6 B
SIUSLAW NEWS |
SATURDAY, APRIL 22, 2017
TO YOUR
GOOD HEALTH
Stretching Helps
Ease Spinal
Stenosis Pain
DEAR DR. ROACH: My wife
suffered from spinal stenosis. She
had a cortisone shot, which helped
for 90 days. She had regular physi-
cal therapy meetings. She was in
constant pain, but insisted on play-
ing tennis (against her doctor’s
wishes).
Then, we happened to vacation
for a month in Florida, and one of
the offered activities was a “stretch”
workout. She insisted that she want-
ed to try it. After the very fi rst time
she thought she felt a little better.
She went to several more sessions,
and fi nally asked the trainer what
she could buy to keep it up at home.
The trainer suggested a stretching
DVD. It takes about an hour to com-
plete it, and she now does it three
times a week. She plays hard tennis
fi ve days a week, hasn’t complained
SALOME’S STARS
ARIES (March 21 to April 19)
Temper your typical Aries urge to
charge into a situation and demand
answers. Instead, let the Lamb’s gentler
self emerge to deal with a problem that
requires delicacy.
TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) You
are aware of what’s going on, so con-
tinue to stand by your earlier decision,
no matter how persuasive the counter-
arguments might be. Money pressures
soon will ease.
GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) By
all means, have fun and enjoy your
newly expanded social life. But don’t
forget that some people are depending
on you to keep promises that are very
important to them.
CANCER (June 21 to July 22) You
need to wait patiently for an answer
about pain since 2010, and hasn’t
needed any physical therapy, either.
I continue to be amazed.
Certainly this kind of therapy
can’t hurt anyone, since you do
it only to your personal comfort
levels. Perhaps you might mention
this type of therapy in your column
sometime. It worked miracles for us
at virtually no cost. -- R.M.
ANSWER: Spinal stenosis is
caused by pressure on the nerves
at the level of the spinal column.
Physical therapy is one effective
treatment, and one I always recom-
mend prior to considering surgery.
I thank you for taking the time to
point out that gentle stretching can
help, probably by opening up the
spaces in between the vertebrae to
allow the nerve more room.
The booklet on back problems
gives an outline of some causes of
and treatments for the more-com-
mon back maladies. Readers can
order a copy by writing: Dr. Roach
-- No. 303W, 628 Virginia Drive,
Orlando, FL 32803. Enclose a check
or money order for $4.75 U.S./$6
Canada with the recipient’s printed
name and address. Please allow four
weeks for delivery.
DEAR DR. ROACH: We recently
lost a dear relative to cholangiocar-
cinoma. He had served in the Navy
in Vietnam. The probable cause
of his cancer was from a parasite,
a river fl uke, which is common to
that region. The diagnosis came
way too late to save his life. How
can veterans be tested or diagnosed
early enough for a possible success-
ful cure? Are there any current tests
available? -- J.A.E.
ANSWER: I am sorry to hear about
your relative. Cholangiocarcinoma
is cancer of the bile duct, a rare
cancer. Liver fl ukes are a risk factor,
and so is a condition called primary
sclerosing cholangitis, a condition
associated with ulcerative colitis.
The cancer is rare but highly lethal,
because by the time symptoms show
up, the cancer usually is advanced.
Also because of its rarity, screen-
ing for the cancer in a general popu-
lation won’t be effective. However,
for people at high risk, such as those
with PSC or a history of liver para-
sites, at least one study has shown
that screening with a blood test (CA
19-9, CEA) or by endoscopy can be
effective. It would be reasonable to
speak with the expert taking care of
this problem, usually a gastroenter-
ologist, about screening.
to a workplace problem and not push
for a decision. Remember: Time is on
your side. A fi nancial matter needs
closer attention.
LEO (July 23 to August 22) You
now have information that can infl u-
ence that decision you planned to
make. But the clever Cat will consult
a trusted friend or family member
before making a major move.
VIRGO (August 23 to September
22) Good news: You’re fi nding that
more doors are opening for you to
show what you can do, and you don’t
even have to knock very hard to get the
attention you’re seeking.
LIBRA (September 23 to October
22) Your gift for creating order out of
chaos will help you deal with a sud-
den rush of responsibilities that would
threaten someone less able to balance
his or her priorities.
SCORPIO (October 23 to November
21) Congratulations. Your energy lev-
els are coming right back up to normal
-- just in time to help you tackle some
worthwhile challenges and make some
important choices.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to
December 21) Th e sage Sagittarian
should demand a full explanation of
inconsistencies that might be cropping
up in what had seemed to be a straight-
forward deal.
CAPRICORN (December 22 to
January 19) A confl ict between obli-
gations to family and to the job can
create stressful problems. Best advice:
Balance your dual priorities so that one
doesn’t outweigh the other.
AQUARIUS (January 20 to
February 18) Don’t guess, speculate or
gossip about that “mystery” situation
at the workplace. Bide your time. An
explanation will be forthcoming very
soon.
PISCES (February 19 to March 20)
Boredom might be creeping in and
causing you to lose interest in a repeat
project. Deal with it by fl ipping over
your usual routine and fi nding a new
way to do an old task.
Siuslaw N ews
!
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