Minnesota - September 2012 Archives

ROCHESTER, Minn. — The public is invited to enjoy four Rosemary and Meredith Willson Harmony for Mayo Program concerts in October. Performances will be on Mondays from 12:10 p.m. to 1 p.m. The schedule is: Oct. 1: No concert, Mayo Clinic Heritage Days Oct. 8: Lehto & Wright will perform a Celtic and American folk rock concert in Barbara Woodward Lips Atrium, subway level, Rochester Methodist Hospital, Charlton Building, 10 Third Ave. NW. Their music is a mix of traditional and modern styles as they interpret Irish, English and American folk traditions with contemporary guitar-based arrangements. The group has performed at the New London Music Festival in New London, Minn., the Minnesota Folk Festival and the Black Hawk Folk Festival in Wisconsin. Players include singer John Wright on acoustic guitar, bass guitar and bass pedals; vocalist Steve Lehto on acoustic and electric guitars and the mandolin; and Matt Jacobs on drums and percussion. The band issued its seventh full-length studio release, "November," this year, featuring songs by Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan and Bob Marley. Oct. 15: Michael Monroe will play an acoustic folk and reggae concert in Lips Atrium. Monroe produced his first album, "Summer Rain," in 1980. In 2003, he collaborated with photographer Jim Brandenburg to create the instrumental soundtrack for the award-winning documentary, "Chased by the Light." His latest work, "Live at the Cedar," was recorded in 2008 at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis. Monroe lives and records music at his solar-powered log cabin on the north shore of Lake Superior. The Star Tribune has called him a "rich-voiced eco-folkie." Oct. 22: Mary Jane Alm will perform a jazz, blues and pop concert in Lips Atrium. Alm was inducted into the Mid-America Music Hall of Fame in 2007 for work that spans more than two decades. Her latest recording, the 2011 release "Me and the Wild Blue," features original works and songs by Joni Mitchell, Kevin Bowe and Pamela McNeill. Her song, "Love Waits," registered No. 2 on ReverbNation's Hot Country music ratings list. Alm, a Twin Cities musician, has performed in China, Russia, Poland, Mexico and Bermuda. She won an Emmy Award for her work with The Music Workshop for Kids musical group. Her band includes Boyd Lee on acoustic guitar and vocals, Gordy Johnson on bass, Scooter Nelson on percussion and vocals, and Brian Peters on guitar and pedal steel. Oct. 29: The City of Tomorrow wind quintet will perform a classical concert in Lips Atrium. The quintet highlights new and forgotten masterworks, such as Franco Donatoni's "Blow." Members of the quintet have performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Civic Orchestra, the Chicago Chamber Musicians, the Youth Orchestra of the Americas and Ensemble Dal Niente. The quintet took its name from a poem by Billy Collins, former U.S. poet laureate, that describes an optimistic vision of the future. Members include Elise Blatchford on flute, Andrew Nogal on oboe, Camila Barrientos Ossio on clarinet, Laura Miller on bassoon and Leander Star on French horn.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — September 20, 2012.  Core muscles — located around the midsection and pelvis — are critical to physical activities ranging from folding laundry and carrying groceries to serving a tennis ball or swinging a golf club. The September issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter covers the importance of strengthening and maintaining core muscles. Twenty-nine pairs of muscles make up the core. They are sometimes described as a muscular box. The roof is the diaphragm, the large muscle below the lungs. The base includes the pelvic floor and girdle of muscles around the hips. The abdominal muscles are the front of the core box. At the back are the paraspinal muscles that support the spine, and the large gluteal muscles. This muscular box provides the foundation for moving the arms and legs. Core muscles support the body's shift in balance, providing a stable foundation for daily activities and exercise. A well-conditioned core reduces the risk of low back pain and helps maintain good posture. Exercises that focus on the body's midsection can strengthen the core muscles. One option is simply balancing on one leg while keeping the back and pelvis stable. Pilates, tai chi and yoga involve many core-building movements. A personal trainer or physical therapist also can offer exercise suggestions. To get the most benefit and avoid injury, it's wise to learn proper techniques.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — September 20, 2012.  When severe chronic nerve pain doesn't respond to medication, surgery or physical therapy, implanted devices may provide relief, according to the September issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter. In one type of device, electrical pulses are directed along a nerve to block or override pain impulses traveling along the same nerve. Medication pumps are another option, dispensing medication directly into the fluid around the spinal cord. There are two types of electrical stimulation devices, and they may be used together. In spinal cord stimulators, a wire is placed within the spinal canal and connected to an electrical generator implanted beneath the skin in the abdomen. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, spinal cord stimulators may improve pain from failed back surgery, peripheral neuropathy and complex regional pain syndrome, which results in leg or arm pain. More targeted than spinal cord stimulators, peripheral nerve stimulators are placed along nerves that branch off from the spinal cord. They may be used to treat leg pain after back surgery, post-herpetic neuralgia and some types of headaches. This newer technology hasn't been approved by the FDA. Implanted medication pumps are most often used to relieve pain from cancer or chronic back pain. The drug delivery system consists of a small flexible catheter placed in the spinal fluid. The catheter connects to a drug infusion pump implanted in the lower abdomen. The adjustable pump is programmed to dispense medication. It can be refilled by injection through the skin into the device. Drug delivery pumps are effective but have limitations. Patients may develop increasing tolerance to the pain medication. Most often, pain medication pumps are offered to patients with limited life expectancy or in other extreme situations.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — September 20, 2012.  Pulmonary embolism occurs when critical blood flow to lung tissue is blocked in one or more arteries. It can be fatal without prompt treatment. The September issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter explains this condition, common symptoms, risk factors and treatment options. Normally, blood circulates freely through arteries and veins. When pulmonary embolism occurs — blocking an artery — it is usually due to a blood clot fragment from elsewhere in the body that travels through the bloodstream to the lungs. Most often, these dangerous clots form in the large veins of the leg or pelvis, a condition called deep vein thrombosis. Symptoms: They can vary widely, depending on how much of the lung is affected and the size, number and location of the clots. People with underlying heart or lung disease are more likely to have symptoms that may include: Sudden breathlessness, during activity or at rest Sharp chest pain that may become worse with inhalation Wheezing Clammy or bluish skin Rapid or irregular heartbeat Excessive sweating Weak pulse Some people have no signs or symptoms other than those linked to deep vein thrombosis. Those symptoms may include leg redness, swelling or pain. Risk factors: The danger of pulmonary embolism increases with age, especially after 60. Risk also rises with: Long periods of inactivity, due to hospitalization, bed rest, or even prolonged sitting during travel Certain medical conditions, including trauma and bone fracture, neurologic disorders that impair leg use, autoimmune disorders, some cancers and previous deep vein thrombosis Surgery, particularly orthopedic procedures involving the hip, knee or pelvis; major neurosurgery and cancer surgery Excess weight and smoking

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Here are highlights from the year-end online issue of Discovery's Edge, Mayo Clinic's research magazine. You may cite and link to this ...