NOVEMBER HEALTH NEWS TIPS FROM UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER AT DALLAS
CONTACT: (214)648-3404
SORE FEET DON'T NEED TO BE YOUR ACHILLES' HEEL
A marathon day at the mall or weekend festival can take its toll on feet, even in the best sneakers.
Plantar fasciitis occurs when the muscles and ligaments supporting the foot's arch are pulled and strained with overuse. Dr. John Early, assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery at
UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, says the problem may be remedied with stretching exercises and store-bought shoe inserts.
To stretch the heel muscles, lean forward against a wall with your arms stretched in front for support. Stretch your right leg back straight and try to keep the right heel flat on the floor as you bend the left knee. Reverse legs.
"It's a simple exercise that can be done anywhere several times a day," Early says.
Media contact: Bridgette Rose McNeill
TONSILS MAY CAUSE CHILD'S RESTLESS NIGHTS, DAYTIME PROBLEMS
Children who snore loudly may have enlarged tonsils and adenoids that make breathing difficult.
Tonsils and adenoids are the soft tissues that circle the back of the throat. Dr. Alan Murray, assistant professor of otorhinolaryngology at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, says the enlarged tissue can fall into the airway when children are asleep.
"Listen to the snoring for gasping sounds," says Murray, who specializes in pediatric ear, nose and throat problems. "Over long periods the breathing difficulties may cause the heart to enlarge. More immediately, the child may wake up dozens of times a night. When children don't get a good night's sleep, they may have behavioral problems during the day and perform poorly in school."
Doctors believe tonsils and adenoids "sample" incoming bacteria and viruses, then help form antibodies to them to fight future infections. But this function becomes less important as a child ages, so it is recommended that tonsils and adenoids be removed when they cause serious breathing problems.
Media contact: Kris Mullen
BABY TALK CAN BE STIMULATING CONVERSATION
Peek-a-boo isn't just entertainment for your baby; it can be critical mental stimulation.
"It is becoming more and more clear that infants must be stimulated or they will regress," says Dr. Charles Ginsburg, chairman of pediatrics at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas and one of the first physicians to campaign for greater public understanding of infant brain development.
Ginsburg says newborns need auditory, tactile and visual stimulation. So talk to babies, play with them and touch them * for the sake of their mental development.
Media contact: Ellen Mayou
IMPOTENCE IS COMMONLY TREATED WITHOUT SURGERY
Most impotence is physiological and can be treated by a physician.
"Erectile dysfunction is not uncommon," says Dr. John McConnell, chairman of urology at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. "By age 50, half of men to some degree are unable to obtain or maintain an erection. As men age, they are even more likely to experience some impotence. Seven of 10 men at age 70 are afflicted to some extent."
He says the problem usually can be treated without surgery. One of the newest treatments involves inserting into the urethra a tiny pellet containing a synthetic hormone that relaxes the smooth muscle, allowing blood to flow into the penis to enable erection. McConnell advises men with any impotence to contact a physician.
Media contact: Susan Steeves
SUPPLEMENT YOUR CALCIUM KNOWLEDGE
People who want to increase the calcium in their diet with supplements need to understand the differences between the many varieties.
Dr. Khashayar Sakhaee, a professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, says not all calcium supplements fit conveniently into every lifestyle.
The most common supplement, calcium carbonate, can be highly concentrated in tablet form, eliminating the need to pop a lot of pills to reach the recommended daily intake of 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams. But calcium carbonate can be insoluble, and in at least 20 percent of people older than 60, it isn't absorbed properly when taken on an empty stomach.
On the other hand, calcium citrate is more easily absorbed and doesn't have to be taken with meals. But calcium citrate is less concentrated, making it necessary to take at least twice as many pills to reach the recommended level, he says.
The three other supplement types * calcium phosphate, lactate, and gluconate * are less popular, he says, because they require multiple doses or are less easily absorbed.
Media contact: Emily Martinez
SLIMMING PROCEDURES STILL BEING TESTED
The use of ultrasound in liposuction has led to new types of fat removal without surgery, but the safety and effectiveness of these new procedures have not been proven.
Dr. Rod Rohrich, chairman of plastic surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, says two external ultrasound-assisted liposuction (E-UAL) methods are being tested.
One method uses a paddle to deliver ultrasound waves over a fatty area that has been infiltrated with anesthetic fluid. A small cannula then is inserted to withdraw liquefied fat just beneath the skin. The other method allows for body contouring by placing ultrasound pads that break apart fat deposits. This requires massaging and compression garments.
"In the second method, the mechanism of what happens to fat cells internally is not yet fully understood and requires more study," he says. "It is important for patients to understand that E-UAL is a new procedure about which there are still unanswered questions." Media contact: Reyes Abila
Ellen Mayou
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UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
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