19Feb 2023 by Janice Holland
A History of Stressors and Childhood Trauma May Predict Worse Menopausal Symptoms and Well-Being

A History of Stressors and Childhood Trauma May Predict Worse Menopausal Symptoms and Well-Being

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Past studies have shown that women who have experienced trauma (physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, financial instability) are more likely to have worse menopausal symptoms than women who haven’t. But previous studies had small numbers of participants, focused on current stressors only, or on childhood stressors only. Research published September 13, 2022, in Menopause analyzed data from a longitudinal study of women and children to examine the long-term effects of abuse on menopause symptoms. Researchers were able to look at history of trauma and abuse during childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. Source link
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19Feb 2023 by Janice Holland
Painless, Bloodless Tattoos Possible With New Microneedle Technique

Painless, Bloodless Tattoos Possible With New Microneedle Technique

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Tattoos may seem like they’re everywhere, and no longer taboo. But widespread medical use of tattoos has been limited because of the need for repeated needle injections that can be painful and carry risks of bleeding and infection.Now scientists have developed a way to avoid these deterrents: a tattoo patch containing microscopic needles that can quickly color skin without causing pain or drawing blood. These single-use microneedle tattoo patches work for both color images and for markings visible only with ultraviolet illumination, according to a study published September 14 in iScience.“We've miniaturized the needle so that it's painless but still effectively deposits tattoo ink in the skin,” said the senior study author, Mark Prausnitz, PhD, of the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, in…
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19Feb 2023 by Janice Holland
Many Older Adults Are Not Getting Prescribed the Blood Pressure Treatment They Need

Many Older Adults Are Not Getting Prescribed the Blood Pressure Treatment They Need

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More than 7 in 10 older adults in the United States who need more intensive treatment for high blood pressure don’t get it, according to a new Harvard study. The findings, published on September 16, 2022, in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension, suggest that millions of people are being undertreated, putting them at increased risk of heart attack and stroke."We haven't been doing well, despite robust evidence demonstrating the strong benefits of good blood pressure control in older adults," said the lead study author, Nicholas Chiu, MD, a clinical fellow at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, in a press release. "This is a major public health gap that needs to be tackled."Nearly Half of American Adults Have High Blood PressureBlood pressure is simply a measurement of the pressure of…
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19Feb 2023 by Janice Holland
Foot Massage Can Help Ease Sleep Trouble, Other Menopausal Symptoms

Foot Massage Can Help Ease Sleep Trouble, Other Menopausal Symptoms

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Good news for women around menopause who experience poor quality sleep and increased anxiety: A new study published today in Menopause shows that foot massages can help alleviate those disruptive symptoms.Menopausal Transition Brings Physical ChallengesAs women approach and go through menopause, the decrease in estrogen can cause a number of challenges: hot flashes; insomnia, night sweats, and other sleep disruptions; sexual dysfunction; and vaginal dryness.Hormonal Flux Impacts Mood, Sleep Problems Contribute to FatigueAt the same time, mood changes may occur, notes the North American Menopause Society, putting midlife women at risk for issues such as anxiety, depression, and mood swings. Because of the sleep issues and the night sweats, brain fog and fatigue can become a symptom as well.Foot Massages Promotes Relaxation, Improves SleepA review published in 2020 in JAN (Journal…
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19Feb 2023 by Janice Holland
How to Get Sufficient Doses of the COVID-19 Vaccine When You Have a Rheumatic Disease Like RA

How to Get Sufficient Doses of the COVID-19 Vaccine When You Have a Rheumatic Disease Like RA

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People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised are at higher risk for serious complications if they're infected with COVID-19. That’s why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that these folks not stop at two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna mRNA vaccines, but instead consider their primary series to be three doses — plus all recommended boosters, including the new one released this fall.This group, which includes people on medications commonly used for rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), remains vulnerable to being severely sickened by COVID-19 even after they’ve had their two shots, the agency said.The CDC now recommends that everyone get the most recently formulated booster dose of an mRNA vaccine, which has been updated to target the currently circulating omicron variants…
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18Feb 2023 by Janice Holland
Providers and Patients Can Help Minimize Risks of Steroid-Induced Osteoporosis, ACR Says

Providers and Patients Can Help Minimize Risks of Steroid-Induced Osteoporosis, ACR Says

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On September 14, 2022, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) released a summary of updated guidelines (PDF) on how to manage glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP), a condition that can occur in people who take steroids as part of their treatment. The full manuscript is expected to be released in 2023.The update comes five years after ACR’s 2017 recommendations and incorporates information on more recent osteoporosis treatments, namely Tymlos (abaloparatide) and Evenity (romosozumab), as well as recommendations for sequential therapy to prevent rebound fractures.Steroids Relieve Symptoms, Treat Many Conditions, but Can Increase Osteoporosis RiskGlucocorticoids (GCs) can relieve the inflammation and pain common in rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as well as other chronic conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS), Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis (UC), psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, allergies and asthma, and heart failure.RELATED:…
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18Feb 2023 by Janice Holland
Survey Suggests Two-Thirds of Kids May Struggle With Body Image

Survey Suggests Two-Thirds of Kids May Struggle With Body Image

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While initiatives that support people fostering a healthy body image, like the body positivity and body neutrality movements, are more prominent than ever — and more and more celebrities are speaking out about it — kids are struggling.This week, the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital published its National Poll on Children’s Health (PDF) that highlighted the severity of body image issues among children and teens.Researchers surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,653 parents of at least one child between 8 and 18 years old. Nearly two-thirds of parents said their child is self-conscious about some aspect of their appearance, with skin concerns (like acne), weight, and hair being the top issues reported.Self-consciousness about appearance was more common among teens (73 percent of teen girls and 69 percent of…
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18Feb 2023 by Janice Holland
Artificial Sweeteners Tied to Increased Cardiovascular Disease Risk

Artificial Sweeteners Tied to Increased Cardiovascular Disease Risk

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Lots of people who want to lose weight or cut down on calories may turn to artificial sweeteners as one way to help achieve these goals. But a new study suggests that swapping out real sugar for artificial sweeteners may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.This study, which followed more than 100,000 adults for about a decade, is among the largest to date to identify cardiovascular health problems with sugar substitutes. Overall, artificial sweeteners were associated with a 9 percent higher risk of any type of cardiovascular disease event and an 18 percent greater chance of stroke, according to results published in The BMJ.“Our results indicate that these food additives, consumed daily by millions of people and present in thousands of foods and beverages, should not be considered a healthy…
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18Feb 2023 by Janice Holland
Drinking Tea Tied to Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Drinking Tea Tied to Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

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People who drink black, green, or oolong tea may be less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than people who don’t drink tea at all, new research suggests.Researchers reviewed data from 19 previous studies with a total of more than one million participants, from eight different countries, who didn’t have type 2 diabetes. They looked at how often participants drank black, green, and oolong tea — less than one cup daily, one to three cups a day, and four or more cups.Over an average follow-up period of 10 years, the analysis found that people drinking at least four cups of tea daily were 17 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than individuals who consumed little or no tea, according to preliminary results presented at the European Association for…
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