Causes of Tar Black Vomit: It’s Old Blood, but Why?
If your vomit is tarry black, there’s more than one disease that can cause this, but the black itself is old blood.
Vomiting blood is always bad news and requires immediate medical attention. (more…)
Can Diabetes Cause Toenails to Turn Black?
If you have diabetes and are wondering if it’s related to an unsettling black patch on your toenail, you’ll want to head straight to a dermatologist first rather than to your diabetes doctor.
A slowly growing and increasing blackness or very dark area on a toenail may be a sign of melanoma skin cancer.
However, that is not the most likely cause. But what if you DO have diabetes?
An infection called paronychia affects the nail fold and can be chronic (longstanding) or acute (sudden).
This infection is not caused by diabetes, but is more common in diabetics.
When it’s chronic, the damage to the cuticle can lead to a distortion in the underlying nail tissues.
This will then cause a space that is vulnerable to infection.
One of the microbes that can infect this space is called Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
It is this microorganism that has the potential to give the nail an almost black (more likely a blue-black) color.
Another microbe, Fusarium, can cause a blackish patch in a toenail.
“Black toenails in a diabetic can happen when the foot has suffered a lack of oxygenated blood and necessary nutrients,” says J. Mark Anderson, MD, DABFM, of Executive Medicine of Texas and who is board certified in family medicine.
“This causes the toenail to die,” adds Dr. Anderson. “While red can be a sign of acute infection, brown and black are often a sign of permanent damage.”
Melanoma Can Turn a Toenail Black
“In rare cases, a black toenail, not related to the above listed conditions or to trauma (bruising), can be due to skin melanoma [below] that is actually under the nail bed,” says Dr. Anderson.
Typically, though, it’s not the entire nail, but can be most of it (below).
A hematoma (blood collection) can result in a “black” toenail.
Normally this is caused by either a blunt trauma (something falling on the foot) or prolonged sport or exercise activity such as hiking downhill in footwear that’s not as roomy as it should be.
Hematoma. Shutterstock/mortalpious
The darkness begins developing within a day or two of the trauma.
“Diabetics should always take time to look at their feet,” says Dr. Anderson.
“The color of feet, toes and even toenails can be a sign of uncontrolled diabetes which leads to organ damage and circulatory issues.
“Diabetes is not the only cause of black toenails. Liver, kidney and non-diabetic circulatory disease can also lead to this problem.
“Black toenails are not normal, and if you experience this issue you should seek medical attention, including a complete physical examination with bloodwork to uncover the underlying cause.”
Dr. Anderson is coauthor of the award-winning book, “Stay Young: 10 Proven Steps to Ultimate Health,” and host of the nationally syndicated Staying Young Show which goes to podcast as Staying Young Show 2.0.
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/MRAORAOR
Sources
medicinenet.com/nail_discoloration/symptoms.htm
practicaldiabetes.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2017/08/Ldr-Hillson-lsw.pdf
cincinnatifootcare.com/black-toenails-running-affects-toes-can/
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2987777/
Just How Do Panic Attacks Cause Chest Pain?
How panic attacks cause chest pain are due to several ways, including a few that involve the heart.
What’s quite fascinating is that the body mechanisms involved in a panic event may work in concert with each other rather than independent of each other. (more…)
How Do Thin People Who Exercise Get Type 2 Diabetes?
Is it possible for a thin person who regularly exercises to develop type 2 diabetes? Though 20% of type 2 diabetics are not overweight, what about their exercise habits?
Let’s take that a step further.
Of the non-overweight people with type 2 diabetes, how many have intense exercise regimens?
Misleading Journalism
The mistake that many writers make is that of implying that thin or non-overweight people necessarily engage in kickass workouts or have healthy diets.
One such misleading article title starts out as: Eat healthily and exercise regularly? You can still get Type 2 diabetes.
The first paragraph in that clumsy article is, “It is typically associated with eating too much and exercising too little – but one in ten people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is a perfectly healthy weight.”
Do you immediately see the flaw? The follow-up line to the first sentence speaks only of “healthy weight” and makes NO mention of exercise.
In fact, nowhere in the rest of that article does it state anything about how normal-weight people who exercise “too little” are at risk for type 2 diabetes. The article talks only about WEIGHT.
So this circles back to the question: Can a non-overweight or “thin” person who does strenous workouts get type 2 diabetes?
Apparently there are no studies investigating this very specific question — that of strenous exercise, rather than more common forms of exercise.
Nevertheless, being of a normal body weight, in and of itself, does not guarantee immunity to type 2 diabetes.
The Development of Type 2 Diabetes
In type 2, the pancreas produces insulin, but — as one type 2 diabetic man once said — “the body doesn’t know what the hell to do with it.”
There’s an impairment in the transport system: insulin shuttling blood sugar to insulin receptor sites on muscle cells.
“As far as ‘normal’ weighted people developing type 2 diabetes, I will say diet and genetics are playing some role,” says Reena Patel, MD, a board certified family medicine physician who treats patients at Garnet Health Urgent Care in NY.
“Genetics play a greater role in certain races. The black, Native American and Asian community have the highest rates of diabetes, and this will continue to vary by each ethnicity.”
Muscle Protective Against Type 2 Diabetes
“We can also compare overall fat percentages even in a slim person,” says Dr. Patel.
“Belly fat, even if smaller, is worse than fat carried in other parts of the body, as it directly relates to increased insulin resistance.”
That’s a very compelling point, because a “healthy weight” person might also have the so-called skinny fat body, in which the body fat percentage is higher than what it should be for optimal health.
“The more muscle you have the greater your uptake of glucose into the cells,” says the Joslin Diabetes site.
More muscle means more insulin receptor sites.
Take a look at the two women below. They appear to be able to wear the same dress size, but the woman on the left clearly has more body fat.
Below is an accurate depiction of what two men with the same body fat percentage, but different physiques, might look like.
The man on the right is at higher risk for type 2 diabetes because he’s short on muscle mass. This means fewer insulin receptor sites. 
This doesn’t guarantee future type 2 for this body build, but it’s a risk factor. Who needs a risk factor for this disease?
“There is a general recommendation from the American Heart Association for a minimum of 150 minutes of exercise per week,” says Dr. Patel.
“This should be moderate or higher intensity and should get your heart going.
“Diet has also been compared between races living in different nations.
“A Western diet that is not controlled and contains high amounts of processed foods, sugars and fat can lead to type 2 diabetes.
“Overall research has shown genetic involvement is present but not huge, so I would focus on diet in a specific person as well as exercise per AHA guidelines — not for weight loss but for overall well-being from a cardiovascular and insulin standpoint.
“It appears aside from weight the same levels of inactivity and poor oral intake contribute the most towards the diagnosis.
“What else matters? Your lifestyle does! Excessive alcohol consumption, poor sleep, poor stress management and illegal substance abuse can contribute to insulin resistance.”
In addition to treating many chronic conditions, Dr. Patel treats urgent conditions that affect every part of the body. Instagram: That_dr_next_door
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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Source: blog.joslin.org/2014/05/thin-and-type-2-non-obese-risk-factors-for-developing-diabetes
Bad Pain in Back of Head from Squats: Causes Include Serious
Suffering from intense pain in the back or other part of the head during or after you complete barbell squats? This could be serious.
First off, if you get a sudden headache in the middle of a squat set, never attempt to finish out the set.
Immediately cease, if for no other reason that struggling to continue the set can result in a form break, causing a back injury.
If you suffer from exercise-induced headaches, you should see your doctor.
When exercise is the cause, they are sometimes referred to as exertional headaches. But don’t self-diagnose; that’s a doctor’s job.
The Exercise Headache
“Usually a pulsing headache affecting both sides of the head,” says Dr. David Beatty, MD a retired general practitioner with 30+ years of experience and an instructor of general medicine for 20+ years.
“Thought to be due to dilatation of blood vessels in the brain. More common in hot conditions and at altitude.
“Also more likely with a history of migraine. Dehydration or low blood sugars may play a part.”
The type of exertion most likely to bring on this kind of headache stems from straining on a big compound move, such as the back squat, deadlift, leg press or bench press.
This is why you don’t hear about weightlifters getting exertional headaches from a set of biceps curls, cable triceps moves or dumbbell side lifts.
Squat Head Pain from Other Causes
Your head pain isn’t necessarily a mere exercise headache.
One’s heaviest squats should not cause pain in the head.
This is never a normal response no matter how much the athlete is straining.
The only “pain” you should feel when squatting is the burn in your legs and glutes, and some tension in your core.
There are two other not-so-serious causes of head pain when doing the squat.
Migraine. “Classically this will cause a throbbing pain on one side of the head,” says Dr. Beatty.
“It can be preceded by a visual aura, when the person sees flashing lights or zig zag lines in the visual field.”
Cervicogenic headache. “Typically affects the back of the head and is caused by nerves arising from the neck being pinched by muscle tension and spasm, or by the vertebrae or a protruding disc in the cervical spine,” says Dr. Beatty.
A protruding or herniated disc may sound like a serious matter. But compared to the next two possible causes, it’s nothing to lose sleep over.
More Serious Causes of a Squat Headache
Subarachnoid hemorrhage. “This is a severe life-threatening emergency which requires immediate hospital care,” begins Dr. Beatty.
“The person develops a sudden severe headache over the back of the head.
“It’s described as like being kicked in the head or hit over the back of the head with a bat.
“There may be neck pain, neck stiffness, nausea, confusion, loss of consciousness, seizures, sensitivity to light or a stroke-like picture with loss of power or feeling in one side of the body.
“It’s caused by bleeding from an aneurysm in the brain.
“An aneurysm is a swelling or dilation arising from one of the arteries.
“If there is only a small leak, the symptoms may not be so obviously worrying.”
Bulging blood vessel in the brain. Shutterstock/Veronika Zakharova
When a brain aneurysm ruptures, it’s called a hemorrhagic stroke. Shutterstock/Blamb
Brain tumor. “Tumors sometimes contain lots of blood vessels and, if these leak, it can produce a similar picture,” says Dr. Beatty.
“If I was getting a significant headache after exercise I would want a brain scan.”
More on Brain Aneurysms
If over a period of weeks, you’ve been getting headaches during or after sets of squats, you do not have an aneurysm with a major rupture.
That’s because once a full-blown rupture occurs, you’ll die without immediate medical treatment.
With a major rupture, you simply will not be able to function. You have minutes to get emergency help.
However, the sudden expansion of a brain aneurysm, without bleeding, can cause a headache.
Dr. Beatty has worked in primary medicine, surgery, accident and emergency, OBGYN, pediatrics and chronic disease management. He is the Doctor of Medicine for Strong Home Gym.
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/KDdesignphoto
Sources
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1526-4610.1983.hed2304193.x/full
sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0196064482800486
tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00913847.1985.11708903i
What’s the Youngest a Child Can Get Colon Cancer?
What is the youngest that a child can get colon cancer? Yes, kids can get colon cancer, even though routine screening is recommended beginning at age 45.
Sudden Mustard Yellow Under Fingernail & Sides of Nails
Have you noticed a sudden development of mustard or bright yellow staining under your fingernails and/or on the skin on either side of your nails? (more…)
All the Reasons Why Cancer Causes Weight Loss
Cancer causes significant weight loss for many patients, and the reasons are many. This situation goes well-beyond loss of appetite or anxiety.
“A review of 25 studies relating weight loss and cancer was done in 2018 (Nicholson et al, BJGP),” says Dr. David Beatty, MD, a retired general practitioner with 30+ years of experience and an instructor of general medicine for 20+ years.
“A positive association between weight loss and cancer was found in 10 primary cancer sites: prostate, colorectal, lung, gastroesophageal, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, ovary, myeloma, renal tract and biliary tree.”
However, people with other kinds of primary cancer, such as breast and brain, may experience significant weight loss.
“I think the actual weight loss can be down to any one of the following causes,” continues Dr. Beatty.
Primary Cancer
“The body releases cytokines in response to cancer, infection and inflammation to stimulate a host response to minimize cell damage,” says Dr. Beatty. “It’s thought these may contribute to weight loss.
“The location of the primary cancer is important. Obviously, an esophageal cancer can narrow or block the gullet, reducing food intake.”
Secondary Cancer
“Spread to the liver and brain occurs with several cancers,” says Dr. Beatty. This includes breast and melanoma.
“If the liver is affected then jaundice, nausea, vomiting and impaired absorption can occur.
“Brain metastases can cause anorexia [poor appetite], nausea and vomiting.
“Sometimes stroke-type symptoms happen with their associated swallowing difficulties.”
Side Effects of Treatment
Dr. Beatty explains, “Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are common causes of appetite suppression, nausea and vomiting.
“After surgery there is often a period of convalescence before someone is eating properly.
“Painkillers like codeine and morphine often cause nausea, vomiting or constipation.”
A drug that’s prescribed long-term, once the course of chemo and radiation are completed, may alter the way the patient experiences tasting food, such as diminishing this sense.
Mental Health
“Most people with cancer will have stress, anxiety and often significant depression,” points out Dr. Beatty.
“This can often be overlooked with everything else going on. Anorexia and weight loss are both symptoms of moderate to severe depression.”
Inactivity
“For all sorts of reasons cancer patients are less active than they were before the diagnosis,” says Dr. Beatty.
“If someone is sitting or lying for prolonged periods they will lose muscle bulk and its associated weight.
“The large muscle groups like the quadriceps on the front of the thigh are particularly affected.”
Speaking of Muscles: Study Shows Reason Other than Inactivity
Tumors release substances into the bloodstream that impede the natural repair of damaged muscle fibers, leading to muscle loss (weight loss).
The condition is also known as cancer cachexia. Often, laypeople attribute the wasting-away of a cancer patient’s body to chemotherapy and/or avoidance of food due to poor appetite.
But the cancer-caused weight loss, for which no treatment exists, actually causes 25 percent of cancer deaths.
This information comes from research by the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center — Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and the Richard J. Solove Research Institute.
The full report is in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (Oct. 2013).
Muscle stem cells are important for repairing damaged fibers.
The stem cells normally multiply and develop into mature muscle cells, which fuse with damaged fibers so that wasting does not occur.
Cancer blocks this process by releasing “factors.” Research is ongoing as far as trying to identify these factors.
Dr. Beatty has worked in primary medicine, surgery, accident and emergency, OBGYN, pediatrics and chronic disease management. He is the Doctor of Medicine for Strong Home Gym.
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.
Source
sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131023153742.htm
Can Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms Come and Go?
Warning: Do not ever assume that just because your troublesome digestive symptoms come and go, that they can’t possibly mean pancreatic cancer.
“Generally, when someone has symptoms of pancreatic cancer, they tend to get progressively worse over time,” says Nadeem Baig, MD, a board certified gastroenterologist and hepatologist at Monmouth Gastroenterology, a division of Allied Digestive Health.
“During that period, it is very possible that some symptoms like stomach pain, back pain and loss of appetite can come and go on a day-to-day basis.
“Other symptoms like weight loss and jaundice tend to be more constant once they are present.”
An Interview with Pancreatic Cancer Patients
In a study Dr. Julie Evans and colleagues interviewed 40 people (age 35-84) who were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
The genders were about 50/50.
The report is titled “It can’t be very important because it comes and goes.”
Frightening Findings
Dr. Evans and her team found that symptoms that appeared and then went away, then came back, and so on, were not uncommon in the patients.
This come and go nature of symptoms occurred in the months, and even years, prior to diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
The patients reported that the symptoms that did not persist, that instead came and went, did not alarm them enough to consider cancer as a possible cause.
What made the patients finally seek medical attention?
• Time passage revealed a symptom pattern.
• Frequency of symptoms increased.
• Symptom nature changed.
• New symptom appearance.
Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms Can Be Intermittent
The paper states, “Our study reports for the first time that symptoms of an intermittent nature may precede a pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Patients (and potentially their doctors) may be falsely reassured by symptoms that come and go.”
The study authors urge greater awareness that intermittent symptoms can be caused by cancer.
A greater awareness can lead to an earlier diagnosis when the disease is more treatable, even curable.
The full report is in the British Medical Journal Open 2014.
Dr. Baig’s specialties include gastrointestinal cancers and liver disease, plus gallbladder, biliary tract and pancreatic disorders. He is an assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
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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Source: bmjopen.bmj.com/content/4/2/e004215.short
How Good Is MRI at Finding Breast Cancer? Excellent, Says Study
MRI is a superb imaging tool for detecting breast cancer, even when compared to the combined methods of ultrasound and mammography.
“MRI is a cutting-edge way that we can detect breast cancers early on, especially in patients with dense breasts and family history of breast cancer,” says Resham Mendi, MD, a renowned expert in the field of medical imaging, and the medical director of Bright Light Medical Imaging.
“This type of MRI usually takes about an hour and involves injecting IV contrast.
“At this time, it is typically only used in women with very high risk of breast cancer or a personal history of breast cancer.
“With more advanced technology, in the next several years, there may be enough technology to allow fast MRIs, to use MRI as a screening tool in more women.”
Superiority of MRI in Breast Cancer Screening
Cancer.gov/Bruce Wetzel, Harry Schaefer
A 2015 Journal of Clinical Oncology has a study from the University Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at the MedUni Vienna.
“In cases where there is even the slightest doubt, especially in women at increased risk, the obvious choice is MRI,” says lead study author Thomas Helbich in the paper.
The superiority of MRI is independent of a woman’s age, BRCA status and even breast density.
However, some women can’t tolerate lying inside the so-called tube for an hour.
Furthermore, the rate of false-positives, leading to anxiety-ridden call-backs, needs to be considered.
Dense Breasts
Women with dense breasts may be particularly interested in supplemental forms of imaging.
They know that a mammogram can miss tumors in dense breast tissue more often than in fatty breast tissue.
Yet this study shows that an MRI doesn’t care if breast tissue is dense.
The breast cancer detection rate for the 559 patients in the study was 90 percent.
The Study
• The 559 women were at increased risk for breast cancer.
• A total of 1,365 screening exams were done.
• MRI won by leaps and bounds.
• When MRI was combined with mammography, the detection rate increased by only five percent.
• Ultrasound alone did not detect any of the found BCs.
Recommendations by the Study
• An annual MRI should be done on women at high risk who have a strong family history of breast cancer as an alternative to surgical breast removal.
The paper points out that the combination of mammography and ultrasound cannot detect all types of breast cancer.
Women with dense breasts DO have the option to request an MRI and will likely have to pay out of pocket for it.
