Angina vs. Exercise Induced Asthma: Symptom Comparison
Is that chest tightness and shortness of breath from exercise induced asthma?
OR is it angina, in which blood flow to the heart is reduced due to clogged arteries?
The symptoms of angina and exercise induced asthma have some overlap. (more…)
Can Strenuous Workouts Dilate or Enlarge the Aorta?
Aortic dilatation, or dilation, refers to an enlarged portion of the aorta, the biggest blood vessel in the body that comes out of the heart.
An aortic aneurysm, or a bulge in a section of the aorta, arises from an enlarged or dilated area.
As the aneurysm grows in size, the inner walls of the aorta at this location become thinner—and hence more prone to rupture or dissection.
“Patients whose ascending aortas are more than 4 centimeters in diameter are generally considered to have dilation,” says cardiothoracic imaging specialist Christopher Maroules, MD, in a report.
As the area of dilatation grows, the aortic walls weaken. Think of what happens to the rubber of a balloon that’s being over-filled with air.
Study Shows Former Professional Football Players More Likely to Have Enlarged Ascending Aortas
The ascending portion of the aorta is the section that ascends out of the heart and supplies the coronary arteries.
Dr. Maroules et al was curious as to whether or not years of playing professional football — what with its strenuous nature and highly intense workouts—could lead to aortic dilatation.
• 206 former NFL athletes were compared to 759 controls from the Dallas Heart Study.
• All were older than 40.
• Body mass index exceeded 20.
• Cardiac gated non-contrast CT scanning was used to measure the aortas.
• Calcium scores were taken to get an indication for the presence of heart disease.
• Nearly one-third of the former athletes had aortic diameters exceeding four centimeters.
• Only 8.6 percent of the controls had aortic diameters over four centimeters.
• Age, BMI and cardiac risk factors were adjusted for, and still, the former athletes were twice as likely to have an aorta over four centimeters.
• Heart disease was ruled out as a factor because the calcium scores of both groups were similar.
Risk factors for an aortic aneurysm are smoking, high blood pressure and genetic connective tissue disorders.
So what’s going on?
Is there something about pro football that enlarges the ascending aorta?
Dr. Maroules, in his report, surmises that the strenuous training exercises cause remodeling of the aorta.
Gee, this begs the question: What about other forms of sport for which intense, strenuous training is key?
Football players lift hard and heavy in the gym, and are subjected to grueling workouts on the field, including training against resistance (e.g., pushing sleds loaded with weights).
However, other athletic disciplines also entail highly strenuous exercise, such as CrossFit, strongman, powerlifting, hockey and gymnastics. And even your ordinary gym rat who kills it at the health club.
And if the running component of football, rather than the resistance component, is the chief cause of aortic dilatation, then we must wonder if elite soccer players and sprinters are at risk for aortic enlargement.
“It remains to be seen if this remodeling sets athletes up for problems later in life,” says the report.
Much more research is needed as a follow-up to this investigation.
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified by the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained clients of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.
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Top image: Freepik.com Racool_studio
Waking up Every Hour with CPAP: Causes & Solutions
There are quite a few causes for waking up every hour or so despite compliance with CPAP therapy.
If this is happening to you, the obvious approach is to first identify if there are any new situations that are awakening you every hour, such as (by coincidence) a new pillow that’s not as comfortable as you thought it might be; a new pet that hops up on your bed throughout the night; etc.
Another obvious approach is to see if a condition — that pre-existed your use of CPAP — is the cause of waking up so often.
For example, do you have unresolved acid reflux?
Waking up Every Hour with CPAP: Causes & Solutions
“There are many potential reasons for this, and more history is needed before a conjecture could be made,” says Joseph Krainin, MD, board certified in sleep medicine and neurology and founder of the online sleep apnea clinic Singular Sleep.
“I recommend consulting with a sleep doctor to evaluate for sleep apnea treatment efficacy related issues vs. an additional co-morbid sleep disorder.”
In other words, an issue with the CPAP therapy is more likely to be causing frequent awakenings than is, say, restless leg syndrome.
Possible Causes of Frequent Waking Up Despite CPAP Compliance
• Swallowing air
• Too much air pressure
• Change in sleep position causing body part to contact hose
• Eye or lip irritation from exhaust flow
• Sore nose from nasal pillows
• Dry nose from lack of humidity
• Wet nose from too much humidity
• Irritated or itchy nose/lip from the mask
• Mask leaks
• CPAP noise
• New sleep position to accommodate mask/hose efficacy
Psychological Cause of Frequent Wakeups
“It is fair to say that among people with no biological explanation for repeated waking, stress is a common cause,” says David D. Clarke, MD, President, Psychophysiologic Disorders Association (stressillness.com), Clinical Assistant Professor of Gastroenterology Emeritus, Oregon Health & Science University, and author of “They Can’t Find Anything Wrong.”
Once you’re asleep, daytime worries and anxieties get temporarily pushed to the background, but eventually barge their way into the foreground and awaken you.
The anxiety may be solely related to your new status as a “hose head.” For example, how will this impact business and vacation travel?
Will you ever adjust to that thing on your face? This thought alone can be enough to waken you every hour.
“I divide stresses into two groups,” says Dr. Clarke. “Those that are obvious and can be accurately assessed when a person looks at their life and (2), those that are not as readily recognized. Among the latter are:
“Poor self-care skills (working to meet the needs of others to the neglect of oneself, often linked to lack of enough opportunities to play in childhood).
“Long-term impact of adverse childhood experiences.
“Unrecognized depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress (quite common for these to be present but not detected by the sufferer or their doctor).”
The key, then, is to determine if your repeated awakenings, despite compliant CPAP use, were actually present prior to getting on CPAP.
Are you awakening more frequently with CPAP? Maybe it only seems you’re awakening every hour. Make a note of the times you awaken for no apparent reason.
If you’re clearly awakening more often since beginning CPAP treatment, chances are high that this is linked to a problem with the CPAP device – which includes stressing about having to use it lest you develop serious cardiovascular problems from untreated sleep apnea!
In 2013 Dr. Krainin was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, an honor reserved for sleep doctors who’ve made significant contributions to the field in education, research and service.
Since 1983 Dr. Clarke has successfully cared for over 7,000 patients with stress illness.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/Mr.Nikon
Nocturia Continues after CPAP Therapy: Cause & Solution
You’re now on CPAP for the sleep apnea that’s been causing endless overnight trips to the john, but doggone it, you still suffer from nocturia. (more…)
How Long Can You Have Untreated Sleep Apnea Without Damage?
You know that untreated sleep apnea can cause cardiovascular damage including heart disease and failure, but how long must OSA go untreated to cause these problems? (more…)
Negative Mammogram, Dense Breasts: Still Scared You Have Cancer?
So you continuously worry that your negative mammogram missed cancer because you have dense breasts? (more…)
Can a CT Scan Miss Prostate Cancer?
A “negative” CT scan for prostate cancer isn’t anything to get too hopeful about because a CT scan can actually miss prostate cancer. (more…)
Why Even Early Prostate Cancer Is Potentially Deadly
Don’t be fooled that an early, slow growing prostate cancer is nothing to worry about and can’t be deadly.
Don’t let the relative lack of publicity regarding prostate cancer trick you into believing that this disease isn’t as deadly as breast cancer.
You’ve probably heard the term “slow growing” when the topic of prostate cancer comes up.
You might even know a man who’s been diagnosed with prostate cancer — but his surgery is scheduled for several months out. Don’t be deceived. This is a deadly illness for many patients.
Prostate Cancer May Grow Slowly, But…
“Most prostate cancers grow relatively slowly and develop over years,” begins Jonathan W. Simons, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Prostate Cancer Foundation, David H. Koch Chair.
“However, at some point these tumors often become exponentially more aggressive and gain the ability to spread and metastasize,” continues Dr. Simons.
The spread can reach the bones and other organs, even the brain.
Yes, this cancer can get into the bones and brain tissue if not treated in time.
“Some men develop tumors from the start that are rapidly growing that are prone to metastasize,” adds Dr. Simons.
“Therefore, early detection is critical to intervene while the disease is still localized to the prostate and potentially curable.”
Symptoms of Prostate Cancer
• Frequent urination or the feeling to urinate but nothing comes out.
• Trouble with initiating urination.
• Weak urine stream.
• Pain or burning when urinating.
• Impotence or painful ejaculation
• Blood in the semen or urine
• Rectal pain or pressure
Shutterstock/Chinnapong
• If the cancer has spread to the bones, the patient may feel pain in the back, pelvis or legs. The key to survival is to catch this disease when it’s early.
Yearly PSA values and a complete exam are crucial, no matter how fit and healthy a man believes he is.
Conclusion
When caught early, the cure rate for prostate cancer is excellent — far better than when it’s caught at a later stage.
Early detection significantly improves treatment outcomes.
With prompt intervention, many patients achieve successful management of the disease and maintain a high quality of life.
Men should not feel embarrassed about seeing their doctor for concerning symptoms that could indicate prostate cancer.
Symptoms such as difficulty urinating, frequent urination or blood in the urine should prompt a medical consultation.
Healthcare professionals are experienced in addressing sensitive issues and provide a supportive environment for discussing symptoms.
Prostate cancer screening, including PSA tests and digital rectal exams, can detect the disease at an early stage when treatment options are most effective.
Dr. Simons is an internationally recognized physician-scientist, oncologist and acclaimed investigator in translational prostate cancer research. Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: ©Lorra Garrick
Period After 14 Months of No Period: What Can This Mean?
You’ve gone 14 months without menstruating, when suddenly, you begin feeling crampy, bloated, and here comes the blood — just like any period you’ve ever had.
- How can this be?
- Cancer is something that will resonate in the minds of many women who seem to be having a period when they thought they had completed menopause just a few months before.
Menopausal Timeline
“By definition, menopause is no period for 12 months, so any bleeding after this period [even 14 months] should be immediately evaluated to rule out cancer or precancerous conditions,” explains Mylaine Riobe, MD, founder of Riobe Institute of Integrative Medicine. Dr. Riobe, board certified in OB/GYN and integrative medicine, is the author of “The Answer to Cancer.”
Causes of Bleeding only a Few Months After Menopause Ends
Most cases of bleeding 14 months (or any number of months) after the completion of menopause are benign. The estimate for this is around 60 percent.
“Other causes are atrophy or thinning of the lining [of the vagina], making it bleed easily,” continues Dr. Riobe.
Intercourse and even an internal pelvic exam can trigger this bleeding, though it may also occur spontaneously.
Vaginal atrophy may present with only dryness, but there can be occasional faint blood appearing on one’s panties.
There may also be burning during urination, and sex may be painful.
The spontaneous “bleeding” from vaginal atrophy is very faint and subtle unless there’s been some kind of physical trauma to the thinning and vulnerable vaginal lining – such as what happens during intercourse.
The blood from vaginal atrophy won’t necessarily show up immediately after menopause ends, because as time goes on during the postmenopausal period of time, the vagina becomes drier.
Abstinence will exacerbate the problem because this promotes increased tightness.
“Infection of the lining of the uterus can also cause bleeding — this is called endometritis,” says Dr. Riobe. “Hormone imbalances can also cause bleeding.”
Cancer
Vaginal bleeding after one goes 12 months without a period and has a confirmed completion of menopause can be caused by uterine, cervical, vaginal or vulvalar cancer.
Cervical, vaginal and vulvalar cancer are strongly tied to the HPV virus.
Dr. Riobe has helped thousands of patients overcome difficult illnesses by addressing root causes, not just masking symptoms. The Riobe Method focuses on the prevention of disease, not the prevention of death from disease. She has 20+ years’ experience using integrative techniques to treat diverse patients.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/Dreamstime Tadija Savic
Nipple Discharge in One Breast in 15-Year-Old Girl: Cancer?
No doctor will ever say that 15-year-old girls never get breast cancer.
It’s actually possible for breast cancer to strike a 15-year-old girl.
However, the likelihood of this occurring is so incredibly low that the National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program determined that the number of new breast cancer cases in females under age 19 for the years 2010-2014 was zero percent.
But zero percent on a graph does not mean never possible or that it’s never happened. It has happened.
But these are truly exceptionally rare cases — rare enough that they don’t register on the NCI’s graph.
Benign Lumps in Teens
“Benign breast tumors can occur in young girls,” says Mylaine Riobe, MD, founder of Riobe Institute of Integrative Medicine. Dr. Riobe, board certified in OB/GYN and integrative medicine, is the author of “The Answer to Cancer.”
Do not let the term “tumor” scare you. A tumor is simply a mass — which can either be benign or malignant.
If something has been identified as a benign tumor, this does not mean that it’s likely to one day become malignant.
“Fibroadenoma is a more common benign breast tumor in younger women,” notes Dr. Riobe. Cancer is much less likely at this age.”
Fibroadenomas most commonly occur between the ages of 15 and 35.
The way this lump feels to the fingers may be rubbery or as hard as a marble.
Usually such a lump easily moves under the skin with the fingers (a reassuring sign that it’s probably not cancer) and is painless.
“Nipple discharge can be a sign of a pituitary tumor [prolactinoma] in the brain causing prolactin to be secreted. These tumors are usually benign,” continues Dr. Riobe.
“Birth control pills can cause nipple discharge as can other medications.”
Birth control pills can occasionally lead to nipple discharge as a side effect, primarily due to the hormonal fluctuations they induce.
These pills commonly contain a combination of estrogen and progesterone, which can significantly alter hormone levels and subsequently impact breast tissue.
The hormonal changes brought about by these medications can stimulate the milk ducts in the breasts, leading to discharge.
This phenomenon occurs because the synthetic hormones in birth control pills can mimic the natural hormonal fluctuations of the menstrual cycle, affecting the breast tissue similarly to how it would be affected during pregnancy or lactation.
As a result, some women may experience a discharge from the nipples.
It’s important to note that this side effect is generally benign and not usually a cause for concern.
The discharge often becomes more noticeable when there are fluctuations in hormone levels or as the body adjusts to the medication.
If the discharge is persistent, accompanied by other symptoms, or causing significant discomfort, it’s advisable to consult with a healthcare provider to ensure that it’s not indicative of a more serious condition.