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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (July 25, 2015)
6 B SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, JULY 25, 2015 TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH Woman is fit, yet can barely stand DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 66- year-old white female, 5 feet, 5 inch- es tall (was 5 feet, 6 inches), weigh- ing 170 pounds. Even though I use gym weight machines for upper and lower body three times a week, walk daily for two miles and spend 15 minutes on a motion trainer at the gym, I cannot stand up easily after gardening on my knees or getting on my knees on the floor. Is there any- thing I can do to regain the ability to get up off the floor/ground without a struggle? — S.C. ANSWER: It sounds to me that despite your good exercise regimen, you may have weakness specifically in your thighs — what we call “prox- imal muscle weakness.” There is a very long list of medical illnesses that affect these muscles specifically (my textbook lists 28 different diag- SALOME’S STARS ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Don’t gnash those pearly whites because you might have to delay your plans. This could give the Lucky Lamb a better perspective of what’s been done, and what still needs doing. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Scoring financial bull’s-eyes is easy for the focused Bovine who knows the ins and outs of the marketplace. But even with your success record, caution is still the watchword. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Watch that tendency to over-romanti- cize a situation that should be given closer scrutiny. Better to be suspi- cious now and ask for an explanation, or face a sad surprise later. CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Bruised self-confidence can make things difficult unless you accept the noses), including common condi- tions such as low thyroid levels and vitamin D deficiency. I would rec- ommend a visit to your doctor for a careful exam of your nerves and muscles to see if my suspicion is cor- rect. Your doctor may suggest a trial of vitamin D. If no medical cause is found, I would work specifically on strength- ening the hip muscles, which extend the thighs. A trainer at the gym can show you those exercises. DEAR DR ROACH: I am a 65- year-old man, and two weeks ago I developed a painful hemorrhoid almost overnight. I had never had hemorrhoids before. My primary-care doctor examined me and said I had a “thrombosed hemorrhoid.” It is not very large and in the past week, the pain has dimin- ished, but the bulging vein is still present, albeit less tender. Should I have this removed surgically, or will it eventually disappear? — S.D. ANSWER: A hemorrhoid, a nor- mal vascular structure, can develop a blood clot (“thrombosis”), and then can be exquisitely painful. Often, the clot is removed at the time of exam- ination, giving immediate relief. In most cases, the clot will be reab- sorbed within a few days. However, in very large hemorrhoids, occasion- ally surgery is necessary. There is some suggestion that thrombosed hemorrhoids may indi- cate a higher risk for colorectal can- cer. You should be sure that you have had a recent colonoscopy. DEAR DR. ROACH: A few years ago, my granddaughter, who was raised in Costa Rica, got Dengue fever. I heard that if you get it a sec- ond time, it can be fatal. Is this justi- fied? I am worried about her going back to Costa Rica for holidays. Is there a vaccination or specific treatment? — A.R.B. ANSWER: Dengue fever is com- mon, but people who live in areas with Dengue are at much higher risk than travelers. The worst complica- tion of Dengue, called Dengue hem- orrhagic fever, happens in people who previously have had an episode of Dengue, so the concern for your granddaughter is justified. There is no commercially avail- able vaccine for Dengue (yet), and no specific treatment. The most effective prevention for travelers is avoiding mosquitos by staying in well-screened or air-conditioned buildings, wearing protective cloth- ing and using effective mosquito repellant. fact that you have what it takes. Ignore the critics and concentrate on believing in yourself. Good luck. LEO (July 23 to August 22) Congratulations on what you’ve accomplished. But this is no time to curl up for some serious catnapping. Your rivals are probably already working on plans to overtake your lead. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Your adventurous side wants to play a more dominant role this week, and you might want to oblige. Try to arrange for some getaway time with that special person. LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Taking logical approaches to pesky workplace issues can help resolve even long-standing problems. A shift in policy might catch you by surprise. Be alert to signs of change. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Your kindness and compassion are exactly what are needed in dealing with an awkward situation in the early part of the week. Share the weekend fun with family and friends. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Keeping your focus straight and true is a good way of get- ting your points across. Save any vari- ations for a later time. The musical arts are important this weekend. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Reject advice to cut cor- ners in reaching your goal. Better to take a little more time to do the job as you promised. You’ll gain new respect for your honesty and integrity. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Don’t allow a trouble- some situation to grow so big that it will be increasingly difficult to deal with. The sooner you speak up, the sooner everyone will be able to bene- fit. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Confronting someone who is making a lot of mistakes could be the kindest thing you can do both for that person and for anyone who could be adverse- ly affected by the errors. Siuslaw N ews ! AD IT DAY E R TO www. the siuslawnews.com E -E DITION • S PORTS • T OP S TORIES • O BITUARIES • W EATHER • F ORUMS • B LOGS