February 22nd, 2012 | Cancer |
The Pap Test
Cervical cancer is usually diagnosed by direct observation of the cervix in women who are symptomatic. However, the primary method of detection is still the Pap test, which is now considered a routine part of a woman’s annual physical exam.
The healthcare provider first looks at the vaginal area to see if there are any signs of infection. The provider slides a speculum, which is a thin piece of plastic or metal that looks like a duckbill, into the vagina so he or she can look at the upper part of the vagina and the cervix directly. Then a small wooden or plastic spatula is inserted into the vagina. Several layers of cells are scraped off the cervix and placed on a slide to be looked at under a microscope.
Next, a cotton-tipped swab or soft brush is inserted deep into the canal of the cervix that leads to the uterus, where precancerous lesions and cervical cancers can develop. This sample is placed on the same slide or a second slide, or with more recent technology, put into a fixative solution to be investigated.
After the Pap test, the healthcare provider should check the fallopian tubes, ovaries, uterus and rectum by putting two gloved fingers inside the vagina or rectum and using his or her other hand to feel from the outside for any lumps or tenderness. The whole exam takes only a few minutes and is usually completely painless, although some women will feel slight cramping.
Women should not have sexual intercourse, use vaginal creams or douche for 24 hours before the exam. Preferably, the Pap test should not be performed when a woman is having her period.
Describing Pap Test Results .
Pap test results are described in a new way called the Bethesda System. This new system was developed at the Bethesda Convention in 1987, which will meet for a third time to come up with the best way to provide information about Pap test results.
The outcome of the Bethesda Convention was the introduction of new terms, which allow the Pap smear test to be more specific. However, this can sometimes be confusing for patients and their healthcare providers.
February 16th, 2012 | Cancer |
Recent presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain confirmed on August 16 that he has again been diagnosed with melanoma. Melanoma is a form of skin cancer. Of the three commonly known types of skin cancer (basal cell and squamous cell are the others), melanoma is the most dangerous.
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February 14th, 2012 | Uncategorized |
I was completely taken aback. I had had no idea that I would have to give up the things on his list for that long, and I certainly wasn’t psychologically prepared for this. He made sympathetic noises about how hard it was to give some of these things up. He tried to joke about it, saying that his wife was in the midst of constitutional treatment and sometimes even dreamed about coffee. And he continued to reassure me about all the positives I would be experiencing. (more…)
February 7th, 2012 | Cardio and Blood |
A researcher at Harvard Medical School’s Beth Israel Deanconess Medical Center reported this month in Circulation, a journal of the American Heart Association, even more bad news about cocaine’s effect on the heart. (more…)
February 7th, 2012 | Health |
Homeopathy is based on the idea that greatly diluted substances can have powerful therapeutic effects on the body. Homeopathy’s originator, Samuel Hahnemann, also believed that all chronic ailments have three sources: syphilis, venereal warts and “psora” (Greek for “itch”). These ideas are utter nonsense, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration permits homeopathic products to be marketed without proof that they work as claimed. NSP markets more than 50 homeopathic products, most of which are named after a disease or symptom. (more…)
January 30th, 2012 | Health |
Some recent work has confirmed important information that is supported by comprehensive research reviews.9,20It was determined that three important factors help toexplain whether a person will drop out of, or stay with, an exercise program.5 These variables must be addressed if you seek to empower members for long-term exercise success. (more…)
January 26th, 2012 | Sport |
This past week has been difficult in terms of my nutritional and fitness program, due to entertaining some out-of-town house guests.
A made a halfhearted effort to exercise on Sunday, but because I had too large a lunch that day, I just wasn’t able to exercise to expectations comfortably, so I backed it down a bit. (more…)
January 23rd, 2012 | Sport |
Most of the respondents who think it is OK to charge extra for specialty group classes think so because fitness facilities usually pay more for these types of instructors. Says one facility owner/manager, “It is certainly within reason to charge more for a specialty class, because the instructor has obtained the higher certification, and the club often pays the instructor [more] per class.” (more…)
January 13th, 2012 | Health |
When you exercise, your heart beats faster to meet the demands of your muscles for more blood and oxygen. The more intense the exercise bout, the faster your heart beats. Thus, all factors considered, monitoring your heart rate during exercise provides a very accurate reflection of the metabolic intensity of the exercise. Several techniques can be used to determine an appropriate target heart rate. (more…)
January 12th, 2012 | Women's Health |
Folic acid, a B vitamin, is known to be protective against certain birth defects — neural tube defects (NTDs) — that develop early in pregnancy. A new study published in the August 1999 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition confirms that folic acid fortification significantly raises the folate levels of women and suggests that only an extra 100 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid a day could benefit women in their childbearing years. (more…)
