn charges
8. Saturday morning fire damages 2 apartments, displaces 3 in Roanoke
9. Center in the Square's grand reopening draws crowd
10. Organizations leave Adopt-A-Highway duties by the roadside
THE ROANOKE TIMES
