Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 14, DECEMBER 8, 2008, THE ISLANDER
(News to Q-CeCv
The Best is Yet to Be
By Clark Gillespie M.D.,
Professor Emeritus, the University of Arkansas
Dear Ladies - Let’s visit
Men of good cheer - this particular
column is dedicated solely to medi
cal problems that may affect mature
women, and to the potential manage
ment of such deterrents to their senior
well-being. So, fellow gentlemen, a
later health column about our own
marvelous sex will be yours alone to
read - probably around the New Year
when flimsy resolutions fly.
Now then, dear ladies, we have suf
ficient room to see about two or three
medical problems that continue to
engage our attention and perhaps dim
a bit the joy in our mature experience.
First, a gentle reminder. Cancer of
the female cervix is a major and dead
ly malignant growth - you all know
that. It is almost always caused by
the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), a
sexually-transmitted infection which
resides in the cervix.
It can be totally eradicated by our
modem vaccine therapy - we have
visited about this salvation in the past.
The wonderful vaccine is now offered to
younger generations, and if they accept,
this killing intmder will be gone.
For now, though, amongst our group,
the HPV infection is said to survive in
- or to be transmitted to - about one in
sixteen female cervixes and the risk
of that cancer therefore persists It is
vastly important then, that regular
Pap smears and appropriate follow up
continue to be faithfully observed when
the uterine cervix has not been surgi
cally removed.
Next, here is a slice or two of estro
gen news. First, bladder and urinary
tract infections are a very common and
vexing infection amongst senior women
- moreover one attack seems to predis
pose to recurrent future episodes.
Therefore repeated bladder infec
tions are about the norm - once this
disorder takes over. Antibiotics, with
their own problems, can generally dis
pose of a single non-resistant bacterial
infection, but we cannot make such
medications a daily habit. The regular
intmsion of such a limiting and pain
ful disorder, however, can make sup
plicants of us all, and then who’s to be
the judge?
Clearly, new studies now show that
the thinning and weakness of the skin
and other local supportive tissues in
the vaginal areas - areas which include
the bladder structures - are mainly
responsible for the recurrent bladder
assaults.
These studies further support the
preventive bladder infection power that
is provided by local tissue strengthen
ing. That supportive strength is defi
nitely provided by intra-vaginal estro
gen therapy in the form of supposito
ries or gels.
Such local tissue enhancement
works! The bladder responds and these
infections take a hike. Slight estrogen
systemic absorption can here occur but
this apparently is without any conse
quence.
Pushing further along into estrogen
replacement therapy, we must cope
with a zillion or so articles on the risks
vs. the benefits of this wonderful hor
mone. Unfortunately, once it was iden
tified and isolated, we began prescrib
ing it widely for menopausal symp
toms, flushes, insomnia, bone strength,
heart protection, - you name it.
Soon gloom descended upon this
panacea as reports of serious side-
effects and complications mounted.
The use of estrogen in the menopause
and beyond virtually disappeared.
Now the wheel has turned some-
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what further and the use of estrogen in
the senior years is gaining certain con
trolled acceptance. Here, for instance,
is but a brief look at estrogen and the
senior female heart.
Research once seemed to show that
estrogen increased the risk of expand
ing cardiovascular disease in such
hearts and was a significant reason
for totally avoiding it. Recent clear
evidence refutes this position and finds
that estrogen is not only very minimally
likely to burden a normal female heart
but that it adds certain protection.
As a result of this and other related
recent studies, estrogen replacement
therapy has now been recommended
for the management of menopausal
symptoms with the following provisos:
It should be given in the lowest possible
dose range; Its use should be limited to
the shortest period of time; It must be
absolutely avoided in certain seniors
with cancer, existing cardiovascular
disease, and other related risks.
Regardless of these important
restrictions, estrogen has found a cer
tain role in senior women’s health pro
file with an acceptable safety edge plus
a vastly superior performance over the
medications attempting to replace it.
Fortunately, the physicians involved
in managing this therapy and super
vising its use now have excellent and
current sources of updating. We very
senior physicians used to rely on our
specialty textbooks in order to practice
up to the accepted standards of the
times.
Nowadays, as I have said, we have a
multitude of other immediate updating
sources for our continuing education.
But to let you know about the concept
of estrogen as espoused by experts
100 years ago, read this passage from
a gynecology textbook of that time
- about a decade before estrogen was
isolated!
“Making a mystery where there is
none, some have assumed that, during
the menstrual years the ovaries secrete
a certain substance which determines
the menstrual flow and ministers to
female health - some have held that
this hypothetical substance being lack
ing in the menopause, gives rise to
some of the symptoms of the climac
teric... about one woman in ten will be
annoyed while at the menopause, by
flashes of heat running over the face
and neck, and sometimes sweeping
over the whole body. The heat is a sub
jective sensation and is not real.” From
a “Textbook of Gynecology” by Stockton
Reed. M.D., L L D., and published in
1901. □
SGHS Foundation honors donors at luncheon
Members of the Southeast Georgia
Health System Foundation honored
their Friends of the Foundation dur
ing a National Philanthropy Day®
luncheon on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at
the Brunswick Campus.
Last year, local communities gave
more than 1,500 gifts to the Founda
tion. The Foundation’s Friends of the
Foundation program is comprised of
individuals and couples who make a
gift or a pledge of at least $5,000 for
the support of the not-for-profit Health
System.
According to Katherine Thurber, the
Foundation’s director of development,
gifts from people in the community are
crucial for the Health System’s contin
ued success and growth.
To find out more about the Foun
dation and how you can become a
member of Friends of the Foundation,
call 912-466-3360 or visit www.sghs.
org. □
Brunswick Family Dental
Ivan Goldner D.M.D.
"EARLY TOOTH OVERCROWDING"
When should crooked teeth be straightened?
As soon as they're detected! The old adage
about an ounce of protection is especially true
in orthodontics, where crooked teeth can be
prevented by early treatment.
Diagnosed at a sufficiently early age, an
unusual trend can often be stopped in its tracks -
and its effects completely erased. To ensure early
detection, a child should have a checkup by the
family dentist at intervals of about six months,
beginning at 2 1/2 to 3 years of age. Overcrowded
and crooked teeth are most likely to make their entrance with the
arrival of the four permanent incisors and the four permanent molars
at around age six.
Prompt treatment is recommended when teeth are overcrowded.
Some baby teeth may be removed ahead of their normal shedding time
to allow nature to do a certain amount of tooth straightening. Known as
interceptive orthodontics, it involves a one-by-one extraction in a well-
planned sequence to make room for a better bite.
Prepared as a public service to promote better dental health
from the office of Ivan Goldner, D.M.D.
159 Altama Connector (across from WabMart) • Phone (912) 264-8408
Go to www.howarddentalgroup.com for new patient discounts