All my life I have tried to pluck a thistle and plant a flower wherever the flower would grow in thought and mind.
(- Abraham Lincoln -)
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
FUN FACTS
* Olympic badminton rules say that the bird has to have exactly fourteen feathers. *
* According to an old English system of time units, a moment is one and a half minutes. *
* Owls are the only bird that can see the color blue. *
* Unlike all other insects, flies have five eyes. They have two large eyes and three smaller eyes between them. *
* Switching letters is called spoonerism. For example, saying jag of Flapan, instead of flag of Japan. *
* According to an old English system of time units, a moment is one and a half minutes. *
* Owls are the only bird that can see the color blue. *
* Unlike all other insects, flies have five eyes. They have two large eyes and three smaller eyes between them. *
* Switching letters is called spoonerism. For example, saying jag of Flapan, instead of flag of Japan. *
Online therapy shows promise for irritable bowel
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Behavioral therapy delivered over the Web might help soothe symptoms in some people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a new study suggests.
The online approach is not yet available outside of studies. But researchers say that the current findings are a step in the right direction toward making cognitive behavioral therapy more accessible to people with IBS.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of psychological counseling that tries to address the unhealthy thinking patterns and behaviors that contribute to various health problems. It's one option for treating IBS.
People with IBS have repeated bouts of abdominal cramps, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. The exact cause is unknown, but anxiety and less-than-ideal coping strategies -- like avoiding going out because of your symptoms - are thought to make IBS worse for many people.
Studies have suggested that cognitive behavioral therapy can ease IBS symptoms in at least some people.
But an obstacle to people actually trying the therapy is that it's not widely available. Many people live nowhere near a therapist; or if they do, the time commitment of meeting with a therapist, or the price tag, may be too much.
So for the new study, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, Swedish researchers tested a Web-based program they developed.
They randomly assigned 195 adults with IBS to either cognitive behavioral therapy or a stress management program, both of which were delivered online over 10 weeks. Patients in both groups read self-help texts and sent messages back and forth with an "online therapist."
In the end, a majority of patients in each group said they were having "adequate relief" of IBS pain and discomfort. But six months later, the cognitive behavioral group was faring better: 65 percent still thought their symptoms were under control, versus 44 percent of the stress management group.
The findings suggest that "patients can be guided by an online psychologist in their work and do not need to schedule weekly visits at a psychologist's office," lead researcher Brjann Ljotsson, of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, told Reuters Health in an email.
The study is a "step in the right direction" to making cognitive behavioral therapy more accessible, according to Jeffrey M. Lackner of the State University of New York at Buffalo, who was not involved in the work.
"We need to develop effective and efficient ways to treat IBS, and that's what this study was aimed at," said Lackner, who has studied cognitive behavioral therapy for managing the condition.
In his own work, Lackner has found that both traditional face-to-face counseling and therapy that relies mostly on at-home, self-help materials can help some people with IBS.
But there are still questions, according to Lackner.
One is the fact that there are different forms of cognitive behavioral therapy. "We don't really know whether one form is better than others for IBS," Lackner said.
The therapy used in the current study is based on the idea that people with IBS often become fearful about developing symptoms and then avoid things, like a certain food or physical activity, they think could trigger symptoms.
But that anxiety, itself, can lead to symptoms, Ljotsson explained.
So his team used a type of therapy that involves "graded exposure." They had patients gradually expose themselves to the things they feared would cause symptoms, and also taught them "mindfulness" techniques to help them deal with their emotional reactions to their symptoms.
"By exposing themselves to IBS symptoms," Ljotsson said, "the patients become less afraid of them, and the vicious cycle between fear and symptoms is broken."
But there are other approaches, including therapies that involve things like stress management and relaxation exercises -- similar to the comparison therapy used in this study. Ljotsson said the findings suggest that graded exposure works better.
However, Lackner pointed out that different people may respond to different tactics.
And as for online therapy, that too might work for some but not others. Older adults without much tech-savvy, for example, might not do well with it, Lackner said. The same might be true of people with less education.
A limit of the current study, Lackner said, is that all of the participants were self-referred. So they may have been particularly motivated, and their success rates may not necessarily represent what would be seen in the real world.
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/iNfK3I American Journal of Gastroenterology, online May 3, 2011.
The online approach is not yet available outside of studies. But researchers say that the current findings are a step in the right direction toward making cognitive behavioral therapy more accessible to people with IBS.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of psychological counseling that tries to address the unhealthy thinking patterns and behaviors that contribute to various health problems. It's one option for treating IBS.
People with IBS have repeated bouts of abdominal cramps, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. The exact cause is unknown, but anxiety and less-than-ideal coping strategies -- like avoiding going out because of your symptoms - are thought to make IBS worse for many people.
Studies have suggested that cognitive behavioral therapy can ease IBS symptoms in at least some people.
But an obstacle to people actually trying the therapy is that it's not widely available. Many people live nowhere near a therapist; or if they do, the time commitment of meeting with a therapist, or the price tag, may be too much.
So for the new study, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, Swedish researchers tested a Web-based program they developed.
They randomly assigned 195 adults with IBS to either cognitive behavioral therapy or a stress management program, both of which were delivered online over 10 weeks. Patients in both groups read self-help texts and sent messages back and forth with an "online therapist."
In the end, a majority of patients in each group said they were having "adequate relief" of IBS pain and discomfort. But six months later, the cognitive behavioral group was faring better: 65 percent still thought their symptoms were under control, versus 44 percent of the stress management group.
The findings suggest that "patients can be guided by an online psychologist in their work and do not need to schedule weekly visits at a psychologist's office," lead researcher Brjann Ljotsson, of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, told Reuters Health in an email.
The study is a "step in the right direction" to making cognitive behavioral therapy more accessible, according to Jeffrey M. Lackner of the State University of New York at Buffalo, who was not involved in the work.
"We need to develop effective and efficient ways to treat IBS, and that's what this study was aimed at," said Lackner, who has studied cognitive behavioral therapy for managing the condition.
In his own work, Lackner has found that both traditional face-to-face counseling and therapy that relies mostly on at-home, self-help materials can help some people with IBS.
But there are still questions, according to Lackner.
One is the fact that there are different forms of cognitive behavioral therapy. "We don't really know whether one form is better than others for IBS," Lackner said.
The therapy used in the current study is based on the idea that people with IBS often become fearful about developing symptoms and then avoid things, like a certain food or physical activity, they think could trigger symptoms.
But that anxiety, itself, can lead to symptoms, Ljotsson explained.
So his team used a type of therapy that involves "graded exposure." They had patients gradually expose themselves to the things they feared would cause symptoms, and also taught them "mindfulness" techniques to help them deal with their emotional reactions to their symptoms.
"By exposing themselves to IBS symptoms," Ljotsson said, "the patients become less afraid of them, and the vicious cycle between fear and symptoms is broken."
But there are other approaches, including therapies that involve things like stress management and relaxation exercises -- similar to the comparison therapy used in this study. Ljotsson said the findings suggest that graded exposure works better.
However, Lackner pointed out that different people may respond to different tactics.
And as for online therapy, that too might work for some but not others. Older adults without much tech-savvy, for example, might not do well with it, Lackner said. The same might be true of people with less education.
A limit of the current study, Lackner said, is that all of the participants were self-referred. So they may have been particularly motivated, and their success rates may not necessarily represent what would be seen in the real world.
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/iNfK3I American Journal of Gastroenterology, online May 3, 2011.
Drug may take the edge off bad memories: study
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Blocking a hormone involved in the body's stress response may change the way people remember negative memories, according to a new study.
But it's still unclear exactly how the drug involved works, and if the finding has implications for the treatment of people with conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The drug, metyrapone, blocks the stress hormone cortisol and has been used to treat people with diseases related to cortisol production.
But cortisol is also involved in storing and retrieving memories, leading researchers to wonder if tinkering with its levels in the body could change how people recall past events.
"We know that (cortisol) is important for memory," Marie-France Marin, the study's lead author from the University of Montreal, told Reuters Health. "Very high levels are bad for your memory, and very low levels are bad for your memory," she explained.
In their research, Marin and her colleagues went for the very low levels, using metyrapone to stop healthy volunteers from producing cortisol.
Those volunteers, 33 young men, were first shown a narrated slide show that had both "neutral" and "emotionally negative" slides.
The slides told the story of a young girl who goes to her grandparents' house. There, she and her grandparents try to build a birdhouse, and the girl gets badly injured, with scenes showing lots of blood and a trip to the operating room. In the end, viewers know that the girl will be okay.
Three days after watching the video, researchers gave the men either a single 750-milligram dose of metyrapone, a double dose, or a drug-free placebo pill. Then they asked them to recall as much information as possible from the story.
Another four days after that, they brought the participants in once more, and without giving them any drugs asked them to recall the story again.
There was no difference in how men who had taken a single dose of metyrapone and those given a placebo remembered the story either time.
But on both occasions, those given a double dose remembered significantly less of the negative emotional components of the story.
For example, men in the placebo group scored between 40 and 50 percent on their second memory test for negative emotional information in the story, compared to about 30 percent in the group given a double metyrapone dose.
"The fact that the effects of metyrapone were still evident for four days after -- that's pretty remarkable," Tony Buchanan, who studies stress and memory at Saint Louis University and was not involved in the study, told Reuters Health.
Both metyrapone groups still recalled the "neutral" information as well as the placebo group.
The investigators who determined how much participants remembered didn't know whether they had taken metyrapone or the placebo, the authors note in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Marin and her colleagues believe that once participants were asked to retrieve the memory of the story, those taking the high dose of metyrapone re-stored that memory in a different, less-emotional way -- probably because cortisol levels were lower at that time.
Though they predicted that people would remember the story differently while under the effects of the drug, they didn't know the memory would still be changed once hormone levels returned to normal.
"What was really surprising is that once the memory was sorted in the brain we were able to modify it in a long-lasting manner," Marin said.
Researchers still aren't sure why metyrapone might affect how negative memories, but not neutral ones, are recalled and re-stored, Marin said.
The ultimate goal from this and other studies that have tried to use drugs to alter negative memories is to treat people who are overwhelmed by these memories, such as war veterans suffering from PTSD -- an idea that still makes some uncomfortable.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 3.5 percent of U.S. adults suffer from PTSD -- but that rate climbs to up to 20 percent in estimates of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
PTSD is generally treated with psychotherapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy, and some people are also prescribed anti-depressants. Marin said a drug like metyrapone could one day prove helpful for people who don't get better with therapy alone.
But it's not clear yet that a drug that helps people without PTSD remember fewer ugly details in a story will also work for those who experienced the trauma first-hand and have been profoundly affected by that trauma.
"We need to see if autobiographical memories are sensitive (to metyrapone) in the same way or not," Marin said.
What's more, "only a small fraction of people exposed to traumatic events experience PTSD," Buchanan said. It's hard to tell if any of those 33 volunteers might have had certain characteristics that would predispose them to PTSD or not, he said.
In people with that predisposition, he said, "you'd imagine there's something different about their brains before the trial," which could affect how they recall negative memories.
Researchers also can't be sure that women would have the same reaction to the drug as men, since only men were used in the study.
Metyrapone, sold under the name Metopirone in the U.S., is currently not on the market, the authors note, so it's important also to study other drugs that may have the same effect.
More research is needed before metyrapone, or similar drugs that block cortisol, can be tested in PTSD patients. But according to Buchanan, the new study "is a great step in that direction."
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/jQim60 Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, online May 18, 2011.
But it's still unclear exactly how the drug involved works, and if the finding has implications for the treatment of people with conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The drug, metyrapone, blocks the stress hormone cortisol and has been used to treat people with diseases related to cortisol production.
But cortisol is also involved in storing and retrieving memories, leading researchers to wonder if tinkering with its levels in the body could change how people recall past events.
"We know that (cortisol) is important for memory," Marie-France Marin, the study's lead author from the University of Montreal, told Reuters Health. "Very high levels are bad for your memory, and very low levels are bad for your memory," she explained.
In their research, Marin and her colleagues went for the very low levels, using metyrapone to stop healthy volunteers from producing cortisol.
Those volunteers, 33 young men, were first shown a narrated slide show that had both "neutral" and "emotionally negative" slides.
The slides told the story of a young girl who goes to her grandparents' house. There, she and her grandparents try to build a birdhouse, and the girl gets badly injured, with scenes showing lots of blood and a trip to the operating room. In the end, viewers know that the girl will be okay.
Three days after watching the video, researchers gave the men either a single 750-milligram dose of metyrapone, a double dose, or a drug-free placebo pill. Then they asked them to recall as much information as possible from the story.
Another four days after that, they brought the participants in once more, and without giving them any drugs asked them to recall the story again.
There was no difference in how men who had taken a single dose of metyrapone and those given a placebo remembered the story either time.
But on both occasions, those given a double dose remembered significantly less of the negative emotional components of the story.
For example, men in the placebo group scored between 40 and 50 percent on their second memory test for negative emotional information in the story, compared to about 30 percent in the group given a double metyrapone dose.
"The fact that the effects of metyrapone were still evident for four days after -- that's pretty remarkable," Tony Buchanan, who studies stress and memory at Saint Louis University and was not involved in the study, told Reuters Health.
Both metyrapone groups still recalled the "neutral" information as well as the placebo group.
The investigators who determined how much participants remembered didn't know whether they had taken metyrapone or the placebo, the authors note in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Marin and her colleagues believe that once participants were asked to retrieve the memory of the story, those taking the high dose of metyrapone re-stored that memory in a different, less-emotional way -- probably because cortisol levels were lower at that time.
Though they predicted that people would remember the story differently while under the effects of the drug, they didn't know the memory would still be changed once hormone levels returned to normal.
"What was really surprising is that once the memory was sorted in the brain we were able to modify it in a long-lasting manner," Marin said.
Researchers still aren't sure why metyrapone might affect how negative memories, but not neutral ones, are recalled and re-stored, Marin said.
The ultimate goal from this and other studies that have tried to use drugs to alter negative memories is to treat people who are overwhelmed by these memories, such as war veterans suffering from PTSD -- an idea that still makes some uncomfortable.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 3.5 percent of U.S. adults suffer from PTSD -- but that rate climbs to up to 20 percent in estimates of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
PTSD is generally treated with psychotherapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy, and some people are also prescribed anti-depressants. Marin said a drug like metyrapone could one day prove helpful for people who don't get better with therapy alone.
But it's not clear yet that a drug that helps people without PTSD remember fewer ugly details in a story will also work for those who experienced the trauma first-hand and have been profoundly affected by that trauma.
"We need to see if autobiographical memories are sensitive (to metyrapone) in the same way or not," Marin said.
What's more, "only a small fraction of people exposed to traumatic events experience PTSD," Buchanan said. It's hard to tell if any of those 33 volunteers might have had certain characteristics that would predispose them to PTSD or not, he said.
In people with that predisposition, he said, "you'd imagine there's something different about their brains before the trial," which could affect how they recall negative memories.
Researchers also can't be sure that women would have the same reaction to the drug as men, since only men were used in the study.
Metyrapone, sold under the name Metopirone in the U.S., is currently not on the market, the authors note, so it's important also to study other drugs that may have the same effect.
More research is needed before metyrapone, or similar drugs that block cortisol, can be tested in PTSD patients. But according to Buchanan, the new study "is a great step in that direction."
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/jQim60 Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, online May 18, 2011.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Sleeping Problems
Everyone occasionally has trouble falling asleep. But when sleeping problems happen several times a night or during the week, it’s time to seek help so you can get some proper shut-eye. Here are common triggers and treatments for insomnia, along with questions to ask your physician. Plus, how smart are you about sleep? Take our quiz to find out…
When your morning alarm clock buzzes, do you feel energized – or flattened, like you’ve been wrestling an invisible bear all night? Sleepless nights can do more than take the spring out of your step, doctors say.
“Sleep is as important as eating and exercise,” says Michael Decker, Ph.D., associate professor at Georgia State University, College of Health and Human Services, in Atlanta. “It’s one of the cornerstones of good health.”
When you don’t get enough, you’ll see results quickly, says Karl Doghramji, M.D., professor of psychology, neurology and medicine and medical director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. “You won’t be able to stay awake and perform during the day, and your memory and focus will be affected, as well as your ability to complete tasks.”
Over time, the results can become more serious, he says.
“Chronic lack of sleep can lead to mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression,” he says.
Long-term untreated sleep disorders are linked to medical conditions, including obesity, depression, high blood pressure, cardio-vascular disease and diabetes, he says.
What makes this troublesome is that many Americans have sleep disorders and don’t realize it, says Decker. As a visiting scientist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), he worked with a team that surveyed 6,530 adults in the state of Georgia. The findings: 33% had symptoms of a sleep disorder. And, says Doghramji, “when the question is asked in a broader fashion, as many as 50% of Americans say they have had trouble with sleep at one time or another.”
If you’re suffering, read on for the key questions to ask your doctor.
What should be my first step in insomnia treatment?
The first thing is to learn good sleep practices – called “sleep hygiene,” says Donna Arand, Ph.D., clinical director at the Kettering Hospital Sleep Disorder Center in Dayton, Ohio.
“You want to get to the source of the sleeping problems,” she says. “Just developing good sleep habits can help a good percentage of patients who complain about sleep insomnia.”
What is sleep hygiene?
Before you start treatment, try changing your bedtime habits. These simple changes can improve your sleep dramatically, says Doghramni.
To practice good sleep hygiene:
Don’t go to bed unless you’re tired.
If you’re not asleep after 20 minutes, get up and do something else.
Create bedtime rituals — which can be as simple as brushing your teeth and combing your hair before bed.
Keep a regular schedule, going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.
Don’t read, write, watch TV or talk on the phone in bed.
For the six hours before bedtime, avoid alcohol and exercise.
Don’t consume anything with caffeine in the afternoon.
Stop smoking. Nicotine is a stimulant.
Avoid sleep medications.
Keep your room dark, quiet and a little cool.
What effect does my diet have on sleep?
You’ve probably heard that certain foods– a glass of warm milk, for example – can induce sleepiness. There’s not much evidence to support this, but you can eliminate foods to improve your sleep.
“Caffeine and alcohol are two of the most common substances that impact sleep,” Arand says.
Caffeine is a stimulant — and even if an afternoon cup of coffee didn’t bother you when you were younger, you’ll probably need to give it up now.
That because “we become more sensitive to the effects of caffeine as we age,” Arand explains. She recommends no caffeine after noon.
How do hormones change my sleep patterns? Hormones can affect your sleep during two different times in your life: pregnancy and menopause.
During pregnancy, the quality of sleep worsens and pregnant women are likely to feel sleepy in the daytime, even after getting a full night’s rest.
Also, as many as 25% of women develop restless leg syndrome in pregnancy, according to the of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). And 40% develop sleep-related leg cramps. Both these conditions usually go away after delivery.
For women in the early stages of menopause, hormonal hot flashes can disrupt their sleep.
If a drink after dinner makes me feel sleepy, how can it cause sleep insomnia? Even an occasional drink can be an issue.
“Alcohol is initially a depressant,” Arand says. “It slows everything down, relaxes you and can make it easier to fall asleep.”
But several hours later, you may find yourself still tired, but wide awake, she says.
“When alcohol is metabolized, the brain interprets that as stimulation,” Arand explains. “Your brain will keep you awake for a while, and if you do fall back to sleep, your sleep will be restless and fragmented.”
If you do want an occasional drink, stick to one glass with a meal.
“Also, drink at least one glass of water with each alcoholic drink,” Arand advises. “This will dilute the effects of the alcohol.
If I’m tired, is it OK to take a short daytime nap?
“Napping in the afternoon and early evening can really disrupt nighttime sleep,” Decker says. “And, if you feel you need to nap during the day, this may be a sign that you have a sleep disorder.”
It’s natural to feel sleepier as the day wears on, he says.
“The brain builds up pressure for sleep during the day,” he says. “If you nap, you release that pressure and that can make it difficult to fall asleep later in the evening.”
What if I make all these changes and I still can’t sleep? What should my next step be?
If you’ve been having trouble falling or staying asleep at night — or staying awake during the day — for several weeks, it’s a good idea to see a sleep specialist, says Doghramji. Only a sleep specialist can determine the exact cause of your sleeping problems.
This may require a sleep study (polysomnography), which measures how much and how well you sleep.
What’s involved in a sleep study?
You’ll be asked to spend the night at a hospital or sleep center, where monitors will track your brain waves, blood oxygen levels, heart and breathing rates, and eye and leg movements during sleep.
This information can determine if your sleeping problems are caused by:
A breathing disorder, such as sleep apnea
A limb movement disorder, such as restless leg syndrome
A disorder in your REM (rapid-eye movement) sleep
Unexplained insomnia
Your doctor can then tailor your treatment to the cause of your sleep insomnia.
How do I find a sleep center or specialist?
Your doctor can refer you or there may be one at a large hospital in your area. If not, see the AASM website.
What types of insomnia treatment will a sleep specialist recommend?
If there's no physical cause for your sleeping problems, a specialist will probably recommend cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), where you will learn behavioral techniques that help you sleep better.
Why is CBT recommended for insomnia?
Working with a cognitive behavioral therapist, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how your lifestyle, stress and daily routine affect the sleep cycle.
It’s a good long-term treatment, because “there are no side effects and you can use it whenever your sleeping problems recur,” Arand says.
Studies show that CBT is as effective as medication, she says, and has a longer-lasting benefit. A 2001 study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), looked at 75 adults, and concluded that CBT leads to “significant sleep improvements within six weeks” that lasted through six months of follow-up.
“Medications can lose effectiveness over time, because you build up tolerance to them,” she says. A 2009 Canadian study, published in JAMA, compared patients who received CBT alone with another group that combined CBT with medication. Both groups saw significant improvement, but the best results were for patients who began treatment with both medication and CBT and then moved on to therapy alone.
If you can’t find a CBT program in your area, an online program can work just as well, says Doghramji. Call a sleep specialist (list at http://www.absm.org/bsmspecialists.aspx) or sleep center (http://sleepcenters.org/) to get a referral to an online program.
Will medication be part of my insomnia treatment?
Medication can help by letting you get a good night’s sleep at the beginning of treatment, while you learn sleep hygiene and cognitive behavioral techniques that will help you long-term.
“There’s a place for it if you just need a quick treatment while you are working out a long-term treatment plan,” Arand says.
What kind of medication might help?
There are two types of medications for sleeping problems: Those that help you fall asleep and others that help you stay asleep.
Medications that may be prescribed to help you fall asleep include:
Eszopiclone (Lunesta)
Ramelteon (Rozerem)
Triazolam (Halcion)
Zaleplon (Sonata)
Zolpidem (Ambien, Edluar)
Medications that help you stay asleep include:
Estazolam
Eszopiclone (Lunesta)
Temazepam (Restoril)
Zolpidem (Ambien CR)
What if sleep apnea is the cause of my sleeping problems?
Sleep apnea occurs when breathing stops or gets shallow during sleep. These periods last 10-20 seconds, and can occur as many as 30 times an hour.
The most common form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, caused when the throat muscles relax and block your airway during sleep. Another form is central sleep apnea, when the brain doesn’t send proper signals to control your breathing during sleep.
You may not even be aware that your breathing is disrupted, but you may feel excessively drowsy during the day, and when you wake up you may not feel refreshed. Your doctor will discover it when he monitors your heart, lung and blood activity during the overnight sleep study.
What health risks are associated with sleep apnea?
Untreated sleep apnea puts you at greater risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and can cause problems due to excessive daytime fatigue. It can also lead to complications with medications or during surgery.
What is the treatment for sleep apnea?
Your doctor will tell you to use a machine that delivers continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) through a mask. You may need to work to adjust the mask to get a comfortable fit. There are also several different models of the machine. Most people get good results from this.
What if the CPAP mask doesn’t work or is uncomfortable?
Don’t give up on treatment, says Dogrhamji.
“CPAP is the accepted initial technology,” he says. “About 70%-80% of people are able to use this device. For those still uncomfortable, there are other masks, tubes and delivery systems we can try.”
There are also other devices, he says, including the variable/bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP), which uses different levels of pressure as you inhale and exhale.
And people with an underbite can sometimes get relief from a dental appliance, he says.
Some people wear a mouthpiece that opens their airway so they breathe better.
“When people treat their disordered breathing, they are astounded by how much better they feel,” says Janet Mullington, Ph.D., associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, in Boston.
Is surgery an option?
Rarely, surgery is recommended to remove tissue from the throat or correct the position of the jaw.
What treatments are available if restless leg syndrome is the cause of my insomnia?
Nobody knows what causes restless leg syndrome — a powerful urge to move your legs that can disrupt your sleep.
Sometimes following good sleep hygiene practices — exercising regularly, learning relaxation techniques, and cutting out caffeine, tobacco and alcohol — can help. When they don’t, the next step is medication. The two medications approved by the FDA for use in restless leg syndrome, ropinirole (Requip) and pramipexole (Mirapex) are also used to treat involuntary movements of Parkinson’s disease.
What lifestyle changes can I make to help my restless leg syndrome?
Talk to your doctor about any vitamins or medications you’re taking, because they can influence your condition. Ask your doctor to check your iron, folic acid and vitamin-B levels — but don’t supplement these on your own, as you could worsen your sleeping problems.
Also, ask if any medications you are taking could trigger restless leg syndrome. Medications that can worsen the condition include:
Antihistamines, found in over-the-counter allergy, cold and sleep medications
Anti-dizzy and anti-nausea medications, such as Comprazine, Phenergan, and Reglan
Antidepressants, such as Elavil, Prozac, Lexapro and Efflexor
Psychiatric medications, used to treat bipolar disorder and schizophrenia
Can natural remedies or herbs solve my sleeping problems?
The herb valerian root or the hormone melatonin have a reputation for inducing sleep.
“The evidence for the use of valerian root isn’t convincing at this time,” Decker says. “But melatonin can help people fall and stay asleep.”
As we age, our body manufactures less melatonin. For some people, it might help to take melatonin 3-4 hours before bedtime, Decker says. But consult your doctor first.
Are You Smart About Sleep?
Getting a good night's sleep affects every aspect of your day, including your mood and your ability to be productive. And if that doesn't get your attention, listen up: Your sleep habits can even affect the number on the scale.
When your morning alarm clock buzzes, do you feel energized – or flattened, like you’ve been wrestling an invisible bear all night? Sleepless nights can do more than take the spring out of your step, doctors say.
“Sleep is as important as eating and exercise,” says Michael Decker, Ph.D., associate professor at Georgia State University, College of Health and Human Services, in Atlanta. “It’s one of the cornerstones of good health.”
When you don’t get enough, you’ll see results quickly, says Karl Doghramji, M.D., professor of psychology, neurology and medicine and medical director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. “You won’t be able to stay awake and perform during the day, and your memory and focus will be affected, as well as your ability to complete tasks.”
Over time, the results can become more serious, he says.
“Chronic lack of sleep can lead to mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression,” he says.
Long-term untreated sleep disorders are linked to medical conditions, including obesity, depression, high blood pressure, cardio-vascular disease and diabetes, he says.
What makes this troublesome is that many Americans have sleep disorders and don’t realize it, says Decker. As a visiting scientist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), he worked with a team that surveyed 6,530 adults in the state of Georgia. The findings: 33% had symptoms of a sleep disorder. And, says Doghramji, “when the question is asked in a broader fashion, as many as 50% of Americans say they have had trouble with sleep at one time or another.”
If you’re suffering, read on for the key questions to ask your doctor.
What should be my first step in insomnia treatment?
The first thing is to learn good sleep practices – called “sleep hygiene,” says Donna Arand, Ph.D., clinical director at the Kettering Hospital Sleep Disorder Center in Dayton, Ohio.
“You want to get to the source of the sleeping problems,” she says. “Just developing good sleep habits can help a good percentage of patients who complain about sleep insomnia.”
What is sleep hygiene?
Before you start treatment, try changing your bedtime habits. These simple changes can improve your sleep dramatically, says Doghramni.
To practice good sleep hygiene:
Don’t go to bed unless you’re tired.
If you’re not asleep after 20 minutes, get up and do something else.
Create bedtime rituals — which can be as simple as brushing your teeth and combing your hair before bed.
Keep a regular schedule, going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.
Don’t read, write, watch TV or talk on the phone in bed.
For the six hours before bedtime, avoid alcohol and exercise.
Don’t consume anything with caffeine in the afternoon.
Stop smoking. Nicotine is a stimulant.
Avoid sleep medications.
Keep your room dark, quiet and a little cool.
What effect does my diet have on sleep?
You’ve probably heard that certain foods– a glass of warm milk, for example – can induce sleepiness. There’s not much evidence to support this, but you can eliminate foods to improve your sleep.
“Caffeine and alcohol are two of the most common substances that impact sleep,” Arand says.
Caffeine is a stimulant — and even if an afternoon cup of coffee didn’t bother you when you were younger, you’ll probably need to give it up now.
That because “we become more sensitive to the effects of caffeine as we age,” Arand explains. She recommends no caffeine after noon.
How do hormones change my sleep patterns? Hormones can affect your sleep during two different times in your life: pregnancy and menopause.
During pregnancy, the quality of sleep worsens and pregnant women are likely to feel sleepy in the daytime, even after getting a full night’s rest.
Also, as many as 25% of women develop restless leg syndrome in pregnancy, according to the of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). And 40% develop sleep-related leg cramps. Both these conditions usually go away after delivery.
For women in the early stages of menopause, hormonal hot flashes can disrupt their sleep.
If a drink after dinner makes me feel sleepy, how can it cause sleep insomnia? Even an occasional drink can be an issue.
“Alcohol is initially a depressant,” Arand says. “It slows everything down, relaxes you and can make it easier to fall asleep.”
But several hours later, you may find yourself still tired, but wide awake, she says.
“When alcohol is metabolized, the brain interprets that as stimulation,” Arand explains. “Your brain will keep you awake for a while, and if you do fall back to sleep, your sleep will be restless and fragmented.”
If you do want an occasional drink, stick to one glass with a meal.
“Also, drink at least one glass of water with each alcoholic drink,” Arand advises. “This will dilute the effects of the alcohol.
If I’m tired, is it OK to take a short daytime nap?
“Napping in the afternoon and early evening can really disrupt nighttime sleep,” Decker says. “And, if you feel you need to nap during the day, this may be a sign that you have a sleep disorder.”
It’s natural to feel sleepier as the day wears on, he says.
“The brain builds up pressure for sleep during the day,” he says. “If you nap, you release that pressure and that can make it difficult to fall asleep later in the evening.”
What if I make all these changes and I still can’t sleep? What should my next step be?
If you’ve been having trouble falling or staying asleep at night — or staying awake during the day — for several weeks, it’s a good idea to see a sleep specialist, says Doghramji. Only a sleep specialist can determine the exact cause of your sleeping problems.
This may require a sleep study (polysomnography), which measures how much and how well you sleep.
What’s involved in a sleep study?
You’ll be asked to spend the night at a hospital or sleep center, where monitors will track your brain waves, blood oxygen levels, heart and breathing rates, and eye and leg movements during sleep.
This information can determine if your sleeping problems are caused by:
A breathing disorder, such as sleep apnea
A limb movement disorder, such as restless leg syndrome
A disorder in your REM (rapid-eye movement) sleep
Unexplained insomnia
Your doctor can then tailor your treatment to the cause of your sleep insomnia.
How do I find a sleep center or specialist?
Your doctor can refer you or there may be one at a large hospital in your area. If not, see the AASM website.
What types of insomnia treatment will a sleep specialist recommend?
If there's no physical cause for your sleeping problems, a specialist will probably recommend cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), where you will learn behavioral techniques that help you sleep better.
Why is CBT recommended for insomnia?
Working with a cognitive behavioral therapist, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how your lifestyle, stress and daily routine affect the sleep cycle.
It’s a good long-term treatment, because “there are no side effects and you can use it whenever your sleeping problems recur,” Arand says.
Studies show that CBT is as effective as medication, she says, and has a longer-lasting benefit. A 2001 study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), looked at 75 adults, and concluded that CBT leads to “significant sleep improvements within six weeks” that lasted through six months of follow-up.
“Medications can lose effectiveness over time, because you build up tolerance to them,” she says. A 2009 Canadian study, published in JAMA, compared patients who received CBT alone with another group that combined CBT with medication. Both groups saw significant improvement, but the best results were for patients who began treatment with both medication and CBT and then moved on to therapy alone.
If you can’t find a CBT program in your area, an online program can work just as well, says Doghramji. Call a sleep specialist (list at http://www.absm.org/bsmspecialists.aspx) or sleep center (http://sleepcenters.org/) to get a referral to an online program.
Will medication be part of my insomnia treatment?
Medication can help by letting you get a good night’s sleep at the beginning of treatment, while you learn sleep hygiene and cognitive behavioral techniques that will help you long-term.
“There’s a place for it if you just need a quick treatment while you are working out a long-term treatment plan,” Arand says.
What kind of medication might help?
There are two types of medications for sleeping problems: Those that help you fall asleep and others that help you stay asleep.
Medications that may be prescribed to help you fall asleep include:
Eszopiclone (Lunesta)
Ramelteon (Rozerem)
Triazolam (Halcion)
Zaleplon (Sonata)
Zolpidem (Ambien, Edluar)
Medications that help you stay asleep include:
Estazolam
Eszopiclone (Lunesta)
Temazepam (Restoril)
Zolpidem (Ambien CR)
What if sleep apnea is the cause of my sleeping problems?
Sleep apnea occurs when breathing stops or gets shallow during sleep. These periods last 10-20 seconds, and can occur as many as 30 times an hour.
The most common form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, caused when the throat muscles relax and block your airway during sleep. Another form is central sleep apnea, when the brain doesn’t send proper signals to control your breathing during sleep.
You may not even be aware that your breathing is disrupted, but you may feel excessively drowsy during the day, and when you wake up you may not feel refreshed. Your doctor will discover it when he monitors your heart, lung and blood activity during the overnight sleep study.
What health risks are associated with sleep apnea?
Untreated sleep apnea puts you at greater risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and can cause problems due to excessive daytime fatigue. It can also lead to complications with medications or during surgery.
What is the treatment for sleep apnea?
Your doctor will tell you to use a machine that delivers continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) through a mask. You may need to work to adjust the mask to get a comfortable fit. There are also several different models of the machine. Most people get good results from this.
What if the CPAP mask doesn’t work or is uncomfortable?
Don’t give up on treatment, says Dogrhamji.
“CPAP is the accepted initial technology,” he says. “About 70%-80% of people are able to use this device. For those still uncomfortable, there are other masks, tubes and delivery systems we can try.”
There are also other devices, he says, including the variable/bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP), which uses different levels of pressure as you inhale and exhale.
And people with an underbite can sometimes get relief from a dental appliance, he says.
Some people wear a mouthpiece that opens their airway so they breathe better.
“When people treat their disordered breathing, they are astounded by how much better they feel,” says Janet Mullington, Ph.D., associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, in Boston.
Is surgery an option?
Rarely, surgery is recommended to remove tissue from the throat or correct the position of the jaw.
What treatments are available if restless leg syndrome is the cause of my insomnia?
Nobody knows what causes restless leg syndrome — a powerful urge to move your legs that can disrupt your sleep.
Sometimes following good sleep hygiene practices — exercising regularly, learning relaxation techniques, and cutting out caffeine, tobacco and alcohol — can help. When they don’t, the next step is medication. The two medications approved by the FDA for use in restless leg syndrome, ropinirole (Requip) and pramipexole (Mirapex) are also used to treat involuntary movements of Parkinson’s disease.
What lifestyle changes can I make to help my restless leg syndrome?
Talk to your doctor about any vitamins or medications you’re taking, because they can influence your condition. Ask your doctor to check your iron, folic acid and vitamin-B levels — but don’t supplement these on your own, as you could worsen your sleeping problems.
Also, ask if any medications you are taking could trigger restless leg syndrome. Medications that can worsen the condition include:
Antihistamines, found in over-the-counter allergy, cold and sleep medications
Anti-dizzy and anti-nausea medications, such as Comprazine, Phenergan, and Reglan
Antidepressants, such as Elavil, Prozac, Lexapro and Efflexor
Psychiatric medications, used to treat bipolar disorder and schizophrenia
Can natural remedies or herbs solve my sleeping problems?
The herb valerian root or the hormone melatonin have a reputation for inducing sleep.
“The evidence for the use of valerian root isn’t convincing at this time,” Decker says. “But melatonin can help people fall and stay asleep.”
As we age, our body manufactures less melatonin. For some people, it might help to take melatonin 3-4 hours before bedtime, Decker says. But consult your doctor first.
Are You Smart About Sleep?
Getting a good night's sleep affects every aspect of your day, including your mood and your ability to be productive. And if that doesn't get your attention, listen up: Your sleep habits can even affect the number on the scale.
Study Ties Eating MSG to Weight Gain
The flavor enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG), most often associated with Chinese food and after-dinner headaches, may also be enhancing waistlines, a new study finds.
Researchers found that people who eat more MSG are more likely to be overweight or obese. And the increased risk wasn't simply because people were stuffing themselves with MSG-rich foods. The link between high MSG intake and being overweight held even after accounting for the total number of calories people ate.
Ka He, a nutrition expert at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, who led the study, said that although the risk of weight gain attributable to MSG was modest, the implications for public health are substantial. "Everybody eats it," He told Reuters Health.
MSG is one of the world's most widely used food additives. Although it tends to be more popular in Asian countries, Americans manage to get their share in processed foods, from chips to canned soups, even when it's not labeled as such.
Americans' typical daily intake of MSG is estimated to be only about half a gram, whereas estimates for Japan and Korea put average intakes anywhere between a gram and a half and 10 grams a day.
MSG is considered safe, but some people complain of headaches, nausea, and other bad reactions it.
Several studies have examined the potential link between MSG and body weight, with conflicting results. Scientists have speculated that people may eat larger helpings of food with MSG because it just tastes better. Other evidence suggests that MSG might interfere with signaling systems in the body that regulate appetite.
In the latest research, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, He and his colleagues followed more than 10,000 adults in China for about 5.5 years on average.
The researchers measured MSG intake directly by before-and-after weighing of products, such as bottles of soy sauce, to see how much people ate. They also asked people to estimate their intake over three 24-hour periods.
Men and women who ate the most MSG (a median of 5 grams a day) were about 30 percent more likely to become overweight by the end of the study than those who ate the least amount of the flavoring (less than a half gram a day), the researchers found. After excluding people who were overweight at the start of the study, the risk rose to 33 percent.
Obesity is not as much of a problem in China as it is in the United States, which might suggest that MSG is not a significant culprit in weight gain. But the Chinese tend to be physically active, which might help offset the pound-producing properties of the additive, He said.
Why MSG and weight gain may be linked isn't clear, He added, but it may have something to do with the hormone leptin, which regulates appetite and metabolism. He's group found that people who consumed more MSG produced more leptin. "MSG consumption may cause leptin resistance," He said, so that the body cannot properly process the energy it receives from food. That, He added, could explain why people who ate more MSG gained weight regardless of how many calories they consumed.
But Ivan E. de Araujo, a Yale University neurobiologist who has studied the effects of MSG on leptin, was not convinced by the new findings.
Leptin is released by fat cells, so as people gain weight they have more leptin in their blood, Araujo said. The effect of MSG on leptin levels, then, may simply be a reflection of growing body mass.
Araujo called the researchers' suggestion that prolonged exposure to high quantities of MSG may trigger leptin resistance by damaging an area of the brain called the hypothalamus, "rather speculative, given the current lack of direct evidence that" MSG in normal dietary amounts could produce a physical injury to that part of the brain.
Araujo added, it is "somewhat intriguing" that moderate weight gain was only seen in the group with the very highest MSG intakes. People who consumed the most MSG also consumed the most salt in their diets, Araujo noted, which can itself cause water retention and weight gain.
For a follow-up study, He and his colleagues hope to see whether people who stop using MSG experience any health benefits attributable to the change in diet.
Researchers found that people who eat more MSG are more likely to be overweight or obese. And the increased risk wasn't simply because people were stuffing themselves with MSG-rich foods. The link between high MSG intake and being overweight held even after accounting for the total number of calories people ate.
Ka He, a nutrition expert at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, who led the study, said that although the risk of weight gain attributable to MSG was modest, the implications for public health are substantial. "Everybody eats it," He told Reuters Health.
MSG is one of the world's most widely used food additives. Although it tends to be more popular in Asian countries, Americans manage to get their share in processed foods, from chips to canned soups, even when it's not labeled as such.
Americans' typical daily intake of MSG is estimated to be only about half a gram, whereas estimates for Japan and Korea put average intakes anywhere between a gram and a half and 10 grams a day.
MSG is considered safe, but some people complain of headaches, nausea, and other bad reactions it.
Several studies have examined the potential link between MSG and body weight, with conflicting results. Scientists have speculated that people may eat larger helpings of food with MSG because it just tastes better. Other evidence suggests that MSG might interfere with signaling systems in the body that regulate appetite.
In the latest research, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, He and his colleagues followed more than 10,000 adults in China for about 5.5 years on average.
The researchers measured MSG intake directly by before-and-after weighing of products, such as bottles of soy sauce, to see how much people ate. They also asked people to estimate their intake over three 24-hour periods.
Men and women who ate the most MSG (a median of 5 grams a day) were about 30 percent more likely to become overweight by the end of the study than those who ate the least amount of the flavoring (less than a half gram a day), the researchers found. After excluding people who were overweight at the start of the study, the risk rose to 33 percent.
Obesity is not as much of a problem in China as it is in the United States, which might suggest that MSG is not a significant culprit in weight gain. But the Chinese tend to be physically active, which might help offset the pound-producing properties of the additive, He said.
Why MSG and weight gain may be linked isn't clear, He added, but it may have something to do with the hormone leptin, which regulates appetite and metabolism. He's group found that people who consumed more MSG produced more leptin. "MSG consumption may cause leptin resistance," He said, so that the body cannot properly process the energy it receives from food. That, He added, could explain why people who ate more MSG gained weight regardless of how many calories they consumed.
But Ivan E. de Araujo, a Yale University neurobiologist who has studied the effects of MSG on leptin, was not convinced by the new findings.
Leptin is released by fat cells, so as people gain weight they have more leptin in their blood, Araujo said. The effect of MSG on leptin levels, then, may simply be a reflection of growing body mass.
Araujo called the researchers' suggestion that prolonged exposure to high quantities of MSG may trigger leptin resistance by damaging an area of the brain called the hypothalamus, "rather speculative, given the current lack of direct evidence that" MSG in normal dietary amounts could produce a physical injury to that part of the brain.
Araujo added, it is "somewhat intriguing" that moderate weight gain was only seen in the group with the very highest MSG intakes. People who consumed the most MSG also consumed the most salt in their diets, Araujo noted, which can itself cause water retention and weight gain.
For a follow-up study, He and his colleagues hope to see whether people who stop using MSG experience any health benefits attributable to the change in diet.
Cellphone Radiation May Be Cancerous
An international panel of experts says cellphones are possibly carcinogenic to humans after reviewing details from dozens of published studies.
The statement was issued in Lyon, France, on Tuesday by the International Agency for Research on Cancer after a weeklong meeting of experts. They reviewed possible links between cancer and the type of electromagnetic radiation found in cellphones, microwaves and radar.
The agency is the cancer arm of the World Health Organization and the assessment now goes to WHO and national health agencies for possible guidance on cellphone use.
The group classified cellphones in category 2B, meaning they are possibly carcinogenic to humans. Other substances in that category include the pesticide DDT and gasoline engine exhaust.
Last year, results of a large study found no clear link between cellphones and cancer. But some advocacy groups contend the study raised serious concerns because it showed a hint of a possible connection between very heavy phone use and glioma, a rare but often deadly form of brain tumor. However, the numbers in that subgroup weren't sufficient to make the case.
The study was controversial because it began with people who already had cancer and asked them to recall how often they used their cellphones more than a decade ago.
In about 30 other studies done in Europe, New Zealand, and the United States, patients with brain tumors have not reported using their cellphones more often than unaffected people.
Because cellphones are so popular, it may be impossible for experts to compare cellphone users who develop brain tumors with people who don't use the devices. According to a survey last year, the number of cellphone subscribers worldwide has hit 5 billion, or nearly three-quarters of the global population.
People's cellphone habits have also changed dramatically since the first studies began years ago and it's unclear if the results of previous research would still apply today.
Since many cancerous tumors take decades to develop, experts say it's impossible to conclude cellphones have no long-term health risks. The studies conducted so far haven't tracked people for longer than about a decade.
Cellphones send signals to nearby towers via radio frequency waves, a form of energy similar to FM radio waves and microwaves. But the radiation produced by cellphones cannot directly damage DNA and is different from stronger types of radiation like X-rays or ultraviolet light. At very high levels, radio frequency waves from cellphones can heat up body tissue, but that is not believed to damage human cells.
According to Cancer Research U.K., the only health danger firmly connected to cellphones is a higher risk of car accidents. The group recommends children under 16 only use cellphones for essential calls because their brains and nervous systems are still developing.
Also, a recent U.S. National Institutes of Health study found that cellphone use can speed up brain activity, but it is unknown whether that has any dangerous health effects.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD A MESAGE TO THIS... I HAD ONCE BEEN ON A PHONE CONFERANCE WITH THE MAN WHO INVENTED THE CELL PHONE AND THIS IS WHAT HE SAID TO US... HE SAID THAT THEY DID A TEST WITH TWO MEN WHO SAT ACROSS A TWO FOOT TABLE FROM EACH OTHER AND THEY TALKED TO EACH OTHER FOR THREE HOURS AND THEY HAD LAID A RAW EGG IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TABLE BETWEEN THEM AND AFTER THREE HOURS OF TALKING THE EGG WAS ALMOST HARD BOILED FROM THE RADIATION COOKING IT. HE ALSO STATED THE CORDLESS PHONES IN OUR HOMES WERE ALSO BAD FOR US AND THAT THE WORST WAS THE BLUETOOH ON THE EAR. HE STATED JOHNNY COCHRAN (UNSURE ABOUT THE SPELLING) DIED OF BRAIN TUMOR CANCER FROM A BLUETOOH. I JUST NEEDED TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT I HAD HEARD. SO YOU CAN THINK ABOUT IT. I DO FEEL THE CELLULAR PHONE COMPANIES WOULD PAY SCIENTISTS TO SAY ANYTHING THEY WANT THEM TO. I JUST FEEL WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL AND ALERT.
The statement was issued in Lyon, France, on Tuesday by the International Agency for Research on Cancer after a weeklong meeting of experts. They reviewed possible links between cancer and the type of electromagnetic radiation found in cellphones, microwaves and radar.
The agency is the cancer arm of the World Health Organization and the assessment now goes to WHO and national health agencies for possible guidance on cellphone use.
The group classified cellphones in category 2B, meaning they are possibly carcinogenic to humans. Other substances in that category include the pesticide DDT and gasoline engine exhaust.
Last year, results of a large study found no clear link between cellphones and cancer. But some advocacy groups contend the study raised serious concerns because it showed a hint of a possible connection between very heavy phone use and glioma, a rare but often deadly form of brain tumor. However, the numbers in that subgroup weren't sufficient to make the case.
The study was controversial because it began with people who already had cancer and asked them to recall how often they used their cellphones more than a decade ago.
In about 30 other studies done in Europe, New Zealand, and the United States, patients with brain tumors have not reported using their cellphones more often than unaffected people.
Because cellphones are so popular, it may be impossible for experts to compare cellphone users who develop brain tumors with people who don't use the devices. According to a survey last year, the number of cellphone subscribers worldwide has hit 5 billion, or nearly three-quarters of the global population.
People's cellphone habits have also changed dramatically since the first studies began years ago and it's unclear if the results of previous research would still apply today.
Since many cancerous tumors take decades to develop, experts say it's impossible to conclude cellphones have no long-term health risks. The studies conducted so far haven't tracked people for longer than about a decade.
Cellphones send signals to nearby towers via radio frequency waves, a form of energy similar to FM radio waves and microwaves. But the radiation produced by cellphones cannot directly damage DNA and is different from stronger types of radiation like X-rays or ultraviolet light. At very high levels, radio frequency waves from cellphones can heat up body tissue, but that is not believed to damage human cells.
According to Cancer Research U.K., the only health danger firmly connected to cellphones is a higher risk of car accidents. The group recommends children under 16 only use cellphones for essential calls because their brains and nervous systems are still developing.
Also, a recent U.S. National Institutes of Health study found that cellphone use can speed up brain activity, but it is unknown whether that has any dangerous health effects.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD A MESAGE TO THIS... I HAD ONCE BEEN ON A PHONE CONFERANCE WITH THE MAN WHO INVENTED THE CELL PHONE AND THIS IS WHAT HE SAID TO US... HE SAID THAT THEY DID A TEST WITH TWO MEN WHO SAT ACROSS A TWO FOOT TABLE FROM EACH OTHER AND THEY TALKED TO EACH OTHER FOR THREE HOURS AND THEY HAD LAID A RAW EGG IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TABLE BETWEEN THEM AND AFTER THREE HOURS OF TALKING THE EGG WAS ALMOST HARD BOILED FROM THE RADIATION COOKING IT. HE ALSO STATED THE CORDLESS PHONES IN OUR HOMES WERE ALSO BAD FOR US AND THAT THE WORST WAS THE BLUETOOH ON THE EAR. HE STATED JOHNNY COCHRAN (UNSURE ABOUT THE SPELLING) DIED OF BRAIN TUMOR CANCER FROM A BLUETOOH. I JUST NEEDED TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT I HAD HEARD. SO YOU CAN THINK ABOUT IT. I DO FEEL THE CELLULAR PHONE COMPANIES WOULD PAY SCIENTISTS TO SAY ANYTHING THEY WANT THEM TO. I JUST FEEL WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL AND ALERT.
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