Prolonged use of these drugs to treat back pain can actually lead to prolonged symptoms, according to a new study. Meanwhile, a separate study linked inflammation to relieving chronic pain at the cellular level, rather than causing it, as is often thought.
The New York Times: Common medications can prolong back pain when overused, according to the study, the treatments themselves are often used to soothe lower back pain, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says is the most a common type of pain can cause it to last longer, according to a new study. Constant use of painkillers and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, can actually turn a crooked back into a chronic condition, the study found. (Car, 5/11)
In other news about inflammation and pain –
Statistics: In Radical Claim, the study suggests that inflammation protects against chronic pain For two decades, Crazy Dietchenko studied the basic biology of pain as a detective pursuing clue after clue: What role does this gene play? How about this protein? However, she always wondered what she would find if she could look at how each gene in the cell behaved as pain developed in the body. It would be like Sherlock Holmes swapping his magnifying glass for a video of the crime as it took place. But when the technology finally became cheap in 2018 – thanks to advances in RNA sequencing – she was shocked. (Mast, 5/11)
In other public health news –
CNBC: Doctors say the side effects of the pandemic are turning into serious health problems. In September 2021, I collapsed from exhaustion. My vision blurred. Then my eyelids became so heavy that I could barely hold them for milliseconds at a time. I panicked, stumbled about 50 yards to a close friend, and relaxed over her shoulders. She directed me to a shady spot under a tree, where I drifted and regained consciousness for about two hours. As far as I knew, I was a healthy person in my late 20s with no known risks of serious health problems. I described it as a one-off. But over the next few months, in unpredictable moments on random days, I would hit the wall – going from perfect to lying in a fetal position with a crushing headache, just a click of a finger. (Albert-Deitch, 5/11)
The New York Times: Why Women’s Heart Disease Is So Often Missed or Rejected Heart disease is the leading cause of death among men and women in America, killing nearly 700,000 people a year. But studies have long shown that women are more likely than men to dismiss warning signs of a heart attack, sometimes waiting hours or more to call 911 or go to the hospital. Now researchers are trying to understand why. They found that women are often reluctant to get help because they tend to have more severe heart attack symptoms than men – but even when they go to the hospital, healthcare providers are more likely to reduce their symptoms or slow them down. their treatment. Health authorities say that heart disease in women remains largely undiagnosed and untreated, and that these factors contribute to poorer outcomes among women and increased mortality from the disease. (O’Connor, 5/9)
Fox News: The “Fountain of Youth” to Prevent Some of the Effects of Aging May Have Surprising Source: Research We have long been looking for ways to slow or prevent the inevitable effects of aging. But a new study suggests that we may need to close our eyes and pinch our noses to drink the fountain of youth. Faecal transplants, in which one stool is implanted in another, from young to old mice, have reversed some of the effects of aging in the retina and brain, according to a recent paper published in Microbiome. “This groundbreaking study provides compelling evidence of the direct involvement of gut microbes in aging and functional decline in brain function and vision, and offers a potential solution in the form of gut microbial replacement therapy,” said Simon Carding, head of Gut. Microbial and Health Research Program at the Quadram Institute in the United Kingdom. (Sudhakar, 5/11)
Chicago Tribune: Millennials Wanted: A study conducted by the Northwest Lungs aims to enroll 4,000 young adults. some people develop lung problems. Northwestern and the American Lung Association are working with other institutions across the country on a study that will monitor the lung health of millennials – in this case people aged 25 to 35 – for years. Other studies look at cardiovascular health over time and the health of the baby boom, but this study will focus on lung health among millennials in the United States, said lead researcher Dr. Ravi Kalhan, a professor of medicine and preventive medicine. at the Feinberg School at Northwestern University of Medicine. (Schenker, 5/11)
Press association: Is coffee harmful to health? Researchers link espresso to cholesterol Men who drink espresso may have higher cholesterol levels than women, a new study shows. Previous studies have linked naturally occurring chemicals in coffee to higher blood cholesterol levels, a problem that is linked to heart problems, including stroke. To study the link between brewing and cholesterol, a team of Norwegian academics set out to look at the way people drink their coffee and to assess their blood cholesterol levels. (Election, 5/10)
Statistics: Transfusion of brain fluid from young mice improves memory in old mice For humans, one of the first signs that someone is getting old is the inability to remember small things; maybe they lose their keys or get lost on a frequent route. For a lab mouse, forget that when bright light and high hums flood your cell, an electric shock to your foot quickly follows. But researchers at Stanford University have found that if you transfer cerebrospinal fluid from a young mouse to an old one, it will regain its former recollection abilities and freeze in anticipation. They also identified a protein in this cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF, that penetrates the hippocampus, leading to improvements in memory. (Molteni, 5/11)
KHN: Census threatens federal food and health programs on reservations The 2020 census missed nearly 1 in 17 Indians living on reservations, insufficient numbers that could lead to insufficient federal funding for basic health, food and social programs in remote communities with high poverty rates and limited access to services. The census counted 9.7 million people who identified themselves as Alaskan Indians or Indigenous people in 2020 – alone or in combination with another race or ethnicity – compared to 5.2 million in 2010. But indigenous people in approximately The nation’s 325 reservations were underestimated by almost 6%, according to a demographic analysis of census accuracy. Indigenous people in reservations have a history of underestimation – nearly 5% were missed in 2010, according to the analysis. (Count, 5/12)
And Barbie gets hearing aids –
NBC News: Barbie unveils her first doll with hearing aids Barbie launches a new collection of dolls to make it more inclusive for all children – starting with her first doll wearing hearing aids. … The company announced the addition of new dolls to the Fashionista collection. The line includes the first Barbie with hearing aids behind the ear, a Ken doll with vitiligo and a prosthetic leg doll. (Sing, 5/11)
This is part of KHN’s morning briefing, a summary of health policy coverage by major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
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