Category: Digestive System
Since the 1970s, worm therapy has been used as an alternative treatment for hay fever under the assumption that it might calm overactive immune systems.
Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have discovered a physical mechanism that prevents chemotherapy from reaching pancreatic cancer cells, as well as a way to reverse that mechanism.
When it comes to food safety, the general rule is, “If in doubt, throw it out.” Never taste suspicious food. It may look and smell fine, but bacteria that cause foodborne illness may be present and could make you sick.
“I lost 90 pounds with the Lap-Band!,” read the billboards. Sounds tempting, doesn’t it? But there are serious risks with the weight-loss surgery promoted by these ads.
As obesity among young people continues to rise, a growing number of clinicians say that weight-loss surgery may be their best chance to take off significant weight. But although health plans frequently cover bariatric surgery in adults, coverage for patients under age 18 is spotty.
Food safety for Thanksgiving goes beyond the proper preparation and cooking of turkey: cross-contamination and improper preparation and storage of other foods are other common causes of food-borne illnesses during the holiday season.
A new drug, called ivacaftor or VX-770, significantly improves lung function and other symptoms in cystic fibrosis patients with a specific mutation — Seattle Childrens/UW study finds
Food at fairs and other outdoor events may not have been properly cleaned, refrigerated or cooked: So take care.
If you’re injured after drinking, can your insurer refuse to pay? Do privacy rules keep insurers from talking to you about your spouse’s coverage? Does colonoscopy coverage include polyp removal? Yes, no and maybe.
People are urged not to eat shellfish from that area until further notice due to the risk of Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP).
The shellfish contain the bacteria Vibrio parahemolyticus, which thrives in Washington’s coastal waters in the summer, but which can be killed with cooking.
Consumers with celiac disease must avoid gluten—proteins found in baked goods made with wheat and some other grains. For those not sensitive to gluten, there’s no health benefit to a gluten-free diet.
LocalHealthGuide is a health news and information web service for Seattle and the Puget Sound Region. We are independent and unaffiliated with any hospital, medical association or insurer. If you have questions or if your group has an upcoming event that you would like us to cover, please let us know by going to our "Contact Us" page and dropping us a note. -- Michael McCarthy, Editor
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Lost in translation: Lack of trained interpreters can lead to medical errors
Interpreter services at hospitals and other medical settings are often inadequate, forcing family members, including children, to step in, or the task falls to medical staff members who may not speak the language well.
Some insurers deny ER coverage to people who have been drinking
Laws in more than half the states permit insurers to deny payment for medical services related to alcohol or drug use. Faced with the prospect of not getting paid for care, some ER personnel sidestep the problem by simply not testing patients’ blood or urine for alcohol.
Travel insurance can protect your wallet — and your health on vacation
Think your regular health insurance policy will cover you if you get into medical trouble overseas?
Don’t bet on it.
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