Dr. John's Health Matters
Welcome to Dr. John's Health Matters blog.
The articles posted here are from various sources who are duly acknowledged. I would appreciate being immediately notified, if any copywritten material needs to be removed. This blog is not intended to replace the qualified advice of a licensed health practitioner. Readers should exercise their own judgment. Enjoy, subscribe, participate and tell others :)
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Posts tagged "safety"
Monday, Aug 31st, 2009 ↓Home birth with midwife safe as hospital →
Aug 31, 2009 (Cbc.ca)—Giving birth at home with a registered midwife can be as safe as a hospital birth for the infant and the mom, according to a Canadian study released Monday.
Midwives provide round-the-clock care for women during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum in hospitals, birthing centres and at the homes of women.
The rate of deaths was about two per 1,000 for planned home births involving midwives as well as deliveries in hospitals involving either midwives or doctors, the researchers found.
“Women planning birth at home experienced reduced risk for all obstetric interventions measured, and similar or reduced risk for adverse maternal outcomes,” such as electronic fetal monitoring and postpartum hemorrhage, Dr. Patricia Janssen from the University of British Columbia and her co-authors wrote in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
For full article, see link above.
Tags: pregnant birth safety midwife hospital infant mom mother delivery fetal monitoring postpartum hemorrhage
Health Tip: Choosing a Backpack →
Aug 23, 2009 (Therapytimes.com)—Along with pens, paper and notebooks, for many youngsters, a backpack is a back-to-school necessity.
The U.S. National Safety Council offers these safety guidelines for selecting a backpack:
- Look for features that offer better support, comfort and safety.
- Choose a backpack with padding in the back to minimize pressure.
- Opt for a backpack that has belts around the hip and chest to more evenly distribute the contents.
- A backpack with lots of compartments is better, as it also helps evenly distribute the weight of school supplies.
- Look for compression straps at the bottom or side of the backpack to bring the contents closer to the back.
- Look for reflective material so your child is easier to see if walking in the dark.
— Diana Kohnle
Tags: backpack napsack support comfort safety padding back pressure belt weight distribute compartment compression strap reflective
Health Tip: Your Child Must Wear a Bike Helmet →
Aug 20, 2009(Therapytimes.com) — A well-made bike helmet is as important to your child’s safety as the bike’s brakes or well-inflated tires.
The American Academy of Pediatrics offers this advice about beginning the helmet habit at the earliest age possible:
- Make helmets a rule as soon as your child is on a bike, either as a passenger or the driver.
- Make sure you set a good example and wear a helmet, too.
- Explain to your child why it’s important to wear a helmet, including the protection it provides.
- Talk about how a bike must be used safely and properly.
- Offer praise or a little treat when your child wears a helmet.
- Don’t ever allow your child to go for a ride without a helmet.
- Encourage your child’s playmates also to wear helmets.
— Diana Kohnle
Older Drivers Unaware Of Risks From Medications And Driving →
Aug 13, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—Most older drivers are unaware of the potential impact on driving performance associated with taking medications, according to new research from the Center for Injury Sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). The findings, released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, indicate that 95 percent of those age 55 and older have one or more medical conditions, 78 percent take one or more medications, and only 28 percent have an awareness of the risks those medications might have on driving ability.
The researchers surveyed 630 drivers ages 56 to 93. Only 18 percent reported receiving a warning from a health-care professional about potential driver-impairing (PDI) medications such as ACE inhibitors, sedatives and beta-blockers. The study found that such warnings do not increase with increasing numbers of medications used or increasing numbers of medical conditions.
“These findings indicate that health-care professionals need to take a more active role in educating their patients about the risks of PDI medications,” said Paul MacLennan, Ph.D., assistant professor of surgery at UAB and the study’s lead author. “Society needs to understand that PDI medications are a driving-safety issue, and there is a need for increased education geared at older drivers, their families and health professionals.”
For full article see link above.
Tags: elderly older senior education driving car vehicle medication drug prescription awareness safety ACE inhibitor sedative beta-blocker
Attacks on British Court Ruling that "medical" blog Libeled the Chiropractic Profession. and my comments. →
First read the blog by clicking the link above.
Then read my response (posted below) : Comment number 26.
“It never ceases to amaze me how medical writers seemingly intent on informing and protecting the public about the evil and danger of chiropractic care, can be so tunnel visioned about the considerably greater and more frequent harm caused by orthodox medicine. I am not familiar with tort and libel laws in the UK, being Canadian, but where I practice, the malpractice insurance premium I pay is one tenth of what my medical friends pay for the identical coverage. So whose care is riskier, I wonder??
“and speaking of “twits running adverts along anti-vaccine lines”, you might want to write about the inconvenient fact that the US government pays $millions per year to victims of vaccination-related reactions. Is this a frivolous and gratuitous expense on their part, or the acknowledgement of an actual risk in that procedure? I wonder who the twits really are!
“but to be more specific about chiropractic risks and benefits, since 1957 no fewer than 64 peer-reviewed studies have shown that chiropractic care for back and neck problems was more effective than physiotherapy, pharmacotherapy and surgery, and resulted in lesser recovery times, short time off-work, more complete return to function and less relapse. Do you need the references or is it more convenient for you to ignore them?
“and recent review of the literature available have shown that the risk of stroke after a chiropractic visit is no greater than after a medical visit, a massage, a hair appointment, etc. It all has to do with the individual patient’s habits, genetics and lifestyle predisposing them to having a stroke in the wrong place. But I suppose it makes for better newscopy to warn the public to “beware” of chiropractors, rather than of that extra serving of greasy fish and chips.
“I realize yellow journalism is a beloved tradition in Britain, and how much fun it is for little boys to play with fire, fan the flames of sensationalism and generate a lot of smoke. But that’s how little boys get burned. I would suggest you try some balanced blogging for a change.
John Bureau DC, Waterloo & Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada”
Risky Driving Puts Young Drivers At High Danger Of Crashing →
July 25, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—Australia’s largest study of young drivers has shown that risky driving habits are putting young drivers at a significantly increased risk of crashing, irrespective of their perceptions about road safety. The study surveyed 20,000 young drivers and examined their crashes reported to police. Young drivers involved in the study who said they undertook risky driving were 50% more likely to crash.
Previous research has confirmed risky, dangerous driving behaviour is more prevalent among younger drivers than older drivers. Researchers at The George Institute investigated the relationship between risky driving behaviour, risk perception and the risk of crash. They report that young drivers who had a poor risk perception or an inability to recognise driving risks were more likely to crash. However, those who did have a good understanding, but undertook risky driving behaviour when they were behind the wheel, still had a much greater likelihood of crashing.
“Our study shows that if young drivers engage in a range of risky driving behaviours, regardless of their perceptions, their crash risk escalates significantly. Risky driving behaviours included speeding, carrying multiple passengers, listening to loud music and text messaging while driving. The research evidence shows that these behaviours are significant contributors to road crashes, particularly among young drivers who are still building their road skills in the first year of driving”, said report author, Associate Professor Rebecca Ivers at The George Institute.
“The key finding in our study was that we discovered the main contributor to crashes is actual behaviours when young drivers are behind the wheel – not their perceptions or attitudes about safety”, Associate Professor Ivers added.
For full article see link above.
Tiny Levels Of Carbon Monoxide Damage Fetal Brain →
June 26, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—A UCLA study has discovered that chronic exposure during pregnancy to miniscule levels of carbon monoxide damages the cells of the fetal brain, resulting in permanent impairment. The journal BMC Neuroscience published the findings June 22 in its online edition.
“We expected the placenta to protect fetuses from the mother’s exposure to tiny amounts of carbon monoxide,” said John Edmond, professor emeritus of biological chemistry at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. “But we found that not to be the case.”
The researchers exposed pregnant rats to 25 parts per million carbon monoxide in the air, an exposure level established as safe by Cal/OSHA, California’s division of occupational health and safety.
For full article see link above.
Food Poisoning May Raise IBD Risk →
June 1, 2009 (Medicinenet.com)— Salmonella or Campylobacter food poisoning triples the risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) — for at least 15 years.
IBD typically refers to Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. It’s not clear exactly what causes IBD. Genetics, environment, diet, abnormal blood vessels, infections, immune-system overreaction, and psychological factors all have been blamed.
To see whether infections play a role, Henrik Nielsen, MD, of Aalborg Hospital in Denmark took advantage of his nation’s system of tracking citizen’s health records. The system allowed Nielsen and colleagues to look at whether people who’ve been treated for certain infections are at higher risk of developing IBD.
The researchers looked at two kinds of food poisoning: salmonella and campylobacter. They identified 13,149 people treated for either infection and compared their health records to those of people who never suffered these infections. People who had one or the other kind of food-borne infection had a 1.2% risk of getting IBD over the next 15 years. Those who never had either infection had only a 0.5% risk of IBD. Statistical analysis showed that the food-borne infections tripled IBD risk for at least the next 15 years.
“If we can reduce and prevent the spread of food bacteria and infections, we may reduce or even largely eliminate IBD in the long term,” Nielsen says in a news release.
For full article see link above.
Tags: IBD salmonella campylobacter poisioning imflammation bowel crohn's ulcerative diet safety
Tips on Taking a Herbal Supplement →
(HealthDay News) — Any product labeled “herbal” doesn’t automatically make it safe. So, it’s important to carefully evaluate any herbal supplement. The Cleveland Clinic offers these suggestions:
* Don’t look straight to herbal remedies if you get sick. See your doctor, find out what’s wrong, and get the physician’s advice on treatment.
* Skip herbal remedies altogether if you are pregnant or are trying to conceive.
* Never give herbal supplements to an infant.
* Never take more of an herbal remedy than its manufacturer recommends.
* Read labels, and only use products that specifically list which herbs (and amounts) are included.
* Always tell your doctor about any herbal products that you are taking.
* If you have any plant, flower or pollen allergies, pay attention to what’s in the herbal supplements you’re considering.
* Understand that there are no guarantees with herbal products, and that manufacturer or seller claims may not necessarily be accurate.
SSRIs Prescribed for Autistic Children Make Them Worse →
June 17, 2009 (NaturalNews.com)— Despite the fact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any prescription medications to treat the symptoms of autism and related disorders, drugs are frequently — and increasingly — being given to autistic children, according to a study in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry. An especially popular medication for autistic kids is the antidepressant citalopram, sold under the brand name Celexa, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), which interferes with the way the brain regulates the neurotransmitter serotonin.
For full article see link above.
Tags: medication risk autism children SSRI Celexa serotonin brain neurotransmitter safety
Polio Vaccine Victim Wins Lawsuit Against Big Pharma →
Jun 16 09 (NaturalNews) A New York jury has concluded that pharmaceutical company Lederle Laboratories was responsible for the injury to a man who contracted polio from a vaccine 30 years ago, and ordered it to pay him $22.5 million.
Dominick Tenuto became infected with polio in 1979, shortly after his daughter received a vaccine made by Lederle from a live polio virus. Tenuto alleged that he had been exposed to the live virus while changing his daughter’s diaper.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a total of 144 people in the United States became infected with polio from live vaccines between 1980 and 1998. While the majority of these were the vaccine recipients themselves, the number includes 51 who contracted the disease upon contact with a vaccinated individual.
Tenuto became paralyzed from the disease and ended up spending months in intensive care, breathing through a hospital ventilator. Even after two years of rehabilitative therapy, he remained partially paralyzed and to this day cannot get around without a wheelchair. Because the Wall Street office where he worked was not wheelchair accessible, Tenuto lost his job. In 1981, he filed a lawsuit against Lederle.
Shortly before the verdict came down, Lederle offered Tenuto a $10 million settlement agreement, which he rejected upon the advice of his lawyers.
“You need the money,” lead counsel Benedict Morelli told him, “but before that, you need vindication.”
After one day of deliberation, the jury ruled that Lederle had not only made a vaccine that was unreasonably dangerous, but that it had also failed to sufficiently warn doctors about the vaccine’s risk. It ordered the company to pay Tenuto $5 million for medical and rehabilitation expenses and lost earnings, and $17.5 million for past and future pain and suffering.
Lawyer Martin Edelman, who has been working on the case for his entire legal career, said that he was “relieved” at the verdict. Tenuto’s lawyers had advanced him $500,000 worth of work over the course of the case.
The 30-year saga may not be over, however. Lederle has announced plans to appeal.
Sources for this story include: www.google.com; www.law.com.
Chiropractic Care Did Not Cause Stroke, Jury Finds
Jun 16 09
Dale Curriden, an attorney at The Van Winkle Law Firm in Asheville, has successfully defended a Union County chiropractor against a $1.5-million medical malpractice suit brought by a hairdresser and her husband alleging battery, negligence and loss of marital relations. After a nearly four-week trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the chiropractor on all counts.
Monroe resident Terry Purser Carter alleged that in 2004, Dr. Mark Fishel performed chiropractic adjustments on her against her will and sent her home although she was complaining of pain, nausea and dizziness. She claimed the adjustment caused bilateral vertebral artery dissections, or tears in the lining of the vessels that travel along both sides of the spine in the neck area. Carter said the injury left her unable to work.
In addition to the compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and permanent injury sought by Carter, her husband joined in the suit, alleging loss of marital relations.
Represented by Van Winkle attorney Dale Curriden, Dr. Fishel presented chiropractic and neurosurgery experts who testified that the dissection was likely an existing condition that caused the headache and neck pain for which Carter had sought medical care prior to visiting Dr. Fishel, and which led her to seek chiropractic care in the first place. They argued that the force involved in chiropractic adjustments is nowhere near the force required to injure a healthy vertebral artery, and that if there had been sufficient force to injure the artery, there would have been damage to the surrounding bone and/or tissues.
In his testimony, Dr. Fishel said he would never perform chiropractic adjustments on a patient against their will and that the adjustments the plaintiff described – with Dr. Fishel allegedly grabbing Carter’s chin and forcefully twisting her head from side to side – do not match any chiropractic treatment with which he is familiar. In addition, Carter’s sworn testimony that she had been unable to perform any work since treatment was contradicted by video footage of her at work on numerous occasions after her visit to Dr. Fishel.
“This is a very important case for the chiropractic community,” said Curriden. “For decades, there has been a running debate in the medical and chiropractic communities about the safety of=2 0chiropractic care to the neck and whether such care can cause dissections and strokes. Chiropractors and others have argued that neck adjustments are safe and effective and that any association with dissections and strokes — in addition to being extremely rare — is a result of the fact that people with undiagnosed, spontaneous dissections which have not yet evolved to the point of causing a stroke are likely to experience headache and neck pain, prompting them to seek chiropractic care.
“Prior to the onset of a stroke, there is no easy way for a chiropractor or any medical doctor to distinguish the very rare case of a dissection from the much more common types of headache and neck pain, and chiropractic care is no more likely to aggravate an underlying dissection than any number of other normal movements of the head and neck.”
ADHD Drugs Linked to Sudden Death →
ABC News Medical Unit in Collaboration with MedPage Today June 15, 2009
For Ann Hohmann, Oct. 21, 2004, began just about like any other day. New study finds connection between stimulant and increased risk of sudden death. On that morning, the 54-year-old mother of two living in McAllen, Texas, was preparing to take her eldest son to school. She had an early appointment, so her husband, Rick Hohmann, would be dropping off younger son, 14-year-old Matthew, at his school that day. About a month earlier, Matthew had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. And like an estimated 2.5 million other children in the United States, he was taking medication for the condition. It was Ann Hohmann who gave Matthew his Adderall XR pill that morning with a glass of water. But it was her husband who later found him after he had collapsed on the bathroom floor. “To me, he seemed fine,” she recalled. “My husband had seen him walking around, brushing his teeth. Then he walked in and found him flat down on the floor in the bathroom.
Expectant moms should not eat for two →
June 3, 2009 (presstv.com) New US guidelines encourage women of childbearing age to achieve a healthy weight before getting pregnant in order to reduce both mother and baby complications.
Pregnant women had long been encouraged to eat more to adequately nourish the unborn and protect them against malnutrition.
In modern life, however, where nearly two-thirds of American women of childbearing age are overweight and the other one-third qualify as obese, weight gain before and during pregnancy can increase the risk of several serious health complications for both mother and child.
For full article see link above.
Tags: diet overweight obseity pregnancy nutrition risk complication safety prevention
Authorities play down Red Bull extract cocaine concerns →
June 5, 2009 (Nutraingredients.com) —Decocainised coca leaf extract, which has been linked to the recent alleged discovery of traces of cocaine in some samples of Red Bull Simply Cola, will not face regulatory scrutiny regarding its wider use in formulations. Decocainised coca leaf extract, which has been linked to the recent alleged discovery of traces of cocaine in some samples of Red Bull Simply Cola, will not face regulatory scrutiny regarding its wider use in formulations. The extract, which is permitted for use as a flavouring in food and drinks with both FDA Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) and Council of Europe approved status, was initially linked by the drinks manufacturer to the apparent discovery of cocaine in its cola brand. However, food safety officials at the European Commission say that despite the actions of retailers like Germany-based Rewe in banning the Red Bull cola product, it is not currently calling for a review of the ingredient over potential safety concerns linked to its wider use. “There is no indication at this point in time of decocainised coca leaf extract containing cocaine,” states a spokesperson for the Commission. “The extract is used all over the world with no negative effects known so far.”
For full article see link above.
