Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DBuJCUjMyO0/ When someone, usually an athlete such as a football or hockey player, sustains a head injury on the field of play, coaches and parents wonder whether the injury is significant, whether it is a true concussion requiring additional medical attention.  Now a retrospective survey from Boston University’s CTE and Alzheimer’s Research Centers suggests that a simple head shake following head injuries correlates closely with true concussions. The sign of concussion, called the SHAAKE which stands for Spontaneous Headshake After a Kinematic Event, is a rapid back and forth head motion following a blow to the head.  For all sports, SHAAKE had a 72% positive predictive value for diagnosing a self-reported concussion.  For football, the positive predictive value was 99.5%. This easily recognizable sign should alert all concerned that an athletic has very likely sustained a concussion and requires further medical diagnostic and therapeutic measures. https://www.mdpi.

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DBuIToZNyHR/ Northwestern University bioengineers in conjunction with Washington University-St. Louis surgeons and anesthesiologists have developed an implantable device, dubbed the Naloximeter, that monitors opioid levels and automatically administers the antidote naloxone as such levels rise to life-threatening levels.  The device has an integral optical sensor to measure opioid levels and a reservoir of naloxone to source an automatic injection.  The device will also alert medical first responders.   Narcotic overdoses kill more than 75,000 Americans yearly, and that number is on the rise.  The Naloximeter, when clinically available, will put a dent in that statistic….. someday soon. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adr3567 #opioids #overdose #naloxone #naloximeter #washingtonU #northwest #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/drhowardsmithreports/ A good many ocean cruises have been abruptly ruined by a norovirus infection literally galloping through the hapless passengers.  Two norovirus vaccines are in development that may put a stop to this vacation-disrupting pathogen. Moderna, famous for its CoVid vaccine, is developing a single shot mRNA vaccine against 3 common subvariants of norovirus.  Initial trials show that the vax is well-tolerated and triggers the development of a significant antibody response against norovirus.   A large phase 3 study to prove its effectiveness to prevent and stifle norovirus is now underway. Meanwhile the San Francisco company Vaxart is developing an oral vaccine.  While effective, it was unable to prevent a significant percentage of infections.  In a small study, this norovirus pill did reduce the incidence of emesis by 35% and reduced viral shedding. The good news is that these vaccines will be refined and be able to prevent this nasty virus from flushing

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DBuGughN6DG/ Neuroscientists in London and Texas now report the successful management of major depression using at-home application of transcranial direct current electrical stimulation.  A total of 174 subjects with depression participated in the 10 week trial.  Half of the group received 30 minute at-home electrical stimulations with a week current between two electrodes while the other half, the controls, received sham stimulation. Those receiving true stimulation enjoyed a 3-fold greater improvement in their depression severity.  The rate of depression remission was twice as high for the treatment group versus the controls. At-home electrical stimulation offers another mode of therapy to those depressed individuals who either have side effects with medications or fail to respond to them. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-03305-y #depression #transcranial #dcstimulation #home

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DBuF7AgNVJX/ The American Headache Society is just out with a position statement recommending the use of anti-CGRP drug therapy for the prevention of migraines.  Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptides, CGRPs for short, have been recognized as drivers of these devastating headaches.  A meta-analysis of the studies that tested the drugs that block them have proven their effectiveness. These drugs include the antibodies erenumab, marketed as Aimovig, galcanezumab, branded as Emgality, fremanezumab, marketed as Ajovy, and epitinezumab, branded Vyepti.  Also extremely effective are the gepant drugs atogepant, marketed Qulipta, zavegepant, branded Zavzpret, rimegepant, marketed as Nurtec, and ubrogepant, marketed as Ubrelvy. Neurologists specializing in the management of headaches have embraced the use of these drugs.  They now recommend their use to primary care physicians who manage 75% of patients with migraine headaches.  If you are a migraine sufferer, do ask your medical te

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DBuFOozsd4X/ Taking semaglutide, marketed as Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy, reduced the risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease by 40 up to 70 percent, compared with other medications.  This the finding of a large retrospective case study of over 1 million type 2 diabetics by Cleveland’s Case Western University  and published in the Alzheimer’s Association journal. The researchers compared the incidence of a first time diagnosis of Alzheimer’s in those diabetics taking semaglutide versus those taking insulin or other diabetic medications.  Semaglutide reduced the risk of this dementia by 67% compared with insulin and even a more moderate 41% compared with other GLP-1 receptor agonists but not the newest tirazepatide.  This benefit was true for type 2 diabetics with or without a diagnosis of obesity. This observation, if confirmed with prospective randomized studies, could add Alzheimer’s Disease prevention to the list of benefits for the GLP-1 receptor agonists which a

Vidcast:   https://www.instagram.com/p/DBuEaHSt2nH/ With the colder weather on its way, you’ve heard lots of talk about the Influenza and CoVid vaccines.  It’s now time to get both of these but two others as well to protect you and yours against pneumococcal pneumonia and respiratory syncytial  viral pneumonia.   These two diseases as well as the flu and CoVid could land you in the hospital or in a box. The CDC’s immunization advisory panel is now recommending that ALL adults 50 years or over receive the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine or PCV.  This expands the previous CDC recommendations that all children younger than age 5, adults 19 through 65 with underlying medical issues, and all those over 65 receive the latest pneumococcal vaccine, so called PCV21. The FDA has expanded its recommendation that ALL adults receive the RSV vaccine.  The vaccine was previously recommended only for those 60 years and older as well as for pregnant women in order to protect their babies at birth. https://www.medscape.com

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DBhEhCdPGDV/ The Food and Drug Administration and C&A Naturistics have recalled AK Forte Dietary Supplement, marketed for arthritis.  This product is contaminated with diclofenac, dexamethasone, and methocarbamol. Diclofenac is an NSAID that can irritate the gastrointestinal tract linings and thin your blood. Dexamethasone is a powerful corticosteroid.  Methocarbamol is a skeletal muscle relaxant that can impair your thinking and reaction times. If you are taking this supplement, consult with your medical team for a safe withdrawal strategy as stopping steroids suddenly can be dangerous.  For more information, call C&A Naturistics at 1-619-498-9811 or reach them by email at naturisticsca@gmail.com. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/ca-naturistics-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-ak-forte-tablets-con-ortiga-y-omega-3-due-presence #AKForte #supplement #diclofenac #dexamethasone #methocarbamol #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DBhDsegMZFh/ The Food and Drug Administration and Church Brothers LLC have recalled green onions due to salmonella contamination.  This bacterium can cause serious and sometimes fatal gastrointestinal and systemic infections in young children, elderly persons, and others with weakened immune systems.   These onions were sold across the US in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia as well as in Canada under the brands Trader Joe’s, Church Brothers, and Imperial Fresh. Do not consume these green onions.  Return them to the place of purchase for a refund.  More information by phone at 1-877-590-0428 or via email at consumerinfo@churchbrothers.com. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/church-brothers-farms-recall-green-onions-due-possible-health-risk #greenonions #churchbrothers #traderjoes #imperialfresh #salmonella #infection #recall greenonions, churchbrothers,

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DBhC2uguUXG/ The Food and Drug Administration and Dakota Tom’s Sandwiches have recalled Dakota Tom’s Pepperjack Cheeseburger, Bacon Cheeseburger and The Gambler sandwiches.  They contained listeria-tainted BrucePac burgers. This bacterium causes a severe and sometimes fatal systemic infection in the very young, older frail individuals, and those with weakened immune systems.  Listeria can also trigger miscarriages and stillbirths.   These sandwiches were sold in grocery and convenience stores: South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wyoming. Do not consume these contaminated sandwiches.  Return these products to the place of purchase for a full refund.  More info at Dakota Tom’s phone 1-605-946-5123. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/dakota-toms-sandwiches-recalls-pepperjack-cheeseburger-bacon-cheeseburger-and-gambler-because #dakotatoms #sandwiches #listeria #burger #infection #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DBhBWLVJh5D/ The Food and Drug Administration and Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc. recalling 5 bag packages of Shirakiku Korean Seasoned Seaweed.  The outer bag fails to include sesame in the ingredient list but the smaller bags containing the product do list the sesame.   These 5 item bags of seaweed were sold in: California, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Washington, New York, and Nevada. If you bought these 5 item bags of this seasoned seaweed, do pay attention to the ingredient list on the inner packages.  For additional information, email the company at recall@wismettacusa.com. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/wismettac-asian-foods-issues-allergy-alert-undeclared-sesame-seasoned-seaweed #shirakiku #korean #seasoned #seafood #sesame #allergy #rccall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DBhAgNHp7ep/ The Food and Drug Administration and Reser’s Fine Foods are recalling Bistro 28 and Don Pancho branded Chicken Quesadillas, Tacos, and Enchilada Express Meal Kits as well as Bistro 28 Burrito Bowl kits.  These products contain listeria-contaminated chicken provided by BrucePac.  Affected are products with Use By dates from 9/13-11/21/2024. These meal kits were sold in: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming. Do not consume these food products or any part of the meal kits containing them.  Return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.  For more information about the recall, contact Reser’s at 1-888-223-2127. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/resers-f

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DBg_yCsNYBJ/ The Food and Drug Administration and the Tipical Latin Food Corp. have recalled Los Andes Foods Cachapa de Maiz sweet corn pancakes as they contain undeclared wheat.  Those with an allergy to wheat could develop a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction should they consume this product.  Affected are lot numbers 2622404 to 2772412. These corn pancakes were sold by Trimar USA LLC in Miami, Florida. If you, your family members, or visitors to your home have a wheat allergy or have celiac disease, return these corn pancakes to the place of purchase for a full refund.  For more information, call Trimar at 1-786.703.6161. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/tipical-latin-food-corp-issues-allergy-alert-undeclared-wheat-cachapa-de-maiz #losandes #cachapademaiz #corn #pancakes #wheat #allergy #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DBg_IKHMQE3/ The Food and Drug Administration and the Enoki King Mushroom Farm are recalling Enoki King Enoki Mushrooms once again due to listeria contamination.  This bacterium causes a severe and sometimes fatal systemic infection in the very young, older frail individuals, and those with weakened immune systems.  Listeria can also trigger miscarriages and stillbirths.  These mushrooms were sold in CA and in NY. Don’t consume these mushrooms but return them to the place of purchase for a refund.  For more information, call Enoki King at 1-718-290-6617. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/enoki-king-mushroom-farm-recalls-enoki-because-possible-health-risk #enoki #mushrooms #listeria #infection #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DBg-ZRhPnTe/ The Consumer Product Safety Commission and Oliva Cigars are recalling Nub, Series V, Cain, and Oliva branded Promotional Cigar Slim Lighters.  These lighters lack child-resistant mechanisms. Young children could ignite these units leading to fires, burns, and worse. About 60,000 of these lighters were given away as promotional items by wholesalers and retailers in marketing campaigns and in cigar lounges from August 2022 through July 2024. Do not keep these lighters around the house if you have children.  Dispose of these units safely.  These lighters were free and the manufacturer is not offering refunds. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Oliva-Cigars-Recalls-Cigar-Slim-Lighters-Due-to-Missing-Child-Safety-Feature-Posing-Burn-and-Fire-Hazards-Violations-of-Federal-Regulations-for-Cigarette-Lighters #oliva #cigar #lighters #promotional #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DBg9pz2shD5/ The Consumer Product Safety Commission and Anker Innovations are recalling Anker Power Banks, model numbers A1642, A1647 and A1652.  The lithium-ion batteries in these units can overheat leading to fires and burns. About 2100 of these power banks were sold at Best Buy, Target, NEXT TRADING SAS, C2 Wireless and K Spider Inc. stores nationwide, and online at Amazon.com, ebay.com, AAliExpress.com, and Walmart.com. Stop using and recharging these power banks.  Contact Anker by phone at 1-800-988-7973 or via email at support@anker.com to receive a free replacement power bank.  Dispose of these lithium-ion units at local recycling facilities. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Anker-Power-Banks-Recalled-Due-to-Fire-and-Burn-Hazards-Manufactured-by-Anker-Innovations #anker #powerbank #batteries #lithiiumion #overheatng #fires #burns #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DBg8ZEcRUFX/ The Consumer Product Safety Commission and Colsen Pits LLC are recalling all Colsen-branded indoor/outdoor tabletop fire pits.  These fire pits burn liquid alcohol.  Alcohol flames are invisible: refilling the fire pit while ignited can lead to devastating flame flashback to the alcohol container; alcohol can splash out creating a flash fire with larger, hotter flames. About 89,500 of these fire pits were sold online at colsenfirepits.com, Amazon, Wayfair, Walmart, Sharper Image, FlipShop, Grommet, Meta, and TikTok. Immediately stop using these fire pits and dispose of them. BTW, it is illegal to resell or donate recalled products.  Try contacting your seller for a refund.  For more information about this recall. Contact Colsen by email at info@colsenfirepits.com or online at https://colsenfirepits.com/. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Colsen-Recalls-Fire-Pits-Due-to-Risk-of-Serious-Burn-Injury-from-Flame-Jetting-and-Fire-Spreading-Hazards #colsen #fi

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DBg5lDDNF8_/ The Consumer Product Safety Commission and Textron Specialized Vehicles are recalling Model Years 2022-2024 Arctic Cat Prowler Pro / Pro Crew and Tracker Off Road 800SX / 800SX Crew Side by Side Recreational Off Highway Vehicles (ROVs).  These vehicles have defective parking brakes leading to crashes and injuries to riders, bystanders, and property. About 7,000 of these recreational off-road vehicles were sold in the US and about 700 were sold in Canada.  Note that some of these ROVs were previously recalled on November 2023. Stop riding and parking these off-road vehicles.  Contact Textron at 1-800-279-2281 or via email at arcticcatwarranty@textron.com to arrange a free repair.  This includes a new shift cable bracket, shift sensor, and a decal to be placed at the dash display. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Textron-Specialized-Vehicles-Expands-Recall-of-Arctic-Cat-and-Tracker-Side-by-Side-Recreational-Off-Highway-Vehicles-Due-to-Crash-Hazard-Recall-

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DBe2lddMF-n/ The Food and Drug Administration and Albertsons Companies have recalled 12 types of ReadyMeals and store-made deli items, supplied by Fresh Creative Foods, due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.  These items contain tainted chicken from BrucePac.  Listeria causes a severe and sometimes fatal systemic infection in the very young, older frail individuals, and those with weakened immune systems.  Listeria can also trigger miscarriages and stillbirths.  These ReadyMeals and store-made deli items were sold at the following stores: Albertsons, Carrs-Safeway, Eagle, Jewel-Osco, Pavilions, Randalls, Safeway, Shaw's, Star Market, Tom Thumb and Vons. These stores are located in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming. Do not consume these items.  Return them to the place of purchase for a f

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DBe1fb6voT3/ The Food and Drug Administration and Treehouse Foods Inc. have recalled multiple brands of frozen waffles due to listeria contamination.  This bacterium causes a severe and sometimes fatal systemic infection in the very young, older frail individuals, and those with weakened immune systems.  Listeria can also trigger miscarriages and stillbirths.  Affected are the following brands: Best Choice, Breakfast Best, Clover Valley, Compliments, Essentials, Food Lion, FoodHold, Giant Eagle, Good & Gather, Great Value, Hannaford, Harris Teeter, H-E-B Higher Harveet,  Kodiak Cakes, Pics By Price Chopper, Publix, Schnucks, SE Grocers, Simple Truth, Tops, Western Family, and No Name. If you have these waffles in the freezer or fridge, do not consume them.  Return them to the place of purchase for a refund.  For more information, call Tree House Foods at 1-800-596-2903. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/treehouse-foods-announces-