health exam chps 15 and 16

What are over-the-counter medications (OTC)?

A medication or product that can be purchased by a consumer without a prescription.

What are some things to know about OTCs?

• OTCs are deemed safe by the Federal Drug Administration

• Many drugs you see in CVS used to be prescription

• Many ingredients in OTCs about 70% have not been proven to be effective by the FDA

What are the top 3 guidelines for taking OTCs?

1. Always read the labels and follow the directions carefully.

2. Do not exceed the recommended dosage or length of treatment unless told to by a doctor.

3. Use it with caution if you are taking other prescribed medicines because OTC can interact with those.

What is complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)?

Healthcare practices and products that are not considered part of conventional, mainstream medical practice as taught in most U.S. medical schools, not available at most U.S. healthcare facilities.

What are examples of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)?

Traditional Chinese Medicine (Acupuncture and Herbal Remedies)

What is Tai Chi?

An ancient Chinese philosophy adapted as a CAM energy modality and practiced as exercise involving slow, continuous, meditative movements accompanied by deep breathing, and used for maintaining and restoring health.

What is the Placebo effect?

Occurs when a research subject improves after receiving a placebo: the placebo effect is the difference in outcome compared to no intervention at all.

What is the Nocebo effect?

When a patient experiences side effects or symptoms from a drug or therapy because they believe they may occur.

What is acupressure?

An alternative medicine technique often used in conjunction with acupuncture or reflexology.

What are the domains of complementary and alternative medicine

• Mind-body intervention

• Biological

• Energy therapy

• Alternative medical systems

What is the Diagnosis Process? (4 Steps)

1. Medical history

2. Physical exam

3. Medical test

4. Prescription

What is Biomagnification?

The accumulation of a substance in a food chain; also known as bioaccumulation.

What is an example of Biomagnification?

Building up in the food chain, increasing in concentration as larger animals eat smaller animals. (DDT)

What is the pesticide DDT?

A pesticide that is extremely effective in controlling mosquito-borne diseases in tropical countries and increasing crop yields throughout the world.

What is the downside to pesticide DDT?

It is harmful to wildlife

What is Reye’s syndrome?

A rare but serious condition that causes swelling in the liver and brain

What is Reye’s syndrome’s association with aspirin?

Symptoms of Reye’s syndrome increase when aspirin enters the body. (Connection more prevalent for people under 16)

What is rolfing?

A type of therapy that involves deep manipulation of the body's connective tissues.

What are the mind-body interventions?

Makes use of the integral connection between mind and body and the effect each can have on the other.

What are examples of mid-body intervention?

Psychotherapy, support groups, prayer, and music and art therapy

What are examples of stress-management techniques?

Meditation, yoga, visualization, tai chi, biofeedback

What is the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)?

Established in 1992 to apply rigorous scientific methodology and the standards for proving or disproving the safety and effectiveness of CAM.

What is Western medicine/conventional medicine?

A system of medicine emphasizing biological and physical scientific principles; diseases are thought to be caused by identifiable physical factors and characterized by a representative set of signs and symptoms

What is another word for Western Medicine?

Conventional

What is the premise of Western medicine?

The cause of disease is because of pathogens, physical factors, genetic factors, and unhealthy lifestyles.

How do music and prayer interact with healing?

Music and prayer are mind-body interventions, studies show that music and prayer can have a positive effect on health.

The principles of balance in Chinese medicine are called ____.

Yin and Yang

The life force in all living things is called ____.

Qi

What is homeopathy?

An alternative system of practice that uses a holistic approach to diagnosis and treatment; it involves administering minute doses of remedies that would, in larger quantities, produce symptoms similar to those of the illness.

What is the principle “like cures like”?

By putting minute amounts of a substance that causes illness into an ill person it will cure them.

What factors can contribute to the body's response to medical treatments?

Someone's emotions and expectations

What is chiropractic care?

A CAM manipulative, body-based practice that focuses on disorders of the spine, and musculoskeletal, and nervous systems, and the effects of these disorders on general health; manipulation of the spine and other joints.

environmental health

the collective interactions of humans with the environment and the short-term & long-term health consequences of those interactions

what have discoveries of environmental health led to?

• systematic garbage collection

• sewage treatment

• filtration & chlorination of drinking water

• food inspections

• establishment of public health enforcement agencies

air quality index

a measure of local air quality and what it means for health

air quality index is a concentration of how many health-concerning pollutants?

5

what is the range of AQI (air quality index)?

0-500

at what number for AQI is the air quality deemed “unhealthy” for everyone?

150

who sets the AQI?

the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

what does the AQI measure?

carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and ground-level ozone

what is the ozone layer?

a layer of ozone molecules in the upper atmosphere that blocks out UV rays from the sun

what is the primary cause of the ozone layer thinning?

chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs)

what type of cancer would increase over time without the protection of the ozone layer?

skin cancer

what are 3 things you can do to reduce chemical pollution in our environment?

• Follow guidelines of approved disposal methods

• Choose non-toxic, non-petrochemical cleansers (disinfectants, polishes, other household chemicals)

• Reduce the number of chemicals used in your house

what are 3 chemical processes water in the US goes through?

• screening

• filtration

• disinfection (with chlorine)

what has been a successful water treatment in the US?

fluoridation

what is one heavy metal that contaminates water filtered from things like fecal matter?

mercury

what is mercury?

a naturally occurring metal; a toxin that affects the brain and nervous system

harmful effects of mercury?

• may damage the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract

• increase blood pressure heart rate

• heart attack risk

• slows fetal and child development

• damages brain function

what long term health consequences can result from mercury entering our systems?

cancer and damage to the central nervous system

polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)

an industrial chemical used as an insulator in electrical transformers and linked to certain human cancers

what three ways are humans exposed to PCBs?

• meat

• dairy

• fish

solid waste

any discarded material that is abandoned by being disposed of, burned or incinerated, recycled, or considered "waste-like”

what happens when solid waste goes to the landfill?

• it gets into the water supply , 

• it affects the animal and the aquatic life ,

• solid waste from medicine cannot be taken out of water

4 ways you can reduce your solid waste and conserve landfill space?

• reducing your consumption,

• recycling more,

• reusing,

• throwing less away

what does biodegradable mean?

when certain products can break down naturally, safely, and quickly in nature

examples of products that take 6 months and under to biodegrade?

• banana peel

• paper

• rope

• orange peel

examples of products that take over 6 months to bidegrade?

• disposable diapers

• cigarette butt

• plastic bottles

• aluminum cans

what is something that is not biodegradable?

styrofoam

define asbestosis

a lung condition caused by inhalation of microscopic asbestos fibers, which inflame the lung and can lead to lung cancer (the disease derived from asbestos exposure)

what is asbestos?

a mineral-based compound used for fire protection in insulation in buildings until the late 1960s

what can lead do to the brain?

• permanently damage the central nervous system

• cause mental impairment

• hinder oxygen transport

• create kidney and digestive problems

what can lead do to children?

lead has been linked to ADHD in children; the CDC says half a million U.S. children (ages 1-5) have high lead levels above the cutoff

what pollutants leak out when you throw away chemicals?

radiation, lead, mercury, and other heavy metals (can leak from electronics)

what type of income people are often exposed to more environmental toxins?

low-income

what is noise pollution?

harmful or annoying levels of noise; noise above 65 decibels is considered noise pollution

exposure to how many decibels of noise can cause permanent hearing loss?

80-85 decibels

exposure to how many decibels of noise for 1 minute can ALSO cause permanent hearing loss?

over 100 decibels

problems that can arise from noise pollution?

• chronic stress

• affecting productivity and memory

• increasing stress hormone levels

• causing cardiovascular problems

• ill immune function