Many studies including recent government ones on back surgery for painful herniated disks show no clear-cut reason to choose an operation over other treatment.

The pain and physical function of the patients, who were suffering from a condition called sciatica, improved significantly after two years whether or not they had surgery. John Ross, a Doctor at LSU sports clinic states “neither of the strategies offered complete relief.”

The condition involves disk cartilage bulging between vertebrae in the lower spine and pressing against a nerve. It can cause excruciating burning pain called sciatica, radiating from the lower back into the legs; patients often have difficulty walking.

About 250,000 Americans have disk surgery for sciatica each year, while another quarter-million instead choose physical therapy, painkillers or rest until they feel better. The surgery costs about $6,000, Weinstein said.

In support of this, one study involved 472 patients aged 42 on average who were followed for two years after being randomly assigned to surgery or noninvasive treatment, which included education, physical therapy or painkillers.  Surgery involved removing part of the bulging disc in a standard operation often done on an outpatient basis.

Patients in both groups had much improved scores on measures of pain, physical function and disability during periodic evaluations; differences between the groups weren’t statistically significant.

The exciting story of Terry Wallis, who was involved in a car accident when he was 19 and now woken up after spending 19 years in a vegetative stats has shaken the medical community and bring new hope of coma victims everywhere.

Three years ago, Mr Wallis uttered his first word, “Mom“, and has shown continual, although limited, improvement.

Since speaking his first words, Wallis’s speech has improved and he has regained some movement in his legs, but his short-term memory is very poor and he does not understand what has happened to him.

A US and New Zealand team of researchers scanned his brain using a technique called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to try and understand his recovery. 

Using this method, the scientists were able to look at Mr Wallis’s brain and to see any damage or reorganisation of his white matter.

White matter is the part of the brain that contains nerve fibres wrapped in an insulating fatty substance, called myelin. It is responsible for transmitting information in the brain, whereas grey matter processes it.

The researchers believe the most likely explanation is that axons, the long thin connections that make links between different brain cells, have re-grown.

I myself had (have) Grave’s disease and had my thyroid radiated so this news was especially interesting. 

German researchers hve found rats exposed to a chemical, 4MBC found in most brands of sunscreen had raised levels of thyroid stimulating hormones and heavier thyroid glands.  Yet another chemical benzophenone 2 was also found to alter thyroid hormone levels, but the effect was reversed by other chemicals present in sunscreens.

I look forward to this study receiving more attention.

Late last week the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a nicotine free drug to aid folks in kicking the smoking habit.

With new statistics coming out daily from around the world showing the huge health impact smoking is having on society it is welcome news.

The new drug named Chantix acts at the same part of the brain as nicotine and may have a superior rate of smoking cessation compared to the most widely approved smoking cessation product,  Zyban.

In 12-week clinical trials, 44 percent of patients taking Chantix had quit smoking after four weeks, compared with 30 percent taking Zyban and 17 percent taking a placebo, said Dr. Curt Rosebraugh, the FDA’s deputy director for the Office of Drug Evaluation.

Just a few days ago news of a 63 year old woman becoming pregnant, figures from the Human Fertility and Embryology Authority support the fact that many older women are taking the plunge into latter life pregnancy.

Doctors have noted that older mothers are at increased risk of stroke, heart attack, diabetes, pre-eclampsia, high blood pressure and multiple births all which put the mother and child in potential life-threatening situations.

FYI, the oldest mother in the UK is Liz Buttle, from Wales who was 60 years old when she gave birth to a son, Joseph, in 1997. 

Some older woman also experience a relaxed vaginal muscle. A kegel exercise can tighten their vaginal muscle with just a few minute everyday.  For those who are busy and would like the see results fast, use kegel exerciser, it can help strengthen your vagina in a shorter time.

Personally I hope the health community does continued research into helping older women have successful, healthy births later in life.

The Leicester couple has a daughter, Charlotte Mariethoz that has a rare blood condition called diamond blackfan anaemia and doctors say she needs a stem cell transplant from a genetic match to survive.

Her parents will now use IVF to attempt to have a “designer baby” to save her.

Tissue testing involves taking one or two cells from an embryo when it is around three days old.

If there is a match for the existing child, that embryo will be implanted in the mother’s womb so it can develop.

Once a baby is born, stem cells are removed from the umbilical cord and stored for four to six months when the transplant to the sick child can take place.

This entire proccess is called having a “saviour sibling”.

A New Jersey company is accused of failing to gain consent to take tissues from cadavers.  So far, over two dozen lawsuits have been filed in federal courts across the country.

The most famous example involved the body of Alistair Cooke, the longtime host of the PBS series “Masterpiece Theater.” Cooke died of cancer at age 95, and his leg bones were removed and shipped to tissue processors for use in medical procedures.

The Associated Press talked to lawyers representing clients who say medical tests show they have the AIDS or hepatitis virus or syphilis bacteria — all of which can be acquired from infected tissue.  This is very scary and needs to be addressed immediately.

For the first time high cholesterol levels have been linked to prostate cancer as dicovered in a new study.

The strongest risk factors for prostate cancer remain to be; age, ethnic background and family history.  But scientists had some evidence for links between cholesterol and prostate cancer for quite a while as reported in the Journal of Cellular Biochemistry.

To explore the possible link between cholesterol and prostate health, epidemiologist Francesca Bravi and colleagues reviewed the medical files of nearly 3000 men under the age of 75 from four different regions of Italy.  This included 1294 men who had prostate cancer and 1451 men without the disease.

After adjusting for other factors such as family history of prostate cancer and smoking, the team found that those with prostate cancer were 50% more likely to have high cholesterol than their control counterparts.  It is likely that the high cholesterol may contribute to the development of prostate cancer but that causative link was not firmly established by this study.

Bravi noted that the body uses cholesterol to make hormones known as androgens, which influence prostate tissue.  A surplus of cholesterol may lead to unbalanced production of the hormone, she says.