Minnesota - January 2014 Archives

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYmouQI7PDI ROCHESTER, Minn. — Jan. 13, 2014 — Shoulder arthritis is a common problem for rheumatoid arthritis patients: pain and difficulty moving their arms can grow so severe that daily tasks and sleep become difficult.  If medication and physical therapy aren’t enough, shoulder replacement surgery is a common next step. Despite surgical challenges with some rheumatoid arthritis patients, the procedure improves range of motion and reduces pain in nearly all cases, especially for those with intact rotator cuffs, a Mayo Clinic study shows. The findings are published in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. “I think it’s quite encouraging,” says senior author John Sperling, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. “What we’ve learned from this study is that if people do develop significant pain in their shoulder due to arthritis associated with rheumatoid arthritis, shoulder arthroplasty really is a predictable and reliable operation to help them improve their function and relieve pain.” Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Sperling are available in the downloads. Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, causing joint problems and sometimes affecting other organs. Many patients eventually develop shoulder arthritis; sometimes, bones start wearing away and rotator cuffs tear, making shoulder replacement surgery more complicated.

Research Features from Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minn. — January  8, 2014 — Here are highlights from the latest online issue of Discovery's Edge, Mayo Clinic's research magazine. You may cite and link to this publication as often as you wish. Republication is allowed with proper attribution. Please include the following subscription information as your editorial policies permit: Visit Discovery's Edge for subscription information.  Reducing the Panic of Fecal Incontinence Fecal incontinence is an embarrassing and common problem, especially for women. A Mayo Clinic researcher's institution-wide collaboration into its causes has led to new ways to better identify this seldom-discussed problem. Genomics: The Dawn of a New Medical Era Using a person's genes to prescribe the right medications once seemed like science fiction. Building on decades of research, Mayo Clinic researchers are now exploring how deeper genetic knowledge can be used for early detection of and better treatment for such pressing medical problems as heart disease, Alzheimers disease and cancer.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Jan. 7, 2014 — Among cigarette smokers, combining the smoking cessation medications varenicline and bupropion, compared with varenicline alone, resulted in higher smoking abstinence rates for one outcome but not the other at three and six months; rates were similar at one year, according to a Mayo Clinic study published this month in JAMA. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozV9O2_uSDI&feature=youtu.be&hd=1

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Jan. 7, 2014 — Broken bones may seem like a normal part of an active childhood. About 1 in 3 otherwise healthy children suffers a bone fracture. Breakage of the bone running from the elbow to the thumb side of the wrist (distal forearm fracture) is the most common. It occurs most often during the growth spurt that children typically undergo in early adolescence. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrbYhTKrOvQ But a recent study at Mayo Clinic, published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, indicates that certain types of fractures may have implications for a child's long-term bone health. The study found evidence that children and adolescents whose forearm fractures occurred due to mild trauma had lower bone strength compared to other children. Lower bone strength may predispose children to factures resulting from weakened bone (osteoporotic fracture) later in life.

The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living helps tackle new year’s resolutions and find joy and contentment in the new year ROCHESTER, Minn. — Jan. 2, 2014 — Americans will start the New Year with resolutions that are doomed to fail if they don’t deal with the underlying issue of stress before they join a gym, start a diet or throw the cigarettes away. Research shows that stress negatively impacts our ability to lose weight, quit smoking and stick with a new healthy lifestyle change. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzZXhVzpaxg&noredirect=1 In The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living, Mayo Clinic stress management and resiliency expert Amit Sood, M.D., draws on decades of groundbreaking research to offer readers a scientifically proven, structured and practical approach to reducing stress. He explains the brain’s two modes — focused mode and default mode — and how an imbalance between the two produces unwanted stress, and he shares new insights about how the mind works, including its natural tendency to wander. In this easy-to-follow guide, Dr. Sood provides actionable steps to cultivate emotional and mental strength, find greater fulfillment and nurture a kind disposition. The book answers: What is unique about stress in the 21st century? How is stress linked to the wandering nature of our mind? Why do the most-commonly-taught practices for stress management help only a small proportion of people? What real-world skills work to decrease our stress levels and enhance our resiliency? How can we apply these skills to goals for weight loss, smoking cessation and other behavior changes?