WWAY Health Headlines

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Gwen Robinson has suffered from allergies all of her life, so she suspected congestion may be part of the reason why she has pressure in her ear, making it hard for her to hear. But she also wondered if time was taking its toll on her hearing.

“Sometimes I have to have people repeat what they say to me,” 54-year-old Robinson said.

Turns out, many of us gradually do experience hearing loss as we age. But the way you treat your hearing in your younger years affects its function later. Prior to mid-life, nerve hearing loss usually is not an issue. But Dr. Paul Atwater suggests if things seem muted - get to the doctor to see if the problem is wax buildup. Also, don't use a cotton swab to clean out your ears. It only pushes the wax further inside. Don't smoke. Also, turn down the volume.

“Noise exposure is the most common cause of a hearing loss in a younger person,” said Dr. Atwater.

That noise, certain medical conditions, and your family history can contribute to hearing loss as you age. You may inherit the tendency towards losing your hearing as you get into your late 50,'s, and beyond.

As for Robinson, it doesn't appear that she has hearing loss due age, so she is trying allergy medications, hoping to find some relief.

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Hearing loss can be a normal part of aging, but what you do when you are younger can often affect how well you hear in your golden years.

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From nicotine patches, to gum, to lozenges, there are many tools out there to help smokers kick the habit, but little research has been done comparing how well these products work. But a new study from the University of Wisconsin has found that pairing the nicotine patch with nicotine lozenges, as needed, is the best aid for those trying to kick the habit.

In the study, over 1,500 smokers who were motivated to quit were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of treatment with one or a combination of the following: nicotine patch, nicotine lozenge, bupropion, an antidepressant that reduces nicotine withdrawal symptoms, or a placebo. Smoking rates were assessed after one week, 8 weeks, and 6 months after the quit date.

Researchers found that pairing nicotine lozenges with the nicotine patch was the only treatment they tested which worked better than placebo at 6 months. Those using this treatment were also more likely than other participants to have quit at 7 days, and they showed a longer period of time before relapsing.

This research suggests that using additional treatments that can be used as needed, when cravings come on, such as gum or lozenges, alongside the patch is the best plan for smokers trying to quit.

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Smokers trying to quit have a number of products to choose from: the patch, gum, lozenges, even a nicotine inhaler, but which one works best? Researchers from the University of Wisconsin claim to have the winning combination.

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Folks in Pender County could soon be breathing a little easier if the Board of Health gets its way. The board has asked the county commission to consider a smoking ban on all county-owned property.

Already smoking is not allowed in county offices and within 50 feet of the health department and Department of Social Services. County health director Jack Griffith said it is part of a state-wide push to get people to quit smoking.

"It's a bad habit frankly that causes lots of diseases, and I'm an epidemiologist, and I can tell you that you don't want to smoke if you can help it," said Griffith

The proposed ban would include everything from county parks to county-owned vehicles.

Griffith said the county attorney and manager are working with the Board of Health to come up with a plan he thinks would have a fair chance to pass the county commission.

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Folks in Pender County could soon be breathing a little easier if the Board of Health gets its way. The board has asked the county commission to consider a smoking ban on all county-owned property.

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Vitamin D, which kids can get from fortified milk, salmon, and moderate exposure to the sun, is thought to improve bone health and may also help prevent cancer.

In the first nationally-representative study of vitamin D levels in children, researchers analyzed government data between 2001 and 2006 for kids 11 and under. They found that, under the current standards set by the American Academy of Pediatrics, approximately 6 million U.S. children are vitamin D deficient.

There is controversy, however, as to whether this standard is actually too low. When using more stringent standards for pediatric vitamin D levels, it is estimated that as many as 24 million children are vitamin D deficient, including 92% of non-Hispanic black children, and 80% of Hispanic children.

More research is needed to determine the appropriate vitamin D requirements for children, so that parents and pediatricians can better gauge how to supplement their child's diet.

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Though it has been suspected for years that many children in the U.S. today do not get enough vitamin D, most studies on this phenomenon have been limited. Now, a new analysis proves it.

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The International Diabetes Federation reports that over 285 million people worldwide now live with diabetes and they predict that within 20 years that number will jump to 435 million.

In order to equip health care professionals with the latest guidance in diabetes care, the federation recently released new clinical guidelines that cover topics such as gestational diabetes and proper use of at-home blood glucose testing.

Though monitoring blood glucose levels at home was previously suggested only for those diabetics taking insulin injections, the guidelines recommend that those who manage their diabetes through oral medication should also keep track of their blood glucose at home.

The report also offers the federation's first-ever guidelines on diabetes and pregnancy, and advises that diabetic women wishing to conceive should get pre-pregnancy advice from doctors, consider stopping oral blood sugar medications and certain blood pressure medications, and begin folic acid therapy. Concerning gestational diabetes, which has become increasingly common in the past years, the report says that early action is key and any pregnant woman who tests abnormal for blood sugar levels should be considered for diabetes treatment.

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The International Diabetes Federation reports that over 285 million people worldwide now live with diabetes and they predict that within 20 years that number will jump to 435 million.

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Ninety-nine percent of public schools design their meal plans based on the National School Lunch Program and 83 percent of all schools in the U.S. use it.

Considering the nutritional standards guiding this program have not been updated since 1995, the Institute of Medicine decided to create new guidelines that would bring school meals up to date and incorporate new advancements in our understanding of proper nutrition for kids.

In the institute's report, researchers call for more fruit at breakfast, including whole fruit and less juice, more whole grain-rich foods, and a greater amount and variety of vegetables at school-provided breakfast and lunch.

The report also says that certain things should be removed from the lunch program altogether, such as whole milk and foods containing trans fat. Instead, the report suggests offering only skim or 1% milk to kids and using limited amounts of unsaturated oils in cooking.

Overall, the report emphasizes the need for fresh fruit and vegetables, fewer refined carbohydrates, and less fat, and offers suggestions for how to put these changes into place so that schools can offer both nutritious and delicious options for students.

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The vast majority of private and public schools use the National School Lunch Program to plan student meals, but the standards have not been updated since 1995.

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Fever is part of the body's normal reaction to vaccination shots. Fearing the negative effects of this post-vaccine fever, many parents give their children fever-reducers, such as acetaminophen, as a preventative measure before, or soon after vaccination.

This may not be a good, idea new research shows, because while these drugs do reduce fever, they can also reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine.

In a group of infants receiving a number of routine vaccinations, researchers randomly assigned some of the children to receive three doses of a fever-reducer within 24 hours of being vaccinated.

They found that, for several types of vaccines, the protective immune response generated by the vaccine was significantly lower in those children taking the fever-reducer.

Their research also suggested that a fever-reducer given before or very soon after vaccination interfered more than if the drug was used later, in response to a child actually having a fever.

Researchers concluded that parents should not give their child acetaminophen before or at the time of vaccination.

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Though some parents fear the post-vaccine fever that sometimes accompanies immunization shots, new research shows that giving fever-reducing drugs can reduce those effects.

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Early detection and prevention was the theme at Thursday night's Live & Learn seminar at New Hanover Regional Medical Center. Women were invited to attend the event, hosted by the Betty H. Cameron Women's and Children's Hospital.

Doctors spoke to the crowd about everything from early detection of cancer, robotic surgery, fibroids, and other GYN conditions.

Experts also took questions from the crowd. Doctors said knowing the facts can help patients stay healthy. "Prevention. Prevention is key and with education people can make better decisions about their healthcare,” said Sandra Hall, MD/OB-GYN.

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Early detection and prevention was the theme at Thursday night's Live & Learn seminar at New Hanover Regional Medical Center. Women were invited to attend the event...

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UNCW's nursing program sponsored the Seahawks and Seniors Health Fair at the New Hanover County Senior Center on Thursday.

Nursing students talked to seniors about health topics including nutrition, fall prevention, and emotional well-being. For students and seniors, it was a chance for some personal interaction.

“It's good to actually come out of the classroom setting, come into the community,” said UNCW nursing student Thomas Mangiacapre. “Being that I've grown up here, it's nice to get inside of some of the facilities I've never been inside and work with our older population.”

Lee Cook visited the health fair and said, “I enjoyed coming over here to the senior center and interacting with nursing students, I enjoyed it.”

During the fair a few of the seniors showed off their talents with some dance routines, singing, and jokes.

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UNCW's nursing program sponsored the Seahawks and Seniors Health Fair at the New Hanover County Senior Center on Thursday.

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A growing number of the 400,000 Americans currently on dialysis are over 80 years old.

Though most elderly patients with kidney failure have a limited life expectancy, many doctors assume that treating the symptoms of their kidney failure with dialysis will improve their quality of life, even if it cannot extend their life expectancy. But new research from Stanford University suggests that the opposite is true.

Researchers compared nursing home patients' ability to care for themselves before and after dialysis treatment and found that the patients experienced a significant decline in their ability to perform simple daily tasks, such as feeding themselves, getting dressed, or brushing their teeth, after starting dialysis.

In fact, in the first year of dialysis, only 13% of the over 3,000 patients they followed maintained the level of functioning they had had in the previous year.

In the future, researchers hope that doctors and patients will take into account all the drawbacks of dialysis treatment for elderly patients, including its effect on their everyday functioning and quality of life.

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Nearly 400,000 Americans with kidney failure are currently on dialysis treatment. Though many doctors assume dialysis will improve elderly patients' quality of life, new research finds this may not be the case.

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Though salmonella scares have made the dangers of eating raw or undercooked meat and eggs common knowledge, a new report finds that many other, more unexpected, foods also make the FDA’s "high risk" food list.

Using data on food-borne illness outbreaks over the base 20 years, researchers ranked the ten riskiest FDA-regulated foods. Beef, the #1 cause of food-borne illness, was not included in the list as the FDA does not regulate beef production.

Leafy greens topped the list, causing 363 outbreaks and over 13,000 reported cases of illness since 1990. Eggs and dairy products, such as cheese and ice cream, were also high on the list and these three products alone were responsible for over 500 outbreaks and 16,000 reported cases of food poisoning.

Other foods to make the list included tomatoes, oysters, potatoes, tuna, sprouts, and berries. Together these nutritionally healthy but potentially risky foods were responsible for nearly 600 outbreaks and over 18,000 reported illnesses.

To reduce the risk of food-borne illness, the FDA recommends that you wash fresh produce before eating, and refrigerate produce within two hours of peeling or cutting. Also, try not to buy bruised or damaged produce and discard the outer layers of green leafy vegetables.

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Though we are often wary of the risks associated with eating undercooked meat or eggs, a new report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest finds that a lot of food poisoning cases are caused by some unexpected foods.

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More than 12 million Americans have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, a disorder in which breathing stops for short periods of time during sleep. It can cause snoring, poor sleep quality and reduced quality of life, as well as lead to heart disease.

Sleep apnea is most common among those who are overweight, because excess weight can cause the airway to collapse during sleep.

Now researchers have shown in a large clinical trial that patients who lost an average of 24 pounds, or about 10% of their body weight, were 3 times more likely than those who didn't lose weight to have complete remission of their apnea. Those that didn't have complete remission still had their episodes of severe sleep apnea cut in half.

Patients were able to achieve this weight loss using a combination of a group behavior modification program, a portion-controlled diet, and by exercising for 3 hours a week.

Studies have also suggested that sleep apnea can lead to putting on extra pounds, so gaining control over the problem provides health benefits in the short and long-term.

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Snoring can be caused by sleep apnea, but new research proves that losing weight can be a cure.

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