24 July, 2013

Can poor sleep increase knee pain?

Washington: It makes sense that pain can interfere with a good night`s sleep, but growing evidence suggests that poor sleep can itself lead to an increase in pain.

It`s like a vicious cycle that researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) are trying to understand.

"Understanding this relationship could open up new avenues in pain management through the treatment of sleep disorders," said Megan Ruiter, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in UAB`s Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology.

Ruiter is studying the sleep and pain relationship among patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. Osteoarthritis is a chronic joint disease affecting mainly the hands, knees, hips and spine. Pain from this disease is common, though the experience of the pain can widely vary among patients, regardless of how much the disease has progressed.

Ruiter is recruiting patients with osteoarthritis of the knee who are already participating in an ongoing pain study at UAB, the Understanding Pain and Limitations of Osteoarthritic Disease (UPLOAD) study, to also participate in a sleep study. Participants from the UPLOAD study who qualify for the sleep study will undergo sleep testing on two nights in the UAB Sleep Wake Disorders Center. The first night will be used to identify those without pre-existing sleep disorders, who will then undergo a second night of testing.

"There is reason to believe that poor sleep can cause a cascade of physiological problems that can lead to pain issues," said Laurence Bradley, Ph.D., professor in the Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology and lead investigator of the UPLOAD study.

"Sleep is a modifiable phenomenon," Ruiter said. "Treating sleep to modify pain may allow more options than simply treating pain at the source, which is often extremely difficult."

Bradley said there may be three factors that primarily influence pain in these patients. There are biological factors such as blood pressure or hormone levels, psycho-social factors like perceptions and expectations, as well as genetic factors. 

Source: www.zeenws.india.com/news/health

24.07.2013

116 convictions for violating sex determination law: Azad

New Delhi: About 288 cases of violation of sex determination test were reported last year and 116 resulted in convictions, union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said Tuesday.

Speaking at the 21st meeting of the Central Supervisory Board (CSB) on Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC & PNDT) Act, Azad said his ministry has increased its engagement with the states to identify and address challenges in the implementation of law.

"Out of 288 cases filed last year, 116 convictions have been secured under the Act and licenses of 53 doctors have been suspended by state medical councils," he said.

Azad said new challenges keep emerging with each passing day.

"Blood tests that disclose the sex of a foetus are available on the internet or abroad including ultrasound procedures on mobile phones," he said.

"For this reason, all stakeholders should act in partnership with government to counter the unethical practice of gender biased sex selection through misuse of rapidly evolving technologies," he said.

Quoting the Annual Health Survey 2011, Azadsaid sex ratio at birth in urban areas is lower than the rural areas except Rajasthan.

"But there is still preference of son and discrimination against the girl child in our country. Against the backdrop of son preference, the mushrooming of ultrasound diagnostic facilities has compounded implementation of the law," he said.

"To deal with the challenging socio-cultural attitudes, a comprehensive and innovative and information, education and communication (IEC) strategy has been put in place to promote positive attitudes for ensuring survival and protection of girl child," he added.

Source: www.zeenws.india.com/news/health

24.07.2013

Strong souls have willpower, weak ones only desires