Transform Your Life a New Study Shows Four Behavioral Changes Can Dramatically Increase Your Chances of Being Healthier, Longer
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Compliments of Johns Hopkins Medicine International WINTER 2014 Insight and news from Johns Hopkins Medicine Transform Your Life A new study shows four behavioral changes can dramatically increase your chances of being healthier, longer Surprising symptoms for one type of hernia On the lookout for eating disorders in boys Olympic snowboarder back on the slopes after facial fracture FdJHWI1402_01_Cover.indd 1 12/12/13 8:54 AM Contents Straightening WINTER 2014 Out a Common QUICK CONSULT Stomach Ache 4 Severe chest pain and chronic Hand Concern acid re ux could be signs of one kind of hernia. Appetites Gone 5 Wrong Teenage boys can get eating disorders. Parents, nd out what to watch for. FIRST PERSON Eye on the Prize 10 An Olympic snowboarder is back on the slopes after a traumatic facial injury. SECOND OPINION or some people, the simple act of brous tissue. e day after the procedure, A Dif cult Diagnosis 11 Experience counts when it laying a hand at on a table can prove the person returns and a physician physically comes to recognizing these painful or impossible. manipulates the hand to break up the tissue. tumor-like formations. Marked by abnormalities in the Because Dupuytren’s contracture is a Fsoft tissues around the palm and ngers that progressive disease, Shores says it can recur prevent them from straightening, Dupuytren’s regardless of the treatment—as early as ON THE COVER contracture is a fairly common disorder that, months later for some, but years later for 6 Transform Your Life left untreated, can be debilitating. ough most others—and additional treatment may in Four Simple Steps it occurs most commonly in people 60 be needed. “If it becomes problematic again,” (Seriously!) and older, some develop it as early as their he says, “improvement may still be achieved Backed by research led by late 30s. using the same treatment or an entirely Johns Hopkins, we show you No one knows exactly what causes di erent treatment, depending on the char- how you can live longer. Dupuytren’s, though genetics are thought acteristics of the disease at that point.” Cover Image: Ronnie Kaufman/Larry Hirshowitz/Gallery Stock to play a role, says Jaimie Shores, M.D., a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Johns Hopkins. “It occurs at a di erent speed and time in each person,” he explains. “People might develop lumps or indentations in their FREE SIGN UP ONLINE SEMINAR for Health Information palms, and their ngers may start to ex downward. Eventually, they can no longer TREATMENT FOR COMMON from Johns Hopkins straighten their ngers.” HAND CONDITIONS Thursday, March 6, midnight–1 a.m. GMT Get the latest news on health Fortunately, Shores says, there are Don’t ignore symptoms of the common causes of hand and wellness topics important several treatment options. For severe numbness and pain. During this interactive webinar, Johns Hopkins plastic and reconstructive surgeons to you and your family, cases, surgery might be performed to Scott Lifchez, M.D., and Jaimie Shores, M.D., all from the experts at remove the troublesome tissue. ere will discuss the diagnosis and treatment of carpal tunnel Johns Hopkins Medicine. are less invasive procedures as well, syndrome, trigger nger, Dupuytren’s contracture and The Hopkins News for You e-newsletter including using a needle to break up other hand conditions. Minimally invasive approaches is delivered straight to your inbox. Visit the hardened tissue. to surgery will also be covered. To register, visit hopkinsmedicine.org/intlnews for Recently, an even less invasive proce- hopkinsmedicine.org/intlseminars. your free email subscription. dure has become available, Shores says: an injectable medicine that is inserted into the 20 | 2 | johns hopkins health winter 2014 +1-410-614-4561 | hopkinsmedicine.org/international FdJHWI1402_02-3_Insights.indd 2 12/12/13 9:31 AM Straightening healthinsights Out a Common Does Curing Excessive Sweating MAMMOGRAPHY Hand Concern RECOMMENDATIONS Stop the Related FROM JOHNS HOPKINS Screening mammography Anxiety? has long been the best Imagine a life captivated by fear of your own tool for discovering breast cancer before it sweat, when a simple handshake is accompanied has a chance to spread. For by crippling anxiety. Johns Hopkins Medicine’s That’s reality for people who have hyperhi- recommendations and drosis, in which overactive sweat glands cause heavy, even dripping, perspiration. Although advice on when and the coinciding psychological conditions are usually managed with anti-anxiety medications, how often to have a mammogram, watch the physical cause of the emotional distress often goes unrecognized and untreated. Yet, says this Q&A: Malcolm Brock, M.D., a thoracic surgeon at Johns Hopkins, some evidence suggests that bit.ly/Mammogram treating hyperhidrosis can reduce the person’s anxiety. Recommendations. Treating hyperhidrosis usually involves a minimally invasive technique that decreases per- spiration, Brock explains. “We’ve had several patients who came to us on anxiety medications and were diagnosed with a primary psychiatric problem, but whose actual anxiety was second- ary to hyperhidrosis,” Brock says. “When we treated their sweating, many were able to stop the medications.” For more information, or to watch an educational video on excessive sweating, visit hopkinsmedicine.org/sweat_disorders. New Research May Improve Outlook for Ovarian Cancer PHYSICIANS HAVE LONG ASSUMED Compelling evidence from a recent study that ovarian cancer—one of the deadliest can- by Kurman and his colleagues suggests that cers among women—originates in the ovaries. ovarian cancer might begin in the fallopian But new research indicates that the disease tube but that the cancerous cells shed into might begin elsewhere, a breakthrough that an ovary, where they grow. If additional could improve mortality and preserve fertility. studies prove this, he says, physicians could “There have always been inconsistencies remove the fallopian tubes of women at high because ovarian cancer cells don’t resemble risk for ovarian cancer before the cancer FREE ONLINE SEMINAR the cells normally found in the ovary,” says implants in the ovary. Robert Kurman, M.D., a gynecologic “By preserving the ovaries, you pre- TREATMENT FOR COMMON pathologist at Johns Hopkins. “Usually, can- serve the potential for in vitro fertilization,” HAND CONDITIONS cerous cells resemble the cells in that organ. Kurman explains. “And if you can identify Thursday, March 6, midnight–1 a.m. GMT But for years, we’ve recognized that these tumors early or prevent them altogether, Don’t ignore symptoms of the common causes of hand tumors more strongly resembled cells in the there’s a greater likelihood of success- numbness and pain. During this interactive webinar, Johns Hopkins plastic and reconstructive surgeons fallopian tubes.” ful treatment.” Scott Lifchez, M.D., and Jaimie Shores, M.D., will discuss the diagnosis and treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger nger, Dupuytren’s contracture and other hand conditions. Minimally invasive approaches of ovarian cancers are to surgery will also be covered. To register, visit hopkinsmedicine.org/intlseminars. found early, in the most treatable stage. 20 % Source: American Cancer Society hopkinsmedicine.org/international | +1-410-614-4561 winter 2014 johns hopkins health | 3 | FdJHWI1402_02-3_Insights.indd 3 12/12/13 9:02 AM quickconsult Appetites Gone Wrong Stomach Ache Hernias can be painful. Fortunately, the treatment for one type no longer is Severe chest pain and chronic acid reflux are widely known symptoms that something is wrong, but you might be surprised about the cause for some people. Anne Lidor, M.D., M.P.H., a minimally invasive gastrointestinal surgeon at Johns Hopkins, explains paraesophageal hernias. How would I know if I have this kind of hernia? Should I see a doctor? The most frequent symptom of a paraesophageal hernia is acid Most people are referred to a specialist by their cardiologist or reflux that doesn’t respond to antacids. Some people get such bad internist, who has already diagnosed the paraesophageal hernia. If chest pain that they think they’re having a heart attack. Other your symptoms aren’t affecting your quality of life, the specialist people might have trouble eating and vomit frequently, and some usually won’t do anything. Doctors used to perform surgery right may vomit blood because the hernia has caused bleeding inside away to prevent the risk of the stomach twisting on itself and the stomach lining. causing gangrene. But now we know the risk of that is exceed- ingly low, especially as you get older. Why is it happening? What if my symptoms become severe? A paraesophageal hernia develops in your diaphragm, the muscle that helps you breathe by drawing air into the lungs and also divides your chest cavity (heart and lungs) from your abdominal Then it’s time to talk about surgery. Although some hospitals cavity (stomach and intestines). The diaphragm can develop a still perform the repair by making a large incision in the chest, hole that allows the stomach to move up from the abdomen and others like Johns Hopkins take a minimally invasive approach. into the chest. We make five or six small incisions in the abdomen, pull the stomach down and free it from any scar tissue. Then we close the hole in the diaphragm, usually with a biologic mesh; perform an anti-reflux procedure; and attach the stomach to the abdominal Watch a Q&A on treatment options for paraesophageal wall to keep it from moving again. This approach is far less