ky3_healthwatch_stories_local

ky3-new-hearing-aid-offers-a-different-way-to-hear-20130524 New hearing aid offers a different way to hear The device uses the eardrum and native hearing bones to sense sound energy May 24, 2013 From KY3 News http://www.trbimg.com/img-51a027d9/turbine/ky3-new-hearing-aid-offers-a-different-way-to-hear-20130524/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51a027d9/turbine/ky3-new-hearing-aid-offers-a-different-way-to-hear-20130524/400/16x9  Hearing loss is the third most common physical condition after heart disease and arthritis.  Hearing aids used to be the only option for those with moderate to severe hearing loss, but now an invisible device is giving patients a new choice.  Doctors say they believe this is the biggest breakthrough in rehabilitating hearing since cochlear implants.  Doctor Abraham Jacob says the invisible device, known as The Esteem, is implanted behind the ear and turns parts of it into a microphone.   He says, "the device uses the eardrum and native hearing bones to sense sound energy."  That energy is sent to the inner ear for interpretation, creating a clearer, more natural sound.  According to Dr. Jacob,  "the patient is able to go in the shower, wear it at night, wear it in the pool.  It's a completely different way to hear for them because they can hear all the time if they want to."   The device isn't cheap. It costs about 35-thousand dollars per ear and is not yet covered by insurance.      2013-05-24 19:53:36.0 2013-06-23 22:00:00.0 http://www.ky3.com/news/health/ky3-new-hearing-aid-offers-a-different-way-to-hear-20130524,0,1492111.story

ky3-increasing-physical-activity-improves-a-childs-grades-20130523 Increasing physical activity improves a child's grades Any time there's a class after P.E., the kids are more on task, more focused May 23, 2013 From KY3 News    The school year is over or winding down for most kids.  If their grade cards left a little to be desired, some experts say it may be because they're not getting enough physical activity during the school day.  The institute of medicine is recommending that schools provide students with an hour of exercise every day, not just for health, but for the sake of their grades.  According to Dr. Harold Kohl, with the University of Texas School of Public Health,"children need physical activity to optimize health, development. And we're finding now for academic performance."  The "No Child Left Behind Act" passed in 2001 put a greater emphasis on math and reading. As a result, 44-percent of school principals say they've cut back on physical education.  According to the Institute of Medicine, grades haven't improved. The solution, experts say, is to put physical activity back in schools.  Dr. Allyn Bernstein, a middle school principal says any time there's a class after P.E.,  the kids are more on task, and they're more focused.  Gym class isn't the only answer. The experts are calling for a "whole school" approach to get kids moving. This includes teaching teachers how to incorporate physical activity into math, science and english classes.  Dr. Kohl says we need to think creatively about active transport to school, like walking, biking, and skateboarding to and from school.   Recess, before- and after-school activities, and sports are other ways to keep kids moving.   Experts say the childrens' health and increasingly, their grades depend on stepping up physical activity.     The recommendations have some support in Congress.   Several members introduced legislation that would amend the "No Child Left Behind Act" to include more physical activity.      2013-05-23 19:47:22.0 2013-06-22 22:00:00.0 http://www.ky3.com/news/health/ky3-increasing-physical-activity-improves-a-childs-grades-20130523,0,710173.story

ky3-new-drug-for-insomnia-works-differently-than-other-sleeping-aids-20130523 New drug for insomnia works differently than other sleeping aids It focuses on the chemicals that keep people awake May 23, 2013 From KY3 News  There may soon be another medication option for people with insomnia.  A federal advisory panel is studying the drug Suvorexant.   The panel says the drug is safe and effective at low doses.  It works differently than other insomnia medicines, in that it blocks chemicals to the brain that keep people awake.  The panel was split on the safety of the medicine at higher doses.  The F-D-A is likely to approve a lower dose of the drug later this summer.    2013-05-23 18:49:41.0 2013-06-22 22:00:00.0 http://www.ky3.com/news/health/ky3-new-drug-for-insomnia-works-differently-than-other-sleeping-aids-20130523,0,5323537.story

ky3-teen-birth-rate-trending-down-20130523 Teen birth rate trending down Two western states had biggest drop in teen birth rate May 23, 2013 � From KY3 News   The teen birth rate continues its decline, particularly among Hispanic teenagers.  The National Center for Health statistics finds teen birth rates fell 25-percent between 2007 and 2011, hitting a record low.  Declines were steepest for Hispanic teenagers, averaging a 34-percent decrease.  States with the most significant declines were Arizona and Utah.  This downward trend in teen births began in 1991, and was briefly interrupted in 2006-2007.   More teens practicing abstinence is one reason cited for the drop in American's teenage birth rate In Missouri in 2011.  There were 35 babies born for every one thousand teens ages 15 to 19.  In Arkansas, there were 51 babies born for every one thousand teens.  Both states showed declining birth rates among teens in the last five years. <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; color: #555555; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> <br style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; color: #555555; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;" /> 2013-05-23 18:38:51.0 2013-06-22 22:00:00.0 http://www.ky3.com/news/health/ky3-teen-birth-rate-trending-down-20130523,0,6750293.story

ky3-study-indicates-fish-oil-protects-against-type2-diabetes-20130523 Study indicates fish oil protects against type-2 diabetes Research taken from 14 clinical trials May 23, 2013 A review of research suggests fish oil supplements might help protect against Type-2 Diabetes. � Experts with the Harvard School of Health pooled data from 14 clinical trials. From KY3 News <span style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; color: #555555; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">A review of research suggests fish oil supplements might help protect against Type-2 Diabetes.  Experts with the Harvard School of Health pooled data from 14 clinical trials. <span style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; color: #555555; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">They found fish oil may increase levels of a hormone associated with diabetes and heart disease. The increase was modest and may work better in certain people.   <span style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; color: #555555; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">More studies are needed.  An estimated 37% of adults use fish oil supplements, according to NIH data.  2013-05-23 18:21:10.0 2013-06-22 22:00:00.0 http://www.ky3.com/news/health/ky3-study-indicates-fish-oil-protects-against-type2-diabetes-20130523,0,7932724.story

ky3-some-teenagers-are-calorie-counting-at-fast-food-restaurants-20130523 Some teenagers are calorie counting at fast food restaurants Many are considering calories before ordering May 23, 2013 While some teens are oblivious to nutrition information posted at fast food restaurants, many consider calories before ordering. � From KY3 News <span style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; color: #555555; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">While some teens are oblivious to nutrition information posted at fast food restaurants, many consider calories before ordering.  <span style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; color: #555555; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveyed more than 700 young people between the ages of 9 and 18.  About 20-percent of the young respondents never even noticed the calories were posted.  But of those who did, 42-percent said they used it, compared to nearly 60-percent who did not.  <span style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; color: #555555; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Girls and obese youth were most likely to consult the calorie information.   Most of the youth had a healthy weight.  13.3% were classified as obese.  2013-05-23 18:15:37.0 2013-06-22 22:00:00.0 http://www.ky3.com/news/health/ky3-some-teenagers-are-calorie-counting-at-fast-food-restaurants-20130523,0,379881.story

ky3-video-taping-appointments-gives-patients-a-second-chance-to-see-their-doctors--20130514 Video taping appointments gives patients a second chance to see their doctors Too often patients forget doctors' orders or explanation during a stress-filled appointment. May 14, 2013 From KY3 News  Good communication between patients and physicians is critical to care.  But the average person remembers less than half of what doctors say during their office visits.  Now there's a way to remember exactly what your doctor told you.  Neurosurgeon, Doctor Randall Porter created the medical memory. Too many patients couldn't remember the details of their stressful visits.  Dr. Porter says, "they look like they understand what I'm telling them. They seem like they understand and they come back to me a month later and say i don't remember a word that you told me."   The idea behind the program is simple. Patient visits are recorded from beginning to end. Then patients and their families can access the video online, so they can remember exactly what they need to know moving forward. According to the doctor,  “it's very helpful for them to be able to watch the video, look at their images, re-understand their illness, re-understand what we are going to do for them during surgery."   Doctor Porter has used the medical memory in more than one-thousand cases. In feedback surveys, 92-percent of patients said the video helped them remember more. Only one in five believed they could remember everything without the video, and more than half of patients said their anxiety decreased.  Doctor porter says while some hospitals have openly discouraged doctors or patients from recording their appointments for legal reasons, he believes if you're practicing good medicine and telling the patients the right things, recording your interaction can only enhance your ability to deliver care.  2013-05-14 19:38:25.0 2013-06-13 22:00:00.0 http://www.ky3.com/news/health/ky3-video-taping-appointments-gives-patients-a-second-chance-to-see-their-doctors--20130514,0,5094777.story

ky3-hearing-aid-attached-to-tooth-turning-up-the-volume-from-some-20130509 Hearing Aid attached to tooth turning up the volume from some The"SoundBite" has a microphone in the ear and a receiver in the mouth, then the sound is conducted through the jawbone and heard by the "good ear." May 9, 2013 From KY3 News  36-million adults in the U-S report some degree of hearing loss.  But only one in five people who could benefit from a hearing aid uses one.  Now a new device that actually goes inside the *mouth* could help many hear much better.  Remember how the grown-ups in Charlie Brown comics used to sound?   With 80-percent hearing loss in her right ear, that’s how Mia Tavan  says most people sounded to her.  Now, she's got a new hearing device on her tooth.  It’s called The SoundBite and it’s helping her to hear. This is how it works: Mia's bad ear is fitted with a microphone that wirelessly transmits sound to a device on her tooth.  Those vibrations travel through her skull bones and are picked up by the inner part of her good ear.   The bone conduction technology gives her the perception that she can hear in both ears.  According to Audiologist, Susan M. Kelleher says, as long as the hearing in the good ear is near normal the SoundBite could help. Patients with bilateral or hearing loss in both ears are not good candidates, she says."     Mia says the Soundbite has improved her quality of life.  She says it’s been amazing.  The only downsides, according to Mia:  getting used to the device, occasional feedback, and making sure the batteries are charged. There are other bone conduction devices on the market, but they require surgery.   The SoundBite does not require any invasive procedures.  It is F-D-A approved, but it's not covered by all insurance companies at this time.  The device costs about seven-thousand dollars.  2013-05-14 19:45:09.0 2013-06-08 22:00:00.0 http://www.ky3.com/news/health/ky3-hearing-aid-attached-to-tooth-turning-up-the-volume-from-some-20130509,0,6113622.story

ky3-cookout-warning-bristle-from-grill-brush-sends-teen-to-hospital-20130508 Cookout Warning: bristle from grill brush sends teen to hospital May 8, 2013 SEATTLE, Wash. -- It's one of the first signs of summer: a barbecue with family and friends. But a little known grilling hazard has resurfaced, and even sent a Washington State teenager to the hospital. http://www.trbimg.com/img-518ad8a5/turbine/ky3-cookout-warning-bristle-from-grill-brush-sends-teen-to-hospital-20130508/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-518ad8a5/turbine/ky3-cookout-warning-bristle-from-grill-brush-sends-teen-to-hospital-20130508/400/16x9 SEATTLE, Wash. -- It's one of the first signs of summer: a barbecue with family and friends. But a little known grilling hazard has resurfaced, and even sent a Washington State teenager to the hospital. Tristin Beck is recovering at Seattle Children's Hospital. Tristin's family didn't know what they were dealing with when he started vomiting days earlier.  "I just remember being in school on Wednesday and just feeling like I was being stabbed in the stomach. I was falling asleep in class and just not feeling good," said Tristan. Doctors couldn't find the source of his pain, until an exploratory surgery provided a good look inside Tristin's stomach, and they spotted a foreign object that had perforated the 16-year-old's intestines.  It was a single bristle from a grill cleaning brush "Well it's crazy, you just don't think about it. We're grilling all the time, even in the winter," said Tristin's Dad.  The Beck family had done just that a few days before and used a grill cleaning brush to clean their barbecue. The single metal bristle from the brush apparently wound up in Tristin's meal, and then in his stomach. He should recover, but will have to be fed through a tube until his injury heals. His family is warning everyone that such an injury can happen to anyone. The Centers for Disease control recommends replacing those brushes often and inspecting them before each use for loose or broken bristles.     2013-05-08 16:01:37.0 2013-06-07 22:00:00.0 http://www.ky3.com/news/health/ky3-cookout-warning-bristle-from-grill-brush-sends-teen-to-hospital-20130508,0,4771688.story

ky3-plastic-surgery-to-make-your-arms-look-better-20130429 Plastic surgery to make your arms look better Celebrities show off toned arms making the rest of us want them, even if it takes a little surgery April 29, 2013 From KY3 News http://www.trbimg.com/img-517f32b1/turbine/ky3-plastic-surgery-to-make-your-arms-look-better-20130429/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-517f32b1/turbine/ky3-plastic-surgery-to-make-your-arms-look-better-20130429/400/16x9 2013-04-29 19:54:11.0 2013-05-28 22:00:00.0 http://www.ky3.com/news/health/ky3-plastic-surgery-to-make-your-arms-look-better-20130429,0,5203615.story

sns-rt-us-is-there-an-obesity-paradox-in-diabetesbre8761a-20120807 Is there an 'obesity paradox' in diabetes? August 7, 2012 NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Obesity and diabetes might not be the double whammy you'd expect, according to a fresh look at older studies. By Frederik Joelving http://www.trbimg.com/img-5021e535/turbine/sns-rt-us-is-there-an-obesity-paradox-in-diabetesbre8761a-20120807/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5021e535/turbine/sns-rt-us-is-there-an-obesity-paradox-in-diabetesbre8761a-20120807/400/16x9 NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Obesity and diabetes might not be the double whammy you'd expect, according to a fresh look at older studies. Surprisingly, researchers found that overweight and obese people who get diagnosed with the blood sugar disorder tend to live longer than their leaner peers. This so-called "obesity paradox" has been observed before in chronic diseases like heart and kidney failure, said Mercedes R. Carnethon of the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago. But that doesn't mean you should start downing ice cream and other high-calorie foods if you just found out you have diabetes, Carnethon told Reuters Health. Nor does it mean that padding your waist is a good way to improve your prognosis before you get the disease. In fact, it's probably not that excessive pounds are protective, said Carnethon, but rather that lean people who get diabetes are somehow predisposed to worse health. "Perhaps those individuals are somehow genetically loaded to develop diabetes and have higher mortality," she said. "A normal-weight person who has diabetes has an extremely high mortality rate." The new findings are based on data from five earlier studies that tracked people over time to identify risk factors for heart disease. More than 2,600 participants developed type 2 diabetes during the studies, and 12 percent of them had a normal weight when they got the diagnosis. The death rate was 1.5 percent per year among overweight and obese people, compared to 2.8 percent per year among their trimmer peers. After accounting for several risk factors for heart disease — including age, blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking — lean people were more than twice as likely to die at any given point as heavier people. The same held true for deaths caused by heart disease, which is linked to obesity. "It was a little bit unexpected to see that," said Carnethon. One potential limitation of the study is that the researchers couldn't always account for how much people smoked, which might explain part of the results. It's also possible that a few people might have been diagnosed with diabetes outside of the studies and been told to slim down by their own doctor before they were seen by the study researchers. That could also have contributed to the findings, although Carnethon said the effect would be small. She added that it's not clear how to best treat normal-weight people with type 2 diabetes, although weight training seems preferable over cardio exercise. Older people and people of Asian descent are more likely to be normal-weight when diagnosed with diabetes, and Carnethon stressed that doctors need to take the disorder extra seriously when it's not accompanied by obesity. "These findings do apply to a growing segment of the population," she said. SOURCE: <a href="http://bit.ly/O0uT3Q">http://bit.ly/O0uT3Q</a> Journal of the American Medical Association, online August 7, 2012. 2012-08-07 21:22:32.0 http://www.ky3.com/news/health/sns-rt-us-is-there-an-obesity-paradox-in-diabetesbre8761a-20120807,0,5578084.story

sns-rt-us-vitamindbre864142-20120705 High-dose vitamin D prevents fractures in elderly July 5, 2012 NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new analysis of nearly a dozen studies testing vitamin D in older individuals has concluded that it takes a daily dose of at least 800 international units (IU) to consistently prevent broken bones. By Gene Emery http://www.trbimg.com/img-4ff6093c/turbine/sns-rt-us-vitamindbre864142-20120705/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-4ff6093c/turbine/sns-rt-us-vitamindbre864142-20120705/400/16x9 NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new analysis of nearly a dozen studies testing vitamin D in older individuals has concluded that it takes a daily dose of at least 800 international units (IU) to consistently prevent broken bones. A dose that high was found to reduce the risk of hip fracture by 30 percent and other breaks by 14 percent. Lower doses didn't have any effect. The report, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, also suggests that too much calcium -- perhaps more than 1,000 milligrams (mg) per day -- can weaken the benefit. "These hip fractures cost a lot and are a really serious event. They are usually the end of independent life for a senior person; 50 percent do not regain their mobility. Reducing the risk by 30 percent with just a vitamin supplement would be an enormous public health opportunity," study researcher Dr. Heike Bischoff-Ferrari of University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland told Reuters Health. The Institute of Medicine recommends that most adults get 1,000 to 1,200 mg of calcium per day and 600 to 800 IU of vitamin D. It sets a recommended upper limit at 2,000 mg of calcium and 4,000 IU of vitamin D. Bischoff-Ferrari said the lack of benefit seen in other studies "may be explained by adherence to treatment and vitamin D supplements taken outside the study medication." Dr. Richard Bockman, a hormone expert at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, said the findings are an important counterbalance to last month's widely-reported recommendation by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The government-backed task force advised against taking doses of less than 400 IU of vitamin D with 1,000 mg of calcium and concluded the evidence was unclear for higher doses. It also said the supplements carry a risk of side effects such as kidney stones. Bockman said the best trial is a 2003 study, known as the Trivedi trial, in which volunteers received an average of 800 IU per day as a single 100,000 IU dose every four months. "It clearly showed a reduction in fracture risk in people who were getting vitamin D," he said. In an editorial, Dr. Robert Heaney of Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska, said the problem with the conflicting studies may be that most have failed to consider each person's vitamin D levels to start with. Giving it to people who already have enough, or not giving enough to people with very low levels, may show no benefit, he said. "In this regard, as in several other respects, nutrients are unlike drugs. Once an adequate concentration has been achieved, additional intake has no effect," said Heaney. Bischoff-Ferrari said the new results came without directly including the Trivedi results. "The authors lost the data sets to a computer accident," she said. The new analysis is based on 11 trials that tested various regimens of oral vitamin D in people age 65 and older, mostly women, against an inactive placebo. Some of the trials also included calcium. Overall, there were 4,881 hip and other fractures (not including breaks of the spine) among more than 31,000 people. Vitamin D did not cut the rate of hip fracture significantly, and the drop in other fractures was small. When the researchers looked at people getting the highest doses of the vitamin, typically 800 IU daily, the benefits were clearer, with a 30-percent drop in hip fractures and 14-percent decline in other broken bones. "Notably, there was no reduction in the risk of hip fracture at any actual intake level lower than 792 IU per day," the researchers said. The benefits at the higher dose were seen regardless of age, additional calcium intake, whether the patients lived at home or in an institution, and baseline levels vitamin D. Bischoff-Ferrari said the clearest impact was seen in nursing home patients, who were given the highest doses of vitamin D and regularly took their pills because the nurses were giving them. Just as important is the discovery that too much calcium - more than 1,000 mg per day - may dilute vitamin D's benefits to bones, she said. Because many supplements contain 1,000 mg, the calcium people get in their diets may send people over the limit. "This is a very, very important public health message," Bischoff-Ferrari said. "There are still doctors around who are giving calcium without vitamin to hip fracture patients. Imagine giving a calcium supplement and increasing the fracture risk." In an earlier study, she added, fewer than 10 percent of the people coming into the hospital for a hip fracture had been taking the vitamin. And 60 percent of them had suffered another fracture in the prior decade, yet "the red flag is not coming up." "In the medical world, vitamin D seems like a very low priority. It may be the lack of lobbying for it, the fact that it costs almost nothing" and some people think it's too good to be true, she said. "But the data are impressive." SOURCE: <a href="http://bit.ly/NmCWUm">http://bit.ly/NmCWUm</a> New England Journal of Medicine, July 5, 2012. 2012-07-07 19:06:02.0 http://www.ky3.com/news/health/sns-rt-us-vitamindbre864142-20120705,0,2286785.story

ky3-lyme-disease-hard-to-diagnose-hard-to-treat-controversial-among-medical-field--20120405 Chronic Lyme Disease - hard to diagnose, hard to treat, controversial among medical field April 5, 2012 GREENE COUNTY, Mo -- A mild winter season could translate into more ticks and more bites this Spring. According to the Center's for Disease Control, cases of Lyme Disease has steadily risen in the last decade. by Jay Scherder, KY3 News http://www.trbimg.com/img-4f7de1c8/turbine/ky3-lyme-disease-hard-to-diagnose-hard-to-treat-controversial-among-medical-field--20120405/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-4f7de1c8/turbine/ky3-lyme-disease-hard-to-diagnose-hard-to-treat-controversial-among-medical-field--20120405/400/16x9 GREENE COUNTY, Mo -- A mild winter season could translate into more ticks and more bites this Spring. According to the Center's for Disease Control, cases of Lyme Disease has steadily risen in the last decade. The data suggests people in the Ozarks shouldn't have to worry about ever getting Lyme Disease. However, several people who spoke with KY3 say that data isn't telling the whole story, and that ignorance about this debilitating disease could lead to a lifetime of pain and suffering.   "I was depressed. I was anxious. I have significant mental fog," said Jenni Fansler. "There are days that you feel so bad you truly think you are going to die," said Elizabeth Ferguson."I think I still have a long way to go. I still have memory issues. I still have joint pain. I still have fatigue." said Eric Figg. Three different people -- from three different areas of the Ozarks -- are all fighting the same thing. It's something that comes with a laundry list of symptoms. "It gets into your cells. It gets into your nervous system. It gets into your joints. It gets into all these places and it's harder to treat," said Fansler. "I went through my phases like 'am I crazy?' because it is so strange," said Ferguson. According to the <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/stats/maps/map2010.html" target="_blank">Centers for Disease Control, </a>they're fighting something that barely exists in Missouri--Lyme Disease."We've been told everything from 'Lyme doesn't exist in Missouri; it's only on the East Coast," said Kimberlie Figg.   "Some doctors don't even believe Lyme Disease exists. Even though I come and 'here is my positive test. I have the symptoms," said Ferguson. <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/stats/maps/map2010.html" target="_blank">CDC data</a> suggests Lyme Disease is only prevalent on the East Coast and up North. Advocate groups like the<a href="http://www.ilads.org/lyme_disease/about_lyme.html" target="_blank"> International Lyme And Associated Diseases Society</a> believe it is a nationwide problem that shouldn't be ignored."People are being told that it's rare and that's it hard to get and we don't live in an area where Lyme exists. That's a problem because none of that is true," said Kimberlie Figg. The controversy is more complex than whether or not it exists in Missouri. "The skepticism comes more in with the later stages. A lot of disagreement in the medical community about whether or not late term Lyme disease exists," said Fansler. "I've had lyme for so many years; it is very chronic," said Ferguson. According to the <a href="http://www.columbia-lyme.org/patients/controversies.html" target="_blank">Columbia University Medical Center</a>, CDC criteria isn't very helpful for helping detect late stage Lyme Disease. A patient's treatment can either not occur or could be delayed. "There's many, many, many days that I didn't think I would live to see the last day,"said Ferguson. That delay can result in a treatable illness becoming a chronic, less responsive one.Caught early, antibiotics can wipe out Lyme Disease before it becomes a problem.  However, that's easier said that done. Not all cases involve a bulls eye rash around the tick bite that people often associate Lyme Disease with."We did basically $4,000 worth of tests-blood tests, nerve connection study, MRI, and came up with nothing," said Fansler.  In the beginning it's frustrating. "I had been to two family doctors, a nurse practitioner and a neurologist."  Once it declares war on your body it's crippling "It attacks your different organs. It attacks your nervous system. It attacks your muscles. It attacks your brain,"explained Ferguson. Because Centers for Disease Control data states Lyme Disease barely exists in Missouri, finding a doctor to diagnose the tick born illness can be difficult. "It's really hard when you feel bad, physically, emotionally, and something as simple as finding a doctor can be really hard," said Ferguson. "The doctor, to her credit, she did say some doctors don't believe there is Lyme disease around here. I see a few cases every year and treat them," explained Fansler. If you do find a doctor willing to take Lyme Disease into serious account, diagnosis isn't easy. "The testing isn't very effective," said Dr. Mark Woods. "Our first test came back negative in his office. The standard test that most doctors offices do, the <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lyme-disease/DS00116/DSECTION=tests-and-diagnosis" target="_blank">ELISA test</a>," said Kimberlie Figg. It can take several weeks after infection for the body to produce sufficient antibodies to be detected. Patients tested during the first few weeks of illness will often test negative. "Patients that have diseases that don't make sense or symptoms that don't go together," said Dr. Woods. "The best thing is to keep that open mind so that you can look into possible causes." Treatment is even more controversial. "We've been told already, now that we are into our second month of antibiotics," said Kimerblie Figg, "that they are not going to give us anymore." Guidelines from the <a href="http://www.idsociety.org/Lyme/" target="_blank">Infectious Diseases Society of America </a>call for standard treatment of a two-week course of antibiotics. But the <a href="http://www.ilads.org/lyme_disease/treatment_guidelines.html" target="_blank">International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society</a> guidelines say continuing treatment for several months or even longer for is reasonable. It's up to the doctor to decide which route to take. "We need doctors who aren't afraid of us as patients. I've had more than one doctor who has said 'I don't' want you as a patient," said Ferguson. 2012-04-05 21:02:51.0 http://www.ky3.com/news/health/ky3-lyme-disease-hard-to-diagnose-hard-to-treat-controversial-among-medical-field--20120405,0,4495790.story

wsbt-study-of-meth-babies-finds-behavior-problems-20120319 Study of 'meth babies' finds behavior problems March 19, 2012 LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer http://media.trb.com/media/thumbnails/story/2012-03/255443700-19052651.jpg http://media.trb.com/media/alternatethumbnails/story/2012-03/255443700-19052651.jpg <div>CHICAGO (AP) — The first study to look at methamphetamine's potential lasting effects on children whose mothers used it in pregnancy finds these kids at higher risk for behavior problems than other children.The behavior differences — anxiety, depression, moodiness — weren't huge, but lead researcher Linda LaGasse called them "very worrisome."Methamphetamine is a stimulant like crack cocaine, and earlier research showed meth babies have similarities to so-called "crack babies" — smaller in size and prone to drowsiness and stress. Results in long-term studies conflict on whether children of cocaine-using mothers have lasting behavior problems.Whether problems persist in young children of meth users is unknown. But LaGasse, who does research at Brown University's Center of the Study of Children at Risk, said methamphetamine has stronger effects on the brain so it may be more likely to cause lasting effects in children.The study was published online Monday in Pediatrics. The National Institutes of Health paid for the research, including a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.Government data suggest more than 10 million Americans have used meth; fewer than 1 percent of pregnant women are users.Joseph Frascella, who heads a behavioral division at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, said the research is among "groundbreaking" studies examining effects of substance abuse during pregnancy.But because the study is a first, the results should be viewed cautiously and need to be repeated, he said.The study of children tracked from age 3 through 5 builds on earlier research by LaGasse on the same group — 330 youngsters tracked in the Midwest and West, areas where meth use is most common. Mothers were recruited shortly after giving birth in Des Moines, Iowa; Honolulu, Los Angeles, and Tulsa, Okla. They were asked about prenatal meth use and newborns' stools were tested for evidence of the drug. Effects in children exposed to the drug were compared with those whose mothers didn't use meth. Both groups were high-risk children, with many living in disadvantaged homes.Mothers or other caregivers completed a widely used checklist asking how often kids showed many kinds of troublesome behavior.At age 3, scores for anxiety, depression and moodiness were slightly higher in meth-users' children. These differences persisted at age 5. The older children who'd been exposed to meth also had more aggression and attention problems similar to ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Mothers were asked about symptoms, but not if their kids had ever been diagnosed with behavior disorders.More than half of the mothers who'd used meth during pregnancy also used it afterwards. These women also were more likely to use other drugs during and after pregnancy and to be single mothers. But the researchers said accounting for those differences and others in the two groups' family lives didn't change the results.___Online:American Academy of Pediatrics: http://www.aap.orgNIDA: http://www.drugabuse.gov</div> 2012-03-19 05:28:51.0 2012-04-18 21:00:00.0 http://www.ky3.com/news/health/wsbt-study-of-meth-babies-finds-behavior-problems-20120319,0,7844617.story

ky3-medical-errors-are-not-being-reported-at-hospitals-says-report-20120209 Report: Hospitals' reporting systems don't capture most patient harm Inspector General Report: Hospital Incident Reporting Systems Do Not Capture Most Patient Harm February 10, 2012 SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Health care is a complex industry.� It's unique.� A single mistake made by the staff could seriously injure you or possibly kill you. by Jay Scherder, KY3 News http://media.trb.com/media/thumbnails/story/2012-02/67972695-09143651.png http://media.trb.com/media/alternatethumbnails/story/2012-02/67972695-09143651.png SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Health care is a complex industry.  It's unique.  A single mistake made by the staff could seriously injure you or possibly kill you.Contact KY3 examined what Consumer Reports has to say about Cox and Mercy hospitals, as well as how Missouri laws help protect you from deadly infections.  Digging deeper, we found a type of error that can't be found in a report because it isn't public knowledge."We go into this field to take care of people and do the best job we can," said Vicki Good, a nurse who is CoxHealth's director of patient safety. Doctor visits, blood tests, CAT scans, and therapy -- going to a hospital can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to medication. "I do think we have an opportunity to do a better job in explaining medications to patients," said Dr. Alex Hover, Mercy Health System's senior vice-president of Clinical Excellence. "Medication labels were confusing for them to read," said Good.  According to Consumer Reports, Cox and Mercy hospitals fall short when it comes to explaining exactly what the patient is taking and what possible side effects it comes with. "Standardization is one of the key ways hospitals have been able to make hospitals safer," said Good. Both hospitals admit there have been problems, and creating a medication labeling standard across the board is improving the situation. Another area of concern, according to Consumer Reports, is communication about discharge -- what you need to know when you go home. "We've standardized that in terms of the person-discharged instructions.  I think our results have been better," said Hover. "Do we deliver that electronically?  Do we deliver that in paper form?  How do we reiterate that message on every encounter with that patient?" said Good, listing some of the things that health providers think about before a discharge. Thanks to a Missouri law, the <a href="http://www.senate.mo.gov/04info/bills/sb1279.htm" target="_blank">Missouri Hospital Infection Control Act of 2004</a>, health care facilities have to report how many infections patients get while in the hospital. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services says Cox had a medical and surgical infection rate similar to hospitals in Missouri and across the nation. Mercy, however, had a lower medical infection rate compared to state and national hospitals.  It evened out with Missouri hospitals in surgical infections, but again beat the national average."Our goal is really is for zero harm, even though that's very difficult to achieve and a very complex environment," said Hover. There is a certain type of patient harm that isn't being reported to the general public -- a harm that one national group is trying to get in the spotlight. "We do, in this country, have a system that at least gives the appearance that accountability is happening, but it is broken down," said <a href="http://safepatientproject.org/" target="_blank">Safe Patient Project</a> spokeswoman Lisa McGiffert."We've heard from mothers whose children have died because of medical error," said McGiffert. "We've heard from healthy, working people who are harmed and it changes their lives forever."  They're called adverse events. "Adverse events are any event that happens when things do not go as planned," Good said. According to a new <a href="http://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-06-09-00091.pdf" target="_blank">Inspector General report</a>, hospitals across the country are not capturing adverse events.  In simpler terms, they are not capturing patient harm. The report says, 86 percent of the time , medical staff didn't report errors to incident reporting systems.  The report says that's partly because of staff misperceptions about what constitutes patient harm.  Of the events experienced by Medicare beneficiaries discharged in October 2008, for example, hospital incident reporting systems captured only an estimated 14 percent. "They face a lot of public scrutiny when adverse events happen," said Good, "and they have the fear of, 'Am I going to get in trouble?'""That's a very definite problem," said Hover.  "We ask those questions: Are you afraid to report? Are you afraid to challenge physicians?""At least one in four patients is harmed when they are in the hospital.  That's about 9 million people every single year," said McGiffert.  "A lot of hospitals don't really know what's happening in their facilities as far as medical harm." McGiffert believes current error reporting systems aren't working. And, she said, you wouldn't know even if they were. That information is not public knowledge. "There is a system break down of accountability I think.  One of the pieces of that is public reporting of these events," McGiffert said. Cox and Mercy have error reporting systems in place. Mercy told Contact KY3 they report all errors to their community board. The board then holds them accountable for any errors.Both hospitals aspire to let employees report errors without fear of retribution, but they have differing opinions on whether or not errors should be made public. "I think if we go to full, open reporting," said Good, "we are going to have a problem across the industry." Cox hospitals believes it will take us a step backwards, and people will be much less likely to report errors. "Frankly, I think we are a good institution and I would not be afraid of full public reporting," said Hover.Mercy, meanwhile, welcomes it but has some reservations. "The problem is, currently, that there is not a level playing field about how to report.  Number two, there is not legal protections with that reporting, which is why we have hesitation," said Hover. The Safe Patient Project wants a level playing field as well -- a universal way for every hospital in the country to report errors."Whatever they are doing, does it work? What are the outcomes? Is the harm being reduced? That's really where the proof is about whether they are adequately protecting patients," said McGiffert.  Missouri does currently have a bill that would create the <a href="http://www.senate.mo.gov/11info/bts_web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=r&BillID=4181643" target="_blank">Medical Harm Disclosure Act</a>. It would require health care facilities to make errors public.  The bill's sponsor has tried to get this passed before and has failed.  The current effort has once again stalled.INFORMATION INCLUDED IN INVESTIGATION:<a href="http://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-06-09-00091.pdf" target="_blank">Inspector General: Hospital Incident Reporting Systems Do Not Capture Most Patient Harm </a><a href="http://www.senate.mo.gov/04info/bills/sb1279.htm" target="_blank">Missouri Hospital Infection Reporting Control Act of 2004</a><a href="http://news.consumerreports.org/health/2012/01/patients-should-have-access-to-data-on-hospital-errors.html" target="_blank">Patients should have access to data on hospital errors</a><a href="http://www.consumerreports.org/health/doctors-hospitals/hospital-ratings/ratings/search-results.htm?state=MO&city=Springfield" target="_blank">Consumer Reports: Hospital Ratings</a> (Subscription Required)<a href="http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/hospital-compare.aspx?hid=260065,260040&lat=37.294172&lng=-93.29861059999996&stype=GENERAL&&stateSearched=MO" target="_blank">U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Hospital Profiles: Cox vs. Mercy </a><a href="http://www.consumerreports.org/health/doctors-hospitals/how-we-rate-hospitals/the-basics/the-basics.htm" target="_blank">Consumer Reports: How We Rate Hospitals </a><a href="http://health.mo.gov/data/hai/drive_noso.php" target="_blank">Missouri Department of Health and Human Services: Health Care-Associated Infection Reporting</a>   2012-02-10 09:11:45.0 http://www.ky3.com/news/health/ky3-medical-errors-are-not-being-reported-at-hospitals-says-report-20120209,0,6545846.story

ky3-video-new-sids-prevention-guidelines-vaccinate-clear-our-crib-except-for-baby-20111019 Video: New SIDS prevention guidelines: vaccinate, clear out crib except for baby http://media.trb.com/media/thumbnails/tivideo/2011-10/185244560-19161254.jpg http://media.trb.com/media/alternatethumbnails/tivideo/2011-10/185244560-19161253.jpg 2011-10-19 16:14:41.0 http://www.ky3.com/news/health/ky3-video-new-sids-prevention-guidelines-vaccinate-clear-our-crib-except-for-baby-20111019,0,1038543.tivideo

ky3-video-new-cooling-treatment-helps-brains-of-babies-who-had-traumatic-births-20111019 Video: New cooling treatment helps brains of babies who had traumatic births http://media.trb.com/media/thumbnails/tivideo/2011-10/145117780-19094522.jpg http://media.trb.com/media/alternatethumbnails/tivideo/2011-10/145117780-19094522.jpg 2011-10-19 10:45:09.0 http://www.ky3.com/news/health/ky3-video-new-cooling-treatment-helps-brains-of-babies-who-had-traumatic-births-20111019,0,3733826.tivideo

ky3-video-doctor-touts-new-procedure-to-relieve-knee-pain-20111018 Video: Doctor in Orlando touts new knee replacement technique http://media.trb.com/media/thumbnails/tivideo/2011-10/285291700-18083212.jpg http://media.trb.com/media/alternatethumbnails/tivideo/2011-10/285291700-18083211.jpg 2011-10-19 10:44:19.0 http://www.ky3.com/news/health/ky3-video-doctor-touts-new-procedure-to-relieve-knee-pain-20111018,0,3114283.tivideo

ky3-newbloodtesttopredictheartattack-20110208 Video: Test measures level of a certain protein 2011-02-09 13:02:55.0 http://www.ky3.com/news/health/ky3-newbloodtesttopredictheartattack-20110208,0,4103722.tivideo

ky3-missouri-and-arkansas-unprepar-01192011 Video: The Center for Science in the Public Interest did a 10-year study 2011-01-19 22:06:05.0 http://www.ky3.com/news/health/ky3-missouri-and-arkansas-unprepar-01192011,0,6245607.tivideo

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May 24, 2013 |Story| Los Angeles Times

Blake Shelton Oklahoma tornado benefit concert to air May 29

Blake Shelton and NBC have a message for victims of this week's Oklahoma tornado: Help is on the way. Shelton, country-music star and judge on NBC's hit "The Voice," is organizing a benefit concert� in Oklahoma City to help with disaster-relief...

Tags: Miranda Lambert, Bravo (tv network), Fox News Channel (tv network), Blake Shelton, Natural Disasters

May 24, 2013 |Story| Los Angeles Times

Oklahoma continues mourning while starting to rebuild

MOORE, Okla. -- This tornado-stricken city continued to mourn its dead Friday as people sought to reestablish the lives disrupted by Monday’s tornado. Residents returned to some of the damaged areas here and in Oklahoma City, hoping to see what...

Tags: Michael Muskal, Natural Disasters, Insurance

May 24, 2013 |Story| Reuters

Oklahoma singer Shelton to headline May 29 tornado relief benefit

Reuters
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Oklahoma country singer Blake Shelton said on Friday that he will headline a concert to benefit the victims of the Oklahoma tornado that swept through the city of Moore earlier this week, leaving 24 dead and thousands homeless....

Tags: Hurricane Sandy (2012), Miranda Lambert, American Red Cross, The Voice (tv program), Television Industry

May 25, 2013 |Story| AP Michigan

Latest Michigan news, sports, business and entertainment

NCAA-MICHIGAN-EXPLOSIVES 2 Mich. men charged with making Molotov cocktails (Information in the following story is from: AnnArbor.com, http://www.annarbor.com) ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Authorities say two University of Michigan wrestlers...

Tags: Downstream Oil and Gas Activities, Career and Workplace, The Detroit News, U.S. Department of Education, Detroit Free Press

May 24, 2013 |Story| Los Angeles Times

Saturday's TV Highlights and Weekend Talk Shows

Customized TV Listings are available here: www.latimes.com/tvtimes Click here to download TV listings for the week of May 26 - June 1, 2013 in PDF format This week's TV Movies � -------------------- SERIES Trisha's Southern Kitchen In the season...

Tags: Michael Grimm, Homeland (tv program), Government, George W. Bush, Bob Woodward

May 24, 2013 |Story| Wrap

NBC to Air Blake Shelton's Tornado Relief Concert Next Week

Reuters
May 24 (TheWrap.com) - NBC will air Blake Shelton's benefit concert for Oklahoma tornado relief next week, the network announced. "The Voice" coach will headline the telethon "Healing in the Heartland: Relief Benefit Concert" on May 29, to take place...

Tags: Miranda Lambert, Bravo (tv network), Ticketmaster, Satellite and Cable Service, Blake Shelton

May 24, 2013 |Story| Los Angeles Times

Four Oklahoma tornado victims to be laid to rest Friday

Four of the people killed in a tornado earlier this week were to be laid to rest Friday in Oklahoma. The four are among the 24 victims of Monday's tornado that devastated the Oklahoma City area, particularly the suburb of Moore. Funeral services for...

Tags: Boy Scouts of America, Obituaries, Natural Disasters

May 24, 2013 |Story| Wrap

Carrie Underwood Donates $1 Million to Oklahoma Tornado Disaster Relief

Reuters
May 24 (TheWrap.com) - Carrie Underwood is making sure she sends support to her native Oklahoma in the wake of this week's devastating tornado. The hit country star and "American Idol" winner donated $1 million from the proceeds of her "Blown Away Tour"...

Tags: American Red Cross, Blake Shelton, Natural Disasters, Relief and Aid Organizations, NBCUniversal

May 24, 2013 |Story| South Bend Tribune

Tornadoes sound like eerie silence -- then evil

Chicago Tribune
Does a killer tornado really sound like a freight train? "I don't remember what it sounded like, honestly. It was like a freight train, but I don't remember much about it," said Rhonda Crosswhite, the Oklahoma grade school teacher who covered students...

Tags: Philosophy, Chicago Tribune, Natural Disasters, Oak Lawn, Weather Warnings

May 23, 2013 |Story| Los Angeles Times

Oklahoma tornado: Relief center offers supplies and comfort

MOORE, Okla. -- The First Baptist Church of Moore has experienced hard times before. In 1999, it was next door to the disaster zone after what became known as the May 3 tornado. As it did then, the church has become a sprawling relief hub. Inside...

Tags: Air and Space Accidents, Mary Fallin, Boy Scouts of America, Natural Disasters, Human Interest

May 24, 2013 |Story| Los Angeles Times

Understanding the Moore, Okla., tornado [live video chat]

At the beginning of this week, the wind's fury was unleashed on the Oklahoma city of Moore. As the extent of the devastation has unfolded over the past several days, it's a bit of an understatement to say that Moore has been unlucky. The tornado was...

Tags: Weather, Weather Reports, Natural Disasters, National Weather Service

May 23, 2013 |Story| Los Angeles Times

Young Oklahoma tornado victim is remembered for 'loving spirit'

This post has been corrected. See the note below for details.
Hundreds gathered� under stormy skies in Oklahoma City on Thursday to mourn 9-year-old Antonia Lee Candelaria, one of seven children who died when a tornado leveled their elementary school Monday. It was the first of the funerals for the 24 victims of...

Tags: Obituaries, Natural Disasters

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Tags: Miranda Lambert, Bravo (tv network), Fox News Channel (tv network), Blake Shelton, Natural Disasters

Tags: Michael Muskal, Natural Disasters, Insurance

Tags: Hurricane Sandy (2012), Miranda Lambert, American Red Cross, The Voice (tv program), Television Industry

Tags: Downstream Oil and Gas Activities, Career and Workplace, The Detroit News, U.S. Department of Education, Detroit Free Press

Tags: Michael Grimm, Homeland (tv program), Government, George W. Bush, Bob Woodward

Tags: Miranda Lambert, Bravo (tv network), Ticketmaster, Satellite and Cable Service, Blake Shelton

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