Marion County Medical Center

Health Shorts

December 2004

Forgiveness Is Good Medicine
Emotions such as anger and stress create muscle tension which in turn can lead to chronic pain, particularly in the neck or back. In a study of 58 males and females with lower back pain, researchers at Duke found that subjects who practiced forgiveness experienced a significant reduction of physical pain as well as emotional stress.

In this instance, forgiveness was defined as a long-term effort to replace anger and resentment with understanding toward someone who has done you wrong.
[SOURCE: Susan Hayes, "Surprise Help for Sore Backs," Prevention, June, 2004]

Quick Relief for Back Pain
You bend over to pick up a paper clip and feel a sudden pain in your back so excruciating you can barely move. What do you do? Dr. Vijay Vad, a sports medicine specialist who works with professional golfers and tennis players, suggests a few simple measures:

Control your breathing.
Lie flat on your back and elevate your legs on a chair.
Try visual imagery to help you relax.

Dr. Vad is the author of "BACK Rx: A 15-Minutes-a-Day Yoga & Pilates-Based Program to End Low-Back Pain." In a one-year study, back patients doing the "BACK Rx" program three days a week had a 70 percent cure rate compared to 33 percent for a control group receiving the same medication and care but without the exercise.
[SOURCE: "Heal & Strengthen Your Back: Sports Medicine Specialist Offers a Clinically Proven Yoga/Pilates-Based Program To Relieve Low Back Pain without Surgery," Ascribe Health News Service, April 7, 2004]

Dealing with a Pain in the Neck
At least 67 percent of American adults will have neck pain at some time in their lives, whether because of a whiplash injury, a muscle strain or sprain, degenerative arthritis or simply too many hours in front of a computer monitor. To get relief:

Rest: try to avoid quick movements and any position that hurts. When you lie down, support the curve of your neck with a rolled-up towel or special pillow and place a pillow under your knees to take the pressure off your back.
Ice and heat: ice is good to use immediately after an injury to reduce swelling and inflammation. Heat soothes the pain and reduces pain and stiffness.
Exercise: you'll be surprised how much better your neck will feel after a good workout. Exercise will help you relax, take your mind off the pain and prompt the body to release natural pain-killing substances such as endorphins. Specific exercises to strengthen, stretch and relax the neck may also be effective.

[SOURCE: "Oh, My Aching Neck," Harvard Women's Health Watch," November, 2004]

Cyclists at Risk for Neck Pain
Cyclists were among those with a high risk of neck pain, according to a survey of about 4,500 British patients. The researchers attributed the increased risk to the posture used for cycling, repeated vibration, neck rotation and the use of neck extensor muscle groups.

Others at risk of neck pain included persons 45 to 59 years of age, particularly those in poor general health and fitness and those who had previously suffered back pain or neck injury.
[SOURCE: Joseph Varon, "When To Expect a Persistent Pain in the Neck," Internal Medicine Alert, October 15, 2004; J. Hill, et al, Spine, 2004;29:1648-1654]

Teachers Identify Anxiety in Students
A study conducted at three elementary schools found frequent anxiety symptoms, particularly among second and third graders. Teachers were able to correctly identify the most anxious children.

In this study, symptoms diminished with increasing age. Another study found, however, that the most anxious and/or shy first graders scored lower on achievement tests and had more emotional problems by the time they reached eighth grade.
[SOURCE: "Anxiety Symptoms among Elementary School Children," The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter, December, 2003]

What To Do about an Anxious Child
If you suspect that your child has an anxiety disorder, get a referral from your teacher, your pediatrician or the school psychologist and find a therapist who has experience treating anxiety in children. Make sure you feel comfortable talking with the therapist and setting up a constructive dialogue about your child.

If your child is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder:

Learn all you can about the disorder and help your child understand what is involved.
Make a list of accommodations, if any, the school might have to make and set up a meeting to discuss these with teachers and counselors.
Make sure your child's teacher understands the disorder.
Keep in touch with the teacher and the school and act quickly if problems arise, such as a drop in grades or an increase in your child's anxiety.

Recognize the efforts of school personnel and thank them for their help.
[SOURCE: "What To Do If You Suspect Your Child May Have an Anxiety Disorder," The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter, September, 2000]

Anxious Parent, Anxious Child
Anxiety disorders tend to run in families, and scientists believe genetics may play an important role. An anxious parent may also make a child's anxiety worse by being overly protective-leading the child to see the world as a dangerous place. Too many restrictions may also make it harder for the child to develop autonomy and self confidence.
[SOURCE: Michael S. Jellinek, "Calming the Anxious Child," Pediatric News, November, 2002; John Piacentini and Tami Roblek, "Recognizing and Treating Childhood Anxiety Disorders," The Western Journal of Medicine, May, 2002]

Youth Medication Use Increasing
The number of children taking antidepressant medication is much higher in the United States than in Europe and increasing rapidly. Between 1987 and 1996, the number of prescriptions written for patients under age 18 increased by as much as 4- to 10-fold, according to a 2003 study of two Medicaid systems and a health maintenance organization.

A 2003 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that sertraline (Zoloft) had a response rate of 69 percent among children aged 6 to 17 with major depression. The response rate for placebo, however, was nearly as high-59 percent. Other studies have found no benefit for sertraline or paroxetine among patients under age 18.
[SOURCE: "Should Children Take Antidepressants?" Harvard Mental Health Letter, December, 2003]

Any Placebo in a Storm
An eight-week study found that the antidepressant drug citalopram (Celexa) performed no better than placebo in treating the depression of 174 subjects aged 75 and over. One third of the subjects in both groups, however, showed a marked improvement in their symptoms.

The author pointed out that all subjects were given an "active intervention"-a free medical workup, an MRI scan, weekly visits with health professionals and free rides to and from their appointments. Whether improvements were caused by the drug or the supportive environment could not be determined.

Celexa is an SSRI, and this class of antidepressant does not appear to be as effective as other medications in treating older patients. Tricyclic antidepressants have side effects that make them unsafe for many persons with heart disease.
[SOURCE: Alison McCook, "Effectiveness of Antidepressant Unclear in Elderly," Reuters News, November 25, 2004; Steven P. Roose, et al, American Journal of Psychiatry, November, 2004]

Chest Pain May Persist after Angiography
Chronic chest pain is often the reason a person is referred for coronary angiography, a scan used to help diagnose coronary artery disease. One study found that 45 percent of women referred for angiography still had chest pain a year later-regardless of whether they were diagnosed with coronary artery disease or whether they underwent angioplasty or surgery.
[SOURCE: Kerri Wachter, "Persistent Chest Pain Common in Women after Angiography," Family Practice News, March 1, 2003]

Many Reasons for Chest Pain
Most Americans are aware of chest pain as a symptom of a heart attack-a sensation of pressure beneath the breast bone. Some persons experience tightness, squeezing, burning, aching, heaviness or choking in this area, sometimes radiating to the shoulder and up to the neck and jaw.

There are, however, many other reasons for chest pain-including a blood clot in the lungs, pneumonia, pleurisy or a muscle strain in the chest. Many of these conditions also call for emergency care and a prompt professional assessment.
[SOURCE: Greg Freiherr, "Boutique Imaging: Radiologist Builds Practice on CTA-Cardiologists and Vascular Surgeons Rely on Specialized Scans To Avoid Unnecessary Cardiac Cath Procedures," Diagnostic Imaging, September 1, 2003]

Many Resistant to Effects of Aspirin
Many Americans taking aspirin as preventive action against heart attack or stroke may not be getting the anti-platelet effect they expect. Recent studies have found that anywhere from 5 to 40 percent of aspirin users are apparently aspirin resistant, getting limited or no protection against blood clotting.

Aspirin resistance may be more prevalent among persons taking low-dose and coated aspirin. Genetic factors and interactions with other drugs may also be involved. Researchers caution patients not to change their aspirin dose without talking to a doctor.
[SOURCE: "Some People Are Resistant to Aspirin's Protective Effects," Mayo Clinic Health Letter, December, 2004; Stroke, January, 2004]

Health Shorts

December 2004

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