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Would you buy groceries without knowing their prices? I suspect not. You probably compare the costs of different boxes of cereal in order to get the best deal. But when it comes to medical care, do you even ask for the prices involved?

While it`s true that good health is priceless, and cutting corners on health care is risky, there is still much you can do in order to obtain the same good value in medical care that you insist upon in other areas of your life.

If you lack a prescription plan that pays for your medications, it`s high time you discussed the cost of drugs with your doctor. Your doctor`s number-one choice in medication for your medical condition might be expensive. There are usually reasonable alternatives that cost less. You should take advantage of your doctor`s expertise in estimating trade-offs involved with each of your options.

Apart from prices, your doctor is already balancing a number of important factors in making a drug recommendation. First, of course, the drug needs to be medically effective—otherwise, why bother? The doctor also takes into consideration what other medications you are taking, what other illnesses you have, your age, your gender, the drug`s side-effect spectrum, and also its convenience aspects, like how many times per day it has to be taken and whether or not blood-tests are required to monitor it. A drug that might score high on effectiveness and side-effects might still be inconvenient. An alterative might be both convenient and effective, but pose a higher risk of side-effects.

So the truth of the matter is that your doctor is already sorting through all sorts of trade-offs in choosing a medication to prescribe. Factoring in the prices of alternative drugs just builds on the comparing-apples-to-oranges process you are paying your doctor to do for you in the first place. But if the doctor doesn`t know that you lack a prescription plan, he or she might not include the cost of drugs in these reckonings and you might be stuck with a prescription that wrecks your budget.

The next step in obtaining maximum value for your investment in medication is to shop it around. Let your fingers do the walking by phoning several pharmacies for a price-check. I even write out a script for my shy patients who get nervous when they talk to medical personnel. It goes something like this: `Hi, I`d like to do a price-check on my prescription medication. How much would it cost to buy thirty furosemide 20 milligram (or whatever) pills? Thank you very much. Have a great day!`

In repeating this process with different pharmacies you will discover there can be quite a spread among even nearby drugstores. Suppose that your ten minutes on the phone saves you $20 on your prescription. Then you have just earned money at a rate of $120 per hour each month for your efforts. It is time well spent.

Cost-consciousness is also valuable when it comes to medical tests. If the cost of a medical test is prohibitive (as is often the case) and you don`t have the luxury of letting someone else pay for it, then encourage your doctor to talk through your alternatives with you. Does the same test cost less at one facility than at another? How important is the test? What could go wrong if you skip it, delay it or substitute a less expensive test? What are the chances of a serious repercussion?

Unfortunately, your doctor usually has less latitude when cost-optimizing your medical tests, but what could it hurt to ask? You might be glad you did.

And how about optimizing the doctor`s fee? This is also a fair topic for discussion. When you are considering an appointment with a new doctor it is certainly appropriate to ask for typical fees. However, in the current U.S. medical marketplace, the doctor`s time is usually the least expensive component of medical care. The doctor`s fee is usually much less than the costs of medications and tests. So while it is perfectly reasonable to shop around for affordable doctor fees, when it comes to choosing a doctor, quality issues should come first.

(C) 2005 by Gary Cordingley

Gary Cordingley, MD, PhD, is a clinical neurologist, teacher and researcher who works in Athens, Ohio. For more health-related articles see his website at: http://www.cordingleyneurology.com

When someone is injured or suddenly becomes ill, there is usually a critical period before you can get medical treatment and it is this period that is of the utmost importance to the victim. What you do, or what you don`t do, in that interval can mean the difference between life and death. You owe it to yourself, your family and your neighbors to know and to understand procedures that you can apply quickly and intelligently in an emergency.Every household should have some type of first aid kit, and if you do not already have one, assemble your supplies now. Tailor the contents to fit your family`s particular needs. Don`t add first aid supplies to the jumble of toothpaste and cosmetics in the medicine cabinet. Instead, assenble them in a suitable, labeled box (such as a fishing tackle box or small took chest with hinged cover), so that everything will be handy when needed. Label everything in the kit clearly, and indicate what it is used for.

Be sure not to lock the box – otherwise you may be hunting for the key when that emergency occurs. Place the box on a shelf beyond the reach of small children, and check it periodically and always restock items as soon as they are used up.

Keep all medications, including non-prescription drugs such as aspitin, out of reach of children. When discarding drugs, be sure to dispose of them where they cannot be retrieved by children or pets.

When an emergency occurs, make sure the injured victim`s airway is not blocked by the tongue and that the mouth is free of any secretions and foreign objects. It is extremely important that the person is breathing freely. And if not, you need to administer artificial respiration promptly.

See that the victim has a pulse and good blood circulation as you check for signs of bleeding. Act fast if the victim is bleeding severly or if he has swallowed poison or if his heart or breathing has stopped. Remember every second counts.

Although most injured persons can be safely moved, it is vitally important not to move a person with serious neck or back injuries unless you have to save hime from further danger. Keep the patient lying down and quiet. If he has vomited and there is no danger that his neck is broken, turn hin on his side to prevent choking and keep him warn by covering him with blankets or coats.

Have someone call for medical assistance while you apply first aid. The person who summons help should explain the nature of the emergency and ask what should be done pending the arrival of the ambulance. Reassure the victim, and try to remain calm yourself. Your calmness can allay the feat and panic of the patient.

Don`t give fluids to an unconscious or semiconscious person; fluids may enter his windpipe and cause suffocation. Don`t try to arouse an unconscious person by slapping or shaking.

Look for an emergency medical identification card or an emblematic device that the victim may be wearing to alert you to any health problems, allergies or diseases that may require special care.

Article by Jay Harris of IMI Concepts. Visit his website http://www.home-job-alert.com

I came across this information while researching Omega 3. `News release, American College of Cardiology`
The inflammation-fighting effects of omega-3 fatty acids may be the key behind fish’s heart-healthy benefits, according to a new study.

Dr. Barry Sears has been writing about this very topic for years.

Researchers found inflammation markers, such as C-reactive protein and others, were up to a third lower in people who ate at least 10 ounces of fish per week compared with those didn’t eat fish. The more fish the people ate, especially fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna, the lower their level of markers of inflammation in the bloodstream.
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of unsaturated fat that has been shown to reduce the rates of heart disease and death from heart disease. The mechanism behind this action is unknown but studies show that they reduce inflammation. Dr. Barry Sears has written much on this subject. You can find Dr. Barry Sears` Books in your bookstores, or in the libraries. Also check Amazon Dr. Barry Sears. Check out this webpage, Inflammation & Its Relationship to Chronic Disease by Dr Barry Sears, http://www.getwellnews.info

Inflammation within blood vessels plays a key role in the development of atherosclerosis — a risk for heart disease and stroke.

Therefore, researchers say the anti-inflammatory effects of the omega-3 fatty acids in fish found in this study may explain why fish is healthy for the heart.

Fish Fight Inflammation to Keep Heart Healthy

In the study, which appears in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, researchers compared fish consumption and blood inflammation markers in a group of about 3,000 men and women in the Attica region of Greece.

None of the participants had a history of heart disease, and nine out of 10 said they ate fish at least once a month.

The results showed that compared with those who said they didn’t eat fish, those who ate at least 10.5 ounces of fish per week had 33 percent lower C-reactive protein and 33 percent lower tumor necrosis factor-alpha (another indicator of inflammation) levels as well as much lower levels of other signs of inflammation. People who ate about 5 to 10 ounces of fish per week also had lower levels of inflammation in the bloodstream.

`We revealed that not only the fish portion, but also the amount of omega-3 fatty acids seems to play a role in the reduction of inflammatory markers levels,” says researcher Antonis Zampelas, PhD, of Harokopio University in Athens, in the release.

The American Heart Association recommends eating fish (particularly fatty fish) at least twice a week. Fatty fish high in omega-3 fatty acids include mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon.

This article is not meant to treat or diagnose disease. Research from, The American College of Cardiology (ACC) provides these new reports of clinical studies published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology as a service to physicians, the media, the public, and other interested parties. However, statements or opinions expressed in these reports do not represent official policy of the ACC unless stated so. SOURCES: Zampelas, A. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, July 5, 2005; vol 46: pp 121-124. News release, American College of Cardiology. American Heart Association.

My passions are health for people and pets.Omega 3 has become one of my favorite topics.
http://www.mimfreedom.com
http://www.happypetstop.com

When people hear the word “fat” they immediately want to run for the door. But did you know that some types of fats are actually good for you? These fats are called Omega-3 fatty acids and can be most predominately found in fish oil.

Omega-3 fatty acids are super good for your heart and help to keep it healthy. Whether you already have a healthy heart or wish to make a lifestyle change, the Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil are a great way to stay in your prime.

Even more beneficial of the Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil is the fact that it helps reduce the instance of heart disease, helps to prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and many other conditions. Omega-3s also have a substantial effect on reducing the effects of diabetes and other conditions. And recent studies have shown that Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil have been effective in treating bipolar disorder.

Where are Omega-3 Fatty Acids found?

So what types of fish contain these medical wonders called Omega-3 fatty acids? Herring, salmon, mackerel and albacore tuna all contain Omega-3 fatty acids because they are oily fish. The fats found in these oily fish are lacking from the modern person’s diet and instead, we’re overloaded on Omega-6 fatty acids, which are healthy in small portions, but harmful in large ones. By balancing your intake of these fatty acids, you will improve your overall health.

Other benefits of Omega-3’s

Fish oil is also high in protein, which is vital to a healthy diet. But even better is the low level of saturated fats. Typically, foods high in protein are also high in saturated fats, but not oily fish. The Omega-3 fatty acids in the fish oil take care of that and keep you healthy.

Essentially, Omega-3 fatty acids are vital to a healthy diet and lifestyle. If you want to live long and maintain a completely balanced diet, filled with rich protein and heart healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, try to include fish in your diet a few times each week. The only precaution you have to take is when it comes to mercury levels in fish. Many predatory fish have accumulated higher levels of substances like mercury in their systems. However, eating it a few times a week should not be harmful. Just take care to avoid these oily fish when pregnant, and talk with your health care provider if you have concerns.

If you are ready to add more Omega-3 fatty acids to your diet through increasing your consumption of oily fish, again be sure to consult your physician beforehand. As with any major lifestyle change, only your doctor can accurately advise you on what is best for your individual nutritional needs based on your health, size, age, gender and various other factors. Once you have your doctor’s go ahead, gradually increase your consumption of oily fish to two to three times per week. If you are not a fish fan you might consider an easy to swallow supplement available at most drug stores or health food stores. Take the tablets as directed and enjoy the benefits of good health.

Mark Deveny is a freelance writer specializing in health and nutrition and a contributing author to http://www.omega-3-info.com, a site providing information on the health benefits of essential fatty acids.

I couldn`t resist the title`s corny riff on the name of the rock band and their movie, but the kind of spinal tap featured in this article was a spinal tap before Spinal Tap was Spinal Tap. (Does that make any sense?)

Known more formally as a lumbar puncture, this kind of spinal tap is a valuable medical test with an interesting history. In 1891 Heinrich Quincke, of Kiel, Germany, introduced this procedure as we know it today. His original intent was to help babies suffering from hydrocephalus (water on the brain) by draining away excess fluid, but from the outset he was also interested in lumbar puncture`s use as a diagnostic tool.

To understand the usefulness of this test and why you might someday need to have one, a little background is helpful. The brain and spinal cord are wrapped in a membrane called the meninges. Within the meninges, a watery fluid called the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) bathes the inside and outside of the brain and the outside of the spinal cord. Within the brain`s fluid chambers (ventricles), the body perpetually manufactures new CSF from constituents of the bloodstream. Once the CSF has percolated through openings to get outside the brain, it is reabsorbed and recycled into the bloodstream. The entire volume of CSF—about 150 milliliters or five ounces—is made and reabsorbed several times per day.

Dr. Quincke understood that analyzing the CSF`s makeup could be useful in diagnosing infections and other diseases affecting the central nervous system (brain plus spinal cord). Measuring the CSF`s protein and glucose (sugar) content along with inspecting a sample of CSF under a microscope to count red and white blood-corpuscles soon became standard practices.

The premier use of lumbar puncture in both Quincke`s time and ours has been to diagnose meningitis. The suffix `-itis` signifies inflammation, so meningitis means inflammation of the meninges. Most, but not all, instances of meningitis are due to infections, but the kinds of infections seen have evolved over the years. In Quincke`s lifetime tuberculosis and syphilis germs were common causes of meningitis, but presently, in developed countries these are uncommon. Nowadays, the usual causes of meningitis are other bacteria, viruses or even funguses. In cases of suspected infection, CSF protein, glucose and blood-corpuscle measurements are supplemented by other tests on the fluid that can track down the specific, infecting organisms.

Another important use of lumbar puncture is to diagnose subarachnoid hemorrhage, an abrupt, devastating, and potentially lethal bleed into the CSF space caused by rupture of an aneurysm or other abnormal blood vessel. In suspected cases—classically presenting with `the worst headache of my life`—a computed tomographic (CT) scan is usually performed first. While very sensitive in detecting subarachnoid hemorrhages, CT scans can still miss cases. So if the doctor is still suspicious that a bleed occurred, the next step is to do a lumbar puncture which is 100% sensitive in detecting this condition. That is, it never misses.

Lumbar puncture with CSF analysis can also help in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, a disease in which the patient`s own immune system attacks the central nervous system. In this condition the immune reaction produces abnormal proteins that can be detected and measured in the CSF.

How is the test performed? Well, the first step, of course, is the informed consent process in which your doctor explains the risks and benefits of the test and you sign a permission form. In this author`s opinion, lumbar puncture is the most benign test for which written permission is traditionally required and is less risky than some other procedures—like drawing blood from a high-pressure artery—for which written permission is traditionally omitted.

The next step is to lie on your side on a bed or procedure table with your knees tucked up to your chest. The skin of your lower back is painted with an iodine-based solution to produce a sterile field. If you have an allergy to iodine, an alcohol-based solution is substituted. The surrounding area is then covered with sterile paper or cloth. The skin and the tissue beneath the skin are then numbed with local anesthetic, and then everything is ready to insert the spinal needle.

The reason the lower back (lumbar spine) is chosen is because here the sac of meninges can be entered without risk of poking a hole in the spinal cord. This is because the spinal cord ends several inches higher within the spinal canal. The composition of the CSF is nearly the same throughout its system. Thus, CSF from the lumbar region is as good for diagnosis as from anywhere else, yet safer to obtain.

Once the spinal needle enters the lumbar sac of fluid, correct positioning of the needle is confirmed by the emergence of clear, colorless drops of fluid from the back of the needle. (When a similar procedure is performed for the purpose of epidural anesthesia, the tip of the needle stops just short of entering the meninges, and the drug is infused outside the sac.) A thin plastic tube is then attached to the back of the needle so the CSF`s pressure can be measured. Subsequently, CSF is allowed to drip into each of several sealable test-tubes suitable for sending to the laboratory.

Once adequate fluid has been obtained, the needle is withdrawn and the small puncture site in the skin is covered with an adhesive bandage. Typically, there are no more than a few drops of blood-loss from this test.

How about risks? Fortunately, they are minimal. As with any other test in which a needle is inserted somewhere that Mother Nature never intended, bleeding is a possibility. Luckily, there are no major blood-vessels in the vicinity, so even an off-course needle is unlikely to cause trouble. Theoretically, a needle-insertion could also bring germs into the body and cause infection, but this almost never occurs because the needle is sterile and because the lumbar region had been surgically prepped.

About one-in-five patients experiences a headache from the procedure. When a spinal-tap headache occurs, it always has the following characteristics: it is present while the patient is sitting or standing, and is promptly relieved by lying down. Spinal-tap headaches are due to persistent leaking of CSF through the hole that the needle made in the meninges. (The leaking occurs within the spinal column and doesn`t leave the body.) Until the hole seals up again and the full volume of CSF is restored, the CSF cannot provide its usual cushioning effect with changes in head position, and a headache ensues. In such cases the patient remains horizontal until the leak has sealed over.

Reviewing a list of potential complications can have a discouraging effect on people who need a test. But it is reassuring to know that millions of people have had Dr. Quincke`s test since he devised it over a century ago. If the test caused unforeseen problems, they should have turned up by now.

(C) 2005 by Gary Cordingley

Gary Cordingley, MD, PhD, is a clinical neurologist, teacher and researcher who works in Athens, Ohio. For more health-related articles, see his website at: http://www.cordingleyneurology.com

How does a mind contemplate itself? That`s a philosophical question I`ll leave to minds smarter than mine, but what I can tell you is how to examine the brain and other parts of the nervous system.

Most people are familiar with how doctors examine a heart or set of lungs. The physical exam of these organs consists mainly of using a stethoscope to listen to them in action. But when it comes to examining components of the nervous system—consisting of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves and muscles—a stethoscope is pretty useless. The nervous system doesn`t make sounds that the doctor can listen to (though the arteries in the neck that deliver blood to the brain can be usefully listened to). But because people can have medical disorders that damage the nervous system, it is every bit as important to have a method for evaluating this organ as for any other.

The method is called the neurological exam. Because different parts of the nervous system do different things, the basic idea of the neurological exam is to put the patient through a number of mini-exams, each evaluating the function of a different component. And what a variety of functions there are! In fact, apart from exposure to an inspiring teacher, this is what drew me into the study of neurology in the first place—the sheer diversity of the neurological exam.

This is an organ responsible for jobs as diverse as thinking, remembering, smelling, tasting, seeing, hearing, speaking, moving, walking, balancing, feeling and, yes, even contemplating itself—though I confess that my neurological exam doesn`t include an assessment of self-contemplation. Moreover, the nervous system handles many infrastructure tasks like controlling body-temperature, pulse, blood-pressure, breathing and enabling a person to urinate at a time and place of their choosing. What`s not to admire about an organ system that can do so many things!

The many mini-tests of the neurological exam are bundled together in the following sub-groupings: mental status exam, cranial nerve exam, motor exam, sensory exam and evaluation of stance and walking. I`ll provide a brief overview of each.

The mental status exam focuses on the cerebrum which has a wrinkly, gray, outer surface usually shown in pictures of the brain. The cerebrum is divided into eight lobes which includes pairs of frontal lobes, parietal lobes, temporal lobes and—bringing up the rear—the occipital lobes. Each handles different mental tasks. In fact, even within a lobe, many different jobs are handled. So the usual mental status exam consists of observing the patient`s behavior in the exam room and using a variety of standard tests to check the patient`s orientation to time and place, attention, memory, speech, comprehension of language, memory, calculation and ability to track the relative positions of objects in space.

The next grouping of mini-tests, the cranial nerve exam, also assesses the functioning of parts of the cerebrum, but additionally focuses on the brainstem. The brainstem is located at the base of the brain and connects the cerebrum above to the spinal cord below. The cranial nerve exam includes tests of smelling, vision, constriction of the pupils, eye-movement, facial sensation, facial movement, hearing, and action of certain muscles in the throat, tongue, neck and shoulders.

I`ll single out one item on the cranial nerve exam as deserving special mention, and that is the visual field exam. The visual fields are evaluated one eye at a time. While the patient stares at an unmoving object, the doctor asks if the patient can see objects (like the doctor`s fingers) appearing in different locations of the patient`s peripheral vision. In order to detect objects in the four corners of each eye`s vision, the patient must have proper functioning of each of six lobes of the brain—both parietal lobes, both temporal lobes and both occipital lobes. In fact, this is the only portion of the entire neurological exam that checks the right temporal lobe. Despite its importance, the visual field exam sometimes gets skipped by medical students (in which case the ones under this author`s supervision must endure hearing an earful).

The motor exam includes some pretty obvious things like checking the strength of different muscles in the arms and legs, but also includes less obvious components like muscle tone, coordination, and the presence of involuntary movements. It also includes an inspection of muscles for loss of size or the presence of spontaneous twitches. Additionally, this is the part of the exam in which the doctor pulls out his or her rubber hammer and checks reflexes in the arms and legs. The motor exam also includes a briefly painful maneuver—called the Babinski test—in which the bottom of the foot is scraped with a metal object while the doctor observes for a reflexive response in certain foot-muscles.

The sensory exam focuses on the processing of inputs from sensory nerve-endings in the patient`s skin and joints. It can include awareness of light touch, pain, warmth, coldness and vibration. In addition, the doctor examines position-sense by moving the patient`s toes and fingers up or down and asking the patient to say, without looking, which way they moved.

Finally, we have those portions of the exam related to stance and walking, but also including the patients` ability to transfer in and out of their chair. While on their feet, patients are asked to walk in their usual fashion, as well as on tiptoes. They are also observed while doing a `tandem gait,` known more commonly as the `state trooper test,` in which they walk flat-footed in a straight line with the heel of the leading foot touching the toes of the trailing foot. Last, the doctor checks the patients` ability to remain standing after closing their eyes. This is called the Romberg test.

That`s about it. In the hands of experienced clinicians the neurological exam doesn`t take much longer to perform than to describe, and yet provides a wealth of information about the functioning of the patient`s nervous system. In this age of high-tech imaging devices the neurological exam might seem archaic or old-fashioned, but it is still indispensable, and provides diagnostic information that even a battery of CT or MRI scans might miss.

(C) 2005 by Gary Cordingley

Gary Cordingley, MD, PhD, is a clinical neurologist, teacher and researcher who works in Athens, Ohio. For more health-related articles, see his website at: http://www.cordingleyneurology.com

We have a marvelous array of medical tests available to us. Many of them—typically blood-tests—even come with results expressed in numbers signifying the exact quantity of something that was measured. On laboratory reports these measured quantities are often accompanied by a `normal range` for what the laboratory apparently thinks the value should have been, showing a lower number and a higher number. So if you had a laboratory test, what does it mean when your measurement falls inside or outside this range?

It all depends on the particulars. First of all, it matters what is being measured and why it was measured in the first place. In theory, a laboratory test is ordered when the doctor poses a question for which the laboratory test is supposed to provide an answer. (If there was no question, how could the lab-test be an answer?) For example, suppose a doctor is wondering if your hand tremors are due to too much thyroid-hormone in your bloodstream. So the doctor`s question is: Does this person have too much thyroid-hormone in the bloodstream? A test measuring the thyroid-hormone would provide a clean answer if it was either too high (yes) or within the normal range (no). Because thyroid-hormone levels that are too low do not produce tremors, a measurement that was too low would be irrelevant to the question posed. It might still warrant consideration in its own right as an `incidental finding,` but is no different than a within-range outcome in answering the original question.

How about the same blood-test, but with a different question? Suppose the doctor is trying to figure out why you gained weight. The doctor knows that some people gain weight when their thyroid glands produce too little thyroid-hormone. So the doctor`s question is: Does this person have too little thyroid-hormone in the bloodstream? This time, measuring the thyroid-hormone would provide a clean answer to the question if it was lower than the normal range (yes) or within the normal range (no). Because elevated thyroid-hormone levels do not usually cause weight-gain, a number higher than the normal range would produce an answer to the original question no different than one that was within-range. (But even if this outcome was unexpected, it might still be followed up.)

For some blood-tests the only meaningful result is in one direction. For example, a blood urea nitrogen (BUN) measurement assesses kidney function. If the BUN measurement is too high, it could signify that the kidney is impaired. But what does it mean if your BUN measurement is lower than the normal range? It means absolutely nothing. It`s a non-event. So then it`s curious that a normal range for BUN even includes a lower number. How did it get there?

These examples lead up to the question of how the normal ranges are created in the first place. They are produced by statistics generated by measurements obtained in healthy volunteers. In the case of the BUN measurement, for example, this substance might get measured in the blood of, say, 100 people without kidney disease. An average number would be calculated by adding the numbers produced by all 100 people, and then dividing by 100. This average would be the center of the normal range.

But the upper and lower numbers are produced by another method looking at how widely spread apart the BUN measurements are in these 100 people. After all, it would be highly unlikely that all 100 people would produce the exact same number-value. So how far from the average is still okay? The 100 measurements are plugged into a mathematical formula to compute a `standard deviation,` a widely-used statistic related to how widely the numbers are spread apart. Numbers that are farther apart produce a larger standard deviation, while numbers that are closer together produce a smaller standard deviation.

The next step is to decide how many standard deviations above and below average should be accepted as normal. A typical choice for a blood-test is two standard deviations in either direction. It is known that measurements falling within the range of two standard deviations above and below the average will include, on average, 95% of the healthy people. It will also exclude or label as apparently abnormal the other 5% of healthy volunteers. So if the `normal range` is generated in this fashion, one thing we already know is that it will be wrong 5% of the time.

Another outcome of this statistical system is that if your doctor measures twenty different things in your bloodstream, then, on average, one of them will be outside its normal range—even if you are totally healthy!

Moreover, the statistical method automatically generates a lower and an upper value. This is done without consideration of whether or not it means anything to be too high or too low. The normal range merely expresses typical values obtained in healthy volunteers. It is up to your doctor to determine whether or not a result outside the normal range is clinically meaningful. The `normal range` is not a judgment; it is merely a statistical statement. You want the judgment to come from a trained clinician.

Your doctor has special words that are useful in navigating this intersection between statistics and clinical meaning. One favorite word is `unremarkable.` You might not like the idea of being described as unremarkable. But this is a handy term that your doctor uses to lump together your laboratory results that fell within their normal ranges with those that fell outside their normal ranges but were still considered benign. So in this case, `unremarkable` is a good thing to be.

(C) 2005 by Gary Cordingley

Gary Cordingley, MD, PhD, is a clinical neurologist, teacher and researcher who works in Athens, Ohio. For more health-related articles see his website at: http://www.cordingleyneurology.com

Before computed tomographic (CT) scans became available in the 1970s, there was no good method for imaging the brain. The available methods and technologies struck around the target without quite hitting the bull`s-eye.

We had skull x-rays which imaged the bony brain-case, but not the brain itself. We had arteriograms which imaged the insides of blood-vessels supplying the brain. We had nuclear brain scans which imaged chunks of brain that were recently damaged. We had a particularly nasty test called a pneumoencephalogram (PEG) in which the doctor squirted air through a spinal tap needle and encouraged it to bubble around and inside the brain by turning the patient every which-a-way—including upside-down—while x-ray pictures showed where the air could and couldn`t go. Finally, the most accurate method was not a physical picture at all, but a mind`s-eye picture within the brain of an examining neurologist. Yet diagnoses still got made and patients did get treated.

CT scans revolutionized the practice of neurology. It`s not that the other methods disappeared (well, yes, PEGs thankfully did disappear) but that CT scans vastly improved the accuracy of diagnosis and treatment. Even when CT scans didn`t show the disease itself (e.g. multiple sclerosis or a fresh stroke) they assisted the diagnostic process by proving the absence of a brain tumor, abscess or hemorrhage that were also on the list of diagnostic possibilities.

CT scans did (and still do) this by sending x-ray beams through the head at various angles and collecting the x-ray beams on the opposite side that were not absorbed by the head. Then magic occurs. A series of images appear on a computer monitor or on x-ray film as if the head had been run through a giant salami-cutter and the slices were laid out flat and in sequence.

On CT pictures the different parts of the head are displayed in various shades of gray according to how much they absorb x-rays. The skull-bone absorbs x-rays the most and shows as the whitest component. At the other end of the gray-scale, the watery spaces in and around the brain absorb x-rays the least and show as the blackest components. The brain itself is somewhere in between, showing up in the mid-gray range. Abnormal components, like brain tumors and blood-collections, are identified not just by appearing in their own shades of gray, but also by their locations and shapes. Creating a second set of slices after the patient receives an infusion of intravenous dye provides an additional dimension to imaging not unlike that provided by the older, nuclear scans.

Then in the 1980s magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans burst upon the scene and astonished the medical community by not just imaging the brain itself, but by doing so in a brand-new way. Instead of imaging the extent to which the head`s different components absorb x-rays, MRIs instead focus on water-molecules. To be more precise, MRIs image the rate at which spinning hydrogen-atoms of water molecules within different parts of the brain either line-up or fall out or alignment with a strong magnetic field. These differing rates of magnetization or de-magnetization are fed into a computer. Then magic occurs yet again. A series of slice-like images is created and displayed on a computer-screen or x-ray-type film in shades of gray. Abnormal structures, like brain-tumors or the plaques of multiple sclerosis, are displayed in their own shades of gray and are also recognizable by their shapes and locations. Obtaining another set of images after intravenous administration of gadolinium—the MRI equivalent of x-ray dye—also adds diagnostic information.

One of the virtues of MRI pictures is that they are based on physical principles totally different from those responsible for creating CT pictures. Thus, the MRI is good (or not so good) at showing different things than CTs. Another virtue is that MRIs can slice and dice the brain at different angles, while CTs slices are limited to just the horizontal plane. Yet another virtue of MRIs is that they are much better than CTs at imaging most diseases of the spine. Finally, MRIs are much more flexible than CTs: new bells, whistles and capabilities are being added all the time.

To the patient, the experiences of having a CT and of having an MRI greatly resemble each other. In both cases the patient lies horizontally on a flat table that moves into and out of an opening in the scanner that resembles a giant doughnut-hole. The doughnut-hole in the MRI machine is narrower, so claustrophobic patients need to inform their doctors if this might be a problem. The MRI machine is also noisier: a loud sound is created each time its radio-frequency coils turn on and off. For each kind of scan the technologist might stick a needle in the patient`s vein to administer contrast-material.

Both tests are otherwise painless and are very safe with certain exceptions. Pregnant women who need a scan might have to do without one for fear of exposing the fetus to excessive x-rays in the case of the CT scan or to an excessive magnetic field in the case of the MRI. If push comes to shove, the woman is more likely to receive a CT scan because her abdomen can be draped with a lead shield that blocks passage of most x-rays, while there is no good method for blocking the magnetic field produced by an MRI machine.

A circumstance in which MRIs are simply not done is when the patient has a cardiac pacemaker. This is because the MRI machine`s magnet might disrupt the pacemaker and stop the heart. No image is so necessary and valuable that this risk would be worth taking. Another circumstance in which an MRI is avoided is when the patient is critically ill. An unstable patient can be adequately monitored and supported while receiving a CT scan, but not while receiving an MRI.

Depending on the nature of the patient`s problem, the doctor will usually order just one of the two types of scans and not the other, but in selected cases the magic of both kinds of scan might be needed.

(C) 2005 by Gary Cordingley

Gary Cordingley, MD, PhD, is a clinical neurologist, teacher and researcher who works in Athens, Ohio. For more health-related articles see his website at: http://www.cordingleyneurology.com

Always wear sunscreen. How many times have you heard that? The American Academy of Dermatology reaffirms its long-standing position that sunscreen protection is beneficial in preventing painful sunburn, photo aging and skin cancer.

You should always wear sunscreen regularly as part of an overall sun protection program. Whenever possible wear a hat, sun protective clothing and avoid peak sun hours.

For added protection against dry skin problems look for moisturizers with sunscreen in them. To be most effective, sun protection should begin in childhood and continue throughout your life. Use sunscreen protection as part of a daily routine.

Here are some helpful tips when going outside in the sun:

1. Try to stay out of the sun between 10 am and 4pm when the sun is at
its hottest.

2. Apply sunscreen protection with at least 15 SPF and reapply every two
hours when outside, even on overcast days.

3. Wear sunglasses and a hat to protect your eyes and head.

4. Stay in the shade as much as you can.

5. Be aware of places that reflect the sun back on you, like pool water.

6. Wear loose fitting clothes that allow your skin to breathe but protect
you from the damaging rays of the sun.

7. Be especially careful with children, apply sunscreen protection often and
limit their sun exposure.

Commit yourself to a lifetime of healthy skin by developing good habits in skin care and teach your children about the importance of taking care of their skin.

The overall effects of the sun can damage your skin but remembering to always wear sunscreen is one of your best defenses in preventing it from happening to you.

Copyright © 2005 4 Best Shopping.com All Rights Reserved.

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1) Never wash your face with soap. Soap contains an astrigent that strips away moisture, therefore damages your skin eventually.

2) Always cleanse, tone and moisturize. Milky cleansers are best to use (eg. Marcelle Cleansing milk).

3) Never squeeze pimples, if you find that you`re getting lots of them, forget about over the counter products…..they won`t work on you, they only work on people that get a zit once in a blue moon. Instead, get to a dermatologist as soon as possible and you`re skin will be clear in no time.
Trust me, I used to have severe acne, I saw a dermatologist, 4 months later my face was smooth as a baby`s butt and it still is.

4) Apply a yellow-toned concealer under dark circles and anywhere you might see imperfections. Next, apply foundation with a sponge, blend smoothly and make sure it matches your skintone!!! So many girls now a days look like they`re wearing masks and that`s because they`re not choosing the right color for their skin.

5) Powder your face with a translucent powder and use a nice, big, soft, puffy brush (my favorite brushes are QUO brand). Powdering will take shine off of your face and ease the application of blush.

6) Apply your favorite blush color (my favorites are pinks and oranges) on the apples of your cheeks using a soft brush so you can blend well.

7) Apply your favorite eyeshadows…..using 2 different colors always looks prettiest. The base color is usually the lightest color and the contour color is the darkest.

Curl your eyelashes if yours aren`t very long. Then apply mascara. Never apply mascara before curling your lashes…..or else you`ll lose some.

9) Line your lips with a lipliner, then fill your entire lip area with the same lipliner as well. Then apply your favorite color of lipstick. By doing this your lipstick will surely last longer.

10) You look beautiful! Always practice….you`ll be an expert in no time.

And don`t forget to always remove your makeup before going to bed…it`s not good for your skin if you don`t. It can clog your pores, leading to pimples and it will age your skin faster.

Yasiv Marin is a premier make-up artist offering professional makeup for weddings, graduations, fashion/photography, film/TV, print or any special occasion. Based in Vancouver, BC, she’s one of the fastest rising makeup artists in Canada. Graduating from Blanche Macdonald Centre, her creative, elegant, and detail oriented personality is truly impressive. Vist her at Vancouver Makeup Artist