Ivanhoe Insider

Newsletter

5/26/08

Greetings from London!

I was married on Memorial Day in 1970, so I always think of it occurring only on the 30th, but the federal government does not follow my lead on this…or many other things! By the way, I’m spending Memorial Day in London with three teenagers, followed by a trek with them to explore Paris.

Whether we’re battling a health condition or enjoying good health, everyone wants to be pain-free, and on the site this week most all of our reports involve reducing pain. Take a look at our story from Washington, D.C. on the quick, painless (and bloodless!) test for detecting diabetes that involves using fluorescent light to non-invasively measure the effects of high glucose levels that takes three minutes instead of two hours. Also easing pain is the brand new ankle replacement that’s helping people with rheumatoid arthritis walk pain-free. According to Cleveland Clinic’s Brian Donley, M.D., “Almost all patients have had complete relief of pain.”

Another report from the Cleveland Clinic is about the “spider cage” which is a colorful system of bungee cords and weights designed to build strength, muscle control and confidence in kids with neurological disabilities. By working out in the spider cage, kids are taught how to use one muscle at a time and how to isolate one muscle from another. I love the idea of such exhausting workouts disguised as playtime. And children with scoliosis now have a new, less painful way of being treated. Check out our story from Arizona on the recently FDA-approved therapy to repair curved spines using stem cells harvested from the patient’s own bone marrow.

UCLA’s Emeran Mayer, M.D. discusses how the brain is involved in the pain experienced by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients in this week’s In-Depth Doctor’s Interview. What I found particularly encouraging about his research is how they’re refusing to accept the traditional dichotomy of the approach “is the pain psychological or real” (meaning biological). Read the interview to learn more about this common problem and how they’re retraining the brain to respond differently to stressors – including pain.

In case you missed them, you may want to check our past reports, Saving Money on Blood Pressure Meds or Heart Disease Risks for Women Premium Content in the Archives may be purchased for as little as $9 for 24-hour, unlimited access. If you would like to access Premium Content for the first time click here.

Finally, I don’t know about the rest of you, but going to the dentist is not my idea of fun. In fact, it turns out that nine to 15-percent of Americans avoid dental treatment, with women two and a half times more likely to fear the dentist than men. The good news is, an increasing number of dentists like Dr. James Moreau of the More Smiles Dental Spa in Louisiana are adding services you’d expect to find at a spa. Paraffin dips for your hands, cozy blankets, and massage are helping dental patients feel more comfortable … just one more reason to visit Covington, Louisiana!

And there's more where that came from...

Marjorie Bekaert Thomas
President, Ivanhoe Broadcast News

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