The Siuslaw news., April 04, 2015, Image 16

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SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2015
TO YOUR
GOOD HEALTH
Hand sanitizers vs.
hand washing
DEAR DR. ROACH: One encoun-
ters many forms of “hand sanitizer”
products these days: in medical wait-
ing rooms, restrooms, public places
and in our kitchen.
These are waterless, very quick
drying products; we even have them
in our automobile.
When one has many daily occa-
sions to clean the hands, is it better
(for your skin) to use soap and water,
or the modern hand-sanitizer prod-
ucts? — N.M.G.
ANSWER: The jury is out on
which is more effective, if you com-
pare good technique with one against
the other. Both are effective at reduc-
ing bacteria on the hands. However,
alcohol-based sanitizers are easy to
use, portable, fast and are less irritable
to the hands than repeated washings.
There is better compliance with them,
and so they are more effective in the
real world.
SALOME’S STARS
ARIES (March 21 to April 19) A
problem in getting a workplace proj-
ect up and moving might upset the
Lamb, who likes things done on time.
But be patient. The delay could turn
out to be a blessing in disguise.
TAURUS (April 20 to May 20)
Your instincts are usually on the mark,
so if you feel uneasy about being
asked for advice on a certain matter,
it’s probably a good idea that you opt
not to comply with the request.
GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You
might have two minds about a pro-
posed change (which often happens
with the Twins), but once all the facts
are in, you’ll be able to make a defin-
itive decision. Good luck.
CANCER (June 21 to July 22) The
Crab’s frugal aspect dominates, so
while you might be reluctant to pay
Sanitizers are not effective against
all germs. They do not kill the spores
of Clostridium difficile, a cause of
severe diarrhea. However, soap and
water wash the spores off and are
effective where sanitizers are not, so
soap and water should be used in
cases of known or suspected C. diff
diarrhea. Sanitizers also are not effec-
tive against norovirus, another infec-
tious diarrhea. They also can’t remove
grease.
DEAR DR. ROACH: After two
years of seeing several doctors and
being misdiagnosed and treated with
wrong medications, my 27-year-old
daughter has been diagnosed with
psoriatic arthritis. Her joint pain has
been constant during this time. What
kind of long-term damage has been
done during this time? — A.F.
ANSWER: Psoriasis is a common
inflammatory skin condition, with
well-known plaques — raised red
patches with silvery scales or flaked
skin — most commonly seen over the
elbows, knees or on the back. Only a
minority of people with psoriasis will
ever develop psoriatic arthritis, but
you have to have psoriasis to get pso-
riatic arthritis. Sometimes, the arthritis
shows up before the skin lesions,
making the diagnosis difficult.
Unfortunately, damage to the joints
can happen early in the course of pso-
riatic arthritis, but only an X-ray can
show the extent of damage. Your
daughter may need aggressive treat-
ment. A rheumatologist experienced
in psoriatic arthritis is essential.
DEAR DR. ROACH: During a
checkup with my internist, I was told
that I have a rather large lipoma on my
back. I was told that it is totally harm-
less and can be removed if it bothers
me. Now I realize that I am somewhat
concerned about it, as I had ovarian
cancer two years ago.
Can I really be sure it is benign
without a biopsy? I don’t want to find
out in a few years that it is cancerous.
— S.R.
ANSWER: A lipoma is a very com-
mon fatty tumor. They almost always
are benign. If there is a suspicion of
malignancy (called liposarcoma), an
MRI scan can be done or a biopsy
obtained. Surgery is seldom required,
except for cosmetic reasons.
I don’t believe that you are at high-
er risk for this being the rare cancer-
ous type simply because of your his-
tory. I would just recommend dutiful
follow-up. I have sometimes carefully
measured these to see if they grow
over time
for technical repairs, the time you save
in getting things back on track could
be well worth the expense.
LEO (July 23 to August 22) While
you Leos and Leonas continue to con-
centrate on doing well in your work-
related ventures this week, consider
reserving the weekend for sharing
good times with family and friends.
VIRGO (August 23 to September
22) This is a good week to take stock
of the important personal, profession-
al or familial relationships in your life
and see where you might need to do
some intense shoring up.
LIBRA (September 23 to October
22) Your sense of justice makes you
the likely person to help deal with a
work- or family-related grievance. But
you need to have any doubts about
anyone’s true agenda resolved first.
SCORPIO (October 23 to
November 21) The Scorpio passion
for getting things done right and on
time might rankle some folks. Never
mind them. Others will be impressed,
and they’re the ones you want in your
corner.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to
December 21) Finances could be a
mite tight this week. And, while things
will ease up soon enough, you savvy
Sagittarians will want to keep a pru-
dent eye on your expenses at this time.
CAPRICORN (December 22 to
January 19) Although a technical mal-
function could cause a temporary
delay in getting things up and running,
you could use the time to recheck your
operation and make changes where
necessary.
AQUARIUS (January 20 to
February 18) You might find it diffi-
cult to resist making a snap judgment
about a colleague’s behavior. But stick
with your usual way of assessing situ-
ations and wait for the facts to come
out.
PISCES (February 19 to March 20)
Asking for help with a family situation
might be the wisest course to take
right now. Just be sure you turn to
someone you can trust to do and say
the right thing for the right reasons.
Siuslaw News
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