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Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Stroke has a new indicator...Stick out Your Tongue
Saturday, November 5, 2011
அருள் கூர்ந்து உதவி செய்யவேண்டும் அம்மா.
அம்மா !!
சென்னை கார்போரஷன் லே புதிதாக இணைக்கப்பட்டுள்ள எங்கள் வளசரவாக்கம் பகுதியிலே மாசக்கணக்காக சாக்கடைக் குப்பைகள் தெருவோரம் குவிந்து மலை போல இருக்கின்றன. சாக்கடை நீர் குடி நீருடன் அடிக்கடி கலக்கும் அபாயம் இருக்கிறது. எல்லா விதமான வியாதிகளும் இங்கே வருகின்றன. என்னைப் போன்ற வயதானவர்கள் தெருவிலே இறங்கி நடக்க இயலவில்லை.
குறிப்பாக, போரூர் முதல் விருகம்பாக்கம் வரை சாலைகள் மிகவும் மோசமாக இருக்கின்றன. வளசரவாக்கதின் உள் நகர்கள் பழனியப்பா நகர் வீதிகள் ராதா கிருஷ்ணன் சாலை இரு பக்கங்களும் குப்பை மேடுகள் சாக்கடை நீருடன் கலந்து இருக்கின்றன. லாமேச் பள்ளிக் குழந்தைகள் இந்த சகதி வழியே அங்கே விற்பனை செய்யும் மிட்டாய், சுண்டல் இவைகளை வாங்கி மிகவும் அசுத்தமான சூழ்நிலைகளில் தின்கிறார்கள்.
குப்பை அகற்றப்படவேண்டியது போர்கால அடிப்படையிலே செய்யப்படவேண்டியது.
சென்னை நகர் அலுவலர் துரிதமாக செயல் படவேண்டும்.
உங்களுக்கு எனது வேண்டுகோள் இதுவே.
அருள் கூர்ந்து உதவி செய்யவேண்டும் அம்மா.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Doctor...!We admire and adore Your selfless Service..but..at the same time ....
Yesterday, I had to consult my doctor for a perceived ailment which has been troubling me for the last several years. And being a family friend, the doctor has been closely observing me as well as my family members to decipher problems arising out of heredity and diagnose and prescribe drugs if need be.
To start with this, I should say that I have great regards for this gentleman doctor for the last two decades. He retired recently from services. Being philanthropic, he had allotted one day in a week for FREE SERVICE to the community, under the auspices of a Trust devoted to his GREAT GURU, who has admirers and followers throughout the length and breadth of the world. And I came to know of this as I entered the clinic. Usually there used be a single receptionist only. But this day I found quite many of them, apparently to serve the people who come on the FREE SERVICE DAY to consult the doctor. And they are quite in number in relation to the number who visit the doctor on other days, I was later told.
There was pouring rain outside. Patients who entered the doctor's office were treated respectably, offered chairs and their turn was informed. There was one volunteer who helped me close my rain-soaked umbrella and put it at a safe distance so that the pathway is not becoming slippery. Another volunteer helped me take out my chappals and put it outside.
I was impressed by the routines followed by the volunteers of the Trust devoted to The Guru in issuing slips to consulting patients, regulate the queue etc.
When I had my turn, I was taken inside the Doctor's chamber, and being a person of great integrity and charisma, let alone his personal affinity to me and to our family, he welcomed me, made me comfortable and started examining me. And after a few minutes, he narrated in detail the prognosis of the problem, myself having crossed seventy, and advised to bear and put up with problem, rather than imagining that there could be a final cure for the same. Of course, he prescribed a few drugs and said he would like to see me again after a fortnight.
And, being a FREE SERVICE DAY, he did not receive any consulting fees nor I offered him, as usual, in consonance with the divine environment around.
While I am all appreciation for the dedication of this great doctor in doing yeoman service to the community once a week, I was equally embarrassed by another event which was happening simultaneously.
The relationship as between a patient and a doctor is said to be sacrosanct and can never be diluted at any cost. The confidentiality of the information that the patient passes on to the doctor is supreme.
This being my long held view, the continued presence of four volunteers of the Trust ( not nurses ) standing by the side of the doctor irked me, and made me hesitate in having a free and frank talk with the doctor.
The people who were standing there as I was being prescribed by the doctor are devotees of the Great Guru. I am quite aware of this.
Nevertheless, the confidentiality of the patient-doctor relationship has to be respected.
Can there be an exception to this Golden Rule ! I wonder.
To start with this, I should say that I have great regards for this gentleman doctor for the last two decades. He retired recently from services. Being philanthropic, he had allotted one day in a week for FREE SERVICE to the community, under the auspices of a Trust devoted to his GREAT GURU, who has admirers and followers throughout the length and breadth of the world. And I came to know of this as I entered the clinic. Usually there used be a single receptionist only. But this day I found quite many of them, apparently to serve the people who come on the FREE SERVICE DAY to consult the doctor. And they are quite in number in relation to the number who visit the doctor on other days, I was later told.
There was pouring rain outside. Patients who entered the doctor's office were treated respectably, offered chairs and their turn was informed. There was one volunteer who helped me close my rain-soaked umbrella and put it at a safe distance so that the pathway is not becoming slippery. Another volunteer helped me take out my chappals and put it outside.
I was impressed by the routines followed by the volunteers of the Trust devoted to The Guru in issuing slips to consulting patients, regulate the queue etc.
When I had my turn, I was taken inside the Doctor's chamber, and being a person of great integrity and charisma, let alone his personal affinity to me and to our family, he welcomed me, made me comfortable and started examining me. And after a few minutes, he narrated in detail the prognosis of the problem, myself having crossed seventy, and advised to bear and put up with problem, rather than imagining that there could be a final cure for the same. Of course, he prescribed a few drugs and said he would like to see me again after a fortnight.
And, being a FREE SERVICE DAY, he did not receive any consulting fees nor I offered him, as usual, in consonance with the divine environment around.
While I am all appreciation for the dedication of this great doctor in doing yeoman service to the community once a week, I was equally embarrassed by another event which was happening simultaneously.
The relationship as between a patient and a doctor is said to be sacrosanct and can never be diluted at any cost. The confidentiality of the information that the patient passes on to the doctor is supreme.
This being my long held view, the continued presence of four volunteers of the Trust ( not nurses ) standing by the side of the doctor irked me, and made me hesitate in having a free and frank talk with the doctor.
The people who were standing there as I was being prescribed by the doctor are devotees of the Great Guru. I am quite aware of this.
Nevertheless, the confidentiality of the patient-doctor relationship has to be respected.
Can there be an exception to this Golden Rule ! I wonder.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
24 Triggers of Pain
More often than not, most of us suffer from a sort of vague pain to severe pain in almost all parts of the body. Most common among them are head ache, neck strain, back ache, cramps in the legs, apart of other severe condtions known as neuralagia.
Research has shown that a for a number of aches and body pains, we are plainly the source. That means that we are mismanaging our body as a whole. From Under utilizing or over utilizing limbs to total resting or over working could also be reasons. Don't laugh. Sex could also be a reason.
Please have a look at the slide show clicking at the URL below. A few intelligent steps could throw before us ways to live happily.
If you are not taken to the website www.webmd.com , please cut and paste the URL below:
http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/ss/slideshow-reasons-for-pain?ecd=wnl_men_101811
Pain Management is different. We shall see it later.
Research has shown that a for a number of aches and body pains, we are plainly the source. That means that we are mismanaging our body as a whole. From Under utilizing or over utilizing limbs to total resting or over working could also be reasons. Don't laugh. Sex could also be a reason.
Please have a look at the slide show clicking at the URL below. A few intelligent steps could throw before us ways to live happily.
If you are not taken to the website www.webmd.com , please cut and paste the URL below:
http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/ss/slideshow-reasons-for-pain?ecd=wnl_men_101811
Pain Management is different. We shall see it later.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
Citalopram High Dosage May lead to Heart problems !! Research Study shows.
Why The Cardiologist Cares About Your Antidepressant
by Scott Hensley
Courtesy: www.webmd.com
The Food and Drug Administration is telling doctors and patients not to use high doses of the popular antidepressant Celexa anymore because they can raise the risk for potentially harmful changes in heart rhythms.
The agency's safety advice says that doctors shouldn't prescribe more than 40 milligrams a day of Celexa (or citalopram, generically) to minimize the chances of trouble. Some patients with heart conditions or taking other medicines that came make the problem worse, such as the antacid Tagamet, should take even less.
High doses of citalopram can lead to problems with what cardiologist call the "QT interval," a sort of electronic reset of the heart between beats. If the QT interval is prolonged, as can happen with high-dose citalopram, it can cause "a very rapid, disorganized rhythm of the pumping chamber of the heart," says Dr. Westby Fisher, director of cardiac electrophysiology at NorthShore University HealthSystem in Evanston, Ill.
The episodes often don't last long, but can be dangerous if they persist. Fisher recalled the case of a woman who blacked out while driving because too little blood was being pumped to her brain. In extreme cases, called torsade de pointes, the abnormal heart beats can be life-threatening.
Fisher praises the FDA's advice on Celexa, as well as similar advisories on other drugs, saying the information would help raise awareness among doctors.
Fisher has seen patients with cardiac rhythm issues related to psychotropic medicines, including Celexa. The biggest risks come from combinations of drugs, he says.
by Scott Hensley
Courtesy: www.webmd.com
The Food and Drug Administration is telling doctors and patients not to use high doses of the popular antidepressant Celexa anymore because they can raise the risk for potentially harmful changes in heart rhythms.
The agency's safety advice says that doctors shouldn't prescribe more than 40 milligrams a day of Celexa (or citalopram, generically) to minimize the chances of trouble. Some patients with heart conditions or taking other medicines that came make the problem worse, such as the antacid Tagamet, should take even less.
High doses of citalopram can lead to problems with what cardiologist call the "QT interval," a sort of electronic reset of the heart between beats. If the QT interval is prolonged, as can happen with high-dose citalopram, it can cause "a very rapid, disorganized rhythm of the pumping chamber of the heart," says Dr. Westby Fisher, director of cardiac electrophysiology at NorthShore University HealthSystem in Evanston, Ill.
The episodes often don't last long, but can be dangerous if they persist. Fisher recalled the case of a woman who blacked out while driving because too little blood was being pumped to her brain. In extreme cases, called torsade de pointes, the abnormal heart beats can be life-threatening.
Fisher praises the FDA's advice on Celexa, as well as similar advisories on other drugs, saying the information would help raise awareness among doctors.
Fisher has seen patients with cardiac rhythm issues related to psychotropic medicines, including Celexa. The biggest risks come from combinations of drugs, he says.
It's especially important for doctors to know patients' medical histories before prescribing drugs with this kind of risk, says Fisher. If patients have congestive heart failure, or some other conditions, such as liver disease that may interfere with their ability to break a drug down, then doctors should get an electrocardiogram, before and after starting the therapy.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Dogs Sniff Out Lung Cancer in Humans
Dogs Sniff Out Lung Cancer in Humans
Study Shows Some Dogs Can Be Trained to Identify Lung Cancer When They Sniff a Person's Breath
By Brenda Goodman
COURTESY:
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD
Close up of dogs nose
please cut and paste the URL below or click the title of this posting to know more.
http://www.webmd.com/lung-cancer/news/20110817/dogs-use-their-noses-to-detect-lung-cancer?ecd=wnl_can_082311
Aug. 17, 2011 -- German researchers say that highly trained dogs are able to reliably sniff out lung cancer in human breath.
In its early stages, lung cancer has few symptoms, making it difficult for doctors to catch it early, when it's still treatable.
"This is the holy grail," says Suresh S. Ramalingam, MD, associate professor and director of the lung program at Emory University's Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta.
"The whole field is focused on using something that's readily available that does not involve an expensive surgery or scan that would allow us to find early cancers," says Ramalingam, who is developing technology that aims to replicate the ability of dogs to smell trace amount of chemicals produced by cancerous tumors. He was not involved in the research.
Music Therapy May Ease Anxiety of Cancer Patients
Study Shows Benefits of Listening to Music and Working With a Music Therapist
To know more please cut and paste the URL:
http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20110810/music-thrapy-may-ease-anxiety-of-cancer-patients?ecd=wnl_can_082311
Study Shows Some Dogs Can Be Trained to Identify Lung Cancer When They Sniff a Person's Breath
By Brenda Goodman
COURTESY:
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD
Close up of dogs nose
please cut and paste the URL below or click the title of this posting to know more.
http://www.webmd.com/lung-cancer/news/20110817/dogs-use-their-noses-to-detect-lung-cancer?ecd=wnl_can_082311
Aug. 17, 2011 -- German researchers say that highly trained dogs are able to reliably sniff out lung cancer in human breath.
In its early stages, lung cancer has few symptoms, making it difficult for doctors to catch it early, when it's still treatable.
"This is the holy grail," says Suresh S. Ramalingam, MD, associate professor and director of the lung program at Emory University's Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta.
"The whole field is focused on using something that's readily available that does not involve an expensive surgery or scan that would allow us to find early cancers," says Ramalingam, who is developing technology that aims to replicate the ability of dogs to smell trace amount of chemicals produced by cancerous tumors. He was not involved in the research.
Music Therapy May Ease Anxiety of Cancer Patients
Study Shows Benefits of Listening to Music and Working With a Music Therapist
To know more please cut and paste the URL:
http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20110810/music-thrapy-may-ease-anxiety-of-cancer-patients?ecd=wnl_can_082311
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Please, for Heavens Sake, Remove the Sewage from the Roads of Valasaravakkam, Chennai.
. சென்னை வளசரவாக்கம் ராதா கிருஷ்ணன் சாலை யின் சாக்கடைகள் தூர் வாரப்பட்டு பக்கத்திலேயே அந்த கும்பி போடப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதைத் தவிர கட்டிட மேம்பாடு இடிசல்கள் , அக்கம்பக்கத்து பிளாட் களில் இருந்து தூர எறியப்படும் பிளாஸ்டிக் பொருள்களும் சேர்ந்து ரோட்டில் நடக்கவே முடியாத சூழ் நிலை உள்ளது. சாக்கடைகளில் இருந்து எடுக்கப்பட்ட கும்பி எப்போது அகற்றப்படும் என்றே தெரியவில்லை. மழை வந்தால், இந்த கும்பி மறுபடியும் சாக்கடைகளில் சேர்ந்து விடும். அக்கம்பக்கத்து வசிப்பவர்கள் இந்த துர் வாடையை இன்னும் எத்தனை நாட்கள் சகித்துக்கொண்டு, வியாதி வராமல் இருப்பார்கள் என்று தெரியவில்லை.
பொது மக்களை, குறிப்பாக வயதானவர்களையும், குழந்தைகளையும்,
ஆண்டவன் காப்பாற்றுவாராக.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Salmonella .. The dreaded Bacteria. How to Avoid ?
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/slideshow-salmonella?ecd=wnl_nal_men_080411
Salmonella is a dreaded bacteria. When the environment is unclean, dirty and polluted, the bacteria sticks to almost anything, particularly food, vegetables, pets, unclean hands and all that that allows sticking.
Salmonella when ingested gets into the intestines and starts havoc. It causes poisoning of the inner membranes of intestines and results in frequent watery diarrohea, vomiting, abdominal pain, cramps and what not?
Fluids plenty is required to wash out the bacteria. If vomiting is present, fluid balances have to be maintained by drips directly into the blood stream through veins.
Though no anti biotics are necessary at the first instance, elderly as well as kids may need some sort of anti bacterial preparations like ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, oflaxin combined with metrogyl / tinadazole etc.
Please consult the doctor / your health provider immediately on symptoms. Do not allow the affected to get dehydrated.
You may click the title of this posting to see a slide show by
www.webmd.com
Salmonella is a dreaded bacteria. When the environment is unclean, dirty and polluted, the bacteria sticks to almost anything, particularly food, vegetables, pets, unclean hands and all that that allows sticking.
Salmonella when ingested gets into the intestines and starts havoc. It causes poisoning of the inner membranes of intestines and results in frequent watery diarrohea, vomiting, abdominal pain, cramps and what not?
Fluids plenty is required to wash out the bacteria. If vomiting is present, fluid balances have to be maintained by drips directly into the blood stream through veins.
Though no anti biotics are necessary at the first instance, elderly as well as kids may need some sort of anti bacterial preparations like ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, oflaxin combined with metrogyl / tinadazole etc.
Please consult the doctor / your health provider immediately on symptoms. Do not allow the affected to get dehydrated.
You may click the title of this posting to see a slide show by
www.webmd.com
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
15 Cancer Symptoms Men Ignore
Courtesy:
Cancer Health Center
15 Cancer Symptoms Men Ignore
Men, heed these possible clues and find cancer early, when it's more treatable.
By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
Some men are notorious foot-draggers, especially when it comes to scheduling doctor visits. That’s unfortunate. Routine preventive care can find cancer in men and other diseases in the early stages, when there are more options for treatment and better chances of a cure. Some men, though, would never go to the doctor except for the women in their life. According to Leonard Lichtenfeld, MD, deputy chief medical officer for the national office of the American Cancer Society, women are often the ones who push men to get screened for cancer.
Experts say that men could benefit greatly by being alert to certain cancer symptoms that indicate a trip to the doctor’s office sooner rather than later. Some of those cancer symptoms in men are specific. They involve certain body parts and may even point directly to the possibility of cancer. Other symptoms are more vague. For instance, pain that affects many body parts could have dozens of explanations and may not be cancer. But that doesn’t mean you can rule out cancer without seeing a doctor.
What Is Your Cancer Risk? Take the WebMD Cancer Health Check
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 1: Breast Mass
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 2: Pain
As they age, people often complain of more aches and pains. But pain, as vague as it may be, can be an early symptom of some cancers although most pain complaints are not from cancer.
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 3: Changes in the Testicles
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 3: Changes in the Testicles continued...
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 4: Changes in the Lymph Nodes
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 5: Fever
If you've got an unexplained fever, it may indicate cancer. It could also be a sign of pneumonia or some other illness that needs treatment.
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 6: Weight Loss Without Trying
Unexpected weight loss is a concern, Lichtenfeld says. "Most of us don't lose weight easily." He's talking about more than simply a few pounds from a stepped up exercise program or to eating less because of a busy schedule. If a man loses more than 10% of his body weight in a short time period such as a matter of weeks, it’s time to see the doctor, he says.
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 7: Gnawing Abdominal Pain and Depression
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 8: Fatigue
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 9: Persistent Cough
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 10: Difficulty Swallowing
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 11: Changes in the Skin
You should be alert to not only changes in moles -- a well-known sign of potential skin cancer -- but also changes in skin pigmentation, says Mary Daly, MD. Daly is an oncologist and head of the department of clinical genetics at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 12: Blood Where It Shouldn't Be
“Anytime you see blood coming from a body part where you've never seen it before, see a doctor,” Lichtenfeld says. "If you start coughing or spitting up blood, have blood in the bowel, or blood in the urine, it’s time for a doctor visit.”
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 14: Urinary Problems
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 15: Indigestion
MORE INFORMATION UNDER EACH OF THESE SYMPTOMS IS PROVIDED WHEN YOU CLICK AT THE TITLE OF THIS POSTING.
YOU WILL BE REDIRECTED TO www.webmd.com which features this column.
Cancer Health Center
15 Cancer Symptoms Men Ignore
Men, heed these possible clues and find cancer early, when it's more treatable.
By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
Some men are notorious foot-draggers, especially when it comes to scheduling doctor visits. That’s unfortunate. Routine preventive care can find cancer in men and other diseases in the early stages, when there are more options for treatment and better chances of a cure. Some men, though, would never go to the doctor except for the women in their life. According to Leonard Lichtenfeld, MD, deputy chief medical officer for the national office of the American Cancer Society, women are often the ones who push men to get screened for cancer.
Experts say that men could benefit greatly by being alert to certain cancer symptoms that indicate a trip to the doctor’s office sooner rather than later. Some of those cancer symptoms in men are specific. They involve certain body parts and may even point directly to the possibility of cancer. Other symptoms are more vague. For instance, pain that affects many body parts could have dozens of explanations and may not be cancer. But that doesn’t mean you can rule out cancer without seeing a doctor.
What Is Your Cancer Risk? Take the WebMD Cancer Health Check
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 1: Breast Mass
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 2: Pain
As they age, people often complain of more aches and pains. But pain, as vague as it may be, can be an early symptom of some cancers although most pain complaints are not from cancer.
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 3: Changes in the Testicles
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 3: Changes in the Testicles continued...
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 4: Changes in the Lymph Nodes
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 5: Fever
If you've got an unexplained fever, it may indicate cancer. It could also be a sign of pneumonia or some other illness that needs treatment.
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 6: Weight Loss Without Trying
Unexpected weight loss is a concern, Lichtenfeld says. "Most of us don't lose weight easily." He's talking about more than simply a few pounds from a stepped up exercise program or to eating less because of a busy schedule. If a man loses more than 10% of his body weight in a short time period such as a matter of weeks, it’s time to see the doctor, he says.
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 7: Gnawing Abdominal Pain and Depression
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 8: Fatigue
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 9: Persistent Cough
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 10: Difficulty Swallowing
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 11: Changes in the Skin
You should be alert to not only changes in moles -- a well-known sign of potential skin cancer -- but also changes in skin pigmentation, says Mary Daly, MD. Daly is an oncologist and head of the department of clinical genetics at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 12: Blood Where It Shouldn't Be
“Anytime you see blood coming from a body part where you've never seen it before, see a doctor,” Lichtenfeld says. "If you start coughing or spitting up blood, have blood in the bowel, or blood in the urine, it’s time for a doctor visit.”
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 14: Urinary Problems
Cancer Symptom in Men No. 15: Indigestion
MORE INFORMATION UNDER EACH OF THESE SYMPTOMS IS PROVIDED WHEN YOU CLICK AT THE TITLE OF THIS POSTING.
YOU WILL BE REDIRECTED TO www.webmd.com which features this column.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
It is the Kitchen in your House which is the DIRTIEST !!!
Household Germs Hide in Unexpected Spots
Study Shows More Germs Are Found in Kitchens Than in Bathrooms
By Matt McMillen
courtesy:
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
PLEASE CUT AND PASTE THE URL BELOW IF YOU ARE NOT LINKED ON CLICKING THE TITLE OF THIS POSTING.
http://women.webmd.com/news/20110513/household-germs-hide-in-unexpected-spots?ecd=wnl_alt_052811
Dish sponge on counter in front of dirty dishes
May 13, 2011 -- Germs may be lurking where you least expect them, according to a new study by NSF International.
Contrary to public perception that the bathroom is the most germ-ridden room in the house, the real trouble spot is the kitchen. And the most germ-tainted item is the one most people reach for when it’s time to clean up: the sponge.
NSF International is a not-for-profit organization established in 1944 to certify and write safety standards for, among other things, common household items. It conducted a two-part study to determine where people think most germs reside and where those germs actually are.
The researchers recruited members of 22 different households who allowed NSF microbiologists to test 30 everyday items in their homes for a variety of bacteria, yeast, and mold.
Before they began their tests, the researchers asked one member of each household to answer survey questions to learn which items they believe harbor the most germs. Most of the volunteers pointed their fingers at the toothbrush holder, when in fact it was the kitchen sponge. Overall, the volunteers’ perceptions of what’s clean and what isn’t did not square with reality.
And the reality is kind of gross. One group of bacteria the researchers swabbed for was coliform. Not only does the coliform family include salmonella and E. coli, common causes of food poisoning, but it often heralds the presence of fecal contamination. And a lot of it was found in the kitchen.
Coliform, which was found in 81% of the homes, commonly comes from raw meat and produce, as well as unwashed produce and unwashed hands.
Bathrooms vs. Kitchens
According to the NSF International report, 77% of sponges and dish rags tested positive for coliform. Nearly half of the kitchen sinks they swabbed harbored the same nasty bacteria, while countertops and cutting boards came in third and fourth, with 32% and 18%, respectively, testing positive.
Meanwhile, bathrooms were much cleaner by comparison, though they, too, could stand a good scrubbing. Twenty-seven percent of toothbrush holders had traces of coliform bacteria, while 9% of faucet handles showed similar contamination.
"Sponges pick up bacteria during the cleaning process and are typically not properly -- or regularly -- sanitized before their next use," study researcher Rob Donofrio, director of Microbiology at NSF International, says in a news release. “They also have many nooks and crannies which can be great places for germs to multiply."
Toothbrush holders, due to their close proximity to toilets, pick up bacteria that swirl through the air after the toilet is flushed. And they are often frequently overlooked when cleaning the bathroom, according to Donofrio. That’s odd, considering that the study participants ranked toothbrush holders as the place most likely to harbor germs. It’s actually the third dirtiest item in the house.
Yeast/mold and staph bacteria were found in 31.7% and 6.4% of homes, respectively. Sponges were the most common harbors for yeast and mold. But in nearly 60% of the houses tested, yeast and mold were also found on video game controllers and remote controls. Staph bacteria turned up on nearly a quarter of the pet toys tested.
"We conducted this study to help identify where the germs are in the average person's home and -- more importantly -- help people understand how they can better protect themselves from bacteria, yeast, and mold," Donofrio says.
Study Shows More Germs Are Found in Kitchens Than in Bathrooms
By Matt McMillen
courtesy:
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
PLEASE CUT AND PASTE THE URL BELOW IF YOU ARE NOT LINKED ON CLICKING THE TITLE OF THIS POSTING.
http://women.webmd.com/news/20110513/household-germs-hide-in-unexpected-spots?ecd=wnl_alt_052811
Dish sponge on counter in front of dirty dishes
May 13, 2011 -- Germs may be lurking where you least expect them, according to a new study by NSF International.
Contrary to public perception that the bathroom is the most germ-ridden room in the house, the real trouble spot is the kitchen. And the most germ-tainted item is the one most people reach for when it’s time to clean up: the sponge.
NSF International is a not-for-profit organization established in 1944 to certify and write safety standards for, among other things, common household items. It conducted a two-part study to determine where people think most germs reside and where those germs actually are.
The researchers recruited members of 22 different households who allowed NSF microbiologists to test 30 everyday items in their homes for a variety of bacteria, yeast, and mold.
Before they began their tests, the researchers asked one member of each household to answer survey questions to learn which items they believe harbor the most germs. Most of the volunteers pointed their fingers at the toothbrush holder, when in fact it was the kitchen sponge. Overall, the volunteers’ perceptions of what’s clean and what isn’t did not square with reality.
And the reality is kind of gross. One group of bacteria the researchers swabbed for was coliform. Not only does the coliform family include salmonella and E. coli, common causes of food poisoning, but it often heralds the presence of fecal contamination. And a lot of it was found in the kitchen.
Coliform, which was found in 81% of the homes, commonly comes from raw meat and produce, as well as unwashed produce and unwashed hands.
Bathrooms vs. Kitchens
According to the NSF International report, 77% of sponges and dish rags tested positive for coliform. Nearly half of the kitchen sinks they swabbed harbored the same nasty bacteria, while countertops and cutting boards came in third and fourth, with 32% and 18%, respectively, testing positive.
Meanwhile, bathrooms were much cleaner by comparison, though they, too, could stand a good scrubbing. Twenty-seven percent of toothbrush holders had traces of coliform bacteria, while 9% of faucet handles showed similar contamination.
"Sponges pick up bacteria during the cleaning process and are typically not properly -- or regularly -- sanitized before their next use," study researcher Rob Donofrio, director of Microbiology at NSF International, says in a news release. “They also have many nooks and crannies which can be great places for germs to multiply."
Toothbrush holders, due to their close proximity to toilets, pick up bacteria that swirl through the air after the toilet is flushed. And they are often frequently overlooked when cleaning the bathroom, according to Donofrio. That’s odd, considering that the study participants ranked toothbrush holders as the place most likely to harbor germs. It’s actually the third dirtiest item in the house.
Yeast/mold and staph bacteria were found in 31.7% and 6.4% of homes, respectively. Sponges were the most common harbors for yeast and mold. But in nearly 60% of the houses tested, yeast and mold were also found on video game controllers and remote controls. Staph bacteria turned up on nearly a quarter of the pet toys tested.
"We conducted this study to help identify where the germs are in the average person's home and -- more importantly -- help people understand how they can better protect themselves from bacteria, yeast, and mold," Donofrio says.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
How open inguinal hernia repair surgery is carried out
For quite a few years, my wife (68) has been reporting a sort of pain in the groin region. On examination, the physician found to be an inguinal hernia. She was advised to have a surgical solution, as no medical solution was there. And early this is done the better would it be. And the surgery is done at the earliest and while the person is otherwise fit and healthy.
The bulge was quite visible on the right side but not so on the left. The surgeon said that though laproscopic route in ideal, he would like the conventional method, since it will give a choice whether the small bulge perceivable at the left side needs to be repairs simultaneously. When he started the surgery, he decided that the repair could be done on the left side also, and he finished the entire conventional surgery sans any hassles.
Dr.V.Srinivasan M.S. is a specialist in the laproscopic field too. His wife Dr.Chitra is a gynaecologist. His son is a diabetologist. All the three have combined together to form a well-knit team and with the help of anesthetists from nearby colleges, they perform both planned as well as emergency surgical procedures. What was striking utmost however was his patience to explain things to his patients. His nursing home is equally a model for the Corporate hospitals at Chennai to run the clinics theaters and general/special wards with clean and hospitable surroundings. The surgeon visits the patient thrice daily and so do other doctors in the Team. Nurses are dedicated. You hardly find such services and a clinic at Chennai or even elsewhere unless, of course, you are a celebrity.
Hats off to the Surgeon and his wonderful Team !!
Here you have a video explaining the hernia repair surgery. This is an educational one.
I had the surgery planned at the local nursing home V.K.Nursing Home, at V.V.Giri Street, alwar thirunagar near Valasaravakkam, Chennai maintained by Dr.V.Srinivasan M.S. Surgeon General and Laproscopic a few days ago. The surgeon and his team of doctors and nurses made us feel that the nursing home was another home for both of us.
The surgeon did not retain us even for a single hour after he felt that the condition was satisfactory. He advised my wife to be patient enough to bear the little pain that she feels even after the pain killer Diclofen potassium tablets twice daily . with a good antibiotic and a vitamin, it is our hope that my wife will be back to her normal routine in a matter of two weeks.
Thank you Doctor and Thanks for the entire Team of doctors and nurses who kept a 24 hour vigil on this old lady.
The bulge was quite visible on the right side but not so on the left. The surgeon said that though laproscopic route in ideal, he would like the conventional method, since it will give a choice whether the small bulge perceivable at the left side needs to be repairs simultaneously. When he started the surgery, he decided that the repair could be done on the left side also, and he finished the entire conventional surgery sans any hassles.
Dr.V.Srinivasan M.S. is a specialist in the laproscopic field too. His wife Dr.Chitra is a gynaecologist. His son is a diabetologist. All the three have combined together to form a well-knit team and with the help of anesthetists from nearby colleges, they perform both planned as well as emergency surgical procedures. What was striking utmost however was his patience to explain things to his patients. His nursing home is equally a model for the Corporate hospitals at Chennai to run the clinics theaters and general/special wards with clean and hospitable surroundings. The surgeon visits the patient thrice daily and so do other doctors in the Team. Nurses are dedicated. You hardly find such services and a clinic at Chennai or even elsewhere unless, of course, you are a celebrity.
Hats off to the Surgeon and his wonderful Team !!
Here you have a video explaining the hernia repair surgery. This is an educational one.
I had the surgery planned at the local nursing home V.K.Nursing Home, at V.V.Giri Street, alwar thirunagar near Valasaravakkam, Chennai maintained by Dr.V.Srinivasan M.S. Surgeon General and Laproscopic a few days ago. The surgeon and his team of doctors and nurses made us feel that the nursing home was another home for both of us.
The surgeon did not retain us even for a single hour after he felt that the condition was satisfactory. He advised my wife to be patient enough to bear the little pain that she feels even after the pain killer Diclofen potassium tablets twice daily . with a good antibiotic and a vitamin, it is our hope that my wife will be back to her normal routine in a matter of two weeks.
Thank you Doctor and Thanks for the entire Team of doctors and nurses who kept a 24 hour vigil on this old lady.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
What are kidney stones ?
What are stones in the kidney?
Why they form and what nuisance they create in our day to day life.
WebMD provides a lot of details on this murky problem.
Understand the problem by viewing the video
IF U R NOT TAKEN TO THE WEBSITE ON ITs own, please cut and paste the following URL
http://www.webmd.com/kidney-stones/slideshow-kidney-stones-overview?ecd=wnl_men_021511
Why they form and what nuisance they create in our day to day life.
WebMD provides a lot of details on this murky problem.
Understand the problem by viewing the video
IF U R NOT TAKEN TO THE WEBSITE ON ITs own, please cut and paste the following URL
http://www.webmd.com/kidney-stones/slideshow-kidney-stones-overview?ecd=wnl_men_021511
Sunday, February 27, 2011
nimesulide, Cisapride, Phenylpropanolamine Banned
A CLEAR WARNING TO ALL THOSE IN THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY, CONSUMERS AND PHARMACEUTICALS, DOCTORS, CONSUMERS, DISTRIBUTORS, SUB-DISTRIBUTORS, CHEMISTS AND DRUGGISTS, LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST THE VULNERABLE SECTIONS OF THE GROUP... THE CONSUMERS. THE PATIENTS.
BE AWARE: MEDINDIA.NET REPORTS AS UNDER:
After several years of debate regarding the safety of nimesulide, cisapride and phenylpropanolamine (PPA) the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr. Surinder Singh has finally decided to ban these three unsafe drugs. Since the adverse effects of these drugs outweigh the benefits the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) that had been examining the safety of the three drugs for several years has now recommended their withdrawal from the market.
(please click at the title to read more or cut and past the following URL )
Read more: Unsafe Drugs- nimesulide, Cisapride, Phenylpropanolamine Banned
http://www.medindia.net/news/Unsafe-Drugs-Banned-79989-1.htm#ixzz1F7Xie93J
BUT WHAT IS MORE WORRYING IS THAT THE DRUGS ARE COMBINED WITH OTHER DRUGS TO APPEAR AS IF THEY ARE MORE EFFECTIVE, QUICK TO ACT, SUSTAINING ALSO. THE SAD FACT REMAINS THAT A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF DOCTORS ARE INFLUENCED UNDULY and also BELIEVE IN WHAT THE MEDICAL REP SAYS OR SHOWS.
COMBINATIONS OF A FEW OF THE DRUGS IS MORE DANGEROUS.
THOUGH THE INDIVIDUAL DRUGS AIM AT THE SAME RESULT, THEIR WAYS OF WORKING IN THE PHYSIOLOGY OF HUMAN BODY ARE DIFFERENT. FOR INSTANCE,
NIMUSULIDE AND PARACETAMOL. ( THEIR METABOLISM IS DIFFERENT)
CISAPRIDE WITH ANTACIDS.
ANTI HYSTAMINE LIKE CETRIZINE WITH CHLOROPIRAMINE MALEATE.
MOST OF THE DRUGS THAT ARE PRESENTLY BANNED IN INDIA, ARE BANNED IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
FURTHER, THERE IS EFFECTIVE SUPERVISION, MONITORING AND SURVEILLANCE ON OVER THE COUNTER DRUGS. PITIABLY, IN INDIA THERE EXISTS NONE.
I REPEATED VOICE CONCERN AT THE OVER GROWING NUMBER OF PATIENTS RELYING ON THE ADVICES OF THE QUACKS DROPS OUT OF SCHOOLS ACTING AS DOCTORS IN MOST OF THE CHEMISTS/DRUGGISTS SHOPS'
A FEW DAYS AGO, IN A NEIGHBOURHOOD MEDICAL SHOP, A MIDDLE AGED PERSON CAME AND ASKED FOR A COUGH SYRUP WHICH COULD CONTROL PHLEGM. THE SALESMAN GAVE ONE. IT WAS AN EXPECTORANT. THE VISITOR THEN SAID THAT THE CONSUMER, HIS FATHER, IS AN OLD MAN, AND AS HIS FAMILY IS GOING FOR A VACATION AND LEAVING HIS FATHER ALONE FOR THE NEXT DAYS, HE WANTS SOME MEDICINE TO CONTROL HIS PHLEGM AND INTERMITTENT COUGH EFFECTIVELY.
I WAS CLOSELY OBSERVING WHAT THE SALESMAN GAVE.
HE GAVE FOUR CAPSULES OF CIPROFLAXACIN OF 500 MG STRENGTH,, THREE TABLETS OF HYDROCORTISONE OF .5 MG STRENGH .
I ASKED THE SALESMAN WHETHER IT WAS PROPER TO GIVE ANTI BIOTICS AND STEROIDS OVER THE COUNTER WITHOUT HAVING A LOOK AT THE PATIENTS' CONDITION ?
Both the visitor as well as the consumer looked at me as a joker in a circus, sarcastically. At best, they showed me the door politely as I happened to be a very very old man of the locality. I could not help hide my anguish and pity at the poor awareness levels of the consumers, even if they are educated ones.
SEVERAL TIMES, STANDING IN THE CORRIDORS OF THE SHOPS, I HAD BEEN PLEADING TO THE GULLIBLE CONSUMERS TO TAKE ADVICE FROM QUALIFIED DOCTORS, BUT THE PEOPLE BY AND LARGE PREFER SAYING THAT THE SALESMEN do HAVE such RICH EXPERIENCE WHICH EVEN THE junior DOCTORS at the 24 hour clinics ( MOST TIMES JUST PASSED OUT FROM COLLEGES) HAVE, AND THEY ( the patients) DO NOT HAVE THE TIME OR ENERGY TO SPEND AT THE DOCTORS' OFFICE, not to talk of the consultation fees they are charged. It is anywhere between Rs.150 to Rs.400 nowadays.
WHERE IS OUR MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM?
I HAVE A GRIEVANCE NOT WITH INDIVIDUALS BUT WITH THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE.
PEOPLE LIVE TODAY AND SURVIVE DESPITE ILLNESSES NOT BECAUSE OF ADVANCEMENT IN MEDICAL SCIENCES AND
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
It is no wisdom to have wisdom tooth !!
Two decades rolled and Tamil Nadu had five General Elections since I had my wisdom tooth extracted way back in 1990s..I would start this story with how on that historic day, Dr.Rajaraman B.D.S., who had just returned from the services of the Army, hammered it out. I still remember the sixty minutes, when he sweated and fumed as he extracted it, to the horror of those waiting outside his surgical room. Dr.Rajaraman was tall and equally obese with the shape and size of a lion. Nevertheless, seeing him sweat so profusely as he started hammering and pounded and extracted my wisdom tooth, his fees looked pittances indeed !! In the last fifteen years, I had my mouth full of not teeth, but agony.(An unhealthy mouth neglected never gets better) Not unoften, even with a little mint or chocolate, not to talk of laddu , murukku or vella cheedai or paharka bakoda which I used to buy at Grand Sweets) pain let loose its monstrous wings. ( You remember Veerappa, the villain in Tamil films!! ha ha ha haa !!!) And that too on days, when I had important programs in my faculty career. On such terrible days, antibiotics, probiotics, painkillers of every brand I swallowed but never had the courage to get all the bad teeth extracted since it revealed on me that it was more of a process than a finish . I had to stop also aspirin at least for two days.My cardiologist had earlier cautioned that teeth extraction is ok on local anesthesia but no adrenaline be administered.
Also, as most of the dentists I met preferred not to extract with the help of lignocaine alone(as they insisted combining with adrenaline) , or experiment with a patient of my type and frame of mind. One dentist suggested that I bear the pain rather than remove them, for, he said, that teeth after decaying give no more problem. Not many doctors agree with his view but I chose to live with those painful teeth, remembering the old song on books "AS UNFAILING FRIENDS ARE THEY, WITH WHOM I CONVERSE DAY BY DAY". ( Do you just throw away your wife, just because she is scolding you too often !! = the hurting teeth are sort of that perhaps!!!)
Finally, when my son said, 'Thus far and no further.. you must have a denture,' Half -willing I started searching for a dentist who would suit the mental game
There the small screen episodes started.
You have read the Sindhubad story in the DINATHANTHI. It started when I was just 8. Now I am 68. It continues even this day. Like that in a lighter vein.
It was sheer accident that I met this good dentist. One evening, my good friend Mr.Chakrapani suggested that I approach Dr.Shankar Guhan for recasting or remoulding the denture of my spouse. The old lady was silently crying for a new denture for a pretty long time. As the procedures of casting a good denture for my spouse started, I developed sufficient admiration for this gentle dentist. Reasons were not far to seek. First, he had all his tools sterilized A dental clinic so hygienic is a rarity at Chennai. An operating table so neat. Immaculate to his appointments.A phone call whether one is keeping up the appointment . Never I found such a dentist or a clinic in my earlier years, to be honest.
Dr.Shankar Guhan, the dentist examined my teeth, leaving me wondering whether he would start pulling out the teeth right at that moment. No. It was not to happen. He removed his gloves. Asked me to have my cool. Said he would better have a digital view of all the teeth before deciding what should be done. ( A judge never pronounces a judgment till he hear all the witnesses, you know.= like that.) We then approached a x ray theatre, exclusively meant for picturing the whole universe of what appears inside your mouth. A camera peeped inside my mouth and filmed the entire teeth. I was horror struck when I saw the x ray film .(It was not digital, but sufficient for me to understand the status quo) Is it that with these bad creatures, I have been living so long!! I decided to have my teeth extracted one after another. But it was not also so easy. Having developed an intimate relationship, I bore no ill will towards my teeth though they were quite hurting and often too painful to bear. The dentist suggested extracting, mending, bending, bridging etc., I nodded my head as I had no other go. Thus started root canal treatments, painful extractions one by one for a full two month period. And finally came the D-Day Aah !! I had my lower denture ready for fitting. My dentist Dr.Shankar Guhan said, hey ! this is what u are to wear !! Look at it !! I looked at with awe and admiration with an element of surprise, shivering and realizing that this denture is to be part of my anatomy and physiology or in another words a life partner, with no jealousy from my better-half though. Aah ! my dream of having orderly good teeth is soon to see the light of the day !!
I lowered my eyes sheepishly even while lying on my dental surgical table to have a casual look, I wondered the denture had only 12 teeth. What happened to the remaining four ?? (Did I pay only for twelve instead of sixteen ! ) Conventional wisdom warned me that humans have sixteen below and sixteen above totaling to thirty-two teeth.
You remember when we get angry we say, u shut up , or else i shall break all your 32 teeth !!
Dr Sir !! Should I not be having Sixteen ?
(The Sweet Sixteen I wanted to say but did not say lest my spouse would throw at me an angry glance. )
My dentist explained (even as I thought that he thought that I never needed wisdom any more , reaching or reached age 70) that the wisdom teeth practically serves no purpose indeed. It is another vestigious part. ( Is it like appendix, I asked him.) . My dentist was patient enough to explain that the practical utility of wisdom teeth is almost nil and it is conventional wisdom to remove the same even before it creates a nuisance value in the jaws. He also suggested that in onward march of human evolution, it is quite possible that given the type of food that humans consume wisdom teeth may never grow !!
(Or wisdom itself will never grow !!! )
Getting back home, I pondered .
God would never have created anything without a purpose, I thought. So half-unbelieving in what my dentist said, i searched in the
Methought this would be interesting to those whose wisdom teeth ache !! ( at least )
An article in the web said:
Wisdom teeth used to serve a useful purpose, but are now considered vestigial organs. A vestige is a degenerative or imperfectly formed organ or structure having little or no utility, but in the earlier stage of development of a species performed a useful function. The reasons that wisdom teeth are now "outdated" are many. Until quite recently, our diet included mostly very coarse food, as well as impurities such as dirt and sand. This coarseness would abrade teeth so significantly that they would take up less space in the jaw. Permanent teeth were also frequently lost at an early age, which would create more space in the jaw. Because the diet was so coarse and hard to chew, the jaw itself would develop into a larger bone because of this constant workout. All of these factors would create more space for the wisdom teeth when they came in.
(more of it when you click above)
What are the Challenges and Advantages of Wisdom Teeth ?
Read Here.
( to be continued...)
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