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UPDATE: New Foot Problems for Eli Manning
Stress fractures are overuse injuries.They are most common in the lower legs and feet of athletes, although almost anyone can get a stress fracture. When muscles become fatigued,they are unable to absorb shock as well. Eventually the muscles transfer the stress to the underlying bones, causing small cracks to form in the bone. Symptoms include pain, swelling, tenderness to touch at the site of the fracture. Diagnosis can be difficult, since X-rays may be called "negative" until evidence of bone healing begins three to six weeks after symptoms begin. A "pre-stress fracture" exists when the covering around the bone, called the periostium, becomes inflamed. If treated at this stage, actual fracture may be avoided. Treatment using consists of rest, elevation, immobilization, and over-the-counter pain medications.
For more information:
 | Resounding Health(tm) Stress fracture, bone graft |
Howie Mandel: "Here's the Deal: Don't Touch Me"
Comedian and Deal or No Deal host, Howie Mandel, released an excerpt from his new book, Here's the Deal: Don't Touch Me, in this week's People Magazine. Mandel, 53, has been very open about his diagnosis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), which manifests itself as an aversion to germs. As a child, he was bitten by a sand fly, which lead to a parasitic skin infection. Mandel strongly links this episode with his OCD, and frequently feels that organisms are crawling under his skin.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, OCD, is an anxiety disorder and is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Repetitive behaviors such as handwashing, counting, checking, or cleaning are often performed with the hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these so-called "rituals," however, provides only temporary relief, and not performing them markedly increases anxiety. OCD can be a frustrating disorder for those who have it, as well as for their family and friends. The seemingly unavoidable and uncontrollable obsessions and rituals can interfere substantially with schoolwork,job, family, and social activities.
Some recent studies show that as many as 3 million Americans ages 18 to54 may have OCD at any one time. This is about 2.3% of people in this age group. OCD affects men and women equally.
There is growing evidence that OCD has a biological basis. OCD is no longer attributed to family problems or to attitudes learned in childhood. Research suggests that OCD involves problems in communication between parts of the brain. These problems may be caused by insufficient levels of certain brain chemicals (called neurotransmitters), especially one named serotonin. Drugs that increase the brain concentration of these chemicals often help improve OCD symptoms. There may also be a genetic component, since OCD tends to run in families. No specific genes has yet been identified.
Treatment usually consists of a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and medications.
For more information:
| | Resounding Health(tm) OCD |
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David Hasselhoff Hospitalized for Seizure
Actor, singer, and America's Got Talent judge, David Hasselhoff was hospitalized at Cedar Sinai Hospital in LA yesterday after suffering from an apparent seizure. A 911 call from his daughter, Hayley, brought paramedics to the performer's home, and he was later transported to the hospital. Although Hasselhoff, 57, has been admitted for alcohol poisoning in the past, it is also reported that he was on anti-seizure medication, and it is inappropriate to speculate as to what the cause of the current episode is.
Seizures ("fits," convulsions) are episodes of disturbed brain function that cause changes in attention or behavior. They are caused by abnormally excited electrical signals in the brain. There is a broad spectrum of how this abnormal activity is manifested- anything from a short period of inattentiveness or staring (absence seizures) to a seizure which causes whole body shaking (generalized tonic-clonic seizures). Most seizures last 5 minutes or less. Afterward, the individual will seem very tired and will go to sleep. Epilepsy is a brain disorder involving repeated, spontaneous seizures of any type. About 2.7 million Americans have been treated for epilepsy in the past 5 years. That's 8 or 9 out of every 1,000 people.
In a previous blog about seizures, we touched on what you should do if you witness someone having a seizure. In this blog, we will discuss causes of seizures.
Sometimes a seizure is related to a temporary condition, such as exposure to or withdrawal from certain drugs, a high fever, or abnormal levels of sodium or glucose in the blood. Once the situation is corrected, the seizures do not return and the person does NOT have epilepsy.
In other cases, permanent injury to or changes in brain tissue cause the brain to be abnormally excitable. In these cases, the seizures can happen without an immediate cause. This is epilepsy. Epilepsy can affect people of any age.
The most common of cause of epilepsy is called idiopathic, which means the cause cannot be identified. These seizures usually begin between ages 5 and 20, but they can happen at any age. People with this condition have no other neurological problems, but sometimes have a family history of seizures or epilepsy.
Some other more common causes of epilepsy include:
- Stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA)
- Dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease
- Traumatic brain injury
- Infections (including brain abscess, meningitis, encephalitis, and AIDS)
- Problems that are present from before birth (congenital brain defects or metabolic diseases such as phenylketonuria)
- Injuries around the time of birth (in this case, seizures usually begin in infancy or early childhood)
- Kidney or liver failure
- Tumors or other structural brain lesions such as blood clots (hematomas) or abnormal blood vessels (aneurysms)
| | Resounding Health(tm) Seizures |
Sneak Preview: CelebDx Reloaded
Celebrity Diagnosis 2.0 will be coming soon to a browser near you. Our "reloaded" site will have not only a new look and feel but also a host of new features. Here's a sneak peek at the what's in store for you:
Remember that you can follow CelebDx on Twitter. The first 12 people to add a comment (below) will get a free Celebrity Diagnosis T-shirt!
NFL Concussion Experts Resign
In a week where two leading quarterbacks were sidelined by concussions, it is interesting to note that the co-chairmen of the league's committee on brain injuries have resigned. The two, Dr. Ira Casson and Dr. David Viano, had been criticized by the NFL Players Association as being biased in their evaluation of research about the long term impact of concussions in NFL players. The independent and league-sponsored studies linked NFL careers with a heightened risk for dementia and cognitive (thought) decline. Dr. Casson had criticized the studies, saying the sample size was too small and that more research needed to be done before an assessment could be made. According to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who announced the resignations, the committee on brain injuries was formed to evaluate specific types of plays to evaluating possible rules changes "to reduce head impacts and related injuries in a game setting." We're all for that!
"Football isn't a contact sport, it's a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport."
- Vince Lombardi, professional football coach (in Sports in America) by J. Michner
New Mammography Guidelines: Celebrities Speak Out
Many people have had strong reactions to the new guidelines on routine mammography screening for breast cancer. Unfortunately, the pros and cons of the new guidelines have become co-mingled with the current political debates about health care reform. People also seem to be confusing population health issues with their personal experiences. And the mainstream media have dumbed down and sensationalized the debate.
Influential celebrities have spoken out about these issues, an example of which is this Access Hollywood video featuring statements by:
We'd like to suggest that the new guidelines could actually be a blessing in disguise on the road to a new era of personalized medicine and customized care. In our view, Melissa Etheridge gets it right when she says: "We, women, have to start looking at ourselves and taking control of our health back...It's understanding your health...When someone tells you that you don't need a mammogram until you're 50, you know what, you take charge of that [decision]." Similarly, Sheryl Crow has said: "I encourage all women everywhere to advocate for themselves and for their future. See your doctor and be proactive about your health."
We completely agree with Ms. Etheridge and Ms. Crow that the key is to be a well-informed consumer who actively pursues a dialog with their healthcare providers about what is best for them, given their family medical history and all of the environmental factors that affect their personal health and well being. Our companion site, Resounding Health, is an important tool with which women can do online research about whatever health issues concern them and save the results for sharing with their families, healthcare providers and each other.
Let's look at some celebrity cases and consider how the guidelines might have affected them. In the case of Christina Applegate, no one would have denied her a mammogram given her family history and breast and ovarian cancer. Quite the contrary, much earlier and more frequent screening for breast cancer, and perhaps even genetic testing, would have been the most personalized and customized care for her. Similarly for Ms. Etheridge whose grandmother had breast cancer and Cynthia Nixon whose mother had the disease and whose mammograms began age 35 because of her family history. Jaclyn Smith's mother also had breast cancer, making her an exception to the new "general guidelines" that were recently issued. We don't know anything about Sheryl Crow's family medical history. If there was no family history of breast or ovarian cancer among the Crows, she is the only celebrity whose preventive medical care might have been affected by the new guidelines since she falls below the new cutoff age for routine screening.
More information
Influential celebrities have spoken out about these issues, an example of which is this Access Hollywood video featuring statements by:
- Jacylyn Smith: "I'm shocked. They want to abandon proven therapies. It's wrong."
- Olivia Newton-John: "We are being put back in the dark ages again...We are not data, we are human beings"
We'd like to suggest that the new guidelines could actually be a blessing in disguise on the road to a new era of personalized medicine and customized care. In our view, Melissa Etheridge gets it right when she says: "We, women, have to start looking at ourselves and taking control of our health back...It's understanding your health...When someone tells you that you don't need a mammogram until you're 50, you know what, you take charge of that [decision]." Similarly, Sheryl Crow has said: "I encourage all women everywhere to advocate for themselves and for their future. See your doctor and be proactive about your health."
We completely agree with Ms. Etheridge and Ms. Crow that the key is to be a well-informed consumer who actively pursues a dialog with their healthcare providers about what is best for them, given their family medical history and all of the environmental factors that affect their personal health and well being. Our companion site, Resounding Health, is an important tool with which women can do online research about whatever health issues concern them and save the results for sharing with their families, healthcare providers and each other.
Let's look at some celebrity cases and consider how the guidelines might have affected them. In the case of Christina Applegate, no one would have denied her a mammogram given her family history and breast and ovarian cancer. Quite the contrary, much earlier and more frequent screening for breast cancer, and perhaps even genetic testing, would have been the most personalized and customized care for her. Similarly for Ms. Etheridge whose grandmother had breast cancer and Cynthia Nixon whose mother had the disease and whose mammograms began age 35 because of her family history. Jaclyn Smith's mother also had breast cancer, making her an exception to the new "general guidelines" that were recently issued. We don't know anything about Sheryl Crow's family medical history. If there was no family history of breast or ovarian cancer among the Crows, she is the only celebrity whose preventive medical care might have been affected by the new guidelines since she falls below the new cutoff age for routine screening.
| Age at diagnosis | How detected? | Family history of cancer | |
| Christina Applegate | 36 | Mother (breast at age 38 & ovarian at 54) | |
| Sheryl Crow | 43 | Unknown | |
| Melissa Etheridge | 43 | Self-exam | Grandmother (breast) |
| Olivia Newton-John | 44 | Self-exam | Unknown |
| Cynthia Nixon | 40 | Mammogram | Mother (breast) |
| Jaclyn Smith | 56 | Mammogram | Mother (breast) |
More information
| | Resounding Health(tm) Mammograms & Mammography |
| | Resounding Health(tm) Breast Cancer |
| | Resounding Health(tm) Breast Cancer Genes |
Regis Philbin Having Hip Replacement Surgery
Talk show host Regis Philbin, age78, announced Monday that he will be taking of leave of absence from Live with Regis and Kelly to undergo hip replacement surgery. According to Philbin, "I've been limping around here; it really is painful." Philbin's surgery is scheduled for December 1, and is expected to out at least 6 to 8 weeks.
Hip replacement surgery seems to be a hot topic this week. Earlier today, we posted an blog about Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Recipient Little Richard having surgery on his hip. To read about hip replacement surgery, click here.
The traditional way of doing hip replacement surgery involves a 10-12 inch incision along the side of the hip. The underlying muscles are split or detached to allow exposure of the hip joint. Minimally invasive procedures are now appropriate for some patients. Minimally invasive hip replacement uses special tools inserted into one or two smaller incisions around the hip to do the procedure. There is less cutting into the muscles and other underlying tissues. The main advantages of minimally invasive hip replacement include:
- less pain
- shorter hospitalization stays
- faster rehabilitation
- less muscle damage
- more cosmetic results
Not ever patient is eligible for this procedure. According to the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons, candidates for minimal incision procedures are typically thinner, younger, healthier, and more motivated to have a quick recovery compared with patients who undergo the traditional surgery.
| | Resounding Health(tm) Hip Replacement Surgery |
Newest Installment in "Aging Rock Star Ailments:" Little Richard
He's in quite a bit of pain right now, so please be praying for a quick and full recovery. He may have a long road ahead of him (i.e. physiotherapy) because he waited so long to have the surgery.Hip replacement has been available since 1960, and with a series of surgical and technological improvements has become an increasingly effective treatment for hip pain. There are currently over 193,000 hip replacement procedures done in the US each year!The most common cause of hip pain leading to replacement is osteoarthritis, which is caused by wear and tear on the cartilage which lines the joint surface. Over time, this causes joint pain and stiffness. Initial treatment consists of anti-inflammatory pain relievers and physical therapy. However, when these measures are insufficient, hip replacement may be considered.
He is thankful to the LORD for the blessing of longevity and greatly appreciates the kindness and caring of all of the faithful warriors who have been uplifting him in prayer. Please continue to pray and remember that GOD loves and truly cares for you!! GOD bless you all in JESUS mighty name, amen!
In hip replacement, the ball-shaped head of the thigh bone (femur) is removed,and replaced with an metal stem, and a new hip ball. The joint in the hip is also replaced with a cup-shaped socket. This socket is lined with a smooth plastic surface to allow the joint to move smoothly. The replacement parts can be made of a number of different materials, including ceramics, metal,or plastic. The materials used is dependent on the age of the patient and amount of physical activity the patient expects to do postoperatively.
| | Resounding Health(tm) Hip Replacement Surgery |
Football Gives Quarterbacks More Than a Headache
What is a concussion?
The brain normally floats inside the skull, surrounded by spinal fluid. The brain has a consistency somewhat like jello, and although somewhat protected by the skull, is not completely protected by the impact of a violent force. Rapid changes in head movement, such a significant blow to the head, can cause the brain to hit against the inner wall of the skull, causing injury to the delicate brain tissue. There is also a chance that blood vessels in the brain can be torn, leading to bleeding in or around the brain.
- Changed level of alertness (drowsy, hard to arouse, or similar changes)
- Seizures (convulsions)
- Muscle weakness on one or both sides
- Continued confusion
- Persistent unconsciousness (coma)
- Repeated vomiting
- Unequal pupils
- Unusual eye movements
- Walking problems
- Ear ringing
- Impaired balance
For more information:
| | Resounding Health(TM) Concussion |
Bills' Eric Wood Suffers Leg Injury Too Bad to Replay
Buffalo Bills rookie defensive lineman, Eric Wood, sustained a severe leg fracture in today's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The injury occurred in the beginning of the 4th quarter, when Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a short pass to Josh Reed, and Wood was injured on the play. Wood's leg was bent forward at an "unnatural angle", breaking both his tibia and fibula. The injury was felt to be so "gruesome" that CBS declined showing it in instant replay. Wood is undergoing surgery to repair the fracture and will most likely be out for the rest of the season.
For those wanting to see the video, click here: (Warning, it is graphic!) Wood's jersey number is 70.
Just a bit of lower leg anatomy: The lower leg is comprised of two long bones.The tibia is the larger of the two, and is located toward the middle of the lower leg. The fibula is the smaller bone and it is located on the outside of the lower leg. There are three main muscles in the lower leg. The soleus and gastrocnemius muscles make up the calf, and the anterior tibial muscle runs along the outside of the leg in the front. There are also smaller muscles that help move the big toe and the foot in directions other than up and down.
Symptoms of a leg fracture include pain, swelling, decreased mobility, and sometimes, and obvious deformity of the legs as was probably the case here. If the bones remain in good alignment, the injury can be treated with casting to protect the leg while it heals. If the alignment is not good, surgery will be required to fix the fractured parts in place to allow for optimal healing. Failure to do so can lead to leg length discrepancies.
For more information:
| | Resounding Health(tm) Leg Fracture |
