6 B
SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2016
TO YOUR
GOOD HEALTH
Crushed
fingertip is
slow to heal
DEAR DR. ROACH: Three
months ago, I slammed the fingertip
of my left index finger in a drawer.
The fingertip is still swollen and
painful. My doctor sent me for an X-
ray, and there is no fracture. I can
bend it at the joint, but cannot put
pressure on the fingertip. I looked
online, and read something that said a
fingertip crush injury can take six
months to a year to heal, and the
swelling may never go away com-
pletely.
Can this possibly be true? Why
does it take so long? Is there anything
I can do to help it heal? I can get
along OK without using the finger for
everyday functioning, but I am a gui-
tar player, and I really need to use that
fingertip to play. Is there hope that I
SALOME’S STARS
ARIES (March 21 to April 19) The
typically tidy Ram or Ewe might want
to butt out until things are settled on the
home front. But get involved and let
your Ovine sense of order help restore
domestic tranquility.
TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) The
Bovine’s flair for fine-tuning compli-
cated fiscal dealings comes in handy
when an unexpected financial problem
arises. Stay with it until it’s resolved to
your satisfaction.
GEMINI (May 21 to June 20)
Family aspects remain strong. There
might be some unresolved difficulties,
but continued attempts to smooth things
over eventually prove to be successful.
A major purchase looms.
CANCER (June 21 to July 22) A
promise that was made but never kept
will be able to play again someday? I
would be very sad to have to give it
up. — D.L.
ANSWER: Crush injuries to the
fingertip often do take months to heal
completely, due to the fact that there
isn’t a lot of room in the fingertip and
that there are many important struc-
tures in the fingertip, and that a little
bit of inflammation can cause pain
and loss of function for a long time.
Fortunately, most everybody does
regain complete use of the hand, and
I wouldn’t sell your guitar just yet.
Think about what Pete Townshend
did to his hand, and he’s still a pretty
good guitar player.
DEAR DR. ROACH: My 18-year-
old grandson has just been diagnosed
with superior mesenteric artery syn-
drome. It sounds extremely serious.
Would you be able to tell me more? I
am very worried. — G.D.
ANSWER: The superior mesen-
teric artery is one of the critical arter-
ies that supplies blood to the intes-
tines. Directly underneath the SMA is
the duodenum, the first part of the
small intestine. In SMA syndrome,
loss of the normal fat around the duo-
denum causes the artery to constrict
the duodenum, causing a compres-
sion of the duodenum and an obstruc-
tion to food going through.
Serious weight loss due to medical
illness, surgery or anorexia nervosa is
the most common cause of SMA syn-
drome. It’s a difficult diagnosis to
make, and there is some controversy
about what criteria are used for diag-
nosis.
If weight loss is the underlying
cause of SMA syndrome, then nutri-
tional support and weight gain
become the primary treatment.
Surgery is sometimes necessary.
DEAR DR. ROACH: You wrote
about reheating foods in a
microwave, and advised against
Styrofoam or other plastic containers.
What is the best kind of container
to use in the microwave? The manual
says not to use anything metal. —
J.W.
ANSWER: Most plastics probably
are safe to heat liquids in, but reheat-
ing foods can cause pockets of very
high temperatures that can partially
melt the plastic and cause the release
of potentially harmful chemicals. I
recommend using glass or ceramic
plates or bowls to reheat food.
Many people wrote in to tell me
that Dow Chemical’s brand of poly-
styrene, Styrofoam, is not used for
cups.
suddenly re-emerges in your life. You
now have to decide if you’re still inter-
ested in what it offers or if you’ve
moved past it.
LEO (July 23 to August 22)
Romance comes to unattached Leos
and Leonas who have been waiting for
Cupid to target them for far too long.
Domestic purr-fection is also enhanced
for paired Felines.
VIRGO (August 23 to September
22) You need to take a much-needed
break from that demanding project
before too much energy-draining ten-
sion sets in. And don’t be ashamed to
ask for help.
LIBRA (September 23 to October
22) Change makes demands that you
might find unwelcome at this time. But
instead of concentrating on the short
run, look toward potential benefits
down the road.
SCORPIO (October 23 to November
21) You have a gift for reviving projects
that seem beyond repair. Use that same
ability to restore a relationship that
seems to have turned from loving to
lifeless.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to
December 21) Expect to be asked to use
your combined wisdom and humor to
resolve a problem. After all, folks not
only value your advice, they also like
how you give it.
CAPRICORN (December 22 to
January 19) Most people consider you
solid and steady. But you also can be
quite capricious (which is a Latin word
for “describing the behavior of Goats”)
when it suits your needs.
AQUARIUS (January 20 to
February 18) People treat you as you
wish to be treated. So if you want a
change in your relationship, make it
happen. Also expect someone to reveal
some long-held secrets.
PISCES (February 19 to March 20)
Stay with the decision you made,
despite a sudden torrent of advice to the
contrary from well-meaning people.
Remember: You know your needs bet-
ter than anyone.
Siuslaw N ews
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