Health

Most of us want to believe in “miracle” cures. But if it sounds too good to be true, it is.

Weight-loss formulas
The National Institutes of Health warns against taking any drug combos sold without U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, including herbal mixes that promise big results. “The problem is that many contain stimulants and may be dangerous for people with underlying heart disease, high blood pressure, and other chronic illnesses they may not be aware of,” says Marc Siegel, MD, a New York City physician and author of False Alarm: The Truth About the Epidemic of Fear. “And you may not know how much stimulant youre getting.” Its far better to ask your doctor about FDA-approved appetite suppressants or, best of all, exercise and watch what you eat.

Arthritis fixes
Copper bracelets, shark cartilage, honey-and-vinegar mixtures, magnets. If only they would cure arthritis. But it just isnt so, Siegel says. In fact, copper can cause an allergic reaction. Although theres no cure for arthritis, rest, exercise, heat, and drugs recommended by your doctor can help.

Colon cleansers
Colonics have been hawked as everything from a toxin remover to a cancer cure. But they only do what your intestinal system does already. Enemas, laxatives, or passing a rubber tube through your rectum and pumping water in and out can be expensive and dangerous. “Theres no evidence that colon cleansing is necessary,” Siegel says. And experts say long-term cleansing can cause anemia, malnutrition, infection, intestinal damage, and even heart failure.

Alzheimers cures
Removing silver fillings, zapping your brain with electricity, or taking smart pills wont keep your memory intact, says Stephen Barrett, MD, a retired psychiatrist who operates www.quackwatch.org. “Reputable drugs for slowing memory loss are only in their infancy. If brain tissue is dead, you cant revive it with something in a bottle.”

Your jaw pops like a bowl of Rice Krispies—in meetings, at mealtime, during candlelight moments. Is it a joint that needs fixing, or just an annoying sound you can live with? Most body noises, although embarrassing, are harmless, but occasionally theyre a signal that somethings not quite right. Here, we decode what your body is telling you—from top to bottom—and what to do about it.

Snuffling and snorting
Why: Youre congested. The noises are typically the result of mucus thats blocking the flow of air in your nose, says David Brodner, MD, an ear, nose, and throat specialist in Boca Raton, Fla., and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Otolaryngology.

What to do: Flushing with a saline rinse can clear excess mucus that comes with a common cold or seasonal allergies, says Melissa Pynnonen, MD, assistant professor of otolaryngology at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor. Several brands of saline rinse are available at drugstores, or mix up your own saline with eight ounces of warm water and one-quarter teaspoon salt. Put half of the solution in each nostril using a syringe or nasal spray bottle; itll flow out of the opposite nostril. Repeat on the other side, and then blow your nose.

When to get help: See a doctor if your snuffling is accompanied by bleeding or yellow-green drainage, or if the congestion gets worse rather than better after five days, lasts more than 10 days, or is accompanied by headache or facial pain, Dr. Brodner says. You could have a sinus infection, typically treated with antibiotic.

Belching and gurgling
Why: Youve swallowed excess air, either while eating (soup is a common culprit because air is taken in with each spoonful) or conversing or both. But burps and gurgles can also point to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a common condition that often develops from overeating or pressure on the stomach (up to 50% of pregnant women suffer from it). Stomach acid seeps up into your esophagus, where it can cause heartburn, burping, chest pain, sore throat, hoarseness, bad breath—and, in serious cases, gurgling noises caused by regurgitation of food or acid.

What to do: Well, like your mom said, dont talk with your mouth full. That can cut back on burping, as can limiting gum-chewing and fizzy beverages. To avoid GERD, eat small, frequent meals, skip foods that worsen the symptoms (like caffeinated drinks, onions, chocolate, and garlic), and nix postmeal naps, says Robert Maisel, MD, professor of otolaryngology at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis. You may also get relief from a nonprescription antacid.

When to get help: If you experience symptoms of GERD more than once a week, particularly at night, visit your doctor. He or she may recommend a prescription antacid or order an endoscopy to rule out esophageal cancer, which can result from untreated GERD. If symptoms worsen, you may need surgery, although this is rare, Dr. Maisel says.

Next Page: Growling tummy and passing gas [ pagebreak ]Growling tummy
Why: Usually its just contractions of stomach and intestinal muscles—a normal part of digestion. Stress can kick muscle contractions into high gear, too, which might explain why your belly is embarrassingly vocal every time youre in an important meeting.

What to do: Track your symptoms. Certain foods—like dairy products and high-carb items—might raise the noise factor for you. If the noises really crank up while youre menstruating, try taking 250 milligrams of magnesium at bedtime for a few days preperiod to ease the gas and constipation that often cause gut gurgles, says Diana Taylor, RN, PhD, author of Taking Back the Month: A Personalized Solution for Managing PMS and Enhancing Your Health.

When to get help: If abdominal noises are really bothering you in social situations, work on eliminating stress through yoga or meditation, or ask your doctor about antispasmodic medication, sometimes prescribed for stress-related gut problems, says Joel Levine, MD, a gastroenterologist at the University of Colorado Medical School in Denver.

Passing gas
Why: Flatulence, like burping, is a normal way the body expels swallowed air or gases produced during digestion. Its normal to pass gas up to 20 times a day, says Michael Levitt, MD, a gastroenterologist at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Minneapolis. Food triggers? Beans, popular sugar substitutes like xylitol and sorbitol (theyre poorly absorbed carbs), some fat-free potato chips, fructose (a sugar found in many processed foods made with the sweetener high-fructose corn syrup), and lactose (dairy woes, anyone?). Dairy can also lead to stinky gas, as can sulfurous foods such as broccoli and cabbage. You may get more gassy during your period if youre typically prone to diarrhea or constipation, or if you succumb to chocolate cravings (the sugar-and-carboyhdrate combo ups gasiness).

What to do: Eat slowly, and cut down on the beans, processed foods, and sodas for less risk of cutting the you know what later.

When to get help: See a doc if youre having gas with abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea or constipation: This may point to irritable bowel syndrome, intestinal inflammation, or a food allergy.

Next Page: Snoring and cracking joints [ pagebreak ]Snoring
Why: The sound is generated when your throat muscles and tissues become overly relaxed and then vibrate when you breathe. It often accompanies congestion, but some people are just more prone to snoring than others. Drinking alcohol before bed can also cause you to saw logs.

What to do: Sleep on your side when youre congested, or try Breathe Right nasal strips ($12.99 for 30; at drugstores). Losing pounds if youre significantly overweight can also help (less tissue to vibrate). And lay off the booze before bedtime, too.

When to get help: If you wake yourself up with snoring or choking sounds, you might have sleep apnea, a serious breathing problem that can put you at risk for heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure, says Steven Koenig, MD, a sleep-disorders expert at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville. Fortunately, a number of treatments are available.

Joints that crackle
Why: Noise without pain—usually caused by air bubbles in the protective fluid cushioning your joints—is harmless, though it may signal that youre stressed. “When stress levels rise, the joints in the neck tighten and tend to crack more,” says Stephen Fealy, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and sports-medicine specialist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.

What to do: Do neck rolls every 45 to 60 minutes. Try regular yoga or massage to ease stress. And for mild joint aches, try an OTC painkiller.

When to get help: See a doctor if you experience any grinding or popping that comes with pain, locking, swelling, or limited motion. This could signal an exercise injury, a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder if the pain is in your jaw, or the onset of osteoarthritis, a condition that affects about 28 million women, usually beginning after middle age when cartilage starts to break down. If youre diagnosed with arthritis, your doctor may prescribe exercise, a prescription-strength pain reliever, a cortisone injection, or physical therapy. Even acupuncture may help, experts say.

The second of 5 operations you don't want to get—and what to do instead.

It can sound so simple and efficient when an OB-GYN lays out all the reasons why she performs episiotomy before delivery. After all, its logical that cutting or extending the vaginal opening along the perineum (between the vagina and anus) would reduce the risk of pelvic-tissue tears and ease childbirth. But studies show that severing muscles in and around the lower vaginal wall (its more than just skin) causes as many or more problems than it prevents. Pain, irritation, muscle tears, and incontinence are all common aftereffects of episiotomy.

Last year the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) released new guidelines, which said that episiotomy should no longer be performed routinely—and the numbers have dropped. Many doctors now reserve episiotomy for cases when the baby is in distress. But the rates (about 25 percent in the United States) are still much too high, experts say, and some worry that its because women arent aware that they can decline the surgery.

“We asked women whod delivered vaginally with episiotomy in 2005 whether they had a choice,” says Eugene Declercq, PhD, main author of the leading national survey of childbirth in America, “Listening to Mothers II,” and professor of maternal and child health at the Boston University School of Public Health. “We found that only 18 percent said they had a choice, while 73 percent said they didnt.” In other words, about three of four women in childbirth were not asked about the surgery they would soon face in an urgent situation. “Women often were told, ‘I can get the baby out quicker,” Declercq says, as opposed to doctors actually asking them, ‘Would you like an episiotomy?”

What to do instead
Communicate. The time to prevent an unnecessary episiotomy is well before labor, experts agree. When choosing an OB-GYN practice, ask for its rate of episiotomy. And when you get pregnant, have your preference to avoid the surgery written on your chart.

Get ready with Kegels. Working with a nurse or mid-wife may reduce the chance of such surgery, experts say; she can teach Kegel exercises for stronger vaginal muscles, or perform perineal and pelvic-floor massage before and during labor.