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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 1998)
** i Oct. 7,1998 Page A6 H jv ÎJJorHanft (ßbserüer Science ■■■■■■■MP”’** mwi Cryptosporidiosis Linked To Swimming Pool Fifty-one people w ho attended a private sw im pool party on A ugust 30th at Sellw ood Pool in Southeast Portland becam e ill w ith diarrhea, officials at the M ultnom ah C ounty H ealth D epartm ent announced to- * day. The illness w as caused by the parasite Cryptosporidium . N one o f the individuals affected by this ill ness have suffered serious com plica tions. N one have been hospitalized, and less than ten percent o f those who becam e ill saw a doctor. “C ryptosporidiosis is an illness that usually involves diarrhea and is o fte n a c c o m p a n ie d by sto m ac h cram ps or vom iting," according to Dr. Gary Oxm an, Multnomah C ounty H ealth O fficer. "The vast majQrity ofp eo p le recover in a few days w ith out any treatm ent, but people in fected w ith H IV can have prolonged illness,” he said. There is no antibi o tic tre a tm e n t e ffe c tiv e ag a in st Cryptosporidium. Interview s w ith those w ho at tended the party show ed that sw im m ing in the pool was the activity that le d to th e e x p o s u re to Cryptosporidium. “Exactly how this pool got contam inated is unclear," said Dr. Paul Cieslak, Com municable D ise ase M an ag er at the O regon H ealth Division. "A round the United States, there have been num erous ou tb reak s o f d iarrhea caused by sw im m ing in contam inated w ater in cluding sw im m ing pools, lakes and rivers,” explained Dr. Cieslak. "The w ater is usually contam inated by sw im m ers.” H ealth officials recom m end that: ♦ A n y o n e w h o sw a m a t th e Migraines Migraine headaches have been tor m enting people since the tim e o f Hippocrates. And torment is the cor rect descriptor, because migraines can be debilitating. They can range along a continuum from m ild headache and no disability to excruciating pain and com plete dysfunction. They can last for hours or days; they can m ake you nauseous, photophobic (sensitive to light), and phonophobic (sensitive to sound). And they have serious eco nomic consequences as well, leading to the loss ofm illions o f w ork days per year. Headaches are not a m inor malady; they are the seventh leading reason for why people seek m edical assistance in the US. M ore than 18 millions outpa tient visits per year are due to head ache. O f the different types o f head ache, w om en are m ore likely to de velop tension headaches or migraine headaches, w hile m en are more likely to experience cluster headaches. M igraines are unfortunately too com m on, affecting about one in 10 adults internationally, predominantly women. The prevalence o f migraine headaches in adults is about 6% in men and 15 to 19% in women. These figures vary with age, but the occur rence increases from puberty until age 40, and then declines more signifi cantly in older men. There is a long standing debate as to Sellw ood Pool on or around A ugust 30th and has developed diarrhea should take particular care to wash their hands with soap and w ater after using the toilet to avoid spreading the organism to others. ♦Everyone who uses public bath ing areas should use good hygiene. No one with diarrhea should go sw im ming in a public pool or natural sw im m ing area; children w ho are not toi let-trained should w ear sw im diapers w hen they’re in the water. ♦Since people w ith HIV infection and other im m une deficiencies m ay get a more severe and prolonged illness, they should contact their m edical provider if they w ere ex posed to the pool and develop severe diarrhea. People w ith im m une d efi ciencies should be aw are that there is some risk ofbecom ing ill from sw im ming in public pools and natural bod ies o f water.* A nyone w ho has ques tions or is seeking additional infor m ation should call the M ultnom ah County H ealth D epartm ent D isease C ontrol O ffice at 503-248-3406. Women the cause and nature o f migraine head aches. This debate focuses on whether the origin o f migraines stems from a vascular disturbance or a neurobio- logical imbalance. However, there may be an underlying mechanism involved in the development o f migraine head aches that is characteristic o f both theories. The role that serotonin plays in the brain may be a link between the neural and vascular systems. There fore, regulating the role o f serotonin receptors may help prevent migraines and leadtosignificanttherapeutic out comes. Experience has shown that certain foods can act as triggers in the onset o f a migraine attack. Food culprits such as chocolate, caffeine, cheese, fish, wheat, nuts, tomatoes and alcohol (red wines and champagne) are the most well known triggers o f migraines. Cer tain food additives such as sodium nitrite (found in processed meats and hot dogs), M SG (Chinese foods), and food colorings may also cause m i graines. Tyramine, a natural substance which is found in foods that have been fermented oraged, such as wine, Ched dar and blue cheese, may trigger mi graines. Certain levels o f female hormones may also trigger the onset o f or con tribute to the intensity o f a migraine. The all too predictable headaches that develop across the 3 to 5 days before a w om an’s period are even referred to as ‘menstrual migraines. ’ Women may experience a greater number and more severe migraines with pregnancy, lac tation, and in particular with meno pause. Estrogen replacement therapy does not seen to alleviate these mi graines, and in some instances may even exacerbate the condition. The use o f computers has also con tributed to an increased incidence o f migraine. O ne type, ‘cervicogenic mi graine,’ is precipitated by m uscle ten sion and spinal rigidity in the neck. Staring at a com puter screen, holding your head in one position for long stretches, really tightens up the neck and shoulder muscles, constricting the nerves and blood supply to the neck and head. T hat’s a prim e trigger for a migraine. There are natural rem edies that can benefit a person susceptible to m i graines. Nutritional therapies that have been shown to be helpful include V i tamin D and calcium (for menstrual migraines, in particular); magnesium (600 mg/day); and high dose ribofla vin (400 mg). Good hydration (drink ing enough fluids) is also important. One o f the m ost effective natural remedies for preventing migraines is parthenolide, a com pound found in the herb feverfew. It is used best as a preventive, but can also help blunt a migraine when it occurs. The key is in g e ttin g th e e f f e c tiv e d o se o f parthenolide, w hich is 250 m icro grams. Just using a feverfew supple ment may not work, since it doesn’t c o n ta in a s ta n d a rd a m o u n t o f parthenolide. A nother herbal aid for migraine is ginger. G inger can settle the stomach, and may reduce some migraine symptoms after the fact. Standard medical treatment for m i graines includes one or more o f the following, depending upon whether the strategy is to prevent a migraine attack or if symptomatic relief is being sought. Options include aspirin (low dose for prevention), non steroidal a n tiin fla m m a to rie s (N S A ID S ), Sumatriptan, Beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and even hyperbaric oxygen. Although there has been no steadfast cure or prevention o f migraines, exercise and other natural remedies can be used effectively to prevent or abort a migraine attack. Chiropractic and massage may be especially helpful for cervicogenic mi graine. Acupuncture, biofeedback, and stress reduction have been proven effec tive in many cases. By the way, ifyou use exercise to reduce the frequency or inten sity o f a migraine, don’t exercise during an attack (as if you felt like it!). Total Digestive Care “30 Day Miracle” Works! , fatty acids, heavy metals, additives and chemi cal» can build up in your body like "toxic sludge.” After years of accumu lation, this sludge can clog your organs and blood stream, dam age and even destroy your body’s cells, weaken your body's defenses and literally steal away you r health - opening the door to disease and illnesses. 30 supply of TDC powder and two special reports for ONLY $39.00 plus $4.50 s/h. Total $43.50 (plus any applicable sales taxes) Created by Dr. Jack Watkins.Try it. Money back guarantee. You risk nothing. C all o r write today: MCR Health Care P.O. Box 11208 Portland, Oregon 97211 Toll free 1(800) 935-6240 Can Condoilns Save Lives? / effective barriers not only to HIV, the virus that causes AID S, but also to herpes sim plex, CM V, hepatitis B, chlam ydia, and gonorrhea.3 O ut o f the laboratory, condom ef fectiveness declines w ith the intro duction o f the “hum an factor.” Be cause condom education has been lacking, people do not use them well. C ondom failure is m ore often due to user failure than product failure. U sers m ay fail to: 1) use a condom w ith each act o f sexual intercourse, 2) put the condom on before any genital contact occurs, or 3)com- pletely unroll the condom .3 Using drugs or alcohol can also impair judg m ent and proper condom use.4 To insure m axim um condom effi c a c y , th e fo llo w in g sh o u ld be avoided: use o f oil-based lubricants (petroleum jelly, shortening, lotions) that w eaken latex; storing condom s in d irect heat or sunlight; using condom s in dam aged packages or show ing obvious signs ofag e (brittle, sticky or discolored).3 Absolutely. A lthough controversy persists regarding w hether condom s are an effective m eans o f preventing hum an im m u n o d e fic ie n c y v iru s (HIV) transm ission, condom s that are readily available, effectively pro moted, and used correctly and con sistently, play an im portant public health role in HIV prevention. A bstinence or sexual intercourse with a m utually faithful uninfected partner are m ost effective in prevent ing HIV infection. H ow ever, in a national surv ey o f adolescents, 63% o f 14-21 year-olds reported engag ing in sexual intercourse. 1 Using condom s can reduce the risk o f in fection o f sexually transm itted dis eases (STD s), including HIV, for those people w ho are n o t abstinent. No public health strategy can guar antee perfect protection. For instance, the influenza vaccine is “o n ly ” 60 to 80% effective in preventing influ enza, but thousands o f deaths could be prevented annually through the w ider use o f this “ im perfect” vac- cine.2 The real public health question is not are condom s 100% effective, but rather, how can w e m ore effectively use condom s to help prevent the spread o f disease. W hy Do P eople N ot Use Condoms? M ainly because o f em otional re actions or m isperceptions. Results from a telephone interview o f het erosexuals in 23 urban areas w ith a high prevalence o f AID S found that distrust associated w ith condom use was m ore likely am ong m ales, A fri can-A m ericans, and the less edu cated. O f the respondents, 54% believed condom s m ight fail during inter course, 41% com plained they re Are Condoms Effective Barri ers? Y es. In th e la b o ra to ry , latex condom s are very effective at block ing transm ission o f HI V because the pores in latex condom s are too small to allow the passage o f the virus. Condom s have been show n to be Are Condoms Foolproof? No. N either are seatbelts, helm ets, vaccines, or people. But in the real w orld w e drive to work, vaccinate our children, and hope to get through the day unscathed. N o disease pre vention strategy is ever perfect, and all strategies,including abstinence, depend on the skills and know ledge o f the user. A com prehensive HIV prevention strategy uses m ultiple elem ents to protect as m any people at risk o f HI V infection as possible. A bstinence and m utual m onogam y are a part o f that strategy, as w ell as prom oting cor rect and consistent condom use. In a study o f 245 heterosexual couples w here one partner was HIV- infected and the other w asn ’t, none o f the 123 m ale or fem ale partners w ho consistently used condom s be cam e infected. In contrast, 12 o f the 122 partners w ho either d id n ’t use condom s or used them inconsistently becam e infected. 13 C o rrec t an d c o n s iste n t co n d o m u se can d ra m a tic a lly red u c e the risk o f H IV o r S T D tran sm issio n . W ith a m illio n A m eric an s c u r ren tly in fec ted w ith H IV , an d the m a jo rity o f in fe c tio n s s e x u a lly tra n sm itte d , co n d o m p ro m o tio n is a c ru c ia l p a rt o f an y p u b lic h ea lth strateg y . project Alliance You Can Now Find Us On The Web!! I I "promoting Middle School Succe«»" Thanks the following organizations for their generous support: ❖ Portland Public Schools ❖ Beaumont. Ockley Green, & W hitaker M iddle Schools Staff. Students & Families h ttp :// www.portland observer.net O duced sexual sensation, 35% w ere uncomfortable buying them, and 21 % felt uncom fortable putting condom s on. 5 A dolescent girls asking for help buying condom s, in a 1988 survey o f W ashington DC drugstores, encoun tered resistance or condem nation from store clerks 40% o f the tim e.6 In a study o f C anadian college students, factors associated w ith not using a condom included em barrass m ent about condom purchase, diffi culty discussing condom use with partner, use o f oral contraceptives, insufficient know ledgeofH IV /STD s, and the b elief that condom s interfere w ith sexual pleasure.7 M isapprehen sions can be addressed by education, frank talk about sexuality, and better m a rk e tin g a n d d is tr ib u tio n o f condom s. # Alberta Street Caf##Applebee‘s Restaurant#Border's Books# ^Bridges Soup & Sandwich 0 Broadway Books ❖ Cannon's Express# #Family Fun Center#Hollywood Video#lmago Theatre# # Lloyd Center#Metropolitan Youth Symphony#NabiscoBakery# # Oaks Park # O M SI# Oregon Children's Theatre # Oregon Symphony#Portland Center Stage#Portland Ice Cream Parlor# #Rustica#Safeway#Tears o f Joy Puppet Theatre # #Toy$ R Us # Videoland # Portland Winterhawks # Thank You! 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