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
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AD IT DAY
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