To Your Health: NLM update Transcript

NLM MedlinePlus Magazine Spring 2015: 06/29/2015

Cover of NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine Spring 2015 Issue

Greetings from the National Library of Medicine and MedlinePlus.gov

Regards to all our listeners!

I'm Rob Logan, Ph.D., senior staff, U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Here is what's new this week in To Your Health, a consumer health oriented podcast from NLM, that helps you use MedlinePlus to follow up on weekly topics.

The new edition of NIH MedlinePlus magazine covers vaccinations, hearing loss, as well as celiac disease.

The cover features actress and New York City bakery owner Jennifer Esposito who explains she was diagnosed with celiac disease two decades after experiencing some symptoms. Celiac disease, which is an immune disorder caused by the protein gluten in some foods, damages the small intestine.

Esposito says (and we quote): 'It wasn't until I was 15 that my journey to be diagnosed began. Although I never knew what I was looking for during the next 20 years, I did know the way I was feeling' (end of quote).

Esposito raises awareness about celiac disease through Jennifer's Way, a popular bakery in New York City, where all products are gluten free.

NIH MedlinePlus magazine reports celiac disease can be diagnosed through blood tests, an intestinal biopsy, a blistery skin rash (that impacts about 15-25 percent of patients), and screening for specific antibodies in a person's blood.

NIH MedlinePlus magazine notes some of celiac disease's symptoms include: stomach pain; gas; diarrhea, extreme fatigue; change in mood; weight loss, a very itchy skin rash with blisters; and slowed growth.

NIH MedlinePlus magazine explains celiac disease currently is treated by a strict gluten free diet. Foods to avoid include: wheat; rye; durum flour; enriched flour; candy; potato chips; cold cuts; soups; and soy sauce. NIH MedlinePlus magazine reports the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases currently is assessing new drug treatments for celiac disease.

In a separate section, NIH MedlinePlus magazine explains the symptoms, causes, assistive devices, and prevention of hearing loss. NIH MedlinePlus magazine explains about 15 percent of American adults after age 18 (or about 37.5 million persons) report hearing challenges.

NIH MedlinePlus magazine notes some assistive devices for hearing impairment include: hearing aids; cochlear implants; and assisted listening devices.

NIH MedlinePlus magazine adds sounds at or above 85 decibels can damage your ears. A normal conversation is about 60 decibels, while a chainsaw produces 100 decibels. NIH MedlinePlus magazine notes persons who are exposed to sustained, excessive noise should wear ear plugs or special earmuffs to prevent hearing loss.

More positively, NIH MedlinePlus magazine reports about 98 percent of newborns are screened today for hearing loss — thanks to discoveries by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

In a clip and save section, NIH MedlinePlus magazine lists the diseases and conditions that can be prevented by vaccinations. One page explains the current immunizations for children from birth through age six. Another page lists the recommended immunizations for children from ages seven to 18.

A third page lists 14 of the diseases immunizations can prevent including: chickenpox; flu; mumps; measles; polio; rotavirus; and tetanus. The impact of vaccination on measles and public health received national publicity at the start of 2015 after a measles outbreak briefly was traced to non-vaccinated persons who visited Disneyland in Southern California.

As always, NIH MedlinePlus magazine provides a helpful list of phone numbers (many of them a free call) to contact NIH's array of institutes and centers.

NIH MedlinePlus magazine is distributed to physicians' offices nationwide by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Friends of the National Library of Medicine. You can subscribe or find the latest edition online by clicking on 'Magazine,' which is on the bottom right side of MedlinePlus.gov's home page.

Previous editions of NIH MedlinePlus magazine are available at the same site. A link to NIH MedlinePlus Salud, which provides other health information and resources in Spanish, is available there as well (see the top right of the page). The web version of NIH MedlinePlus magazine includes links that visually supplement the information in some articles.

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We encourage you to use MedlinePlus and please recommend it to your friends. MedlinePlus is available in English and Spanish. Some medical information is available in 43 other languages.

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Please email the podcast staff anytime at: NLMDirector@nlm.nih.gov

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The National Library of Medicine is one of 27 institutes and centers within the National Institutes of Health. The National Institutes of Health is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

A disclaimer — the information presented in this program should not replace the medical advice of your physician. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any disease without first consulting with your physician or other health care provider.

It was nice to be with you. Please join us here next week and here's to your health!