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While some gamble socially and others do it for a living, it’s a serious addiction for those who have an uncontrollable urge to keep going at the risk of losing everything. “In our brain, the centers involved with gambling addiction are the same centers involved with substance addiction,” said Dr. Asim Shah, professor and executive vice chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “The warning signs can be the same as any addiction,” he said in a college news release. Gambling stimulates the brain’s reward center, resulting in a rush that makes someone want to keep doing it. Shah said there are three types of gamblers. While skilled professional gamblers demonstrate self-control, patience and rational thinking, problem gamblers are compulsive, rely on the habit for their livelihood and have no self-control around it. A social gambler, meanwhile, spends a moderate amount of time and money in casinos or enjoys occasionally making bets. While problem gamblers may think they fit in one of these other categories, there are warning signs of gambling addiction. They may feel helpless or hopeless, become restless or edgy. A problem gambler may max out their credit cards to feed this behavior. A problem gambler may also bet more to recover money lost, lie to hide the problem or have others suggesting they should cut back.… read on > read on >

Anxiety disorder can make it hard to navigate life, but lately CBD has been touted as a natural treatment for the nerve-wracking condition. You can buy CBD almost anywhere — gas stations, spas, farmers markets and grocery stores. It comes in many forms — from gummies to tablets to tinctures to lozenges and patches. But is CBD good for anxiety? Here, experts share their thoughts on whether the evidence supports CBD for anxiety. What is CBD? According to Harvard Health, CBD is an active ingredient found in the marijuana plant. However, CBD is typically derived from marijuana’s cousin, the hemp plant. CBD is not psychoactive, so it will not cause the “high” that THC from marijuana does. It is not believed to be addictive by itself. The hemp plant is legal, so CBD derived from hemp is considered to be legal. CBD works by interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid (eCB) system. The endocannabinoid system acts as a neuromodulator for the body, Harvard Health says, and controls most neurotransmitter levels and activities. It also plays a role in the immune and gastrointestinal systems. Endocannabinoids and their receptors are found throughout the body. The eCB system integrates the perception of whether internal and external stimuli are stressful. CBD and anxiety According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, insufficient scientific evidence backs the claim that CBD… read on > read on >

Endless worry, irritability and insomnia are all symptoms of a possible anxiety disorder. Luckily, there are numerous anxiety medications that can help ease the condition. Joy Alonzo, a specialist in the pharmacotherapy of mental disorders at Texas A&M’s College of Pharmacy, said recently, “If you understand the different types of medication, then you can become a better advocate for your anxiety treatment. Anxiety is one of the most under-treated mental illnesses, and we need to talk more about it.” So, what medications can bring relief from crippling anxiety? According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA), the most common classes of drugs for the treatment of anxiety include: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) Benzodiazepines Tricyclic antidepressants Here is a rundown on medications for anxiety. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) SSRIs work by preventing the body from reabsorbing serotonin, which leaves more available for use. The ADAA describes serotonin as a neurotransmitter that plays a role in feelings of well-being and happiness. SSRIs are considered the first-line treatment for all types of anxiety disorders. A higher dose may be required when treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Common side effects: Insomnia Sleepiness Sexual dysfunction Weight gain Dry mouth Common SSRIs: Citalopram (Celexa) Escitalopram (Lexapro) Fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem) Paroxetine (Paxil, Paxil CR, Pexeva, Brisdelle) Sertraline (Zoloft) What else you should know about SSRIs:… read on > read on >

A medical device used to diagnose and treat pancreatic and bile duct disease is getting attention from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after pieces have fallen off and remained in patients’ bodies. Previously, the FDA had expressed concern about duodenoscopes because they can be difficult to clean and may spread bacteria such as E. coli from patient to patient. Duodenoscopes are flexible, lighted tubes with a camera that are threaded through the mouth down to the stomach and top of the small intestine (duodenum). However, when hospitals switched to disposable tips to cover the camera and reduce bacteria spread, this has now resulted in new problems. Those produced by Olympus Medical Systems have fallen off in patients’ mouths and stomachs, according to reports filed with the FDA. Some have sharp edges, which has led to internal bleeding in patients, according to the New York Times. The FDA has received about 160 complaints about the caps falling off. That “was above the expected numbers for that type of complaint,” according to Olympus’ own analysis. The FDA sent a warning letter to the company after an inspection at the Olympus plant in Tokyo late last year found that disposable parts made for duodenoscopes and suction valves for bronchoscopes, which are used to examine the lungs, were adulterated or defective. The agency has said the company’s responses… read on > read on >

E. coli bacteria are an infamous cause of food poisoning, but a new study suggests those same microbes lurking in meat may be behind nearly half a million cases of urinary tract infections (UTIs). UTIs are very common, affecting more than half of all women at least once in their lives. And the vast majority of those infections are caused by E. coli bacteria. Although E. coli may be best known for spurring outbreaks of food poisoning, most strains of the bacteria are actually harmless. In fact, E. coli lives happily in the human gut, as part of the vast array of beneficial bacteria that make up the body’s “microbiome.” Sometimes, though, when that gut-dwelling E. coli is shed in your stool, it can migrate to your urinary tract and cause a UTI. That, at least, is the source of most UTIs, said study author Lance Price, a microbiologist and professor at George Washington University, in Washington, D.C. Price’s team found genetic evidence that some UTIs are caused by E. coli in the chicken, turkey and pork that people buy at the grocery store. The bacteria find their way to the urinary tract the same way as other UTI-causing E. coli do — but the source is different. The researchers estimated that around 8% of UTIs caused by E. coli can be traced to a… read on > read on >

(HealthDay News) – Sen. John Fetterman, who checked himself into Walter Reed Hospital for depression five weeks ago, should be back at work soon, his aide said Thursday. The Pennsylvania senator suffered a stroke last May that nearly killed him, and depression strikes one in three stroke survivors. Still, Fetterman’s depression recovery is going well, spokesman Joe Calvello said Thursday. “He’ll be back soon, at least over a week, but soon,” Calvello told the Associated Press. While hospitalized, Fetterman continues to receive daily briefings from his Chief of Staff Adam Jentleson, Calvello added. He is also issuing statements through his office and sponsoring legislation, the AP reported. “We want to give him the space to recuperate,” Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, said during a Wednesday news conference, the AP reported. “He needs it, it’s fair, it’s right. There are other people in the Senate who have taken their time to recuperate but I’m confident he’s going to come back and be an outstanding and fine senator.” Prior to his hospitalization, Fetterman had been withdrawn and not showing an interest in talking or eating, the AP reported. He saw Capitol physician Dr. Brian Monahan, who recommended he be admitted to Walter Reed, just weeks into his time as a senator. After his stroke, he also had surgery to implant a pacemaker with a defibrillator because he… read on > read on >

Lots of folks gained their COVID weight during the housebound months of the pandemic, and now those extra pounds are weighing heavy on many, a new survey shows. Nearly a third (29%) of just over 1,700 adults surveyed in December 2021 said COVID-19 made them more worried than ever about being obese, according to findings published recently in the journal Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases. That means an estimated 6.4 million thought about using either weight-loss surgery or prescription anti-obesity drugs for the first time, the researchers said. “We’ve definitely seen a significant rise in interest in weight-loss surgery and other underutilized treatments since obesity was linked to worse outcomes from COVID-19,” said co-researcher Dr. Shanu Kothari, immediate past president of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). “COVID-19 lit the match for many people to get healthier and protect themselves from severe disease, whether that be COVID-19, diabetes, or heart disease. Treating obesity, the source of so many of these diseases, is the best way,” Kothari said in an ASMBS news release. Nearly 1 out of 5 people (18%) said they were more likely to initiate a discussion about their weight specifically because of the added risk of severe COVID in the obese and overweight, survey results showed. Those numbers were even higher among Black (28%) and Hispanic (29%) Americans, as… read on > read on >

Women with mental illness have a risk for cervical cancer that’s twice as high as that for others, according to new research. Swedish researchers noted that women with mental illness, neuropsychiatric disability or substance abuse were also less likely to get screening tests that can detect cervical cancer. “Our results suggest that women with these diagnoses participate more seldom in screening programs at the same time as they have a higher incidence of lesions in the cervix,” said co-author Kejia Hu, a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Environmental Medicine at Karolinska Institute in Solna, Sweden. “We thus found that they have twice the risk of developing cervical cancer.” The study included more than 4 million women born between 1940 and 1995. Researchers calculated their risk of cervical cancer and precancerous cervical lesions, as well as women’s participation in screening programs. They compared women diagnosed with a substance use or mental health disorder or disability with women who did not have these diagnoses. Cancer risk was elevated with all of these diagnoses, researchers found, most of all with substance abuse. In 2020, the World Health Organization announced a global strategy for eliminating cervical cancer. It aims to screen 70% of women for the disease at least once before age 35 and twice before age 45. Unequal care is a major obstacle to reaching this goal,… read on > read on >

There’s nothing like the comfort and security of home. For many, a home is a place filled with fond memories of happy times. It’s no wonder older adults choose to extend their independence by trying to stay in their homes as they get older, an experience called aging in place. But as a person ages, what used to be ordinary in the home can be challenging or even a hazard. Almost one-third of older adults experience a fall. Among them, 55% fall inside the home and 23% fall outside the home, according to AARP. As a caregiver, it’s important to consider what you can do to make the home safe and accessible for an older loved one. “We’re hearing more from the caregivers that are modifying their home so their older relative can move in with them,” Sandy Markwood, chief executive of USAging, a national association of local Area Agencies on Aging, noted in a recent AARP article. Here are some ideas on what changes to the home could make a big difference. Hallway and stair safety AARP suggests checking the stairs to make sure they’re in good condition. Stairwells should be well-lit and there should be secure handrails on both sides. Remove throw rugs in the home. You should also declutter hallways, walkways and stair areas. To improve visibility inside the home at night,… read on > read on >

Children with autism are less likely than their peers to receive important vision screening despite a high risk for serious eye disorders, researchers report. Only about 36% of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) completed vision screenings during their health checkups, a new study found. That was far fewer than the 59% rate for children without ASD. In addition, the screening rate for Black children with ASD was just under 28%, compared with nearly 40% for white and multiracial kids, the findings showed. “I noticed that many of our patients with autism have never had vision screening, even though it’s recommended for all young children,” said senior author Dr. Brittany Perry, a pediatrician at the Nemours Swank Autism Center in Wilmington, Del. “So, I wanted to study whether this might be a broader disparity — whether kids with autism receive vision screening less often than other kids,” she added in a Nemours news release. Early childhood is crucial for vision development, as well as for early detection and treatment of eye problems, the study authors noted. For the study, Perry’s team examined data for more than 63,800 well visits across a primary care network in Delaware, Pennsylvania and Florida. Children were 3 to 5 years of age. In Florida, nearly 46% of kids with ASD had vision screening, compared to 28% each in Delaware and… read on > read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Gambling: When Does Play Become Addiction?

CBD for Anxiety: Can It Help?

The Most Common Anxiety Medications, Explained

Parts of Intestinal Scope Devices Can Break Off Inside Patients

E. Coli From Meat May Be Causing Many UTIs

Sen. John Fetterman Improving, Though Timing on Return to Work Still Unclear

COVID Pandemic Got More Americans Worried About Being Obese: Survey

Mental Health Woes Double Women’s Odds for Cervical Cancer

Injury-Proof Homes: Creating Safe Spaces for Older Adults

Kids With Autism Face Higher Odds of Vision Issues, But Many Don’t Get Screened

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