Multiple myeloma is a relatively uncommon form of blood cancer that affects less than 1% of the U.S. population, according the American Cancer Society. People younger than 45 rarely get the disease, and it occurs more in older men than women. And your risk is doubled if you’re African American.
Osteoporosis: Study Finds Up To 40% Greater Risk Of Hearing Loss In Women
As part of the Conservation of Hearing Study (CHEARS), researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital analyzed data from nearly 144,000 women who were followed for up to 34 years. They found that risk of subsequent moderate or worse hearing loss was up to 40 percent higher in study participants with osteoporosis or LBD. The study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society, also found that bisphosphonates did not alter risk of hearing loss.
The researchers found that a history of vertebral fracture was associated with up to a 40 percent higher risk of hearing loss, but the same did not hold true for hip fractures, the two most common osteoporosis-related fractures. “The differing findings between these skeletal sites may reflect differences in the composition and metabolism of the bones in the spine and in the hip,” Curhan said. “These findings could provide new insight into the changes in the bone that surrounds the middle and inner ear that may contribute to hearing loss.”
DR. C’S JOURNAL: BENEFITS OF PARATHYROID HORMONE
Hormones, Vitamins, and minerals all have extensive interactions in the give-and-take of the bodies’ ballet of homeostasis. No where is this more clear-cut than the interplay of parathyroid hormone, vitamin D, and calcium.
Although it has many other actions in the body, calcium is best known as the prime component of our bones. It is essential for making them healthy and strong. The bones act as a storehouse or vault for the bodies calcium. The parathyroid hormone is the key that unlocks the vault to release the calcium so it can perform its many other roles in the body. An elevation of the calcium in the blood stream shuts down the parathyroid Glands.
Parathyroid hormone also acts to instruct the body to absorb more vitamin D, just as the vitamin D causes the intestinal tract to absorb more calcium. The parathyroid glands are in the upper poles of the thyroid which as we mentioned before sits astride the windpipe.
Sometimes the parathyroid gland develops an adenoma which causes too much secretion of parathyroid hormone.
This results in an excess of calcium in the body and a variety of symptoms, such as joint pain muscle weakness, fatigue, nausea and vomiting. One of the technicians in my medical practice developed hyperparathyroidism. It was detected by a metabolic panel, which showed an elevation of serum calcium.
This discovery, early in my practice, made me a big fan of metabolic panels when patients have general symptoms. Her condition, a parathyroid adenoma, was cured by surgery. Conversely, surgery for an overactive thyroid can sometimes accidentally remove the parathyroid glands if the surgeon isn’t careful. The parathyroid glands are tiny, but they perform a huge function.
—Dr. C.
THE DOCTORS 101 CHRONIC SYMPTOMS & CONDITIONS #40: HYPOTHYROIDISM
Hypothyroidism is a very common hormonal deficiency where there is an insufficient amount of thyroid hormone, T4. The thyroid gland regulates your metabolic activity. If you have insufficient thyroid hormone, everything seems to slow down; Your energy level, your muscle strength, your heart rate, your brain activity, and even your intestinal activity are all slower.
One of my habits in practice was to check the size of the thyroid, which is an H shaped gland astride the windpipe beneath the voice box. It becomes enlarged in a condition known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, the most common cause of adult hypothyroidism.
As you recall from the last posting, when the thyroid function is low, the brain causes a release of TSH, which stimulates the thyroid gland. In order to produce more thyroid hormone, the gland enlarges and the examining physician can feel it.
Babies can be born without a thyroid. I had one such patient when I was in training. The baby was inexplicably limp, and did not cry vigorously like other babies. When given thyroid hormone, she developed normally. Such babies often go undetected, don’t grow and become mentally deficient.
The thyroid gland produces thyroxine, which is T4. In the tissues, the T4 is converted into the much more active T3. This is often the medication of choice in hypothyroidism. In giving thyroid Hormonal, the physician must adjust the dose, depending on the patients response. Only after a number of visits is the proper dose found.
Please refer to the Mayo clinic article on hypothyroidism. The use of the TSH as a blood test is also discussed.
—Dr. C.
DR. C’S JOURNAL: THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE
Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is one of a series of regulatory hormones to come from the pituitary gland, often called the “master gland“ of the body. Most of the pituitary hormones are released upon signals from the hypothalamus, part of the real master coordinator of the body, the brain.
TSH Instructs the Thyroid gland to produce more Thyroid hormone. When more Thyroid hormone is produced, The increase of Thyroxin in the bloodstream causes the TSH level to drop.
Our metabolism is full of these servomechanisms which control the level of critical substances. When the thyroid does not function properly, and the thyroid level drops, the TSH is increased. An elevated TSH it is presently the best test we have for hypothyroidism.
Conversely, when there is excessive thyroid activity (hyperthyroidism), the TSH level drops to vanishingly low amounts. Tomorrow the subject will be thyroxin.
—Dr. C.
Dr. C’s Journal: Effects Of Growth Hormone (GH)
Most boys and perhaps some girls would prefer to be taller. Human growth hormone is secreted by the pituitary gland with increased production during puberty. Pituitary growth hormone stimulates the liver to produce insulin like growth factor, and assay of IGF-1 is a test for GH deficiency.
Small stature and low growth velocity in children often benefit from growth hormone, But adults have closure of the growth plate and do not grow taller with GH.
Pituitary tumors require the removal of the pituitary gland, and this is the major cause of low growth hormone in adults. Replacement growth hormone is clearly indicated here. Most adult use of growth hormone is because of its apparent beneficial effects on vigor and aging, but this may be ill advised; please check the following Harvard article.
Since growth hormone is anabolic, and favors growth and protein synthesis, it enjoys some use in athletics and the health industry. Most likely, it is a two edge sword that should be regulated properly and not used in the absence of deficiency.
–Dr. C
DR. C’S JOURNAL: BENEFITS OF COLONOSCOPIES OVER 50
Colonoscopy is good preventative medicine for everybody over the age of 50. A video was posted yesterday on colon cancer metastatic to the liver. Although this is treatable, metastatic colon cancer is a miserable condition, markedly lowering quality of life. You are much better off preventing colon cancer then having to deal with it, and in this sense, colonoscopy is a very good trade off.
Colonoscopy is no fun. You have to modify your diet well in advance, and take a magnesium citrate clean out in order to get rid of fecal matter that would prevent proper visualization of your colon. You should get your first colonoscopy at age 50 or earlier depending upon your family history of polyps, colon cancer, and other bowel problems.
In my own case, I had a number of colonoscopies, and nothing serious was discovered. I still think it is a very good idea. Although I never had a colon polyp or cancer discovered, I have recently, at the age of 89, developed bladder cancer of the slowly progressive and non-invasive kind.
The thought occurred to me that getting regular cystoscopies might catch bladder cancer at an earlier stage. I was told by an authoritative Physician that this has previously been tried and not proven to be useful. I also recommend going into a dermatologist regularly to remove actinic keratoses, which have the capability of developing into cancer. I believe you cannot be too vigorous with preventative therapy.
Interestingly, good sleep, diet and exercise are recommended in the prevention of colon cancer. Please refer to the mayo clinic article on colonoscopy for more information.
–Dr. C
MEDICINE: WHEN COLON CANCER SPREADS TO THE LIVER (MAYO CLINIC VIDEO)
Colorectal cancer is a leading cancer among men and women around the world. Many colorectal cancers are likely to spread to other organs, with the most common site of metastases being the liver. In this Mayo Clinic Minute, Dr. Sean Cleary, a hepatobiliary and pancreas surgeon at Mayo Clinic explains what this means to patients.
DR. C’S JOURNAL: STRESS & ADRENALINE (EPINEPHRINE)
Adrenaline (epinephrine) was first discovered when the adrenal gland was ground up and injected, producing an increase in the pulse rate. it has a myriad of uses, and often In emergencies when speed of injection is of great importance. You may you recall the controversy when the price of EpiPen was jacked up to ridiculous levels.
Adrenaline is intimately involved with cortisol in emergency stress reactions. Adrenaline increases cortisol production, and cortisol increases the number of cell membrane adrenoreceptors. Adrenaline is much more rapidly acting, and cortisol sticks around for a while keeping the stress response going.
Adrenaline produces a myriad of responses that are beneficial when you’re trying to run away from that sabertooth tiger. Just like cortisol, it increases the pulse rate, blood pressure, blood sugar and heart rate. It opens up the bronchial tubes so you can breathe better, and also increases muscle strength and alertness, with a negative affect.
As mentioned in the article on cortisol, stress has a negative connotation at present, even though it was vital to our survival as a species. I can’t tell you how many shots of adrenaline I gave to my asthmatic patients. Medications to prevent asthma are much more numerous these days and adrenaline is rarely needed for Asthma any more.
Adrenaline is still very useful, however, in cardiac arrest, and Anaphylactic reactions. You may recall having read about Anaphylactic reactions from the Propylene glycol in some Covid immunizations.
In the long run You will do better to keep your stress levels down. Try to avoid talking about family affairs, religion, and politics.
—Dr. C.
Health: Risk Factors For Cardiovascular Disease In Women (Infographic)
Doctors Without Waiting Rooms 