Health and Disability

http://goo.gl/rxbSNC

After much anticipation, CEFALY Technology announced today that the Cefaly® medical device for the preventative treatment for migraine headaches is available for purchase and delivery in the United States for patients with a medical prescription at www.cefaly.us

The Cefaly® medical device received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the preventative treatment formigraine headaches on March 11, 2014. It is the first transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation device specifically authorized for use prior to the onset of pain.

Cefaly® is a battery-powered device that resembles a headband and is affixed to the center of the forehead using a self-adhesive electrode that applies an electric current to the skin and underlying body tissues to stimulate branches of the trigeminal nerve, which has been associated with migraine headaches.

• Cefaly® is available by prescription-only and indicated for patients 18 years of age and older. It should only be used once daily for 20 minutes.
• Women who are pregnant or could become pregnant should check with their doctor before using Cefaly®.
• Cefaly® costs $295 plus $29 shipping and handling.
• The electrodes needed to operate the device cost $25 for a set of three (each electrode will last for up to approximately 20-uses).
• There is a 60-day money back guarantee.

The company that manufactures Cefaly® expects to make the device available via select pharmacies and clinics in the months ahead. For now, the device is available for U.S. purchase at www.cefaly.us

http://goo.gl/53O7gL

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine report that older women, plucky individuals and those who have suffered a recent major loss are more likely to be compassionate toward strangers than other older adults.

http://goo.gl/CKukdk

U.S. military personnel who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and suffered "blast plus impact" concussive traumatic brain injury (TBI) were compared to military personnel without TBI who were evacuated for other medical reasons. 

overall disability among the study participants recovering from concussive TBI was surprisingly high. The authors explore the possible factors related to differences in outcomes between the two groups in the article "Functional Status after Blast-Plus-Impact Complex Concussive Traumatic Brain Injury in Evacuated United States Military Personnel."

http://goo.gl/xbXtTA

A group of drugs commonly prescribed for insomnia, anxietyand breathing issues "significantly increase the risk" that older people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, need to visit a doctor or Emergency Department for respiratory reasons, new research has found.

Benzodiazepines, such as Ativan or Xanax, may actually contribute to respiratory problems, such as depressing breathing ability and pneumonia, in these patients, said Dr. Nicholas Vozoris, a respirologist at St. Michael's Hospital.

http://goo.gl/DY4ew2

A Canadian man who was believed to have been in a vegetative state for more than a decade, has been able to tell scientists that he is not in any pain.

It's the first time an uncommunicative, severely brain-injured patient has been able to give answers clinically relevant to their care.

Scott Routley, 39, was asked questions while having his brain activity scanned in an fMRI machine.

His doctor says the discovery means medical textbooks will need rewriting.

Lots of stuff.....

http://www.integration.samhsa.gov/

CIHS promotes the development of integrated primary and behavioral health services to better address the needs of individuals with mental health and substance use conditions, whether seen in behavioral health or primary care provider settings.

This is a long read, but gives a sense of how a disability characteristic, medicine, natural disasters, bureaucracy, and the awful state of most disability support services in higher education undermine choice.....

http://goo.gl/uDP4LU

What I learned from these strangers affected me personally. We have many bright people ready to serve their country in the private or public sectors, but because of one setback, they’re left to waste and to defend themselves in a world where they’re never noticed or appreciated, much less treated like their “normal” peers. From these interviews, I have constructed a composite narrative of someone trying to navigate his way through the bureaucracy of our colleges and universities.

http://goo.gl/PMvUlE

Before probing, prodding and praying for one more “Hi,” one more “Yes” to “Do you remember me?” or an accurate response to “What’s my name?” there are better, alternative methods for continuing “communication” other than words! 

http://goo.gl/lAvjdU

Researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health are launching a clinical trial to test a device that uses nervous system stimuli to rewire parts of the brain, in hopes of significantly reducing or removing tinnitus, a persistent buzzing or ringing sound in the ears in the absence of any real sound.

The small clinical trial, which is recruiting volunteers, is being conducted at four centers through a cooperative agreement with MicroTransponder, Inc., a medical device company based in Dallas.

http://goo.gl/48z7nv

By comparing and contrasting their data with nearly half a million people without the condition, the team also discovered that Ménière's Disease is linked to immune system disorders and diseases related to the autonomic nervous system, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn's Disease and arthritis.

The analysis also showed that Ménière's patients were more likely to suffer falls and mental health problems, such as depression, than people without the condition.