Angel Anderson » Health

Is it safe to crack my back?

Angel — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 05:37:46 +0000

Cracking your back sends nitrogen and carbon dioxide bubbles from the tissue surrounding your spine into the facet joints that link your vertebrae. Those bubbles cause the joints to relax, which makes them more susceptible to injury if you happen to exercises soon after. Worst case, you could end up with a herniated disk.

To play it safe, work out the kinks by stretching instead. Lie on the floor with your hands behind your head. Keep you back straight and tighten your hip and abdominal muscles; hold for 5 to 10 seconds, and then relax. Now pull your right leg toward your chest while keeping your lower back flat and your head on the floor. Repeat with your left leg.

What is Rhabdomyolysis Rhabdo?

Angel — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:04:01 +0000

I don’t watch too much TV, but one of the few shows is HOUSE. In tonight’s HOUSE episode, a teenage patient is treated for rhabdomyolysis. But what is rhabdomyolysis or rhabdo?

Rhabdomyolysis strikes a teenage girl tonight who shows swollen extremities. Her symptoms are so severe that a friend says she looks like the marshmallow man. Rhabdomyolysis describes the breakdown of skeletal muscle caused by muscle tissue injury. The cause can be physical, chemical or biological.

The Mayor Clinic explains statin medication can lead to rhabdomyolysis.

“At high doses, statin medications can impair the production of certain proteins involved in muscle metabolism and function. Uncommonly, this can result in muscle pain and tenderness — a condition known asstatin myopathy. If you notice moderate muscle aching, stop taking your statin medication and contact your doctor. Muscle aching usually goes away within a couple of weeks after stopping the statin drug.

“In severe cases, statins may cause muscle cells to break down. This rare but potentially life-threatening side effect is known asrhabdomyolysis.”

Mayo explains symptoms of rhabdomyolysis include:

* Severe muscle aching throughout the entire body

* Muscle weakness

* Dark or cola-colored urine

Other non-physical causes can include poisons, toxins, and infections.

Wikipedia’s definition here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhabdomyolysis

Sweet on a Soda Tax?

Angel — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 06:52:34 +0000

Here’s what the President told Men’s Health Editor Peter Moore: “I actually think it’s an idea that we should be exploring. There’s no doubt that our kids drink way too much soda. And every study that’s been done about obesity shows that there is as high a correlation between increased soda consumption and obesity as just about anything else. Obviously it’s not the only factor, but it is a major factor.

What do you think?