Johns Hopkins Health Alert
Did You Know? Here Are Some Healthy Living Short Takes to Help You Maintain Your Health.
Read these healthy living tips on saving teeth enamel, alternative therapy for stress incontinence and overactive bladder.
- Healthy Living Short Take #1: Saving your tooth enamel. Acidic foods and drinks such as fruit juice, soft drinks, pickles, yogurt and wine can soften tooth enamel for a short time. Brushing while enamel is soft can wear away this protective coating and make your teeth more vulnerable to decay. Saliva restores the pH balance in the mouth but it can take longer to work after acidic foods or several soft drinks are consumed. The Academy of General Dentistry suggests chewing sugar-free gum to stimulate saliva flow or rinsing your mouth with water for 30 seconds after eating a heavily acidic meal.
- Healthy Living Short Take #2: Alternative therapy for stress incontinence. Although surgery is the most effective treatment for stress urinary incontinence (leakage caused by a cough or exertion), collagen injections may be a better option for women with health problems or commitments that preclude a lengthy convalescence. After one year, the success rate of collagen was 19 percent lower than that of surgery, but immediately following treatment, women who received collagen were happier with their treatment, perhaps owing to fewer side effects: 63 percent of women reported at least one side effect after surgery compared with 36 percent of women who received collagen.
- Healthy Living Short Take #3: Overactive bladder. Contrary to popular belief, the bladder does not shrink with age. Researchers found that there was no difference in the bladder capacity of 90 women between the ages of 22 and 90. The results suggest that the increased need to urinate as you get older may be caused by overactive bladder, a condition linked to aging in which bladder muscles go into spasm before the bladder has completely filled. Overactive bladder can be treated with bladder retraining exercises, less fluid intake, and medications.
Posted in Healthy Living on August 1, 2006
Reviewed June 2011
Medical Disclaimer: This information is not intended to substitute for the advice of a physician. Click here for additional information: Johns Hopkins Health Alerts Disclaimer
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Perhaps you should bet a "second opinion" from a Johns Hopkins doctor. The most direct way is for your physician to call the Hopkins Access Line at 1-800-765-5447 (within the continental U.S.) or 410-955-9444 (within the Baltimore area). You may also call to make an appointment yourself at 410-955-5464 (within Maryland), or 443-287-6585 (outside of Maryland, but within the U.S.). Hope this helps!
Posted by: Marjorie | August 30, 2007 9:58 AM
Before resorting to surgery, it's a good idea to try exercises that can strengthen the pelvic floor to address leakage issues. Gentle exercises from the Feldenkrais® Method, for example, train your brain to utilize the muscles of the pelvic floor in new ways which can address incontinence issues. You can easily do the exercises in the privacy of your own home by following instructions on a CD. For more information, please visit http://www.highfunctionfeldenkrais.com.
Posted by: bpalmer | March 30, 2010 3:11 PM
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Hello, I'm a 77 year old male with Sciatica Pain on my right back and leg. From the discription I received that my nerve is being pinched by a didk. A orthopedic surgeon suggested an operation. I don't want to do this and am looking for alternatives because I have had heart surgery and do not wish to have full anesthesia. I read in your Health After 50 to which I subscribed that Micro surgery type operation with a local is being considered. Can you give please give me some information on this. Thank you. Aslow
Posted by: aslow | August 14, 2007 6:06 PM