Qs and As on carpal tunnel; baby aspirin
Q: I get numbness and tingling in my fingers. It’s worse at night. Does that sound like carpal tunnel syndrome? A: You probably have made the right self-diagnosis. But you should make an appointment with your doctor to confirm it. Carpal tunnel syndrome is very common. It happens when the median nerve — which runs down your arm and into your hand — gets compressed within a... READ MORE
Men help each other find their calling
In the book Halftime: From Success to Significance, author Bob Buford compares life to the game of football. As he explains, your success in the second half of your life depends on your halftime strategy. That idea guides a group of retired men who gather twice a month in locations around Richmond to plot out the second halves of their lives. Gordon Prior ran a busy dentistry practice ... READ MORE
Drug study will try to reverse Alzheimer’s
With 5.7 million Americans already living with Alzheimer’s disease, a number that is expected to more than double in 30 years, researchers are racing to find the culprits that lead to the memory loss and confusion Alzheimer’s disease can cause. One suspect is a type of protein in the brain called beta-amyloid. Researchers believe fragments of this protein can accumulate and stick... READ MORE
Looking beyond CPAP for sleep apnea
Every night without fail, Paul Blumstein straps on a mask that prevents him from repeatedly waking up, gasping for air. It’s been his routine since he was diagnosed with a condition called sleep apnea. While it helps, he doesn’t like wearing the mask. “It’s like an octopus has clung to my face,” said Blumstein, 70, of Annandale, Va. “I just want to sleep once in a while... READ MORE
Mild leg swelling relatively common issue
Dear Mayo Clinic: I am 81 and in good health, but my legs sometimes become swollen. They don’t hurt, and it doesn’t feel like anything else is wrong. Why might this be happening? Is it something I should see my healthcare provider for? Answer: Mild leg swelling in both legs without any other symptoms is relatively common in older adults and usually not serious. Still, it is... READ MORE
Get help finding the best Medicare plans
Each autumn brings open enrollment season for Medicare, where beneficiaries can choose either a new Medicare Advantage Plan or a Part D prescription drug plan if they would like to change providers for the coming year. Such changes can be made this year between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7. Because Medicare recipients’ medical needs and Part D plans both may change, it’s a good idea to review... READ MORE
Better early dementia detection is urged
Too few people with signs of mental decline or dementia are getting checked during routine medical visits or told when a problem is found, according to a panel of Alzheimer’s disease experts who offered new guidance this summer. The idea is to get help sooner for people whose minds are slipping — even if there’s no cure. Though mental decline can be an uncomfortable topic for... READ MORE
Tailoring healthcare for older patients
When you visit a doctor’s office, hospital or nursing home, what determines the type of care you receive? That’s the question Dr. Muriel Gillick, professor of population medicine at Harvard Medical School, explores in Old and Sick in America: The Journey Through the Healthcare System (University of North Carolina Press, $30). All too often, Gillick argues, treatment decisions... READ MORE
Most cases of thyroid cancer are curable
Dear Mayo Clinic: How is thyroid cancer treated? Does it always require taking out the thyroid? When is iodine treatment used, and how does that work? Answer: Treatment for thyroid cancer usually involves removing all or part of the thyroid gland. In cases where thyroid cancer is advanced or aggressive, radioactive iodine treatment may be recommended after surgery to destroy any... READ MORE
Replacing lymph nodes to ease lymphedema
Breast cancer treatment left Susan Wolfe-Tank with an arm too painfully swollen to lift anything heavy or even fit into her usual clothing — a debilitating condition that gets little attention and has no cure. Desperate, the Wisconsin woman traveled hundreds of miles to seek a delicate operation — replacing under-arm lymph nodes lost in cancer surgery — as a small but growing... READ MORE
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