Category Archives: Health Updates

Nothing beats stress and pain faster than a good laugh. Laughter brings back the balance of your mind and body. It uplifts and inspires you, helps you stay grounded and relieves your burdens. When shared, laughter binds and keeps you connected with others. It triggers intimacy and closeness. Its domino effect can be seen in the joy and amusement that it brings. Laughter also brings healthy changes to our bodies. It strengthens our immune system as well as boosts our energy. No wonder laughter is regarded as the best medicine. And best of all, you don’t need to spend a…

A new study reveals that multiple sclerosis (MS) is not caused by a blood vessel disorder. Accordingly, there is no need for MS patients to undergo any surgical procedure that involves opening the veins that connect the spinal cord and brain to the heart. While surgery is a very appealing quick-fix solution, Dr. Bridget Bagert of Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans says, “It’s really not the right thing to do if the problem isn’t established as being real.” MS is an inflammatory disease that involves the deterioration of the fatty myelin sheaths that wrap around the axons of the…

According to a new study published in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association, obstructive sleep apnea can cause a diminished flow of blood to the heart due to the changes it can cause in the blood vessel function. Obstructive sleep apnea involves periodic breathing pauses during sleep. According to the American Heart Association, this sleeping disorder affects nearly 15 million people and is a risk factor to heart disease and high blood pressure. The researchers examined the blood vessel functions of 108 healthy patients. Divided into groups of 36 members, the group was segregated accordingly: Those with obstructive sleep…

A new study revealed that leading a sedentary lifestyle can also lead to the development of blood clots in the lungs, the British Medical Journal reported. The study targets women in particular, which stated that women who don’t engage in any physical activity are at least twice as likely to develop a pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary embolism is a resulting complication when a blood clot is severed from its place and travels through the bloodstream and into the lungs. This can result in difficult breathing and chest pains. If left unattended, pulmonary embolism can be a potentially lethal condition. Prompt diagnosis…

Although dialysis is considered a life-extending measure for people with kidney failure, blood clotting can be one of its common complications. Researchers from Stanford University’s School of Medicine announced this adverse consequence resulting from a drop in blood pressure in patients undergoing dialysis. Lead researcher Dr. Tara Chang, MD, revealed that dialysis patients are exposed to an increased risk of blood clotting when their blood vessels are attached to a machine called the point of vascular access. Our kidneys are responsible for clearing waste from the blood. When something’s wrong with our kidneys, most doctors resort to dialysis. In certain…

A San Francisco-based company is producing laboratory-grown blood vessels, which can be used to help diabetics, amputee soldiers and patients undergoing heart surgery, among others. Cytograft Tissue Engineering Inc. has designed these lab-grown veins and arteries, which are free from artificial substances. According to Todd McAllister, his company makes use of cells removed from the donor’s hand. They grow and develop these cells into tissues, which in turn are rolled up to form blood vessels. It is reported that three patients from Poland have received the world’s first lab-grown blood vessels from Cytograft. Mr. McAllister says that this project is…

Laser ablation and radiofrequency ablation are new methods to treat varicose and spider veins. They are minimally invasive procedures (require no open surgery) and both use heat to shrink and shut off the varicose vein or the underlying abnormal deep vein that is causing the varicosity. What is laser ablation? Endovenous laser ablation (EVLT) uses a laser fiber that is inserted through the skin and directly into the varicose vein. Guided by ultrasound, the lining inside the faulty vein is slowly heated with focused light from a needle-thin catheter (flexible tube). This destroys the vein walls, causing the vein to…

The combination of leg compression and medication is more effective in preventing deep vein thrombosis (blood clots in deep veins) and pulmonary embolism (blood clots traveling to the lungs) in high-risk individuals than using either one of these treatments alone. This finding is based on data from 11 trials involving 7,431 patients. Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when sitting still for long periods of time in cramped conditions, such as long car rides or plane trips. DVT also commonly develops during prolonged immobility, such as when undergoing surgery, bed rest or hospitalization. Most deep…

What are varicoceles? A varicocele is a varicose vein of the testicle and scrotum. Varicoceles can cause pain, testicular atrophy (shrinkage) or fertility problems. Veins contain one-way valves that allow blood to flow from the testicles and scrotum back to the heart. Just like varicose veins in the leg, when the veins of the scrotum are damaged or blocked, the blood pools and enlarges the veins, causing varicoceles. Roughly 10 percent of men have varicoceles, and every year as many as 70,000 to 80,000 men in America undergo surgical treatment for varicocele. They are more common in men aged 15…

What are the symptoms of varicose veins? Some people with benign varicosities do not experience discomfort, but those with long-standing varicose veins experience the following symptoms: · Throbbing or aching pain and heaviness in the legs · Visibly enlarged blue or purplish veins · Mild swelling of ankles · Muscle cramping · Itching around the veins · Skin discoloration at the ankles · Skin ulcers near the ankle in severe cases What causes varicose veins? Varicose veins are swollen veins that bulge to the skin’s surface. They sometimes become tortuous or twisted. They occur due to weak valves in the…