Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/ixvp4So9CZM   If you’re one the the 80% of Americans suffering from an aching back, a recently published study from the University of Michigan suggests you try acupressure on yourself.     Researchers there report a preliminary study of 67 middle-aged subjects who were randomized into groups to receive 6 weeks of either acupressure or conventional physical therapy.  Outcome measures included pain, fatigue, and sleep quality.   Those self-administering either relaxing or stimulating acupressure with a wooden stick, a pencil tip eraser, or a fingertip enjoyed a 35% reduction in back pain and a 26% reduction in fatigue symptoms.  The acupressure failed to improve sleep patterns.   This small study will be expanded, but it does show that Eastern medicine has a definite role in the management of back pain.  If you do suffer from this common problem, I’d suggest you visit an Eastern medicine practitioner to learn a proper acupressure technique.   Susan Lynn Murphy, Richard Edmund Harris,

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/fovGVOV83o8   If you’re told that you must have cardiac surgery during the summer when the fresh crop of training doctors hit the hospital, you can go to the operating room with confidence that you are safe.  A study from Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital shows that the complication rates for the most common heart procedures were no higher July through September than April though June.   The study reviewed data from more than 470,000 procedures including coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), aortic and mitral valve replacements, and thoracic aortic reconstructions.  There were no differences in complications, mortality, costs, or lengths of stay for those patients treated during the first or the fourth quarter of the med school academic year.   It is reassuring that, for critical cardiac surgery, safety nets are in place to assure uniformly high quality outcomes.  I would add, though, if you are having cardiac or any surgery, do your best to have it at institutions with the m

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/bfkDdLP53zs   If you were worried, a German study just published in the journal Neurology effectively dispels rumors that the common vaccines can trigger multiple sclerosis.  For added measure, vaccinations aren’t associated with Crohn’s inflammatory bowel disease or psoriasis either.   The study analysis included a dataset of over 200,000 subjects more than 12,000 of whom had diagnoses of MS.  The vaccines studied included the common ones against pneumococcal and meningococcal diseases, mumps, measles, rubella, chickenpox, human papilloma virus, hepatitis A & B, tick-borne encephalitis, and influenza.  There was NO association of MS with any of these vaccines..   This study adds to the many others that certify the safety of vaccines.  It should help dispel the fears of those trying to decide if they should undergo vaccinations of all sorts.  The real danger of vaccines is not using them!   Alexander Hapfelmeier, Christiane Gasperi, Ewan Donnachie, Bernhard Hemmer. A large case-

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/xvR4VNV6-sc   The S5 DNA methylation test is able to predict which women with pre-cancerous cervical tissue disease will go on to develop frank cervical cancer.  A study from London’s Queen Mary University is the latest in a string of investigations to underscore the predictive value of this assay.   The S5 pyrosequencing methylation test, papilloma virus genetic testing, and conventional cytology were carried out on 149 young women with grade 2 cervical dysphasia, a precancerous state.  The S5 test was significantly better than either viral genetic testing or cytology at predicting which women would be in the group of 17% to suffer progression, in the group of 60% to enjoy regression of their disease, or in the group of 23% to have stable disease.   Currently, the default recommendation for women with significant pre-cancerous cervical disease is surgical removal.  The procedure has a painful recovery period and can leave a woman with a uterus unable to protect against fetal infect

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/iPUfYdQswxA   Ten percent of Americans on the verge of qualifying for Medicare and Social Security drink themselves to oblivion on a regular basis.  A new NYU study reports this frightening statistic and adds that the tendency toward binge drinking is higher for men as well as tobacco or weed users.   The investigators studied nearly data from nearly 11,000 adults age 65 and older who responded to the recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health.  The 10 percent of them who binge drink is up from the 8% number seen a decade earlier.   The golden years bring enough health issues on their own without adding alcohol-related illnesses.  Most authorities recommend limiting alcohol consumption to 3 or fewer drinks a day.   Benjamin H. Han, Alison A. Moore, Rosie Ferris, Joseph J. Palamar. Binge Drinking Among Older Adults in the United States, 2015 to 2017. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2019; DOI: 10.1111/jgs.16071   #Bingedrinking #seniors #cannabis #tobacco

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/HAp735CbcYk   Packing up and moving to a new home during your first 3 months of pregnancy can harm your developing baby.  Epidemiologists at the University of Washington report an association of such a transition with a heightened risk of pre-term birth and a low birth weight.   Their study of more than 28,000 women revealed a 42% higher risk of birthing a premie and a 37% higher risk of a low birth weight.   Previous studies have shown that acute stress from natural disasters, familial death, and job loss has a negative impact on neonatal health particularly when it occurs during the first trimester.   If you are planning an addition to your family that will necessitate more living space, either move before you conceive or wait until the child is born.  This study once again underscores the sacroscant nature of the fetus’ first 90 days during which time it is most sensitive to the physical and emotional stress of the mother.   Julia C Bond, Amanda L Mancenido, Divya M Patil, Seth S

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/7-_1W4qDOjM   Cheating is not driven by necessity.  Behavioral scientists from Texas A&M and economists from  New York’s Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute report this conclusion after studying the population of a remote Guatemalan village.   The investigators observed the propensity of participants to cheat on a game of chance with a monetary prize during both periods of economic abundance and scarcity.  The results show that a high rate of cheating goes on whether or not there is a pressing need for it.  Cheating for a friend follows that same pattern but occurs less often than cheating for oneself.  The only light at the end of the tunnel was the willingness of the villagers to cheat and help strangers who were in the most dire straits. This study once again concludes that greed and dishonesty are basic human traits.  The only light at the end of the tunnel was the willingness of the villagers to cheat and help strangers during tough times.   Billur Aksoy, Marco A. Palma. The e

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/JMuULiMuzA0   If you come from a family where overweight or obese members are the rule, a new Chinese study pinpoints the best exercise routines for keeping yourself trim.  Regular jogging is the best overall activity for keeping your Body Mass Index (BMI), body fat percentage, and waist-to-hip ratios in the healthy range.   Walking, power or otherwise, dancing, extended yoga, and mountain climbing help control BMI, that is weight, but not the other parameters.  Bringing in the rear, surprisingly, are cycling, stretching, and swimming.  Cycling and swimming, though, are the easiest on your joints as they are non-weight bearing forms of aerobic exercise.   If you are fighting your family history of obesity, get into the jogging or intense exercise habit early.   Wan-Yu Lin, Chang-Chuan Chan, Yu-Li Liu, Albert C. Yang, Shih-Jen Tsai, Po-Hsiu Kuo. Performing different kinds of physical exercise differentially attenuates the genetic effects on obesity measures: Evidence from 18,424 Taiw

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/OhjYx7MntcA   Professional baseball players enjoy a 24% lower mortality rate from any cause compared with the average American man.  This observation stems from a Harvard study of more than 10,600 MLB players donning the uniform over the past century.   Compared with men the same age, the players’ were 20% less likely to die from cardiovascular causes and cancer, some 30% less likely to die from injuries, respiratory, digestive, and genitourinary problems, 50% less likely to succumb to diabetes, and 60% less likely to commit suicide.   The players health advantages come from their fitness.  You need not run out of a dugout most summer days to enjoy the same benefits if you exercise regularly.   Nguyen VT, Zafonte RD, Kponee-Shovein KZ, Paganoni S, Weisskopf MG. All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality Among Major League Baseball Players. JAMA Intern Med. Published online July 22, 2019. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.1218   #Baseball #mortality #fitness #exercise

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/3U6IEG03FJA   Cmon’ get happy by biting off a few squares of bittersweet chocolate.  A British study just published in the journal Depression and Anxiety makes that delicious suggestion.   The study looked at more than 13,600 Americans and analyzed their chocolate consumption and their likelihood of reporting depressive feelings.  Individuals who reported eating any dark chocolate were 70% less likely to report feeling down.  Even those who ate an abundance of milk chocolate benefitted.   The next time you anticipate a “downer derby” or find yourself in the midst of one, pull out those dark chocolate bars and enjoy.   Sarah E. Jackson, Lee Smith, Joseph Firth, Igor Grabovac, Pinar Soysal, Ai Koyanagi, Liang Hu, Brendon Stubbs, Jacopo Demurtas, Nicola Veronese, Xiangzhu Zhu, Lin Yang. Is there a relationship between chocolate consumption and symptoms of depression? A cross‐sectional survey of 13,626 US adults. Depression and Anxiety, 2019; DOI: 10.1002/da.22950   #Dark chocolate #depr

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/PUVfy3CCAVY   Frequent contact with friends helps 50 and 60 somethings avoid the scourge of later dementia. A team from University College London draws that conclusion after tracking more than 10,000 subjects over a 32 year period.   The participants documented the number and frequency of their social contacts via interviews.  Their mental status was captured via cognitive testing.   Daily social contacts were particularly valuable for those in their 60s with a significant 12% drop in dementia incidence.  The same trend held for those in their 50s and 70s with the numbers failing to reach statistical significance.     We can now add a card game a day or a meal with friends a day to that proverbial apple if you want to keep the doctor far away!   Andrew Sommerlad, Séverine Sabia, Archana Singh-Manoux, Glyn Lewis, Gill Livingston. Association of social contact with dementia and cognition: 28-year follow-up of the Whitehall II cohort study. PLOS Medicine, 2019; 16 (8): e1002862 DOI: 10

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/J9_peIVpHWo   Providing genetic testing and counseling to those with a family history of melanoma drove them to reduce their UV exposure by a whopping 50%.  This result comes from  a collaborative university study just published in the journal Nature.   The investigators provided genetic counseling to all of the 128 participants who had one or more relatives treated for melanoma.  Those from families known to harbor the CDKN2A, a melanoma trigger, gene also underwent genetic testing.   All participants having genetic counseling clocked a significant reduction in UV exposure and associated skin pigmentation whether they received formal genetic testing or not.  Knowledge is power, and knowing your family medical history may be lifesaving in so many ways.   Tammy K. Stump, Lisa G. Aspinwall, Danielle M. Drummond, Jennifer M. Taber, Wendy Kohlmann, Marjan Champine, Pamela B. Cassidy, Tracy Petrie, Ben Liley, Sancy A. Leachman. CDKN2A testing and genetic counseling promote reductions in

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/jWU87b8D9No   The short answers is a resounding NO.  This conclusion comes from a study at Harvard”s Mass. Eye and Ear Infirmary.   Ophthalmology researchers there tested 22 normally sighted drivers with and without yellow lenses for their ability to detect a dark-shirted pedestrian at night.  The yellow lenses did not improve the drivers response time to the pedestrian walking along in the presence or  absence of headlight glare.   So you night drivers can save the 15 to 30 bucks you were planning to spend on the glasses.  Without the crutch of a light filter, we all must rely on good old fashioned caution when driving at night.   Hwang AD, Tuccar-Burak M, Peli E. Comparison of Pedestrian Detection With and Without Yellow-Lens Glasses During Simulated Night Driving With and Without Headlight Glare. JAMA Ophthalmol. Published online August 01, 2019. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2019.2893   #Nightdriving #yellowlenses #glare

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/7lh6PGR-tnY   Maybe those Hell’s Angels streaking down the road on their “hogs” aren’t guilty of unhealthy activity after all.  A new study from the Medical College of Georgia and Ohio State University shows that body vibration leads to more, beneficial anti-inflammatory macrophages in the gastrointestinal system leading to a healthier bacterial content.  We know that a healthier GI microbiome helps your immune system, your general metabolism, and your brain function.   The researchers, using a mouse model, are the first to report that whole body vibration has such beneficial effects.  Previous studies have shown that such jiggling will improve glucose metabolism, liver lipid profiles, and type 2 diabetes.   The take home point: that annoying vibration you feel when bike riding on coarse pavement or, yes, riding that souped up Harley, may just help your system compensate for the metabolic effects of that cheeseburger-deluxe with Budweiser.  For at-home whole body vibration, you can

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/kfjZ1qVnPy4 I’m Dr. Howard Smith, PENTA Medical Network, reporting from NYC with the Health News Roundup for the 1st week of AUGUST, 2019.  This is Health News You Should Use, the latest medical discoveries and commonsense advice that you can use in a practical way to keep yourself and your family healthy.   Here are this weeks stories : We Overfeed Our Infants Summer Scorchers Create Sidewalk Burns The Blue Artificial Sweetener May Not Be Safe See First, Learn Better Caffeine Damages The Fetal Liver Red Wine May Fight Stress Infants Feel For The Bullied And Expect Justice Clot Removal Helps Even Large Strokes Softening Kids Middle School Transition Has Big Payoffs US News Names Top Hospitals For 2019 Smoking Harms Your Leg Circulation Forever Aluminum Cans May Be Fattening Your Kids Strength Training Saps Endurance Are Organic Apples Healthier? A Too Many CT Scans During Pregnancy   For show notes and references to for the stories, check out my website at: https://www.drhowardsmith.

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/x6FOnzucxYI   The past two decades has seen a 4-fold rise in the number of pregnant American women undergoing CT scans.  The numbers of Canadian women being scanned during pregnancy has doubled over the same period. Even with modern image intensification, this radiation presents increased risks to an entire generation of children.   The study just published in JAMA Network Open reviewed some 3.5 million pregnancies in the US and Canada.  During the 21 year study period, 5.3% of American women and 3.6% of Canadian women underwent imaging with ionizing radiation.  Rates in the US have been trending down while those in Canada are rising.   Pregnant women should always question their doctors carefully about the absolute medical necessity for any x-rays or scans.  Invasive tests, like medications of any kind, should be avoided during pregnancy if at all possible.   Marilyn L. Kwan, Diana L. Miglioretti, Emily C. Marlow, E. J. Aiello Bowles, Sheila Weinmann, Stephanie Y. Cheng, Kamala A.

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/P-1uQvW4Hew   Studies of our gut’s microbiome, our gastrointestinal tract’s collection of bacteria, show that it has a huge role in our body’s health.  Most of our gut bacteria come from raw fruit and vegetables, since cooking kills the majority of those in other foods we eat.  The most ubiquitous raw fruit is the apple, and it supplies many of the bacteria in our systems.   An Austrian study of apples just published in the journal Frontiers of Microbiology shows that the most beneficial bacteria are found in apples grown organically.  The highest numbers of bacteria are found in the seeds, the stems, and the ends of the apple, and those numbers are consistently higher for the organically-grown fruit.   If you look closely at the data though, the organic advantage is not huge.   Often the price difference is.  The bottom line is eat apples, any apples, and get the best price so that you can buy more.   Birgit Wassermann, Henry Müller, Gabriele Berg. An Apple a Day: Which Bacteria Do

Vidcast:  ttps://youtu.be/9BYS4pPwd8M   When you exercise for stronger muscles and increase your numbers of muscle strength fibers, you produce a neurotransmitter called Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor or BDNF.  This messenger then drives atrophy of your endurance muscle fibers.     This Yin-Yang relationship is newly described in a study from  Switzerland’s University of Basel.  This BDNF chemical is produced by the muscle itself in response to strengthening exercises.  It triggers remodeling of muscle from slow-twitch endurance fibers into fast-twitch strength fibers.   The investigators also showed that lower levels of BDNF in the muscles of seniors was associated with less decline of muscle bulk with aging.  That would suggest strength training is contraindicated for our elders.   Julien Delezie, Martin Weihrauch, Geraldine Maier, Rocío Tejero, Daniel J. Ham, Jonathan F. Gill, Bettina Karrer-Cardel, Markus A. Rüegg, Lucía Tabares, Christoph Handschin. BDNF is a mediator of glycolytic fiber-type specific

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/iJwiQp8uBiI   Aluminum cans containing drinks and foods that we all consume may be making us fat.  A study from NYU Medical School reports an association between childhood obesity and the bisphenol plastics used to line food and drink containers and produce thermal paper for cash register receipts.   The investigators compared data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys and with urine levels of the bisphenol plastics in children 6 to 19 yers of age.   The incidence of obesity increased with higher levels of plastic compounds in the urine.   This study merely detects an association, not a causal relationship, between obesity and plastics exposure.  Nonetheless, the smart money is on trying of avoid drinking and eating from aluminum containers.   Melanie H Jacobson, Miriam Woodward, Wei Bao, Buyun Liu, Leonardo Trasande, Urinary bisphenols and obesity prevalence among US children and adolescents, Journal of the Endocrine Society.  https://doi.org/10.1210/js.2019

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/afcH5ANj4AU   Let’s say that you smoked heavily in your younger years but then quit. That’s good news for your health, but a new study just published from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health shows that your risk of circulatory problems in your legs goes on for up to 30 years after you quit.   The study looked at 13,355 subjects at Hopkins, the University of North Carolina, and UC-San Diego for more than 26 years, and tabulated their development of peripheral arterial disease, coronary artery disease, and cerebral vascular disease with stroke.  Those who smoked the longest and most heavily had the highest risks in each category.   Most important was the finding that the risk of peripheral vascular disease lasted the longest at 30 years followed by coronary artery disease at 20 years.     This study proves that once your begin smoking, you are damaging your body for close to forever.   The best strategy is never to begin.   Ning Ding, Yingying Sang, Jingsha Chen, Shoshana H. Bal