Spring Brings Rise of Lyme Disease
With spring, and the beautiful blue skies and temperate weather that come along with it, comes the urge to be outside. Hiking and biking are just a couple of the activities that people wait for all winter. But with spring comes increased risk for several illnesses; the most discussed of these diseases is undoubtedly Lyme Disease.
The FDA recommends the following precautions to avoid Lyme Disease.
- Avoid wooded, brushy, and grassy areas, especially in May, June, and July. (Contact the local health department or park/extension service for information on the prevalence of ticks in specific areas).
- Wear light-colored clothing so that you can see ticks that get
on you. - Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts.
- Wear shoes that cover the entire foot.
- Tuck pant legs into socks or shoes, and tuck shirts into pants.
- Wear a hat for extra protection.
- Spray insect repellent containing DEET on clothes and exposed skin other than the face, or treat clothes with permethrin, which kills ticks on contact.
- Walk in the center of trails to avoid brush and grass.
- Remove your clothing, and wash and dry them at high temperatures after being outdoors.
- Do a careful body check for ticks after outdoor activities.
Most cases of Lyme Disease, as reported to the CDC, occur in the northeast and upper midwest of the United States. There has been question of under reporting of this bacterial infection and other questions as to the legitimacy of some Lyme Disease claims. Needless to say, chronic forms of Lyme are controversial and many physicians remain divided on some aspects of treatment, although it is always treated with antibiotics. The questions arise over when a patient was infected, how the infection is manifesting, how the treatment is working, and whether or not chronic long-term problems are related.
What you need to know as spring and all of the warm weather activities begin is to watch carefully for ticks, how to safely remove an attached tick, and what symptoms you watch for that call for a doctor’s attention. It is a difficult disease to have, and to be treated for, and with numbers rising, trying to avoid it is in everyone’s best interest.
How To Safely Remove A Tick
Using tweezers, grasp the tick close to the skin, pull straight back, and avoid crushing the tick’s body. Save the tick for possible identification by a doctor or the local health department.
The Mayo Clinic on Lyme Disease
Lyme Disease Sufferers Want State To Take Notice
County Mounts Campaign to Exterminate Lyme dsease - One cummunity’s effort to eliminate Lyme Disease
2007-2008 Flu Season One of Worst On Record
Did it seem like everyone you knew had the flu this year? It wasn’t your imagination. The CDC reported that this year’s flu season was one of the worst in the past four years and the reason was largely due to an ineffective flu vaccine.
This year, most of the illness has been due to Type A H3N2 Brisbane strain, which was not in the vaccine. That strain tends to cause more hospitalizations and deaths, contributing to this season’s severity. Type B Florida strain, also absent from this year’s vaccine, has also been causing illness. Marshfield data showed that the vaccine was completely ineffective against the Type B virus, and was 58 percent effective against the Brisbane virus.
CDC Officials
One study in Marshfield, Wisconsin, showed that the flu vaccine, this year, was only 44% effective against influenza. Recently the last time the flu shot was such a poor match against influenza was in 1997-1998. That year the vaccine did not match the actual flu that appeared, at all.
The CDC does remind people that although it was not the most successful season for flu prevention, 44% is still better than no protection at all. It is important that people do not becomes discouraged and disregard flu shots in the future as they are still the primary, and best, form of prevention available.
CDC: Flu Season Worst in Four Years; Vaccine didn’t work well
Flu Season Most Severe Since 2004
MMWR (Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report) from the CDC - Week ending April 18th
Count Supplements In When Tallying Up Daily Meds
It easy to overlook. When you make a list of your medications for your doctor, do you think to include supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and minerals in the list? Most people don’t even think of it, or if they do, are hesitant to tell a physician for fear of being labeled as a “self-medicating” patient. Unfortunately, most of the U.S. population does take some form of supplements (estimated 70% by the N.Y. Times).
There are several problems with a patient’s nondisclosure of certain medications, treatments, or supplements.
1. Supplements may interfere or counteract with some prescription medications. A doctor needs the information about these OTC products to write safe prescriptions.
2. Supplements, vitamins and minerals, are not regulated by the FDA. Therefore quality and consistency of each product, from one brand to another, may not be the same.
3. Patients often assume “natural=totally safe,” and that is a myth. It is possible to take too much of many of the things we think of as harmless vitamins, minerals and supplements. More is not better, natural or not.
Many patients have turned to products that claim to be natural and that are available without a prescription. Physicians do not have the time to treat patients as they once did, and accurate diagnoses are sometimes hard to come by. With a continued increase in illnesses that have no definitive treatment, patients feel turning to alternative treatments offers them a better choice. This is especially true with the Internet having hundreds of thousands of sites discussing healthcare; a forum of people talking might be a common, although unreliable, source of medical information.
It is important to remember as medical consumers that anecdotal evidence is not true evidence at all. At times it is frustrating to deal with physicians but we must insist that they listen to us, to receive the best treatment possible. And above all, be honest, and be certain to inform your physician of ALL medications you are taking.
Potential for Harm in Dietary Supplements
April - National Child Abuse Prevention Month
Nearly 905,000 children are abused in the United States each year. Actually, that isn’t completely true and that is perhaps the frightening part of this statistic. 905,000 children are confirmed by Child Protective Services as being abused; that means, there are a lot more children who are victims of this tragedy. Children that no one knows about.
There is overwhelming scientific evidence that child maltreatment can lead to a broad range of physical and emotional health problems. Short-term physical injuries include cuts, bruises, burns, and broken bones. Abuse can also lead to permanent disabilities including visual, motor, and cognitive impairments. Prolonged maltreatment causes extreme or “toxic” stress that can disrupt early brain development and impair the functioning of the nervous and immune systems, leaving children vulnerable to chronic diseases later in life.
CDC
Often it is hard to recognize and understand if a child is being abused. We have all heard stories of a parent being unjustly accused of abusing a child. That is so intimidating to some parents that discipline can be difficult. But society can not overlook the needs of a child who is being hurt by those who are supposed to love and protect him or her. It is up to all of us to understand abuse and to take the appropriate steps when abuse is recognized.
A good place to start is with the Blue Ribbon Awareness Campaign. There is information on this site that will be helpful in instructing and guiding people in understanding abuse, and reacting appropriately when it is required.
All of us can make a difference in this tragedy; a tragedy that is totally preventable.
Study Finds Abuse in One of 43 Babies
Blue Ribbon Awareness Campaign
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
Autism Awareness Month
If you think that all the news about health right now centers on autism, you’re right. It does. And it does for a very good reason; actually two very good reasons.
1. Autism has increased from one-4 children in 10,000 to one in every 150 children. Some areas are actually reporting rates as high as one in 58!
2. April is autism awareness month. With the recent surge in statistics, and recognition by more public health agencies as well as the general public, autism is a focal point for the news.
The largest study looking at the cause of autism is being undertaken by the CDC and has been named SEED. SEED stands for the Study to Explore Early Development. It will include nearly 3,000 children and will cover diverse areas in the attempt to determine once and for all the cause of this difficult, and sometimes devastating, disorder.
The Autism Herald, a blog at NinerNiner along with About Public Health, will be covering different activities during the month of April. It is difficult to imagine that there could be anyone now who is not involved in one way or another with a child who has autism. But even those who do not have children on the autism spectrum are affected. The cost to society is frightening, and as the years go by and these children grow into adulthood, the situation will become critical.
It is impossible to project what our society will be like if the tide of autism cases is not curbed and effective treatment is not found. It is up to all of us to learn and become aware.