Mpox infection led to myocarditis in 3 men, study finds
The men had no history of heart problems and all recovered. Other news covers mental health in the military, the opioid crisis, fibroids, menopause, and more.
CIDRAP: A report describes 3 cases of myocarditis following Mpox infections
A new case study from France has described three men who contracted mpox and then developed myocarditis days after the initial development of symptoms. The study is published in Clinical Microbiology and Infection. … The men had no history of heart problems, and all were hospitalized and later recovered. Only one patient was treated with the antiviral tecovirimat (Tpoxx). (Soucheray, 9/12)
On mental health —
American Homefront Project: Military suicides have become a little less common, but remain a ‘massive problem’
Although military suicide has been a problem for decades, critics say the Pentagon has not come to terms with the fact that anyone can potentially be at risk. (Walch, 9/12)
If you need help –
Dial 9-8-8 for 24/7 support from the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free and confidential.
CNN: Mass shooting survivors left with lifelong injuries and mounting bills
There were a million things going through James Slaugh’s mind when an ambulance rushed him to a nearby hospital after the deadly rampage at Club Q in Colorado Springs last month. Among them: what kind of bills he would face. (Maxouris, 12/11)
In other health and wellness news –
Stateline: As overdose deaths rise, few emergency rooms offer addiction help
Even in this laid-back subtropical town, the onset of winter and the stress of the holidays can test the courage of anyone trying to quit opioids. “As soon as the temperatures start to drop and it gets cold in the morning, we see more people coming to the emergency room seeking help,” said Dinah Collins, peer support specialist at Carolina Medical University. South to Charleston. (Vestal, 9/12)
KHN: In rural America, the deadly costs of opioids outweigh the dollars labeled to address them
Tim Buck knows by heart how many people died of drug overdoses in his North Carolina county last year: 10. The year before, it was 12 – an all-time high. Those losses reverberate deep in rural Pamlico County, a tight-knit community of 12,000 on the state’s east coast. Over the past decade, it has had the highest rate of opioid overdose deaths in North Carolina. (Pattani and Bichell, 12/12)
Stat: Ideas for anticipating a “tsunami” of chronic diseases
Chronic diseases are ubiquitous in the United States. Trillions of dollars are spent and hundreds of thousands of lives are claimed by chronic disease every year. So why do we feel like we’re going backwards, with declining life expectancy and a higher prevalence of chronic disease? (Cueto, 12/10)
The Washington Post: Fibroids are serious. Surgery isn’t the only way to stop them
When Jennifer Medina from Queens was told she had uterine fibroids, benign tumors that grow in and around the walls of the uterus, her gynecologist suggested two treatments known to work – getting a hysterectomy, surgical removal of her uterus which would make it impossible for her to get pregnant or wait for menopause when fibroids usually shrink or disappear. Neither option was attractive. (Cimons, 12/11)
The Washington Post: Menopause can mean brain fog, memory lapses
Several years ago, at the age of 51, Jeanne Chung’s memory began to crumble. “I noticed recall issues like forgetting certain words on the spot,” says Chung, CEO of a healthcare company. So to exercise her brain, she started playing word games. His spotty memory wasn’t caused by a head injury or illness; it was clearly triggered, said Chung, now 54, by the changes that accompanied her transition into menopause, a common experience for many women, experts agree. (Frag, 12/11)
Fox News: Toilet time: Does your mobile device affect how long you spend in the bathroom? Experts reveal health risks
Medical experts are sounding the alarm about the adverse effects long trips to the bathroom have on the body, and it looks like mobile devices could be causing extended downtime. Two separate cell phone habits surveys suggest that seven in 10 Americans use the bathroom while using their phone. (Moore, 9/12)
Special Report: Chronic pain hits kids, adults and wallets, but can be fought
A special report in USA Today examines different aspects of chronic pain, including the cost of managing the disease. The report also looks at what treatments work for children, how drug alternatives can make a difference, if cannabis helps, and the future of treatment.
USA Today: Pain In America: The Expensive and Complicated Problem of Pain Management
Every morning, before she even opens her eyes, Pamela Bobb starts scanning her body. She pays attention to the feel of each foot, then each leg, moving up. By the time she reaches her neck and shoulders, where people hold most of their tension, she takes a deep breath and relaxes. (Weintraub, 12/11)
USA Today: Children face chronic pain. What treatments work for them?
Dr. Roger Saldana hates the term “no pain, no gain”. Instead, the pediatric orthopedic surgeon teaches his young patients to pay attention to their bodies and to rest when they’re in pain instead of trying to push through. (Weintraub, 12/11)
USA Today: Pain Relief Beyond Pills: Drug Alternatives Make a Difference
Reverend James Mitchell was skeptical the first time he watched a yoga class. “At first I thought it was a joke. It’s for women and older people.” But then Mitchell watched another veteran in the ’80s do moves he wasn’t sure he could do himself. (Weintraub, 12/11)
USA Today: Marijuana for pain relief? The experts’ view on cannabis for pain control
Rob Sims grew up hearing stories about what opioid addiction could do. The former Detroit Lions guard, whose father, Mickey, also played in the NFL, watched a number of his father’s friends become addicted. Some are dead. He swore his own story would be different. (Weintraub, 12/11)
USA Today: Is there an end to chronic pain? The future of pain relief looks different
Steven Pete knows what it feels like to have a knife cut through your skin. He can tell by feeling how deep the cut is and how badly he was hurt. He believes he can identify such things better than others, because he is not distracted by pain. He feels nothing. (Weintraub, 12/11)