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Ask the Expert 19 The Healthy Geezer
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EVEN EXCHANGE
by Donna Pettman
Each numbered row contains two clues and two answers. The two answers differ from each other by only one letter, which has already been inserted. For example, if you exchange the A from MASTER for an I, you get MISTER. Do not change the order of the letters.
Ask the Expert 6 things to know about Valley fever
BY TUCSON MEDICAL CENTER
If you live in Arizona, you’ve probably heard of Valley fever.
It is caused by a fungus — coccidioides — that grows in the soil of places with low rainfall, hot summers and mild winters, making Arizona and other Southwestern states a hot spot for the condition. In fact, most Valley fever cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention come from Arizona or California.
If you’re not familiar with Valley fever, here is some helpful information on symptoms, treatment and prevention from Dr. Sean Elliott, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at TMCOne.
What are the symptoms of Valley fever?
Some 60% of Valley fever patients are asymptomatic, meaning they don’t experience any symptoms at all. Another 35% have flu-like symptoms such as lowgrade fevers, malaise, achy muscles and headaches. The remaining 5% with severe Valley fever will have higher fevers, chest pain, cough and, sometimes, low blood pressure.
“Many patients, even those with mild symptoms, will experience night sweats,” Elliott said. “We’re talking the kind where one needs to dry out the pillow and the bedsheets in the morning. Many will also experience achy joints. In fact, Valley fever has been called ‘desert rheumatism’ because it causes small joints such as hands, wrists, feet and ankles to be achy.”
Some patients will develop a hive-like rash and red nodules on the lower legs over the shins.
“Such people are having a hyper-immune response to the fungus causing Valley fever,” Elliott said.
When should you see a doctor?
Those with high fevers, severe cough or difficulty breathing, or losing weight from anorexia or malaise should see their doctor.
“Practically speaking, many patients seek medical care for prolonged fevers and night sweats or for the rash, which can be quite striking,” Elliott said.
How do you get Valley fever in the first place? Is it contagious?
Valley fever is contracted by inhaling the spores in the air. It is typically associated with the dust in the air and seasonal winds. Those working in occupations such as construction, excavation, agriculture, archaeological digging or other fields that disturb the soil may be at increased risk of exposure.
It is not contagious from human to human.
How can you prevent getting Valley fever?
Because of how one contracts Valley fever, it can be hard to avoid. However, you can limit your exposure to the outdoors during windy times.
Who is at risk for severe disease?
Everyone who lives and travels in an area with Valley fever is at risk for getting the disease. However, being part of one of the following may increase your risk of developing severe disease:
People with weakened immune systems, such as organ transplant patients, Hodgkin’s disease patients, HIV/AIDS patients and people taking corticosteroids or certain types of drugs for autoimmune diseases or chemotherapy.
African Americans and Filipinos are not more likely to get Valley fever, but, if they do get it, they have a higher risk of severe disease. Experts are not sure why this happens, but it might be because of genetic differences.
People with diabetes are at higher risk of developing severe or chronic pneumonia. Diabetics with better controlled sugar levels may have less severe disease.
Pregnant women are at greater risk of getting chronic or disseminated Valley fever, especially during the third trimester and right after giving birth. Expert...continues on page 19 www.LovinLife.com
The Healthy Geezer Marijuana use to help glaucoma
BY FRED CICETTI
QI heard that marijuana helps glaucoma. I’d like to try it, but won’t I get in trouble?
AMarijuana can help your glaucoma, and it could get you in trouble because there are legal restrictions upon its use. If you are interested in trying medical marijuana for your glaucoma, discuss this treatment with your doctor. (I could write an entire column on the marijuana laws, but I’ll stick to the health issues.)
Marijuana refers to the parts of the cannabis sativa plant, which has been used for medicinal purposes for more than 4,800 years. Doctors in ancient China, Greece and Persia used it as a pain reliever and for gastrointestinal disorders and insomnia.
Cannabis as a medicine was common throughout most of the world in the 1800s. It was used as the primary pain reliever until the invention of aspirin.
Marijuana contains at least 60 chemicals called cannabinoids. THC is the main component responsible for marijuana’s mind-altering eff ect. Marinol (dronabinol), a prescription drug taken by oral capsule, is a manmade version of THC
One of THC’s medical uses is for the treatment of nausea. It can improve mild to moderate nausea caused by cancer chemotherapy and help reduce nausea and weight loss in people with AIDS.
Older people, especially those with no marijuana experience, may not tolerate THC’s mind-altering side eff ects as well as young people. Doctors generally prescribe several kinds of newer anti-nausea drugs with fewer side eff ects before resorting to Marinol.
Glaucoma increases pressure in the eyeball, which can lead to vision loss. Smoking marijuana reduces pressure in the eyes. Your doctor can prescribe other medications to treat glaucoma, but these can lose their eff ectiveness over time.
Researchers are trying to develop new medications based on cannabis to treat pain. THC may also work in treating cancer pain as codeine. A recent study found that cannabinoids signifi cantly reduced pain in people with multiple sclerosis, a disease of the nervous system.
Along with the legal implications of smoking marijuana are the health problems such as memory impairment, loss of coordination and the potential for withdrawal symptoms and hallucinations. Inhaling marijuana smoke also exposes you to substances that may cause cancer. One study has indicated that the risk of heart attack more than quadruples in the fi rst hour after smoking marijuana. The researchers suggest that a heart attack might be caused by marijuana’s eff ects on blood pressure, heart rate and the capacity of blood to carry oxygen.
Expert...continued from page 18 How is Valley fever treated?
Most people do not need treatment, because their immune system handles it. Those with risk factors for severe disease, such as certain ethnicities (Black, Filipino or Marshallese), people with immunodefi ciency diseases or those who are on immunosuppressive medications, are more likely to be treated with fl uconazole, an antifungal medication, than someone without these risk factors.
If you have symptoms of Valley fever, speak to your primary care provider about treatment options. If you need a primary care provider, fi nd one at TMCOne.com.
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