Latest health news: How neck pain could be eased by a beam of light, fish and tomatoes can slow prostate cancer, and Wii can help the elderly

Light relief: Lasers may help neck pain, according to a study


Neck pain eased by beam of lightLow intensity lasers may help treat neck pain, according to a new Australian study.

Results for the non-invasive treatment were comparable to those for other treatments, including painkillers and anti-inflammatories.

In the study, 820 patients with neck pain were given the therapy, which involves firing low-power laser beams at the back or side of the neck, where the pain is located.

The lasers penetrate the skin to a depth of several centimetres, but are not painful and do not generate damaging heat.

Patients with acute neck pain experienced an immediate reduction in pain, while those with chronic neck pain improved over the five months following treatment, say the researchers from the University of Sydney, Australia.

The treatment works by tackling compounds that cause inflammation.
Eat fish and tomato to slow prostate cancer
Tomato sauce and oily fish have been shown to help slow the progress of prostate cancer.

The disease was less likely to spread when patients ate large amounts of these foods, say American researchers.

In the new study, more than 1,000 men with prostate cancer had their post-diagnosis diets examined. Those who ate the most fish (more than twice a week) had a 27 per cent lower risk of the disease spreading than those who ate the least.

Patients who had tomato sauce more than twice a week had a 44 per cent lower risk.

Cooked tomatoes contain large amounts of the antioxidant lycopene. This is believed to protect against free radicals, molecules that can damage cells.

Oily fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, which may help block the migration of cancer cells into other areas, such as the bone marrow.

Wii helps elderly stay on their feet
Using a Wii balance board could reduce the risk of falls among the elderly.

The board, which you stand on, is used with the Nintendo game console; it works by interpreting your balance and motion as you play a particular game (for instance, downhill skiing).

Now, an Australian study has found it is as effective at identifying people at risk of a fall as existing laboratory-based equipment - at a fraction of the cost.

One in three people aged over 65 suffers a serious fall at least once a year. The problem is that the nerves most distant from the brain, such as in the foot, tend to decline in activity as we get older.

This makes it harder for the brain to make the split-second adjustments needed to stop the body from toppling over. Those at higher risk can take preventative measures, such as weight-bearing exercise.


Bad things that can be good for you: Smoking

Not all bad: Smoking can ease the symptoms of ulcerative colitis


Smoking actually eases the symptoms of ulcerative colitis - a condition that affects around 120,000 Britons and is thought to be caused by the immune system attacking healthy bacteria in the bowel, leading to inflammation.

As Dr Ian Shaw, a consultant gastroenterologist at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, says: 'It's unconventional, but research shows that patients' colitis symptoms worsen when they stop smoking.'

Nicotine is believed to increase the amount of mucus on the surface of the large intestine, acting as a protective barrier against bacteria.

It may also inhibit the body's inflammatory response.

However, doctors do not advise patients to start smoking, because it can cause heart and lung disease.

RACHEL ELLIS

Drink a flavoured hot drink such as tomato soup to get rid of a cold quicker. ‘A sweet or sour taste increases mucus production and salivation, which help wash away viruses and bacteria,’ says Professor Ron Eccles, director of the Common Cold Research Centre at Cardiff University.


source: dailymail