Doctors for USA WEEKEND

Myth: Achy wrists mean you’ve got it. In fact, many conditions, such as arthritis or tendinitis, could cause wrist and hand pain. Your doctor will take a history and do a physical exam to determine a diagnosis; he also may test nerves with electrical impulses.

Myth: It’s common in men. Actually, women are three times more apt to develop it. The reason may be anatomical: The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway on the palm side of your wrist; it’s bound by ligaments and bones and houses a main nerve and tendons. In women, the carpal tunnel may be small, so the slightest swelling, inflammation or pressure could compress the nerve and cause characteristic symptoms, including tingling or numbness (in all fingers except the pinkie), a burning pain in your arms or hands, and a weak grip.  

Myth: Blame keyboards. Typing for hours may make your hand hurt, but researchers debate whether it’s a primary cause. The syndrome is linked to assembly-line work that requires prolonged or repeated flexing of the wrist (sewing, cleaning, meat-packing) and to vibrating hand tools. Other risk factors: diabetes, pregnancy, thyroid disorders and injuries.  

Myth: You’ll need surgery. Not necessarily. Your doctor may first suggest rest breaks, cold packs and avoiding activities that worsen symptoms. Next, you might wear a splint to immobilize the wrist, take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen) or get corticosteroid injections. Surgery is generally recommended for severe, persistent symptoms that don’t respond to the more conservative solutions.

The Doctors is an Emmy-winning daytime TV show with pediatrician Jim Sears, OB-GYN Lisa Masterson, ER physician Travis Stork, plastic surgeon Andrew Ordon, health and wellness expert Jillian Michaels and psychologist Wendy Walsh. Check www.thedoctorstv.com for local listings.

Doctors for USA WEEKEND

Don't read while you eat.

No watching TV either, or playing on your iPad, or doing anything that diverts attention from your dish — staying focused may help curb calories. Researchers at the University of Liverpool analyzed two dozen previous studies of normal-weight people and found those whose who ate while distracted not only consumed more of the food in front of them, but even more of a later meal. Attentive eating could play a role in weight loss and maintenance. Of course, what you eat takes center stage: Choose fruits, vegetables and lean proteins; opt for low-fat dairy and whole-grain products; up your fiber intake; limit sugar; and drink lots of water.

Use your body as weights.

No need for high-tech gym equipment to get into shorts-and-tank-top shape: Push-ups, planks, lunges and other exercises that use your body as resistance work just as well, and they’re more popular than ever. This back-to-basics approach to muscle-strengthening emerged as a top fitness trend for 2013, according to a survey from the American College of Sports Medicine.

Body weight training doesn’t cost a dime, requires little or no gear, and can be done anywhere. Do it two or three times a week to tone muscles and help your body burn calories better; combine it with a regular cardio routine to boost energy and shed extra pounds. Talk to your doctor before starting any new workout routine; it’s also a good idea to try a class or see a personal trainer to learn new bodyweight training moves and make sure you’re using proper form.

Apply sunscreen, then bug spray.

The first helps protect you from the harmful ultraviolet rays that cause most of the 3.5 million skin cancers diagnosed each year; the latter reduces exposure to mosquito bites that may carry viruses such as West Nile, which can cause serious illness. Use both, but be sure to put them on in the right order.

First, rub a generous amount of sunscreen into clean, dry skin before heading outdoors (choose one with broad-spectrum protection, an SPF of at least 30, and water-resistance). Give the sunscreen 15 minutes to fully absorb; then lightly mist your skin with insect repellant. DEET- and picaridin-based sprays typically provide the longest-lasting protection, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); if you prefer plant-based repellants, oil of lemon eucalyptus works longer than others.

The CDC does not recommend using all-in-one sunscreen and bug sprays, however, because the products are meant to be used differently: sunscreen, for example, needs to be reapplied about every two hours (or after swimming or sweating); repellant is typically re-sprayed only if you’re being bitten. Plus, some research suggests using sunscreen and bug sprays at the same time leads to an increased absorption of the pesticide.

Stock up on watermelon.

It’s a favorite hot-weather snack among nutrition experts, and for many good reasons: The refreshing fruit is 92% water (so it helps you stay hydrated) and it’s packed with lycopene, an antioxidant that may help reduce risk of certain cancers. 

Research suggests that when lycopene is combined with other carotenoids (like beta-carotene, and vitamins C and E), it may help protect against sunburn. Watermelon is also an excellent source of vitamin C (which boosts the immune system), vitamin A (good for eye health). A recent study suggests another of its compounds may promote heart health.

Chew less sugarless gum.

Go easy on hard candies, too — especially if you plan to hit the beach in a bikini. Gum and candy often contain sugar alcohols (such as sorbitol, maltitol and xylitol) — sweeteners that are lower in calories than regular sugar, but when eaten in excess, could trigger bloating. Plus, the act of chewing (the gum) and sucking (the candy) will likely cause you to swallow extra air, which can build up in your stomach and intestines and boost belly pooch. Other ways to reduce bloating: Cut back on carbonated drinks and gas-producing foods such as baked beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, apples and peaches.

Know the signs of overheating.

Warm weather draws everyone — from kids to adults, casual walkers to extreme sport-ers — outdoors for some fun in the sun, but staying in too-hot weather for too long raises your risk of heat-related illness. Muscle cramps or profuse sweating may be an early indicator; nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, weakness and cold, clammy skin are all signs of heat exhaustion.

If you have any of these symptoms, move to a cooler spot, lie down and loosen your clothing, sip water and, if possible, apply cool, wet cloths to your body. Ignore the signs, and it may progress to heat stroke, a condition that occurs when your body temperature is greater than 104 degrees, resulting in hot, red skin, extreme confusion, irrational behavior and possible unconsciousness. Heat stroke is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention. 

Shower before pool-swimming.

That’s right — before. The reason: to help keep disease-causing germs out of the water. A recent CDC report suggests one in three people think chlorine kills all germs instantly, but that’s not the case — some survive for days, even in well-maintained pools. Crypto (short for cryptosporidium) is one of those resilient germs — it’s the leading cause of swimming pool-related outbreaks of diarrhea, with reported cases on the rise, and swallowing just a little contaminated water can get you sick.

Rinsing off before diving in is one way to helps prevent the spread of germs; it’s also smart to take young kids on bathroom breaks and check diapers often, avoid getting pool water in your mouth, and skip the pool entirely if you have diarrhea. You can’t know for sure if a public pool is contaminated, but a strong chemical smell is not necessarily a good sign: Well-chlorinated pools have little or no odor, a potent smell indicates a maintenance problem. The water should also be clear enough for you to see the pool floor and the sides should not be sticky or slimy.

Soak scaly feet.

It’s the first step to getting cracked, callused heels and toes sandal-ready. Before bed, submerge your feet in warm water mixed with 4 Tbs. of olive oil for 20 minutes; then use a pumice stone, foot file or exfoliating scrub to thin that thickened skin and smooth rough patches. Rub feet with baby oil, then put on socks and hit the sack. In the morning, your feet with be softer, more supple, and ready to slip into your favorite summer shoes. One note: If flip flops are your first pick, choose a sturdy pair (if it folds in half, it’s no good), preferably made of soft leather (to minimize the risk of blisters), and make sure it fits well (so no part of your foot hangs off the edge). Flip flops are fine for the pool or at the beach, but don’t wear them to walk long distances becasue they offer limited shock absorption and arch support. For a list of brands approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association, visit apma.org/flipfloptips.

The Doctors is an Emmy-winning daytime TV show with pediatrician Jim Sears, OB-GYN Lisa Masterson, ER physician Travis Stork, plastic surgeon Andrew Ordon, health and wellness expert Jillian Michaels and psychologist Wendy Walsh. Check www.thedoctorstv.com for local listings.

Doctors for USA WEEKEND

Everyone wants smooth skin, but some of us must deal with “chicken skin” on our buttocks, arms and thighs.

If the bumps are small and red, surrounded by dry, rough skin, and feel sort of like sandpaper, you probably have keratosis pilaris — a common condition that results from the buildup of keratin, a hard protein. Too much keratin in your skin will plug the opening of hair follicles; when hairs grow, bumps pop up. Keratosis pilaris tends to run in families; and, though not serious, it can take months to treat.

Drugstore remedy. Moisturizing lotions or medicated skin creams that contain such ingredients as urea, lactic acid, salicylic acid or tretinoin can help the condition.

At-home remedy. To improve your skin’s appearance, you might try this recipe for a skin scrub: Mix olive oil and sugar to create a thick paste and rub it over the bumpy areas. The sugar helps exfoliate and break up the keratin, and the oil moisturizes.

Medical option. For more severe cases, ask your doctor about microdermabrasion or laser therapy.

The Doctors is an Emmy-winning daytime TV show with pediatrician Jim Sears, OB-GYN Lisa Masterson, ER physician Travis Stork, plastic surgeon Andrew Ordon, health and wellness expert Jillian Michaels and psychologist Wendy Walsh. Check www.thedoctorstv.com for local listings.

Doctors for USA WEEKEND

There’s no simple yes or no to this one: Genetic testing helps show if you’re at risk for developing diseases such as colon cancer, type 2 diabetes or Huntington’s disease. It can give a glimpse into your future. To help you decide if you should look, here’s what you need to know:

How genetic tests work: They examine your DNA, looking for large or small alterations in your genes that may cause illness. For people with a family history of certain conditions, predictive tests can show if there’s a higher chance of getting the disease before symptoms appear. Genetic testing also can be used for prenatal screenings, to confirm a diagnosis or determine medications.

The pros: If you find out you’re at risk for diabetes, you could make lifestyle changes to help prevent it from developing. Learning of an inherited predisposition to breast cancer may mean you consider frequent screenings. For conditions such as Huntington’s disease, there are no preventive steps, but test results might shape decisions on family planning or career choice.

The cons: The tests can’t tell if you’ll show symptoms, how severe they might be or if the disorder will progress. If the test is negative, that doesn’t guarantee the disease won’t develop, and could give a false sense of security. A positive outcome doesn’t always mean you’ll get the disease — and the news could raise stress levels.

Should kids be tested? Newborns — yes, the benefits outweigh the risks, say experts at the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics. The groups advise against testing children for diseases that won’t affect them until adulthood unless early treatment is essential.

At-home tests: Most kits work the same. Send in saliva or swab the inside of your cheek, and get back information. But these results aren’t a complete picture: Environment, lifestyle and family history factor in. And there’s no way to know the accuracy. Consult a doctor or genetic counselor before taking any at-home test.

The Doctors is an Emmy-winning daytime TV show with pediatrician Jim Sears, OB-GYN Lisa Masterson, ER physician Travis Stork, plastic surgeon Andrew Ordon, health and wellness expert Jillian Michaels and psychologist Wendy Walsh. Check www.thedoctorstv.com for local listings.

Doctors for USA WEEKEND

Fibromyalgia is one of the most common chronic pain conditions, yet it’s tough to identify — in part because there are no lab tests or X-rays to detect it. Plus, its symptoms are far from unique. In fact, a recent study from the Mayo Clinic suggests that many people with fibromyalgia — particularly men — often go undiagnosed.

There’s no cure for the condition, but symptoms can be treated with a combination of medicines, lifestyle changes and other therapies. To help you and your doctor determine whether you have fibromyalgia, consider these symptoms:

Widespread pain. That means you feel it on both sides of your body and above and below your waist. It could feel like a stabbing or shooting pain, or a deep muscular aching. It’s also chronic, and it often hurts more in the morning or worse when you press down on specific areas of your body, called tender points. To be diagnosed with fibromyalgia, you must have a history of widespread pain lasting more than three months (as well as other symptoms), and your doctor has to rule out other health problems that could be causing it.

Fatigue. Not like “I had a busy day” tired, but more along the lines of an all-encompassing, no-energy, morning-to-night exhaustion that interferes with your work and personal life.

Trouble sleeping. Many people who have fibromyalgia have sleep apnea, restless-leg syndrome or other disorders that keep them from getting a deep, restful sleep. Even if you clock more bedtime hours than normal, you still wake up feeling unrefreshed.

Memory problems. That’s one of the more common possible additional symptoms. Others include depression or anxiety; migraine or tension headaches; digestive conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome; overactive bladder or pelvic pain; or skin sensitivities and rashes.

The Doctors is an Emmy-winning daytime TV show with pediatrician Jim Sears, OB-GYN Lisa Masterson, ER physician Travis Stork, plastic surgeon Andrew Ordon, health and wellness expert Jillian Michaels and psychologist Wendy Walsh. Check www.thedoctorstv.com for local listings.