Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is not only difficult to diagnose, but difficult to treat as well, as it does not respond as well as other cancers to conventional treatments. It is found more often in men than women, and as age increases, the risk increases – but it may be found in any gender at any age.

Asbestos exposure has been linked to the development of mesothelioma, and those who work around it are at increased risk. This includes, but are not limited to, shipyard workers, electricians, plumbers, construction workers, and those who demolish older buildings. The vast majority of cases are in those who have had exposure years before, as symptoms can take twenty to fifty years later. A history at any time, no matter how brief or long, should arouse clinical suspicion of the disease if symptoms are present.

As with anything else, diagnosis begins with a taking of the medical history, including any asbestos exposure. If mesothelioma is suspected, a chest X-ray and CT scan will be performed, and final diagnosis is confirmed with a tissue sample, or biopsy. Unfortunately, positive diagnosis of the disease increased threefold during the years of 1973 and 1984, and many more diagnosis have been made in the years since. Life expectancy is bleak in victims – averaging a year after diagnosis. This varies, however, by things such as the person’s age, general health, stage of disease, and how aggressive the treatment.

Treatment options will be discussed between the patient and their doctor upon diagnosis. There are a number of new drugs, like Alimta and Cisplatin, in addition to more conventional treatments, like radiation and chemotherapy. These all have side effects though. We have all heard about if not seen firsthand the adverse effects of chemo and radiation: weight loss, nauseousness and vomiting, hair loss, and pain. Clinical studies have recently found that chemotherapy also may not be providing the benefits to mesothelioma patients as it was once thought to. Of all things, caffeine may be beneficial in the treatment regimen.

Also, if the cancer is found early enough, there are more aggressive treatments. Surgical resection of the cancer and surrounding affected tissue is one of these options.

One way or another, the patient must decide along with their doctor’s help what their best individual option(s) are. Everyone is different, and so is the way the individual is affected by the disease and treatment thereof.

Some notable people in history have been affected by this disease, so if you or your loved one is suffering, know that you are not alone:

• Hamilton Jordan, Chief of Staff for United States President Jimmy Carter
• Steve McQueen, a popular actor who may have been exposed as a young Marine
• Bernie Banton, and Australian worker’s rights activist
• Terrence McCann, Olympic Gold Medalist
• Paul Gleason, American film and television actor

…and many more. Others who lived with it include Stephen Jay Gould, who lived for over twenty years after his diagnosis, and author Paul Kraus, who was diagnosed and given only a year to live back in 1997, and continues to live with it, so there is hope.

Three months ago my 53 year old mother had a stapedectomy in an effort to both improve her hearing and possibly eliminates the tinnitus (ringing of the ears) that she had been experiencing. While the surgery seemed to improve her hearing, she is still battling the tinnitus, how can this be?

Tinnitus (ringing or noise) is a hearing, health problem that is still a mystery to the medical community. Stapedectomy or removal of the stapes bone in the middle ear has been shown to offer some relief of the disorder. However, it is not a guarantee that the problem will be eliminated and has even been known to make the disorder worse in some patients.

Since tinnitus is not a simple disease to diagnose, it is difficult, if not impossible to find the cause of the problem. Because there is no clear cause, it is even more difficult find the cure. There are, however, some contributing factors that can cause recurrence of the disorder.

Loud noises:

People who work in areas with loud noises such as construction equipment, gun fire, noisy indoor environments such as Casinos, Arcades, and Game rooms often suffer from tinnitus.

Health problems:

Another cause for tinnitus has been linked to certain health issues such as, diabetes, high blood pressure, meniere’s syndrome, as well as head injuries and TMJ to name a few.

Food and drug allergies:

Food and drug allergies can also play a part in the onset of tinnitus. Allergies to the following foods and / or drugs have been connected with tinnitus. Additives such as caffeine, monosodium glutamate, and nicotine, are among the most common allergies.

In answering your question, all these contributing factors must be addressed in order to pinpoint the cause of the tinnitus. It is important to note that surgery is not a recommended treatment for tinnitus. While in this case the surgery was performed in an effort to improve the patience hearing. It shouldn’t be looked at as a cure for the tinnitus.

The audiologist handling your mother’s case must do a complete battery of test for food and drug allergies. They also need to look closely at your mother’s lifestyle and work history and environment. Family medical history is also an avenue to explore, to ascertain if there was a history of hearing problems and especially tinnitus in her family.

In administering treatment her physician must be careful not to prescribe anything to her that could adversely affect recovery from her surgery. Nothing should be done to cause her to lose the hearing she has gained from the surgery. Furthermore, it is important to monitor any drugs given her very closely until all her allergies are known. Along with test and treatment the patient must be careful to properly care for her ears with proper cleaning and care, as well as wearing hearing protection when exposed to loud noises.

This along with some simple lifestyle  changes like eliminating caffeine and nicotine from her diet as well as mp3 style listening devises should help diminish her tinnitus.

For many years, women and probably even doctors believed that should a woman not have a menstrual cycle that it was unhealthy, possibly even harmful to a woman’s body. The idea that the menstrual cycle was some sort of cleansing of the woman’s body has now become, well, bunk. The only thing they have discovered that the menstrual cycle is for, is to let you know that, guess what? You’re not pregnant.

For those women who believe in using oral contraceptives will then be very happy to know that by using them, they don’t have to worry about missing a period and its being harmful to them.

The idea of controlling when you have a period or whether to have one or not may sound foreign to a lot of people, but; for those who perhaps have dreadful periods, ones that may even cause them to miss work due to the fact that either their flow is just to hard to control, they’ve got terrible headaches, muscle aches, cramping, so much so that they can’t function, will find this news perfect for them and their condition.

Doctors for some time now have realized that the pill has been able to regulate a woman’s period and help ease any of the issues that come with that period. They also realize that the little bit of bleeding that comes after they stop the pill has no medical benefits either. Doctors now are beginning to help women understand that they can, without any medical consequences, indeed miss periods for very long periods of time.

This then alleviates all the pain, illness, irritability, embarrassment and inconvenience that a woman’s menstrual cycle often brings. This should also put to ease the minds of those who thought that it was unhealthy to not have periods.

Studies have shown that using for example the pill for 84 straight days and then 7 days of placebo was not only the same as using it for the 28 day cycle but showed no ill affects and it also decreased what is called withdrawal bleeding in women.

Even more studies over the past few years on newer oral contraceptives have shown that the new drugs can actually cease the period for up to two years and without any major side affects. The only noticeable side affects that were indicated would be the exact same ones that one would see with ordinary oral contraceptives.

So, there is no medical evidence that proves that a woman must have a period in order to remain healthy. There is no evidence that a woman must experience the so called withdrawal bleeding either. There also is no evidence that says by eliminating the monthly period, may cause any health issues. So, overall it is a safe procedure and for those who really struggle with their menstrual cycles, this could be a safe way to relieve them of the pain and frustration that comes with their monthly cycle.