Health & Science Briefs: Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Published: July 1, 2008

An electronic device designed to "zap” migraine pain before it starts may be the next form of relief for sufferers, according to a study conducted at the Ohio State University Medical Center.

The study presented last week at the American Headache Society meeting in Boston found the experimental device safe and effective.

With one in eight Americans suffering from chronic migraines, Dr. Yousef Mohammad, a neurologist at Ohio State's Medical Center, says the study's results are promising given that only 50 percent to 60 percent of migraine patients respond to drug treatments.

The transcranial magnetic stimulator device interrupts the aura phase of the migraine, often described as electrical storms in the brain, before they lead to headaches.

Migraine headache sufferers often describe "seeing” showers of shooting stars, zigzagging lines and flashes before a migraine.

With the Fourth of July approaching, families are preparing for a long weekend in the sun. While parents focus on children's needs, they often ignore their own sun protection, according to a survey by the makers of Coppertone. While 82 percent of parents agree it's important for children to use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, 45 percent of parents admit they are not applying sunscreen to themselves.

OU Physicians Dermatology offers these tips for sun protection:

•Use an SPF of 30 or higher.

•Look for avobenzone, zinc oxide or titanium oxide in sunscreen for added protection.

•Use enough sunscreen to leave a film on the skin.

•Allow 20 to 30 minutes absorption time before sun exposure.

•Reapply within two hours, preferably in the first 30 minutes.

•Wear a wide-brim hat, tight-woven fabric, dark colors and materials such as polyester.

•Reapply sunscreen after getting wet or sweating excessively.

For people who don't have time to attend a local health fair, Home Health Screening LLC is an online version of a health fair selling testing kits for several diseases.

Home Health Screening's Web site, www.

homehealthscreening.

com, features FDA-approved home diagnostic testing kits to screen for conditions including high cholesterol, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, thyroid conditions, HIV, hepatitis C and hemoglobin A1c for diabetic patients. The site also features a pad to aid women with monthly breast self-exams.

From Staff and Wire Reports

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