Home

Health Update

For your daily dose of health news and information

Archive for July, 2008

ED: A wife’s concern, too

July 26th, 2008

Von

More and more husbands are now coming out in the open to seek treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED), a positive development happily noted by two Filipino urologists.

Not only has erectile dysfunction, commonly called impotency, ceased to be a taboo subject, it has also become the wife’s concern as well.

“These days,” says Dr. Michael Leh, a urologist at the Medical City, “it’s more the wife who is recognizing the problem. In my meetings with my fellow Rotarians, I have noticed that it’s the wives now who raise the issue of erectile dysfunction.”

Dr. Juliano Panganiban of St. Luke’s Medical Center and the Chinese General Hospital, shares Leh’s observation. (more…)

Posted in News, Womens health

Tags: Blood Flow, Blood Vessels, Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese General Hospital, Dr Michael, Juliano, Male Impotency, Medical City, Medical Problems, Mutual Satisfaction, Oral Drug, Pfizer, Philippine Star, Rotarians, Satisfaction Issues, Self Image, Sexual Response, St Luke, Taboo Subject, Urologist

No Comments »

Address risk factors to prevent cervical cancer

July 26th, 2008

Von

Recently, scientist found out why some women develop cervical cancer. They were able to show a direct link of cervical cancer and other HPV-related diseases such as vaginal and vulvar cancers, and genital warts with common virus called human papillomavirus (HPV). However, medical experts also know that certain risk factors play an important role in increasing a woman’s chance of developing cervical cancer.

A risk factor is defined as something that may increase the chance of developing a disease. So, when it comes to understanding and preventing a disease, it is important to be aware of its risk factors. According to studies, it has been found that a number of factors may act together and increase a woman’s risk of developing cervical cancer. In caring for one’s cervical health, it would be important to note the following:

Human papillomavirus (HPV)
HPV infection has been identified as the main risk factor for cervical cancer. HPV can infect the cervix and can be passed on through sexual contact. HPV infections are very common. It has been found that most adults have been infected with HPV at some point in their lives. Though most women’s bodies are able to fight HPV infections, some HPV types can cause changes in the cells of the cervix. Some of these changes can lead to genital warts, cervical pre-cancers, and other problems. (more…)

Posted in Uncategorized

Tags: Abnormal Cells, Aids Infection, Cancer Cells, Cervical Cancer, Cervical Health, Cervix, Cervix Cancer, Genital Warts, Hpv Infection, Hpv Types, Human Papillomavirus, Immune System, Medical Experts, Pap Tests, Pelvic Exams, Risk Factor, Risk Factors, Sexual Contact, Vulvar Cancers, Weakened Immune Systems

3 Comments »

Endometriosis

July 26th, 2008

Von

by Dr. Brix Pujalte

A QUICK check of “sheol” (read quotation) shows it is esoteric Hebrew for “grave” or “pit” or sometimes the Judaic example of Hell.

How appropriate then that endometriosis makes the uterus a kind of grave because it leaves some women who have it infertile. They also engage in painful sex so I guess that could be hell too.

Endometriosis. The endometrium is the inner lining of the uterus. If pregnancy does not occur (following the normal menstrual cycle) this layer is shed and hence the bleeding from the vagina. Abnormally, in endometriosis, tissue that belongs inside the uterus is found elsewhere: On the ovaries, on the bowels, bladder and so on. The terrible thing is that these tissues behave the same way as though they were home. So as hormones rise and fall, the extrauterine endometrium also thickens, sloughs off and bleeds. (more…)

Posted in News, Uncategorized

Tags: Backflow, Bleeding From The Vagina, Bleeding In Between Periods, Dysmenorrhea, Dyspareunia, Endometrial Cells, Endometriosis, Endometrium, Environmental Influences, Fallopian Tubes, Female Hormone Estrogen, Heavy Periods, Inner Lining Of The Uterus, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Lining Of The Uterus, Menstrual Blood, Ovarian Cysts, Painful Bowel Movements, Painful Sex, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

1 Comment »

Babies who get antibiotics tend to become asthmatic

July 25th, 2008

Von

CHICAGO (Reuters) – Children who got antibiotics as babies had a higher risk of developing asthma by age 7, Canadian researchers said.

Antibiotics are commonly prescribed to children under age 1 for a host reasons, most often for lower respiratory tract infection such as bronchitis and pneumonia or upper respiratory tract infections like ear and sinus infections.

Anita Kozyrskyj and colleagues at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg and McGill University in Montreal studied antibiotic use in 13,116 children from birth to age 7.

Respiratory symptoms early on can be sign of future asthma.

To control for that, they sorted out infants who got antibiotics for non-respiratory tract infections, such as impetigo or urinary infections. (more…)

Posted in News, Uncategorized

Tags: Antibiotic Use, Antibiotics, Canadian Researchers, Chest Tightness, First Birthday, Germs, Journal Chest, Lower Respiratory Tract, Lower Respiratory Tract Infection, Manila Bulletin, Mcgill University, Respiratory Symptoms, Respiratory Tract Infection, Respiratory Tract Infections, Shortness Of Breath, Sinus Infections, University Of Manitoba, Upper Respiratory Tract, Upper Respiratory Tract Infections, Urinary Infections

No Comments »

Diabesity: Are you at risk?

July 25th, 2008

Von

by Tyrone M. Reyes, M.D.

The terms may differ some experts call it diabesity, while others prefer to call it cardiometabolic disease or metabolic syndrome. But the same problems underlie it all: insulin resistance and obesity, specifically abdominal obesity. According to research presented at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) last June, half of all American adults are now at risk for developing type 2 diabetes (and heart disease) because of the connection between excess abdominal fat and insulin resistance, the precursor to full-blown diabetes. A new study from Canada found that having type 2 diabetes confers a risk of having a heart attack equivalent to prematurely aging 15 years.

Big Belly, Bigger Risk

The culprit is fat cells, particularly those accumulating around your belly. “Fat cells, especially abdominal fat, produce excess hormones that affect insulin uptake by cells and tissues, causing insulin resistance, raising blood pressure, and increasing inflammation throughout the body,” explains Dr. Louis J. Aronne, director of the Comprehensive Weight Management Program at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center. “Abdominal obesity leads to increased fat in the liver, which also drives insulin resistance. Increased fat in muscle tissue leads to resistance to insulin in these tissues.” (See figure.) (more…)

Posted in News, Uncategorized