Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.health,americast.usa-today.health From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: health Tue, Sep 22 1992 Date: Tue, 22 Sep 92 04:55:02 EDT Message-ID: 09-22 0000 DECISIONLINE: Health USA TODAY Update Sept. 22, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network GENDER GAP IN RESEARCH IS WIDE: Health researchers determined to fill the gap between what is known about men and what's known about women have their work cut out for them, a new report says. The National Institutes of Health report poses dozens of questions - from why more teen-age girls than boys get depressed to whether women should use different heart drugs than men. WOMEN GET SICK MORE THAN MEN: The National Institutes of Health has created an Office of Research on Women's Health and is launching a 14-year, $625 million study of post-menopausal women. The report paints a disturbing statistical picture of women's health and challenges researchers to change it. Women get sick more often than men. They have 50 bouts of flu for every 37 men have, and 31 colds for every 21 for men. CAMERA USED IN SURGERY: Recovery time after surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome is cut in half and hand tissue damage far less with a new surgical technique using a tiny video camera, experts report Thursday. Carpal tunnel patients suffer hand numbness and pain created by pressure on the median nerve because of overuse from, for example, a keyboard or the repetitive movements on an assembly line. (For more, see special Carpal package below.) LIPOSUCTION HAS COME A LONG WAY: Doctors are trying to make liposuction safer. The Lipoplasty Society of North America says its new guidelines have resulted in no deaths in 10,000 cases. The guidelines also cut out cases of shock and results in only a few minor complications. Basically anyone with a medical license can perform liposuction. The association says it pays to find someone who's qualified. BIRTHDAYS CAN BE A KILLER: Birthdays may not be something to look forward to for some women. A study of California death certificates shows women are slightly more likely to die of natural causes in the week after their birthdays than any other week of the year. Men are more likely to die in the weeks before a birthday. Researchers say that's probably because men are more likely to dread birthdays. MEN CONSUME 84% OF BEER: Research shows men consume 84% of the beer consumed; women drink about 16%. The sexes are almost evenly divided on wine drinking. Men drink 49% to women's 51%. Wine coolers are gulped by more women. They drink nearly 60% of all coolers to men's 40%. TIPS TO CUT STRESS ARE OFFERED: There's help for people under stress. Tylenol is offering stress management tips in a free brochure. To get a copy of The Less Stress Handbook, write to - Tylenol Headache Plus, 1675 Broadway, 33rd Floor, Drawer U, New York, N.Y., 10019. REPLACEMENT CONTACTS DELIVERED: Travelers can have replacement contact lenses delivered to them overnight, at a savings of up to 50%, through Lens Express, a consumer-direct provider of replacement contact lenses. If lenses are lost, damaged, or merely need replacement, call Lens Express at 1-800-666-LENS with either the prescription information. Lens Express then verifies the prescription and delivers them overnight. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON CARPAL: SURGERY LESSENS RECOVERY TIME: The traditional carpal tunnel syndrome surgery involves a 3- to 5-inch incision from the palm up through the forearm; recovery time is six weeks. Dr. John Moore of Kansas City, Kan., will report findings on 600 patients treated with the 2-year-old technique. It permits return to work in three weeks, he'll tell the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons in Washington, D.C. CAMERA GIVES CLEAR PICTURE: How it's done: A half-inch incision at the wrist allows insertion of a tube that carries fiber optics - glass, light-bearing strands; a 2-inch camera is attached to the tube, outside the skin; working through this lit-up tube, surgeons cut ligament, enlarging the tunnel of nerves and tendons to ease pressure. SURGERY NOT GOOD FOR ALL CASES: "You're not doing major cuts into the palm, so you can start using hands the day after surgery," says Moore. The new carpal tunnel syndrome surgery technique, he says, isn't suitable for those with abnormal muscles or severe tendon swelling - 5% of patients. (End of package.) Health Editor: Michele Coleman. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM