Tampa Bay Times from St. Petersburg, Florida • 55

Wednesday, December 30, 2009 St. Petersburg Times PAS PAID ADVERTISEMENT PAID ADVERTISEMENT OPINION tampabay.comopinion Treating Leaky Bladders Can Help Improve Women's Health Guest column I Dr. Rao Musunuru delines dicalgui Your guide I me After all she had heard and read recently in the news about differing opinions on cancer screening, my wife asked me: "What is wrong with you doctors? What is the public to do when the experts cannot I 1 make up their minds and do not agree with each other?" Here is my attempt to explain. Guidelines (that is what they are Musunuru origin of the disease, for example 1 obesity and smoking, is the best; and the most cost-effective. 1 Family history and advancing age are the common risk factors' (for a lot of ailments) that one cannot change and one may notr want to change.

Good family his-( tory still remains the best and cheapest initial genetic test People always fear that ther government and the insurance; companies may misuse the new? information and new recommendations especially as cost-; cutting and money-saving mea-f sures. Also, the experts may go overboard at times, for example discouraging women from self breast examination, as it may, lead to unnecessary tests and unintended consequences. Just as many people may feel; relieved with the relaxed recom-j mendations. Some of you mayi have hoped for new guidelines soj that you do not have to do daily flossing or have a colonoscopy.) But they will fall under prevent tioa 1 There is one guideline withi which I strongly agree: Followt your personal physicians' person-i cholesterol. Lower cholesterol reduces heart attacks.

So estrogen must protect the heart like it does in menstruating women. After decades of population studies and spending millions of dot realized that estrogen in postmenopausal women caused more harm than good by increasing the incidence of breast cancer and blood clots. So the recommendation changed. Whether. we like it or not, cost always comes into the picture, even in the days of the best economy.

Any practicing physician can recall a number of anecdotal cases where a routine preoperative chest X-ray picked up lung cancer (in early stages, if the patient is lucky). But medical organizations including the American Cancer Society do not recommend routine chestX-ray as a screening measure, even in chronic smokers. Because it is not cost-effective in a public health perspective. Prevention is sometimes confused with screening, especially in political debates. Screening involves a test to detect the existing disease in early stages Prevention involves measures to prevent the development of a disease (primary prevention) and to halt the progression of the disease or prevent recurrence after initial treatment (secondary prevention), mostly by controlling risk factors, if possible.

Prevention is always cost-effective. Primordial prevention, which is preventing the development of risk factors that contribute to the called Renessa" may be an option. With a small device is inserted into the urethra to gently heat small areas of tissue at the base of the bladder. This heating causes natural collagen in the tissue to become firmer, which can decrease leaks. Treatment can be performed in a doctor's office in about an hour, and women can safely resume activities the same or next day.

Treatment effect is typically seen within 60 to 90 days. Overall, about 70 to 75 of patients are improved. "I like being able to offer a treatment option that doesn't involve the hospital," said Dr. David Jacob, one of several local physicians offering Renessa. "With Renessa, you use the body's natural ability to repair itself.

The procedure is very easy. It's a win win for everybody patients and doctors." Most side effects with Renessa are mild, typically resolve within a few weeks after treatment, and may include pain on urination, blood-tinged urine, urinary tract infection, inability to empty the bladder, or worsening incontinence. For a complete list of side effects, consult a doctor who offers Renessa. "With Renessa, what was a difficult situation in so many respects is now no longer an issue," said Laurie. "Don't wait.

Get treated. Don't let SUI interfere with your life." For more information on Renessa or to find a doctor near you, visit www.tamparenessa.com or call 888-867-1201. Millions ofwomen suffer from stress urinary incontinence (SUI), the leakage of urine when laughing, coughing, sneezing, or performing other activities. What many don't realize is that SUI isn't just an annoyance it's a medical condition that, left untreated, can have serious consequences. "SUI definitely interfered with my day-to-day activities," said Laurie a 46-year-old Fort Lauderdale resident.

"I started to do less with my family. I stopped exercising. I stayed home more and more." "I was very distressed about my SUI," said Evelyn 62, who also lives in Fort Lauderdale. "It was causing a lot of anxiety." Isolation, anxiety, and depression are some of the many health risks that can be associated with SUI. The condition can also limit or stop a person's participation in enjoyable activities, thus negatively impacting social andor work situations.

Leaky bladders make exercising difficult, which can lead to weight gain. Wet skin due to constant leakage may be associated with skin rashes and skin infections. SUI can also increase the risk of repeated urinary tract infections. The health impact of SUI is often great, and effective treatment can make a real difference. Sometimes, special exercises or lifestyle changes are suggested, but these options may not be enough.

And many women don't want the risks and long recovery time associated with surgery. In these cases, a new non-surgical treatment guidelines, not rules, not laws, and not applicable to every person) are based on the population studies, which are observations, not experiments over a long period of time, like decades. The recommendations tend to change, depending on new observations and findings. Whenever the recommendations change, some of the old guard will try to resist, sometimes for justifiable reasons. The government (even though it ends up getting the blame many times) does not control the findings and recommendations of the physicians and scientists, even though it may have contributed millions of dollars to support these studies.

Not long ago, the cardiology community, including the American Heart Association, recommended hormone replacement therapy with estrogen, as a protective measure for postmenopausal women. It seemed to make sense. Estrogen lowers alized recommendations, depend-; ing on your individual situatioa; You have a personal physician you trust, don't you? If you do not have or cannot afford one, that is. a whole different discussion. Dr.

Rao Musunuru, a practicing car-; sory Council for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at the National Institute of Health. Share your opinions go to tampabay.comletters Your letters 'Patient names have been changed. i V- K.v The Pasco Times welcomes letters from readers for publication. Because of space limitations, letters should be of reasonable length (250-300 words maximum as a rule). Letters may be edited for clarity, taste and length.

All letters must be signed and must contain the writer's address and telephone number. Addresses and telephone numbers will not be printed. Send your letter to Pasco Times, 11321 U.S. 19, Port Richey, FL 34668, or by fax to (727) 869-6233 or go to tampabay.comletters. Fill out the form to supply us with your personal information, the subject line, and type your letter in the space provided.

You can also cut and paste a letter that you have prepared elsewhere in your computer. When you are done, hit the button that says "Submit My Letter." Charge is ruled out in killing I Dec. 23 article Self-defense law needs change Accolades for Times staff writer Molly Moorhead for her analysis of the NRAs self-defense law that isn't about self-defense. Shooting and knifings with no witnesses that cause death or serious injury are being dismissed, several in the bay many more all over Florida. Why? The NRA and our Legislature have now decreed only the NRA can make these decisions and not a jury.

Makes sense since our Legislature has decreed for the NRA where guns are allowed that they should also allow the NRA to decide legality of use. Despite the fact our previous common law of self-defense was working just fine, it sent shooters to court and a jury decided if the act was justified, the NRAfelt the man with the gun deserved special treatment and got it The problem with this new law: if there are no witnesses, the statement by the shooter that heshe felt threatened and had to defend himself can't be challenged in court! This leaves a prosecution with no case and this is why the prosecutor in the case of Lillian Fahrer simply dropped the charges as a defense attorney could tear him to pieces quoting the jury Stand Your Ground statutes. Under our old law this would have been sent to a jury and most likely she would have been acquitted. The NRA claims juries are just out to convict gun owners who defended themselves with a gun and that's why the NRA wanted the Legislature to eliminate the jury. It's turned into a defense attorney's dream and a prosecutor's nightmare.

In a self-defense case in Florida without wit- nesses, all charges are dropped. You should Google "University of Miami law 2008 stand your ground law" for the first page of a professional study of the first three years of this disastrous law in Florida by the University of Miami. We will forge ahead to get his law amended based on the University of Miami law study. Arthur C. Ilayhoe, Wesky Chapel Red-lightcameras are extortion Well, here we go again with people wanting the Pasco County Commission to install red-light cameras.

Masquerading as a Republican commissioner, Ann Hilde-brand, who in three decades as a commissioner has never once seen a tax or fee she has not supported, is "intrigued, the concept sounded like a cool deal" to install red-light cameras to raise money for redistribution. 1 I no longer patronize any type of business in Port Richey. This is a loss of business to their restaurants of at least five meals a week and one or two trips to the mall. I am a safe and attentive driver, but a short yellow can catch you in the middle of a $150 revenue-raising intersection. This is nothing but extortioa John Altken, New Port Richey Would like to help those who help us Is there a fund account (hopefully a nonprofit tax-deductible account) to which people can donate to help the firefighters in Pasco? My family would be happy to help them out since they are not getting raises next year.

We would also like to know if there I 4 is a fund for the police, who I know often use their own money to help citizens they run across in their day-to-day dealings with the public in Pasco County. I am not talking about funds they can use to give themselves parties, but money that actually helps the firefighter or police officer in their life or they cari use to help truly needy people they would otherwise use their own money to help. We gave $2,000 to Suncoast Animal League earlier this year to purchase the face masks to fit animals in Pasco County, that are caught in house fires. Carmen Blakely, Lutz mififf) 1lfi.i -Iifij-V ll()f Wesley Chapel Office: 26240 Golden Maple Loop Wesley Chapel, FL 33543 Pasco Times )) fa STAFF Bill Stevens North Suncoast editor Bridget Hall Grumet City editor CT.Bowen Editorof editorials Port Richey Office: TI321U.S.19 Port Richey, FL 34668 NEWS W.Pasco News (727)869-6238 Wesley Chapel Bureau (813)909-4606 Weddings (800) 333-7505 ext 8735 Port Richey FAX (727)869-6233 Wesley Chapel FAX (813)909-4611 EMAIL THE PASCO TIMES pascosptimes.com UndaRaab North Suncoast marketing manager Regional circulation manager North Suncoast JimLThompson DELIVERY Call to subscribe, report delivery problems, for billing inquiries, vacation hold or other customer service. For redelivery of paper call 6 a.m.-10 a.m.

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