HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Does the Human Brain have Pain Receptors ?
Date: 9 Nov 92 15:46:06 GMT
Reply-To: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh Computer Science

In article <1992Oct30.232247.23149@ennews.eas.asu.edu> prado@enuxhb.eas.asu.edu (Louis A. Prado) writes:
>I am reasonably certain that the answer to the above question is NO.  But if
>that is the case why do people get headaches ?
>
>Do blood vessles, veins or arteries have pain receptors ?  
>

Yes.  The brain itself has no pain sensors, but the blood vessels,
meninges (coverings), skull, and scalp do.  Headaches are coming
from those structures.  That is why, contrary to popular belief,
brain tumors don't cause headache until they are large enough to
distort the brain structures considerably.  By the time your
brain tumor is large enough to cause a headache, you are in
quite a mess, usually.  

In migraines, it is probably the scalp that is the source of
most of the pain, even though it feels deeper.  Combing one's
hair with a migraine can be excruciating.

-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "I have given you an argument; I am not obliged
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  to supply you with an understanding." -S.Johnson
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Organisation: European Space Operation Centre (E.S.O.C)
Date: Friday, 13 Nov 1992 10:06:54 CET
From: <RFLOOD@ESOC.BITNET>
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Hard lumps under skin surface

This sounds as if it might be a mollusc wart. My stepson had quite a big 'un
some years ago. A local German skin specialist doctor diagnosed the problem
as an "artery under the skin about to burst " (yes, really !)  and sent us
to a hospital in a hurry........the doctor there just laughed when he heard
the skin doctor's diagnosis, gave the lump a big squeeze, and what happened
next was interesting (in a gross sort of way). He then disinfected the hole,
and it was gone in a few weeks.   I believe it's basically a virus infection
which results in a cavity under the skin which fills up with dead cells and
fats, and other substances. Feels quite hard, with a tender point on the skin.
You could always give it a little squeeze yourself and see what comes out.
(One tip: stand well back when doing this !)
RaF
From: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: How Often Are Placebo's Prescribed?
Date: 10 Nov 92 17:32:09 GMT
Reply-To: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh Computer Science

In article <1992Nov2.210203.14827@newstand.syr.edu> mdkline@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Mark D. Kline) writes:
>
>I believe it is unethical to lie to patients.  If you prescribe an
>inert placebo to the hysteric, and tell the pt, "don't take too many of
>these pills, they're really potent" the patient might have lots of side
>effects - and might benefit.  But in the lie (the unstated violation of
>the presumption that the potency is due to biological effect) the
>doctor patient relationship - always an imbalanced one, from the power
>standpoint - becomes a manipulative con.  It is the lie - implying that
>the effect is biological when its not - that does not sit well with
>me ethically.
>

Well, tell me what you think of this:  we take patients with
suspected pseudoseizures, and while hooked up to the EEG,
say "we are now going to inject you with a medication that
will probably cause you to have a seizure, so we can record
it.  In this other syringe, we have another medicine that
will instantly stop the seizure."  We then procede, and
quite often (usually, in fact), the patient will oblige
by going into their seizure (which the EEG records as
not being a real seizure) on injection of the first, and
quiets quickly on injection of the second.  This is a pretty
certain way of telling if people have pseudoseizures.  Without
it, we would have to leave them hooked up for hours and maybe
days, costing thousands of dollars (often at taxpayer's expense)
waiting for them to have one on their own.  Of course, some
of them are so suggestible, that you can say "look, I think
he's about to seize" and they will oblige, but the "medication"
(both syringes are saline solutions) works a lot more often.
Is this lying?  True it isn't medicine in the strict sense,
but it does do what I said it would.  What would your do, Mark?

Also, when I have a hysteric, I often prescribe physical
therapy, telling them, if you really work hard, you will
get better in a week or two.  With the right encouragement
from the therapist, this works quite often.  Is that lying?
They do often get better.

>The shamans and traditional healers of old were really con artists
>manipulating the placebo effect, imho.  Most of the new agers fail to
>realize this :) Modern medicine partakes of the same ancient and
>powerful forces, and lots of newer and more powerful ones.  I believe

Absolutely!  I think that accounts for much of the success of
the alternative practitioners as well.  The mind is a very
powerful thing.
-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "I have given you an argument; I am not obliged
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  to supply you with an understanding." -S.Johnson
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: cam@castle.ed.ac.uk (Chris Malcolm)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: GRAVITY-NEUTRALIZING CHAMBER
Date: 9 Nov 92 13:47:29 GMT
Organization: Edinburgh University

In article <1992Nov4.182934.2115@cnsvax.uwec.edu> mcelwre@cnsvax.uwec.edu writes:

>                                        Robert E. McElwaine
>                                        B.S., Physics and Astronomy, UW-EC

What kind of degree is a B.S.? What kind of institution is UW-EC?

Enquiring minds want to know!



-- 
Chris Malcolm    cam@uk.ac.ed.aifh          +44 (0)31 650 3085
Department of Artificial Intelligence,    Edinburgh University
5 Forrest Hill, Edinburgh, EH1 2QL, UK                DoD #205
From: jwabik@uc.msc.edu (Jeff Wabik)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Tonsilectomy ..
Keywords: Seeking info ..
Date: 10 Nov 92 21:57:15 GMT
Article-I.D.: uc.1992Nov10.215715.10472
Organization: Minnesota Supercomputer Center

I've been having lots of problems with my tonsils lately..    after
about 3 months and half a dozen different antibiotics, "they" tell me
its time to have 'em removed.  After my experiences with physicians
this past year, I'm sad to report that I have positively no confidence
or faith in these dispensors of snake oil any longer..  but, alas..  I
believe they must come out as well.

In conversations with the nurse after scheduling the procedure (for the
doctor was far too busy to speak with me himself), she painted what I
think is a rather gloomy post-operative state...  wanted me to plan to
take 10 days off work (!), indicated I'd spend at least the 3 days
following the procedure flat on my back since "I wont feel like
moving", and told me to expect 3 weeks of rather serious discomfort.
This sounded a bit extreme to me..  so I'm off seeking real-life
experiences and information.

If you can, please provide some commentary on the following:

1)  Did you have your tonsils removed as an adult?  If so, can you
    describe your recovery period/etc, and anything else about the
    procedure that stands out?  How long was it before you could 
    eat again?  What kind of "pain killers" did you use?  Were
    they effective?

2)  Describe the currently used tonsilectomy procedure?  The things
    that particularly interest me are:

       A) What do they use to render me unconscious?  What are
	  the side effects and risks?  How long does the effect
	  last?  What is it like to "come out of" the effect?
	  (I've never had surgury before.)

       B) How in the world do they manage to cut those babies out
	  of there?  How do they get down into your throat to 
	  actually get to the point where they can sever 'em?
	  What do they sever them with?

       C) How do they manage to keep your mouth open for the procedure?

       D) What is the "area" (i.e.  square inches, or whatever) of
	  connectivity between the tonsil and the throat lining?
	  That is -- say my tonisils are each the size of a kiwi 
	  fruit (which is pretty accurate, from the look of 
	  things)... Does the connectivity between the tonsil and 
	  the throat run the entire length of the tonsil, or, 
	  are they attached at some point on the tonsil with,
	  say, the cross-sectioned surface area of a dime?say 

       E) How do they stop the bleeding?

       F) How soon can I eat again?  They say I wont be able to eat
	  for 3 days -- does this mean, "it will mess up the 'wound'",
	  or, "its okay to eat if you can stand the pain, but, trust
	  us, you can't stand the pain."

       G) How "risky" is this procedure?  People have told me that
	  there are potentially serious complications for adults.. ?


Thanks for any help!  I hope this is the right place to ask these things.  :-)

     -Jeff

--
Jeff Wabik				E/Mail:	 jwabik@msc.edu
Minnesota Supercomputer Center 		AT&T:    +1 612 626 0211
Minneapolis, MN  			FAX:     +1 612 624 6550
From: rel@waikato.ac.nz
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Codeine and Headaches: Question !
Date: 11 Nov 92 11:52:46 +1300
Organization: University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

I would like to know if there is any alternative treatments for the numerous
headches which I get (4 a month approx). When I get a headache I use a pain
relief tablet know here in NZ as "Panadeine" which contains 500mg Paracetamol
and 8mg Codeine Phosphate. If I use straight Paracetamol there is no releif at
all. Asprin, and Ibuprofen (sp.?) do nothing at all either!
What I would like to know is there any redily availabe alternative to the
codeine as the buying of this drug is both expensive and getting harder due to
the booming "homebake" trade here.
I am at present visiting an osteopath to see if the headaches are due to neck
or back problems but so far he thinks not.
I can not pin-point any foods that trigger my headaches, I have gone without
alchohol but still the headaches persist.

Any comments, help etc. will be much appreciated.


Thanx in advance....

Rob Lieffering.

REL@Waikato.ac.nz
Newsgroups: sci.med,alt.psychoactives
From: rcain@netcom.com (Robert Cain)
Subject: Re: Zoloft (antidepressant) -- cost compared to Prozac?
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 04:18:44 GMT

All Benzos are addictive.  Valium in my experience carries a pleasure
component while Xanax does not, it just affects the anxiety and
slightly flattens mood.  I have had past addictions to both.  Neither
is pleasant to kick but I found Xanax to be far worse subjectively with
a much quicker withdrawal onset.  I once had to leave work and drive 50
miles home because I had forgoten my morning Xanax and was fairly in a
panic state by lunch.  Forget a Valium and you are more likely to just
feel the anxiety you are taking it for.  The heebie jeebies do
definitely come with Valium if you go cold turkey but it is not as
immediate as Xanax.  Never try to kick any benzo cold turkey.

Bob
-- 
Bob Cain    rcain@netcom.com   408-358-2007

        "One can learn to be alone, even enjoy it, but let intimacy
         break that solitude, even briefly, and one must start all
         over again."

                                                     Elia Kazan


               PGP 1.0 or 2.0 public key available on request.
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: SURGDM@mizzou1.missouri.edu
Subject: Re: GRAVITY-NEUTRALIZING CHAMBER
Organization: University of Missouri
Date: Fri, 06 Nov 92 16:28:20 CST

In article <2171@snap>
paj@uk.co.gec-mrc (Paul Johnson) writes:
>I just came over here from sci.energy.  McElwaine has posted stuff
>about perpetual motion there.  He's been posting these articles around
>all the sci groups for the last month or two.
>Come on Bob, I could do with a laugh.
 
You mean it's NOT true????? Damn!
 
 
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: ts@chainsaw.ecn.purdue.edu (Thomas Ruschak)
Subject: Filtration systems
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 05:20:39 GMT

	My girlfriend has bad allergies, and can rarely get a good night's
sleep. (She wakes up a lot, dreams of suffocation, etc). We went to Arizona
a couple of years ago, and the difference was dramatic.. She slept well,
had more energy, etc.. Unfortunately, we're in NY right now.. 

	Are there any easily-constructable ways of filtering air? The room
she sleeps in is small (8'x5' or less) Are there any not-terribly-expensive
ways of filtering that miuch air? It'd be nice if we could turn on a device
for a coulpe of hours before she goes to sleep that would take most of the
junk out of the air.. 

	I have a couple ideas --- mostly involving a device to suck in the
air & bubble it through water. Hopefully, someone out there has better ideas & 
more info...

	I don't normally read this group. If you have a kind heart and are
willing to share some knowledge with me, please send me mail.

Thanks!
Tom
From: werner@soe.berkeley.edu (John Werner)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: How do antidepressants work (was: Re: anxiety drugs)
Followup-To: sci.med
Date: 10 Nov 1992 21:48:59 GMT
Organization: UC Berkeley School of Education
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: 128.32.157.31

In article <1992Nov10.030016.0909188@locus.com>, Bob Yazz wrote:
> fs@cs.tulane.edu (Frank Silbermann) writes:
> | If so, is there a simple description of the mechanism
> | by which they are effective?
> 
> Both of these work, in substantial measure, by increasing the effectiveness
> of the brains natural serotonin "messages".

We know what the drugs do: inhibit serotonin reuptake, for example.  But
does anyone really know yet why altering serotonin levels helps alleviate
depression/ocd/whatever?  I'm curious.

--
John Werner                         werner@soe.berkeley.edu
UC Berkeley School of Education     510-642-9651
From: km@cs.pitt.edu (Ken Mitchum)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Appropriate treatment (was: War on cancer a failure???)
Date: 6 Nov 92 18:10:51 GMT
Reply-To: km@cs.pitt.edu (Ken Mitchum)
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh Computer Science

In article <1992Oct31.092606.23390@netcom.com> kaminski@netcom.com (Peter Kaminski) writes:
>Or is the population sampling you've done on Usenet and at malls and
>parties the best evidence you've got?

That's right. The doctors here on the net are a pretty perverse group.
Think of the hours they waste here that could be productively spent
robbing people blind with allopathic medical hokum.

 -km
From: yozzo@watson.ibm.com (Ralph Yozzo)
Subject: Re: Contact lenses and blood vessels in the eye!?
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 02:31:43 GMT
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM T.J. Watson Research Center

In article <1992Nov12.175945.3753@menudo.uh.edu> kattan@Jane.UH.EDU writes:
>
>I've been a soft contact lense wearer for 12 years.  At my last checkup, I was
>told I had a little bit of neovascularization, which is what I think you are
>talking about.  My eye doctor suggested I switch to gas permeable hard lenses,
>but they didn't fit right.  I went back to soft lenses, but must buy new lenses
>every year even if they don't appear to be dirty.  If the neo worsens, I have
>to go to disposable lenses.
>
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Mike Kattan // Decision and Information Sciences // University of Houston
>Houston, TX  77204-6282 // (713) 743-4734 // Fax: -4693 // kattan@uhupvm1
>=========================================================================

I am curious.  Is it standard procedure for eye doctors to 
warn new soft contact customers about neovascularization?

If so, I wonder what the conversation would be:
Doctor: Why do want contact lenses?
Patient: Because I want to look good.
Doctor: I must warn you that soft contact lenses can cause 
neovascularization.  This means that you can go blind.
Patient: Are there any alternative?
Doctor: Yes, eyeglasses are very safe.
Patient: Oh no, I would not look good.

When presented with a choice between putting a foreign substance in
my eye that can possibly cause blindness and "good looks"
versus  eyeglasses.  I choose the latter.  
(But to each his/her own.)


-- 
 Ralph Yozzo (yozzo@watson.ibm.com)  
 From the beautiful and historic Mid-Hudson Valley area of NY state
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: venkat@vidcom.csc.ti.com (Venkat Venkateswar)
Subject: Porous artificial knee joints for arthritis patients?
Organization: Texas Instruments
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 16:06:32 GMT



My father-in-law (a rheumatoid arthritis patient for about 10 years now),
is thinking of undergoing joint replacement in both knees. I have heard 
about porous joints and cemented joints. Most books on the subject deal
with cemented joints (perhaps because they have been around for longer).

If you have any information on porous joints - their merits, where to 
obtain them (my father-in-law is in India, and we are thinking of sending 
him the joints from the US), how much they cost, etc.,
pl. send me email at  venkat@vidcom.csc.ti.com. I will summarize to the net.


Thanks in advance,
Regards, 
Venkat



Newsgroups: sci.med
From: sdl@linus.mitre.org (Steven D. Litvintchouk)
Subject: Re: indigestion
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 20:56:03 GMT


In article <BxA6sC.Bz2@techbook.com> cathy@techbook.com (Cathy Gaupo) writes:

> I've heard the commercials that if you have indigestion very 
> often, you should see your doctor.  My boyfriend suffers a lot from it.
> Frequently, he has to take alka-setlzer or tums just to calm down the
> irritation and/or the flem.  So my question is what is the problem.
> I want to show him something about why he should see his doctor.
> Could someone one fill me in on this?
> If it's not that serious, should he wait until his next scheduled
> check-up?  Should he make an appointment sooner?  

Continual heartburn could be a symptom of an ulcer (or even something
worse).  Does the heartburn occur after eating, or before?  If it
occurs after eating, it might be simple esophageal reflux (stomach
acid backing up past the sphincter valve).  Some people's sphincter
valves don't close fully.  On the other hand, if the heartburn occurs
when the stomach is empty (say in the middle of the night or early
morning), then it could well be an ulcer.

Just in case, until your boyfriend does see a doctor, he should avoid
all products containing aspirin, ibuprofen, Naproxen, etc.  These pain
relievers are known gastric irritants that can cause/exacerbate
bleeding, in the event there is significant gastrointestinal
irritation and/or an ulcer present.  (But I believe that acetaminophen
is OK.)
 
Your boyfriend should tell his doctor that he has been using
Alka-Seltzer fairly regularly.  In which case, the doctor may order
some tests to determine if there has been any GI blood loss.

Finally, I believe that Tums/Rolaids are known to have significant
rebound effect.  That is, once they wear off, the heartburn can be
even worse than before.  Your boyfriend should consider a liquid
antacid like Maalox (non-constipating), or Amphogel (non-diarrheal).  



--
Steven Litvintchouk
MITRE Corporation
202 Burlington Road
Bedford, MA  01730

Fone:  (617)271-7753
ARPA:  sdl@mitre.org
UUCP:  linus!sdl
	"Where does he get those wonderful toys?"
From: nyeda@cnsvax.uwec.edu (David Nye)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Lyme Vaccine Begins Phase I Trials
Date: 10 Nov 92 15:24:23 -0600
Organization: University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

In article <1992Nov9.014815.6935@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu>, mcg2@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (Marc Gabriel) writes:
> Sigal has absolutely no credibility with Lyme folks.  Many believe that he is
> in bed with the insurance companies, telling them what they want to hear

Ah, a CONSPIRACY!  Seriously, I don't understand why patients with these
symptoms have such an emotional attachment to the idea of chronic Lyme.
The success rate when treated with antibiotics is low.  When these patients
are treated as fibromyalgia, the success rate is >80% by my own and Mike
Finkel's experience, as well as Dr Sigal's.  I can assure you that we are
not "in bed with the insurance companies".  Do you care more about winning
the ideological war than feeling better?  Why not seek treatment for possible
fibromyalgia?  What have you got to lose?

David Nye
nyeda@cnsvax.uwec.edu
From: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Ingesting urine
Date: 10 Nov 92 22:50:45 GMT
Reply-To: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh Computer Science

In article <30051@nntp_server.ems.cdc.com> jdelong@ems.cdc.com writes:
>
>So far, the only answer to the question "Is drinking urine harmful" I've
>been able to glean from this thread is "If you're a fetus, no."  So,
>what's the answer for the rest of us?

As long as your urine is sterile (most is, at least in males)
and you don't drink a significant fraction of your daily output,
I don't see what harm it would do.  Any toxins you re-ingest will
just be kicked out again by the kidney, and will be even more
concentrated the second time around.  Of course, if one
drank every drop of his own urine, he would defeat the kidney
and likely get sick fairly soon.  Of course there is utterly
no reason to suppose such a practice is healthful, other than
the fact it has an ancient tradition in India.

-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "I have given you an argument; I am not obliged
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  to supply you with an understanding." -S.Johnson
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xref: sparky sci.med:20927 sci.skeptic:19493
From: paj@uk.co.gec-mrc (Paul Johnson)
Newsgroups: sci.med,sci.skeptic
Subject: Re: Inoculation aggro
Date: 12 Nov 92 16:38:41 GMT
Reply-To: paj@uk.co.gec-mrc (Paul Johnson)
Organization: GEC-Marconi Research Centre, Great Baddow, UK

In article <alanf.721455246@bruce.cs.monash.edu.au> alanf@cs.monash.edu.au (Alan Grant Finlay) writes:
>Even on a community wide scale it is hard to assertain the risk parameters
>of mass innoculation.

A more interesting problem is as follows:

Suppose that there is a contageous disease with a 10% mortality rate
(kills 10% of the unvaccinated population during an epidmic).  A
vaccine exists, but there is a 0.01% mortality rate from bad reactions
to the vaccine.  Obviously if the whole population is vaccinated then
the death rate drops from 10% to 0.01%.  But supposing that
vaccination is optional.  What is the best stratagy for an individual?

If no one else gets a vaccination then there will be an epidemic.  So
the best course is to get a vaccination, thereby reducing the chance
of death from 10% to 0.01%.

If everyone else gets a vaccination then there will be no epidemic and
ones chance of catching the disease is zero.  Hence one's best course
of action is not to get vaccinated, thereby reducing the chance of
death from 0.01% to 0%.

So the best thing for an individual to do is the opposite of everyone
else.  The changeover occurs when a sufficient proportion of the
population has been vaccinated to prevent an epidemic.

So your best course of action is probably a scare program: tell them
that there are lots of unvaccinated people and sooner or later there
will be an epidemic.  If you can push the idea of vaccination as a
social duty that might help, depending on your target population.

Paul.

-- 
Paul Johnson (paj@gec-mrc.co.uk).	    | Tel: +44 245 73331 ext 3245
--------------------------------------------+----------------------------------
These ideas and others like them can be had | GEC-Marconi Research is not
for $0.02 each from any reputable idealist. | responsible for my opinions
Newsgroups: sci.med