Focus: Hidden - Chicago Metro

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Meditation might be an effective treatment for reducing chronic neck pain, according to research reported in The Journal of Pain.

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Loyola University Medical Center will once again have a strong research presence at the annual meeting of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology (USCAP). Loyola researchers will present 25 peer-reviewed studies in anatomic pathology during the USCAP 2015 meeting March 21 – 27 in Boston.

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A new study published in The Journal of Pain reports an association between a broad range of pre-existing mental disorders and subsequent onset of severe or frequent headaches.

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In trauma victims with open fractures, infection rates can be reduced dramatically by administering antibiotics within the first hour of injury. The finding suggests that allowing paramedics to administer antibiotics in the field may substantially improve outcomes.

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Amar S. Naik, MD, a gastroenterologist who specializes in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, has joined Loyola University Health System. Dr. Naik earned his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine.

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Many physicians who tested their breast-examination skills on a new type of pressure-sensing breast model failed to detect masses deep in the breast because they were not pressing hard enough, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Research reported in The Journal of Pain showed there is significant linkage between non-opioid substance abuse disorders, such as misuse of alcohol and illegal drugs, and therapeutic opioid abuse.

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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons has designated the Rush Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery a three-star program for lobectomy, a surgical procedure commonly used to treat lung cancer. It is the society’s highest rating and only is bestowed on the top five percent of thoracic surgery programs in the United States.

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Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory have revealed previously unobserved behaviors in nanrods that suggest new rules for the behavior of nanorod ensembles and new insights into how to increase heat-transfer efficiency in a nanoscale system.

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Rush University Medical Center has begun including the results of patient surveys in the profiles of individual physicians on its website, www.rush.edu. The profiles appear on the site’s Find a Doctor section.

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Loyola University Chicago health sciences researchers have received a $500,000 grant from the George M. Eisenberg Foundation for Charities, based in Arlington Heights, Ill., for a 10-year study to improve the health of low-income minority residents in communities surrounding Loyola’s Health Sciences Campus in Maywood. The grant is an affirmation of Loyola’s commitment to public health and community service. Researchers will develop and test a Family-based Lifestyle Intervention Program (FLIP) for low-income African American and Hispanic/Latino families.

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“The rise in opioid consumption has resulted in a doubling in visits to the emergency department for nonmedical OPR use but I also see patients who make errors with medications they are legitimately supposed to be taking,” says Megan Rech, emergency medicine pharmacist, Loyola University Health System. Loyola, an academic medical center, has a dedicated pharmacist with expertise specific to the Emergency Department.

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The human genome project captured the public imagination when its first draft was published 14 years ago this week in the international science journal Nature, but the epigenome may hold the real promise for conquering disease.

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Occupational and environmental medicine organization's guidelines are intended to help strengthen procedures for the medical clearance of designated Ebola caregivers in the nation’s hospitals.

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While opioids are a widely used treatment for pain, patients who take them on a regular basis can become tolerant, requiring a higher dose for continued pain relief.

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Freedom from disability is one of the most important patient-centered outcomes after surgery, but there is currently no validated instrument to measure postoperative disability.

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A high-fat diet, eaten one day to two weeks days before a heart attack, reduced heart attack damage in mice by about 50 percent, according to a new study. The finding could provide insight into the "obesity paradox," by which obesity appears to provide protection to heart attack patients.

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The most powerful particle accelerator on Earth soon will reawaken for its second run. Scientists explain how the upgraded capabilities of the Large Hadron Collider and its experiments will give access to a previously inaccessible realm of physics.

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Epidural steroid injections are commonly used to treat pain; however, they can in rare situations produce life-threatening neurological injuries such as stroke and paralysis.

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Loyola University Medical Center has been named to the 2015 America’s Best Hospitals for Heart Care list by The Women’s Choice Award, a leading consumer advocacy group.

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The 570-megapixel Dark Energy Camera, built to observe galaxies far away from Earth, also helps scientists spot and identify objects much closer to home: space junk that could damage satellites, large rocks that could hit Earth and asteroids that traverse our solar system.

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An expert panel has revised recommendations of how much sleep people should get. Recommendations are based on age, ranging from newborns (who need 14 to 17 hours of sleep per day) to adults aged 65 and up (7 to 8 hours per day).

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The Midwest Regional Medical Students in Psychiatry Conference will be held Feb. 28 at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

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Broken heart syndrome occurs during highly stressful or emotional times, such as a romantic breakup, death of a spouse, serious medical diagnosis or significant financial problems. Symptoms can easily be mistaken for a heart attack.

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Do you have a favorite black sweater, but you’re afraid to wear it because of dandruff? Fear not, say dermatologists from the American Academy of Dermatology (Academy). Although those pesky white flakes of dry skin can be annoying, especially if you’re wearing dark colors, it’s fairly easy to treat and control dandruff with patience – and the right dandruff shampoo.

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Using advanced imaging technology to more precisely target radiation beams to treat soft tissue cancers (sarcomas) in the extremities significantly reduces long term side effects without effecting survival rates, according to research results published online today in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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“Many favorite Valentine’s Day indulgences have amazing health benefits that are supported by research,” says Kim Sasso, RD, who regularly counsels patients on achieving better nutrition and weight loss at the Loyola Center for Metabolic Surgery & Bariatric Care. “Dark chocolate, in particular, is rich in a group of antioxidants called flavanols, which may help lower blood pressure, reduce blood clotting and lower LDL cholesterol.”

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Mukund Venu, MD, is a gastroenterologist who specializes in swallowing disorders at Loyola University Health System in Maywood, Ill. “Ron had a rare condition called achalasia, where the esophagus fails to deliver food in to the stomach when eating,” says Venu. “The nerve cells of the esophagus degenerate and cause failure of the normal swallowing process.”

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When Patricia Perich, 41, was 24 weeks pregnant with her fourth child, she was diagnosed with a potentially fatal condition called placenta accreta. This condition occurs when blood vessels from the placenta grow too deeply into the uterus and even infiltrate other organs.

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Robert Senander, 69, of Winfield, Ill., made headlines last year when he became one of five people to undergo a lung transplant at Loyola University Health System in little more than 24 hours. This was the first time in Illinois that five successful lung transplants have been performed in such a short time. Before his transplant, Mr. Senander had been fighting for his life. He was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2009. This is a disease marked by scarring of the lungs and difficulty breathing. There is no cure and most people only live three to five years after diagnosis. Mr. Senander used supplemental oxygen for five years before undergoing a successful lung transplant that saved his life. In a matter of weeks and less than a year after his transplant, he will take to the steps of the John Hancock Center for Hustle up the Hancock. Mr. Senander will be joined by the doctors and nurses who cared for him in the hospital. They will climb 94 flights of stairs to raise funds

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A new minimally invasive surgery for repairing a ruptured Achilles tendon requires a smaller incision, minimizes wound healing complications and leaves less scar tissue.

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The American Academy of Dermatology Association offers its thanks to FDA Commissioner Hamburg

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A two-part surgery consisting of a spinal decompression and fusion provides spinal stenosis patient with instant pain relief.

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Loyola University Medical Center psychiatrist Murali Rao, MD, has achieved Distinguished Life Fellow status in the American Psychiatric Association, the highest honor the profession can bestow.

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Loyola University Medical Center orthopaedic surgeon Alexander Ghanayem, MD, has been elected president of the OMeGA Medical Grants Association, which awards and manages grants for orthopaedic graduate medical education in nine subspecialties.

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One of the global regions highly affected by hepatitis C is West Africa. In developed countries, hepatitis C, a blood-borne disease, is transmitted through intravenous (IV) drug use. “In West Africa, we believe that there are many transmission modes and they are not through IV drug use, but through cultural and every day practices,” says Jennifer Layden, MD, PhD principal investigator on a study recently published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

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Loyola University Chicago Health Sciences students, faculty and staff will participate in simulations to help them better understand what it is like to live in poverty. The simulations will take place on Saturday, Feb. 7, from 9 am to noon at St. Eulalia’s Church at 1851 S. 9th Ave. in Maywood and on Tuesday, Feb. 10, from 6 to 9 pm in Mundelein Auditorium located at 1020 W. Sheridan Road on Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus.

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Blame and anger associated with the grief of caring for a loved one with a traumatic-brain injury (TBI) may be related to inflammation and certain chronic diseases, according to researchers from Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing. These findings were published in the latest issue of Biological Research for Nursing.

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A new study published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology shows that only 15 percent of employed adults with asthma discussed with their doctor how work might affect their condition. However, of the employed adults with asthma, 46 percent had asthma that was possibly work-related.

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Chicago celebrated the Super Bowl with a snow storm that dumped 14.2 inches of accumulation, putting it in a tie for the area’s 10th largest snowstorm in recorded history, according to the National Weather Service. Tips from Loyola's head of emergency medical services on how to correctly shovel snow to avoid injury.

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Measles are becoming more commonplace, due to lack of vaccination, says Jorge Parada, MD, medical director of infectious disease at Loyola University Health System.

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Popularized by celebrities and featured in news segments, unique – sometimes offbeat – beauty treatments promise the fountain of youth. While some initial research studies have shown these fad treatments to be effective, dermatologists remain cautious about recommending them over proven therapies, which have been more extensively studied and can provide longer-lasting results.

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Eating healthier is a common recommendation for people looking to reduce their risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other medical concerns. Now a growing body of research is evaluating whether certain dietary changes can impact the skin by reducing the signs of aging and improving some skin conditions. Nutricosmetics – the use of nutrition or nutritional supplements for skin health and beauty – is popular abroad and may be the next frontier for improving skin health and beauty in the United States.

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While complete scar removal is not possible, dermatologists are harnessing a laser technology originally developed as an anti-aging treatment to improve the appearance of scars – especially hard-to-treat or older ones. This new treatment option is bringing renewed self-confidence to patients, helping to ease traumatic memories, and in some cases, increasing lost mobility.

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Scientists at Fermilab completed the Tevatron data preservation project. The data sets, containing 10 years worth of particle collisions, enable scientists to verify or complement observations made at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN.

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The festive atmosphere of many Super Bowl parties may make guests more likely to drink to excess during Sunday’s big game, according to primary care experts from Loyola University Health System (LUHS).

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Ginger Hook, MSN, RN, has been named vice president and chief nursing officer of Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, Melrose Park, which is part of Loyola University Health System. Ms. Hook will assume this role on Monday, March 9. In this position, she will implement initiatives to advance high-quality, patient-centered care across the hospital.

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February 2-6 is designated “Pride in Foodservice Week” by the Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals (ANFP).

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When the football season concludes with the final play of Sunday’s Super Bowl, some fans may begin to feel withdrawal symptoms. A psychiatrist explains how this affects brain chemistry.