ArchiveS312

In the U.S. alone, nearly 100 million people suffer from chronic
pain, of which more than half are partially or totally disabled.
Physicians generally define chronic pain as pain that is present
for six months or longer and is not relieved by standard medical
management. Until recently, treatments for chronic pain and
other central nervous system disorders have been limited to

systemic drugs or surgery. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an approved therapy indicated
for the treatment of chronic pain of the trunk and/or limbs. SCS systems are implantable
devices that resemble pacemakers in appearance and function and work by generating
electrical pulses that interfere with the transmission of pain signals to the brain.

One in ten, about 28 million Americans suffer from hearing loss.
As the majority of Baby Boomers reach retirement age, the
number of hearing impaired Americans is expected to reach
nearly 60 million by the year 2030. Some celebrities are now
speaking out on how they're benefiting from the new hearing
technology. Some signs of hearing loss:

-When people talk, you have a hard time understanding words.

-Turning up the volume on the TV above where others listen.

-It's difficult to converse on the phone or your cell phone.

-You hear better with one ear than the other

-You strain to hear in crowded bars or restaurants.

This week's Your Life Story is an inspirational one about a
woman who is carrying on her mother's passion of the sea
and the peace of scuba diving to bring joy to other breast
cancer survivors. Lisa Taylor saw how her mother's spirit
came to life when they went diving together. In her mother's
words "Cancer was no longer a fear to be controlled by but a
freedom & insight that life was truly a gift meant to be shared.

If you ever used a jet tub or whirlpool bath, you know it's a
wonderful experience. Sore, tired, aching muscles quickly
relax and for most that are used to this kind of thing, it is a
real source of pleasure. Well, water therapy is very effective
for dogs dealing with an injured joint, arthritis or rehabilitating
post surgery. Some pet owners who have swimming pools,
hot tubs or whirlpool baths in their homes often think pet

water therapy is something that can be done at home, however, it is probably not a good
idea. The most dangerous part of trying this yourself is the temperature of the water. Pets
who are subjected to the effects of heat quickly and anything beyond a few minutes
(unsupervised)in a hot tub or whirlpool can be a real disaster. Generally, most professionals
use "vests" or "jackets" to both protect and control the pet. In a home setting, most of us are
just not equipped to do what is really necessary to make hydrotherapy useful and helpful to
our arthritic friends.

This week, Executive Chef Jeremy Critchfield, from Nemacolin

Woodlands Resort and Spa, shows us the ropes to healthy

cooking as we learn how to make Five Spice Shrimp over

Shanghai Pesto Noodles.

You know, in this age of managed health care..it's likely you
have more questions when you leave the doctor's office than
when you walked in the door. On this week's reference desk,
we have an excellent medical guide for every home library.
"The Johns Hopkins Family Health Book". The book was
developed with the help of over one-hundred Johns Hopkins
physicians, nurses and health professionals. Whether your
trying to interpret symptoms, learn more about a medication or
prepare for surgery, the book is well-written, clearly
organized and very informative. One of the best chapters is
called "becoming a partner in your health care"-it focuses on
doctor patient communication. Read it in good health!