Health Literacy

When was the last time you had a Pap Smear? Did your gynecologist tell you she found small white button like structures just at the opening of your cervix? That is probably a nabothian cyst, a mucus filled lump found on the surface covering the opening of the cervix, partial or total.

Nabothian cysts should not really be a scare, at least if it sure is one.

Your gynecologist will be accurate in telling you that, once the result of the Pap smear is released and says benign squamous epithelial cells.

This type of cyst usually appears as a result of mucus build up in the plugged cervical glands. They don’t usually have any symptoms and are only accidentally discovered during a routine pelvic exam.

If the gynecologist is in doubt of her findings and suspects cancer cells, the fluid may be drained and a biopsy is usually performed. Another test that can be done inside the clinic to complement the Pap result is the acetic acid test.

This simple procedure is done right after the Pap test, where a 3-5% acetic acid solution is washed through the cervix using a cotton swab or syringe. Then after one minute the appearance of the cervix is examined for color changes.

If the cervix appears pinkish and smooth with no aceto-white areas, the result is interpreted as Acetic acid test – negative. But, if the cervix appears swollen and bleeds, with the appearance of aceto-white areas it is interpreted as Acetic acid test – positive. A positive result will require further evaluation and management.

Once a nabothian cyst is confirmed, treatment is not necessary, unless it is large enough to cause discomfort or cause problems during a cervical examination, a simple cautery can be done to remove it.

Source: pnreddy1

New drugs not only offer hope, but possibly a better quality of life, for many waiting for new treatments. However, new drug approvals can also spark controversy. The FDA approved 17 new drugs this summer (June-August 2010). Many offer new promise, and one in particular promises a great deal of future debate.

Since nearly one in three Americans has high blood pressure, it isn't surprising that two of the 17 newly approved drugs are antihypertensives. The most recently approved drug is Tekamlo (aliskiren and amlodipine) from Novartis, a single-pill combination drug for high blood pressure. Tribenzor, is a new three-in-one combination drug that is taken once-daily to treat high blood pressure.  

The most controversial newly approved drug is the emergency contraceptive ella (ulipristal acetate) that can prevent pregancy for up to 5 days after sex.  Plan B, the so-called morning after pill, is less effective and can only be used within 3 days of having sex. ella has been available as ellaOne in Europe since May 2009 and will be available to US women this fall.

Many are against the FDA approval of ella
as a contraceptive when it can be used to induce abortion.
Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) says this classification may pave
the way to “covertly allow federal funding for abortion." (1)   Supporters and
opponents agree this approval highlights the increasing influence of
the FDA on political ideology and will be entangled with future political and
regulatory battles.

A promising new drug, Cuvposa (glypopyrrolate), is the first liquid treatment for children who suffer from chronic severe drooling associated with neurologic conditions such as cerebral palsy. The FDA reports that 78% of children on this drug reached clinical improvement during trials. 

The 17 new drugs approved this summer with their indications are listed in Figure 1. New drugs for asthma (Dulera), enlarged prostate (Jalyn), migraine (Alsuma), osteoporosis (Prolia), acne (Veltin), and erectile dysfunction (Staxyn) are a sampling of 2010 FDA approvals.  

Figure 1: FDA Newly Approved Drugs Summer 2010 (June-August) 

      (1). Stein, Rob. FDA approves ella as a 5-day-after emergency contraceptive. The Washington Post. August 14, 2010. 

Past blog entries on trending health topics on OrganizedWisdom or popular health searches on the Web:

Popular Celebrity Cancer Searches for August 2010 
10 Healthiest Foods 
10 Trending Health Topics…Hot Off the Press 
5 Trending Health Topics: Health Questions You're Too Afraid to Ask 
10 Trending Health Searches: Crisis-Everywhere-You-Turn Edition (April 26-May 2) 
5 Trending Health Topics: Healthy Skin Edition

By Julie Bohlen, MBA/HCM, ELS

Source: Julie Bohlen, MBA-HCM, ELS

Most couples wanted to have babies. However, because of some factors involved such as infertility, impotency, hormonal imbalance and others, some couples have difficulty conceiving.

Over the years, doctors and scientists have developed different means of conceiving, in vitro fertiliation or IVF among others. What is IVF? How is this done? Is this safe? These are just some of the questions couples are confronted with.

For anybody who wants to go through this way of conceiving, it is primordial to learn more about IVF and how can it be a method of having a baby. Here are some facts that will help one understand what is IVF all about.

Basic facts you should know about ivf

1. It was in the United States when IVF was finally conceived in 1981. This medical technique has given hope to millions of couples who wanted to have babies of their own but because of natural circumstances, are unable to do so. However, the first successful procedure was made in England.

2. Have you ever heard of a test tube baby? He or she is a product of IVF, commonly referred to as in vitro fertilization. This procedure involves surgically extracting an egg cell from the woman’s womb and mixed with sperm in a laboratory dish.

After forty hours, doctors will then check if they have become fertilized. Once fertilized, they are placed in the woman’s uterus. These eggs are called embryos. Quite amazingly, IVF used to be an out of this world scientific breakthrough is now an accepted method widely practised.

3. About 5% of couples that are incapable of child bearing have resorted to in vitro fertilization. One can say that what is aphrodisiac to lovers is like what is IVF to infertile couples.

4. IVF is also used as a technique of child bearing for males with low sperm counts.

5. This method is used when all other options are not feasible. It may involve several tries until it becomes successful. IVF for a first-timer might even be nerve-wracking because of the many different types a couple has to undergo. Nevertheless, the end result of IVF may bring to a couple is very rewarding.

6. Conceiving through in vitro fertilization is safe and only a minimal percentage of side effects have been recorded. It may be costly but if this is the only chance for a couple to have a baby, price wouldn’t matter. There are a lot of fertility clinics offering such method but it is always best to ask your obstetrician about this procedure.

In an era where all questions have answers and all problems have solutions, childless couples have found hope through in vitro fertilization. IVF as a medical discovery is proof to this.

Although around 65% of the recorded procedures has been successful, it is not a guarantee that babies conceived through this method will grow healthy. But then again, it is always worth a try. After all, life is a gamble.

Source: admin2

If the Emmy Awards were any indication, deep blue seems to be a color on the rise.  Crayola’s Midnight Blue was my very first “favorite color” and I still enjoy these dark, inky blues.  So, inspired by blue, the following is a look at Sunday’s red carpet gowns and additional examples of beautiful, deep shades of blue.  Hope you enjoy.  Have a fantastic day!

Photo sources: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7.

Source: Piper

According to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, surgical removal of breasts and ovaries of women with certain gene mutation, improves their longevity.  Women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations are at a 56% to 84% lifetime risk of developing breast cancer — five times the risk of non-carriers.

Researchers found that those women, who had the precautionary surgical removal of their fallopian tubes and ovaries, were seen to be at 89% lesser risk of developing ovarian cancer. In addition, this prophylactic surgery also lessened their chances of developing breast cancer by 61%.

Among those high risk women who carried the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations, who underwent prophylactic mastectomies, none went on to develop breast cancer.  Over all the longevity prognosis of the study participants was also seen to improve greatly when they had the surgeries performed.

This research proves a long help medical hypothesis that preemptive surgery can reduce cancer risk very greatly.  It is recommended that all women who have the BRCA gene mutation should have surgical breast removal. It is also recommended the mutation carriers, once they are finished having children, should also have their ovaries removed to reduce their predisposition to cancer.

Source: pnreddy1