Harvard Women's Health Watch articles from November 2005

Harvard Women's Health Watch archives from November 2005

Digital mammography better for some women.(for breast cancer)
November 1, 2005... New technology helps see through breast tissue that can hide cancers. In recent years, advanced imaging technologies, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound, and digital imaging have been used in breast cancer screening. But...

Exercises for aching hands.(strengthening exercises)
November 1, 2005... Putting hands through their paces can help relieve pain and prevent injury. Painful hands can affect everything from the way we work and play to how we communicate and express ourselves. The most common cause of hand pain is arthritis....

The lowdown on thyroid slowdown.(hypothyrodism)
November 1, 2005... Hypothyroidism can cause a host of health problems. Fortunately, the condition can be easily diagnosed and treated. Midlife can bring subtle changes in our skin, hair, energy, weight, and even mental outlook. Before writing them off as...

In brief; Trial to test hormone therapy in younger women.(estrogen and progestin clinical trial)
November 1, 2005... Researchers at several centers around the country, including Harvard Medical School's Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, are seeking healthy women, ages 42-58, to participate in the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS). This...

Clinical guidelines; Neurology experts rank treatments for essential tremor.
November 1, 2005... Chances are you know someone who has essential tremor, or maybe you have it yourself. About 10 million women and men in the United States have the condition, which causes the hands and head to shake and the voice to quaver. The actress...

By the way, doctor; My Pap tests show insufficient cells. What does that mean?(not the risk of cancer)
November 1, 2005... Q. For two years in a row, the lab that handles my Pap smears has reported "insufficient cell count." My doctor says it's nothing to worry about, but my health insurance company considers these "abnormal" Paps and has put me in a higher-risk...

By the way, doctor; Are the antibiotics in poultry dangerous?(causing diarrhea in humans)
November 1, 2005... Q. Some brands of fresh chicken claim to be healthier because they're antibiotic-free. Are the antibiotics in chicken unsafe to eat? What are they for? A. It's not the antibiotics that are harmful; it's the resistant bacteria created by...