Health & Wellness - September 2012 Archives

Having Colon Polyps Doesn't Mean Cancer is Inevitable September 14, 2012 Dear Mayo Clinic: Last month I had a few polyps removed during ...

ROCHESTER, Minnesota — 14 de septiembre de 2012.  Las personas de peso normal, pero con grasa concentrada en la barriga, corren mayor peligro de fallecer ...

ROCHESTER, Minnesota — 14 de septiembre de 2012.  Varios estudios señalan el efecto importante que el ejercicio puede tener en el tratamiento del cáncer y ...

ROCHESTER, Minnesota — 14 de septiembre de 2012.  Por sí sola, la artritis reumatoide es dolorosa y debilitante, pero además incrementa el riesgo de muerte ...

Estos son los puntos más destacados de la edición de julio de Mayo Clinic Health Letter. El tinnitus: maneras de reducir la irritación ROCHESTER, Minnesota ...

The New York City Board of Health banned the sale of super-sized sugary drinks, including sodas, at restaurants and several other fast-food venues. Mayo Clinic obesity expert Donald ...

JACKSONVILLE, Flórida — É necessário de mais de um gene indutor do câncer (oncogene) para ativar a doença no pâncreas, revelou um estudo liderado pela ...

JACKSONVILLE, Florida — 12 de septiembre de 2012.  Un estudio liderado por la Clínica Mayo, en Jacksonville, Florida, encontró que para gatillar el cáncer de ...

The year-end issue of Mayo Clinic's research magazine Discovery's Edge, is now available online and highlighted articles are listed below. You may cite and link to ...

Lou Gehrig’s Disease, or ALS, is a condition that slowly robs you of your ability to move, eat or even breathe. A related condition called ...

Medical examinations for many commerical drivers will only be legitimate if they're performed by specially trained and certifiied health care providers. The new federal guidelines are ...

ROCHESTER, Minn. — September 11, 2012.  Big changes are coming to the medical evaluations required for many commercial driver's license holders, including truckers and bus drivers. Under new federal requirements, the medical examinations will only count if they are performed by a health care provider specially trained and certified to do so. The goal is preventing medical emergency-related truck and bus crashes through what likely will be more intense health exams, says Clayton Cowl, M.D., of Mayo Clinic. VIDEO ALERT: Video resources, including an interview with Dr. Cowl,are available for journalists at the Mayo Clinic News Network. "Often, the medical evaluation is the only opportunity for preventive care that a driver will receive," says Dr. Cowl, a physician in Preventive, Occupational and Aerospace Medicine at Mayo Clinic who learned how to drive a semi so he could better understand the physical stress truckers face. "Granted, it's more regulatory burden on the drivers and their examiners, but I also view this as an opportunity for health care providers to make a difference in their lives. It's their chance to emphasize the importance of preventive health care and get them pointed in the right direction in terms of pursuing healthier lifestyles." Eye strain and chronic stress are two obvious health issues long-haul truck and tour bus drivers face, but job-related and performance-affecting medical issues can go far beyond that to include such diverse problems as sleep apnea; diabetes; high blood pressure; obesity; painful, chronic hemorrhoids; and muscular and skeletal strain. Many truck drivers smoke or use other forms of tobacco, putting them at higher risk of cardiovascular disease and lung disease. Yet, for many, the medical exam required at least every two years is the only time they will see a health care professional. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration estimates 40,000 qualified medical examiners will be needed to perform roughly 3 million exams a year under the new rules. Dr. Cowl performs commercial driver's license medical exams and is the course director for a new series of training programs offered to examiners across the country. He and Mayo Clinic colleagues from a variety of medical subspecialties will train medical examiners with classes in Rochester in October and November and an online course. The federal requirements take effect in May 2014. Mayo Clinic can use telemedicine and other resources to help truckers who would otherwise fail their medical exams promptly address potentially disqualifying conditions and get back on the road.