HealthSmart Q & A-23

Dear HealthSmart,

My 26-year-old daughter, who is dating, is very flat chested and believes she’d be more attractive with larger breasts. When she can afford it, she plans to have breast augmentation surgery. But I fear that if she gets implants, screening for breast cancer through mammography would be harder. 

HealthSmart asked Dr. Priscilla Slanetz, M.D., Associate Professor of Radiology at Harvard Medical School. Here’s her response:

Women with implants–whether saline or silicone–can be well screened through mammography. But it’s somewhat more challenging to obtain good images if implants are present, particularly if the implants are not behind the pectoral muscle. Also, the screening center needs to take eight pictures instead of the traditional four for women with implants, which can add to the discomfort of the mammogram and cause the test to last longer. But the images should be just as good.

 

Dear HealthSmart,

I’m a huge hiker and outdoors person. How can I avoid getting tick bites and contracting Lyme disease?

HealthSmart asked Dr. Anthony D’Onofrio, PhD, Director of Research and Operations, Antimicrobial Discovery Center at Northeastern University. Here’s his response:

There’s always a risk of tick bites when you’re doing outdoor activities in a forested area. Some regions—including the Northeast part of the country—have a high concentration of ticks. The best way to protect yourself is to wear clothing with lots of coverage. One good starting point is to wear long pants tucked into socks. Also, wear long sleeved shirts, gloves and a hat or scarf. After returning home from your outdoor activities, remember to check yourself for ticks—ideally before your shower and in front of a mirror. If you find a tick, remove it with a tweezer.

 

Dear HealthSmart,

How does exercise affect our brain health? Can I offset Alzheimer’s by exercising?

HealthSmart asked Dr. Kenneth Langa, MD-PhD. Professor of Internal Medicine at University of Michigan and lead author for JAMA Investigation “A Comparison of the Prevalence of Dementia in the United States in 2000 and 2012”. Here’s his response:

Exercise can definitely improve brain health. With activities as simple as walking, you increase blood flow to the brain and reduce inflammatory states within the body. Better yet, try walking with a friend and engaging in discussion to boost brain activity. If I had to boil advice down to my patients’ concerns about cognitive decline, it’s walk, talk, and read.

 

Do you have questions on health or wellness you’d like answered by the nation’s leading medical researchers? If so, you can send to Editor@WashNews.com. HealthSmart is a national newspaper column from the Washington News Service in DC. Due to demand, we are unable to reply to all inquiries. Responses through the column are no substitute for care from physicians or other medical professionals.

Copyright Ellen James Martin 2021

 

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