News Herald from Port Clinton, Ohio • 7

atWELLNESS News Herald, Port Clinton, Ohio, Saturday, April 15, 1995 Study bears out chiropractic benefits Videoconference examines problems, solutions to obesity By MARCIA JESS County Extension Agent Family and Consumer Sciences All health practitioners including weight loss counselors, corporate wellness directors, registered dieti drugs such as oral steroids and antidepressant medications are not recommended for acute low back problems, nor is traction, injections, surgery or expensive diagnostic services, among other common problems. If the federal guideline is followed, the end result will be significant savings to local business and industry. More importantly, it will provide quicker, safer relief from painful low back problems for millions of Americans. According to health-care experts, as many as 80 percent of Americans wUl suffer from back pain at some point in their lives, back symptoms are the most common cause of disability for Americans under age 45 and 20 percent of all American military discharges are due to low tians, dietetic technicians, nurses and home economists are invited to a videoconference on April 20. The program, originating live from Iowa State University, is titled "Obesity What Do We Know?" It is the 24th annual conference in the Current Issues in Nutrition series.

Topics to be discussed include genetic factors in obesity, physical health consequences of obesity and weight loss, cultur- Ohio seniors offered free eye screenings alpsychosocial considerations of obesity and nutritional implications of fat replacers. Participants will learn about the current research on obesity issues and increase their ability to work with clients and patients for weight management. Four experts in the field of obesity will present information in a panel format. They are: Arlen Prices, M.D., Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania; F. Xavier Pi-Suny-er, M.D., M.P.H., chief of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition at St.

Luke's Hospital in New York; Ellen Parham, Ph.D, R.D., Department of Human and Family Resources at Northern Illinois University; and Craig Hassel, Ph.D., associate professor and Extension Nutritionist from the University of Minnesota. Speakers will answer questions called in from the viewing audience. A variety of health practitioners, weight loss counselors and corporate wellness coordinators will find the conference particularly helpful. Registered dietitians, dietetic technicians, dietary managers and certified home economists each will receive five CEU's for attendance at this workshop. The program will be held on April 20, from 11 a.m.

to 5 p.m. at the Northwest District Extension Center, 952 Lima Findlay. The registration fee is $30 per person. For information, contact Margaret Griffiths at the Northwest District Extension Office at (419 422-6106. back pain.

The implications of this exhaustive study are clear. Employers should offer chiropractic coverage in their health insurance plans, and managed-care health plans should allow patients direct access to doctors of chiropractic. Chiropractors are not only best qualified to provide spinal manipulation, which has been proven so effective for acute low back problems, they also have been extremely effective with other types of health problems. Chiropractic procedure is drugless and non-surgical, which makes if safer for the patient and less costly for the health system. Dr.

Keith Seibert is a chiropractor in Port Clinton. sponsored by the Ohio Department of Aging, the Ohio Association of Area Agencies on Aging, the Ohio Hospital Association and the Ohio Department of Health and Prevent Blindness Ohio. For more information on the program call 1-800-222-EYES. Blood in urine Associated Press The sight of blood in the urine or "hematuria" is a signal for an immediate visit to the doctor. The cause of hematuria varies according to age.

In children, blood in the urine can be due to a variety of kidney diseases, inherited kidney blockage, kidney infections or even kidney stones. Tumors in children are rare. In young adults, urinary infections often cause hematuria. These infections usually cause By KEITH SEIBERT, DC Special to th Newt Herald A recent study by the federal government which validates spinal manipulation as a recommended initial treatment for acute low back problems in adults should give consumers good reason to demand chiropractic coverage in their health plans. It should also convince local employers to offer low-cost, nonsurgical chiropractic treatment in their companies' health insurance.

Hie new study, released Dec. 8, 1994 and conducted by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, concludes that spinal manipulation is a recommended and effective form of initial treatment for acute low Daily workout it- 1 requires immediate attention ariimfiiiii Tit' (in I MARCIA JESS cells. The abnormal blood cells can damage the kidney, resulting in bloody urine.

In adults over 40, bloody urine that is not accompanied by painful urination is reason to suspect a bladder polyp or tumor. The incidence of bladder cancer in such cases is about 15 percent. Smoking is a risk factor for the development of bladder cancer. Someone who sees blood in the urine should see a physician, preferably a urologist. OUR SERVICES INCLUDE: EMERGENCY OUTPATIENT SURGERY PHYSICAL THERAPY SPORTS MEDICINE MEDICAL SURGICAL INTENSIVE PEDIATRICS ONCOLOGY CARDIOLOGY RADIOLOGY LABORATORY RESPIRATORY PHARMACY DIETETICS State Rep.

Darrell Opfer, D-Oak Harbor, announced that free eye health screenings for Ohio's seniors will be offered throughout the state from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 22. The screenings will be held in hospital settings, with trained physicians and medical staff on site. Seniors interested in the screening should call 1-800-SAV-SITE (1-800-728-7483) for the participating hospitals nearest them. "I encourage all seniors in my district to take advantage of these free screenings," Opfer said.

Seniors will be screened for glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration. In addition to tests for these three conditions common among older adults, physicians will also test participants to determine distance and near vision. Physicians will immediately refer older adults with abnormalities for further testing and eye care. The Prevent Blindness Ohio organization will call seniors to ensure that they receive any needed medical test or treatment. The screenings are sponsored by the Ohio Ophthalmologic Society in conjunction with the second annual Senior Eye Health Screening Day.

Members of the Society donate their time and equipment for this free screening as a public service to older adults in Ohio. The 1995 Ohio Ophthalmologic Society Senior Health Day is co- in the bathtub or shower. Use a bathmat with a non-skid backing on slippery floors. "Just because you age doesn't mean you have to be off balance," Cohen said. "A combination of exercise, therapy and safety can greatly improve symptoms of painful urination.

Such infections are more common in young women than in young men. As they usually are clustered around sexual activity, they are sometimes called "honeymoon cystitis." Antibiotics usually cure the condition. In African-Americans, the sickle cell trait can cause bloody urine. While two sickle cell genes are required for sickle cell disease to occur, the presence of a single gene can lead to abnormalities of the red blood BUSINESS PHONES 734-3131 back problems in adults the most common health complaint experienced by working Americans today. It is a condition which costs the economy at least $50 bil KEITH SEIBERT lion a year in lost wages and productivity.

The AHCPR panel a 23-member committee of medical doctors, nurses, doctors of chiropractic, experts in spine research, physical therapists, a psychologist, an occupational therapist and a consumer representative concluded, among other things, that prescription ft 2 4 --jam Cohen works on "retraining" her patients' balance. "It's difficult for them to find their center of balance, so we encourage walking. In therapy, we play games and do exercises, such as catching a ball that retrain the vestibular system and the brain," she said. "We teach them new ways to balance." Cohen advises her patients, when walking for exercise, to: Move the head side to side to learn to maintain balance. Walk with a friend for company and safety.

Walk in a well-lighted area. Wear comfortable walking shoes. She recommends consulting a physician before starting an exercise program, especially if there are previous medical problems. Since DEA can cause falls, Cohen suggests patients: Get rid of throw rugs. Wear flat rubber-soled shoes and bedroom slippers.

Plug in night-lights where needed. Use sturdy handholds such as heavy furniture. Install grab bars in the bathtub or shower. Put a rubber mat or strips Providence Care Center main dining room. The program is free and open to the public.

A complimentary continental breakfast will be served. For information, call Providence Care Center at 627-CARE. "i I Iff News HeraldDARYN SLOVER As part of the daily Wellness Program at the U.S. Coast Guard Station in Marblehead, Coast Guardsmen play a game of basketball during lunch time. Seven days a week, from 11:30 a.m.

to 1 p.m., guardsmen can participate in a variety of activities ranging from weightlifting to football. Petty Officer Sean Fennell, the cook at the station, is in charge of the program. Clockwise from the foreground is Seaman Apprentice Rony Guija, Chief Petty Officer Jeff Mallory, Fireman Apprentice Dale Shafer, Seaman Apprentice Brian Trondson and Petty Officer Eric Gluszek. ESggw. Difficulty in maintaining balance another hazard of growing older 615 Fulton Street, Port Clinton, OH 43452 PATIENT PHONES 732-2193 GENERAL VISITING HOURS 1-8 P.M.

tin av-w-K i Puffing lives back HOUSTON As they age, people expect a slight loss of hearing or sight, but few foresee problems with balance. "It's known as disequilibrium of aging," said Dr. Helen Cohen, an assistant professor of otorhi-nolaryngology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. "As they get older, people become less active, which can sometimes affect balance. They tend to walk unsteadily as if they've had too much to drink." Disequilibrium of aging (DEA) is seen mostly in people older than 60.

It may account for why some elderly people fall, which often leads to more serious complications. As people age, Cohen said, "their hearing goes a little, their sight goes a little so why should their sense of balance be any different? "DEA occurs because the cenr tral nervous system begins losing cells. Things just don't work as efficiently," she said. "Sight, hearing and memory may also diminish." About 20 percent of the population may have some type of disorder of the vestibular labyrinth, the system that monitors the positions and movement of the head before relaying the information to the brain. St.

Francis Health Care Centre Brain Injury Program Spinal Cord Injury Program Neuro Rehabilitation Program Orthopedic Rehabilitation Program Adaptive Driving Program Back-to-Work Program VocAssist Program Rehab Technology Program mm i A i- iff- ii if Depression in older adults focus of Providence education program 401 North Broadway Street Green Springs, Ohio 44836 (419)639-2626 SANDUSKY The Providence Care Center will sponsor another community education program. On Tuesday, April 18, Rob Alford, from Psychological Associates will speak on Depression in the Older Adult The program will be at 10 a.m. in the Sponsored by the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, St. Louis, Missouri..