HY 07/06: To Your Health | Lehigh Valley Hospital

To Your Health

Pain Relief Without the Drugs

With Vioxx and other popular pain medications now off the market, arthritis sufferers are encouraged to look beyond the drugstore. “Acupuncture is recommended for treatment of osteoarthritis and can relieve both pain and inflammation,” says medical acupuncturist Eric Goldman, D.O., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. An acupuncturist inserts tiny needles into specific areas of the body, sending signals to the brain that stimulate the body's natural pain relievers. For more on how acupuncture relieves a variety of conditions, call 610-402-CARE. Watch for a full story in the next issue. Click here to Ask Our Expert

Infertility Increasing in Young Women

The number of infertile couples has risen from 6.1 million in 1995 to 7.3 million in 2002, with more women under 25 affected. “These are prime child-bearing years,” says fertility specialist Albert Peters, D.O., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “We’re concerned that exposure to workplace and environmental toxins could be a problem for men and women. Couples trying to conceive should limit exposure to heavy metals, plastics, mercury in food, lead in old housepaint, and pesticides in yards or well water. They should also avoid alcohol and tobacco smoke.”

Are Kiddie Walkers Safe?

Pop your baby into that well-known contraption and she can wheel herself safely around the house—right? Not quite. Walkers cause fewer injuries than they did before safety standards (such as brakes) were added in 1997. But pediatricians like Moshe Markowitz, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network say they’re still a bad idea. They don’t teach walking and may actually delay it, and babies can use them to reach a stove or other dangerous objects.

“It’s best to let babies learn to walk and crawl on their own,” he says. “If you need a contained area, use a padded playpen/ bassinet combination, or circular gates that function like an indoor fence.”