Tag Archives: back pain

Back Pain and the End of Superheroes

Last Thursday and Friday are long gone. They were useless days spent in pain. My back is totally destroyed and I’m headed to the doctor’s office in the early morning hours tomorrow to see if it can either be fixed or heavily medicated. When I look back on my grandmother (specifically) and remember her using a walker, with tennis balls on the bottom, I now envy her. I wish I had one. I’m having trouble standing, sitting, turning, everything! The only thing I can do is lay still staring at the ceiling with a heating pad below me and a … Continue reading →

Is Your Microwave a Danger to Your Health?

Modern conveniences are all very well and many make life easier. But sometimes I wonder about some of them. One in particular which is a staple appliance in most homes has come under criticism. It is the microwave oven. I remember when Microwaves first came out, there were a lot of rumors and people were wary about whether they were safe. It took me a long time to warm to the idea of a microwave and I’ve only ever used it in an emergency to defrost the meat or to cook vegetables. Then this week I was directed by someone … Continue reading →

A is for Anxiety, E is for Emergency

It was a great day. Today my husband stayed home while I went off to work – actually, to a first aid course that I need to do every two years to recertify to teach small children outdoors. I spent the day performing CPR on mannequins, watching gory videos of spurting blood, and I aced the test. This does not mean that you should come to my house when you’re suffering from major wounds, though. Please. I got home, and we spent a quiet winter solstice evening. My daughter and I practiced some first aid moves, I reminded her how … Continue reading →

Explaining Illness to Your Preschooler

Last night as I was busily typing on the computer, my daughter wandered into my office. In her “I want to ask you something but you will say no” voice, she said, “Mom?” “Yes, dear.” “Mom?” “Yes.” “I have diabetes.” Well no, she doesn’t have diabetes. I have diabetes, and I wear an insulin pump, count carbohydrates, and all of that fun stuff. She watches me use my pump, change my pump sites, insert big needles into various parts of my anatomy. Sometimes I poke her finger to check and see if her blood sugar is all right, and once … Continue reading →

Coenzyme Q10: Overview

You may also know it as CoQ10, vitamin Q10, or Ubiquinone… but by any name, coenzyme Q10 may have a big role to play in fighting cancer. First things first: what’s the difference between an enzyme and a coenzyme? An enzyme is a protein that helps increase the rate of natural chemical reactions in the body. A coenzyme is a compound that helps an enzyme do its job. As far as I know, the coenzyme that gets the most press is coenzyme Q10. This is a compound made by the body for a variety of reasons: to make energy needed … Continue reading →

Cancer: Local Spread vs. Metastasis

One of the most insidious things about cancer is the way it can spread. I’m not especially a fan of the way it can keep coming back after treatment, either, but that’s a story for another day. The American Cancer Society talks about two different types of spread: local or regional spread and metastasis. Local or regional spread is when a cancer extends beyond the organ in which it started. For example, a very large breast cancer could spread into the lymph nodes in the armpit or the lungs. Metastasis means that the cancer has moved to an entirely new … Continue reading →

Consumers Sue Fast Food Chains for Cancer-Causing Chicken

When I go to a fast food restaurant, I often order the chicken, thinking that is the better, more natural choice over a burger. However, McDonald’s, Burger King, and Friendly Ice Cream are being sued by consumers for selling grilled chicken that contains a cancer causing chemical. The chain restaurants were part of a class action suit filed by Cancer Project in the Hartford, Conn. Superior Court Wednesday. The lawsuit claims that the grilled chicken served by the restaurants contains the compound PhIP. McDonalds has been selling their grilled chicken sandwiches since October 2006. Last month, a similar lawsuit was … Continue reading →

The State of Texas Wants to Cure Cancer

The Lone Star State is looking to become a leader in cancer research and prevention over the next ten years — and is investing three billion dollars to do it. That three billion dollars would make Texas the holder of the second largest bank of cancer research funds in the nation — second only to the National Cancer Institute. And Texas is already home to some leaders in the fight against cancer, like the Lance Armstrong Foundation, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. The idea to create the Cancer Prevention and … Continue reading →

What is a TENS Unit?

One option for managing pain is a TENS unit. TENS stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation… a scary name (electrical what now?) for a helpful therapy. How it works, in brief: electrodes are stuck to the skin in the area where a patient is experiencing pain. The TENS unit delivers an electrical current to the skin and tissues. Intensity of the current can vary; users generally report feeling tingling or pins and needles in the area. Why it works: experts believe that the electrical current disrupts the pain by giving a different sensation to the skin and tissues. The current … Continue reading →

Diagnosing Cancer in Pets

I was chatting with an owner at the cats-only boarding facility about various health issues, and the topic of cancer came up. “How do you know if a cat has cancer?” he asked me. I was stumped for a moment, then managed to say that it was probably the same way we figure it out in humans. Biopsies and blood tests. Just to be sure, I did some research. Yeah, I’m the sort of person where if I don’t know the answer to a question, I’ll find it. Cancers that present as tumors on or near the surface of the … Continue reading →