Less Cardiac Testing recommended
As we’ve seen repeatedly in recent years, often less is more when it comes to routine screening. Now cardiac testing has not passed the risk/benefit standard. “A guideline from the American College of Physicians published Monday in The Annals of Internal Medicine concludes that routine cardiac testing of adults without symptoms has not been…
Read MoreTheranos: Lab Testing as Mission!
I had heard a few things about Elizabeth Holmes and her company Theranos. It has all the makings of the modern day tale of derring-do: a young brainy genius drops out of Stanford (daring!) to start a world changing company. In this particular case it’s particularly riveting because of the extreme youth of the founder…
Read MoreAnesthesia and Analgesia Controversy over Acupuncture
This is the pro side Here is the con side I guess I am taken aback at the scorn thrown at the acupuncture camp. I wonder why they didn’t spend their time berating truly expensive and dangerous therapies such as vertebral cement. Even if you choose to ignore the acupuncture studies showing effect on the…
Read MoreSkin Rollers or Collagen Induction Therapy
I’ve been recommending the derma roller for patients coming in for Cosmetic Acupuncture for years. This is a great summary of how it works. I can’t comment on the LED treatment that she combines with it, nor using lidocaine gel. Typically, the derma roller can be used at home and isn’t painful. The advantage of…
Read MoreHelminths and the Hygiene Hypothesis
Full free text on when to introduce medicinal helminths. “The ‘hygiene hypothesis’ takes a number of forms which are not exclusive, but have yet to be articulated as a unifying concept. An inverse relationship between parasite infection and immune disorders was first suggested by Greenwood, who noted the low incidence of rheumatoid arthritis in…
Read MoreMore on Cell Phone Hazards
Cell phone radiation danger. Take aways: 1. Use a head set 2. If no headset, keep at least 1″ away from your head 3. No little kids should be using cell phones.
Read MoreTime for Sham Surgeries, too.
In Acupuncture research, the demand for an rigorous “sham” procedure has been relentless, and difficult to satisfy. To have a sham needle that doesn’t penetrate the skin is hard to pull off, but that is what is required. Finally there is a to subject surgery to the same standard. To show that the actual surgery…
Read MoreAnti-Anxiety Medications Linked to Alzheimer's
A study showed that elderly patients who use benzodiazepines and their cohorts (Lunesta and Ambien) are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. There are other hazards to these medications in the elderly in addition, such as making driving more dangerous and increasing the likelihood of falling. Please consider melatonin, unisom, or benadryl for sleep instead!…
Read MoreOld Friends, Hygiene Hypothesis and Autoimmune Disease
This whole concept of “old friends” and hormesis fascinates me because of what I see every day in the clinic with patients’ resilience to stress, physical challenges and immune function. The microbiota of the gut is complex and seems to be related to everything. Besides avoiding antibiotics and factory produced fish, chicken and beef,…
Read MoreBeware the Extremes
First, Do No Harm Great article about medicine’s tendency to take recommendations to the extreme. Included should be the recommendations about blood pressure. Too low, especially in the elderly can be dangerous too!
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