vent birth defects. Folk acid has
become such a star nutrient that the
Food and Drug Administration has
ordered fortification of the nation's
food supply as of January 1998. Many
manufacturers have already begun
adding small amounts of folic acid to
their products.
This could prevent more than half
of birth defects involving the spinal
column, including spina bifida. It also
may have good and bad consequences
for older adults.
According to a recent issue of the
Mayo Clinic Health Letter, folic acid
can reduce the amount of homocys-
teine in the blood. High levels of
homocysteine have been linked to
increased risk of cardiovascular disease
and stroke.
"It's possible that adding folic acid
to your diet may help prevent cardio-
vascular disease, although no studies
have proven this," say the
newsletter's editors.
They're more concerned
about the slight risk of added
folic acid making it hard to spot
a vitamin B-12 deficiency. This
deficiency is rare, but occurs
most often in older people,
particularly those of
Northern European
descent, and can
cause pernicious
anemia.
Signs of perni-
cious anemia
include tin-
gling and
numbness in
the hands and
feet, a sore
tongue, poor
appetite and
weight loss. Left
untreated, it can cause permanent
nerve damage and other problems.
Still, Mayo's experts say the benefits
of folic acid fortification outweigh the
risks, but older people at risk for vita-
min B-12 deficiency should discuss . it
with their doctor.

Al?

-.

PAIN RELIEF

People suffering from chronic neck
pain that doesn't respond to
painkillers, spinal injections, physical
therapy or even surgery may find
relief in a high-tech, minimally inva-
sive therapy. Dr. John Di Capua, co-
director of the Pain Management'
Center at North Shore University
Hospital in Syosset, N.Y., says a bat-
tery-operated, remote-control device
that sends radio signals to a receiver

implanted under the skin may pro-
vide relief when other therapies have
failed.
An added advantage to this treat-
ment is that it allows patients to con-
trol their own pain relief, as Ronald
Carnemolla discovered shortly after a
stimulator was implanted in his neck.
The Long Island Railroad electrician
was left in constant, excruciating
pain after a car accident. Di Capua
surgically inserted a catheter in
Carnemolla's neck, which he activates
with a hand-held controller.
"The catheter provides a soothing
sensation that blocks the pain by
electrically stimulating the damaged
nerve," Di Capua explains.
Carnemolla just knows the pain is
gone and looks forward to returning
to his job.

GETTING STONED

New research into how kidney
stones are formed could revolution-
ize treatment of this painful con-
dition.
Saeed R. Khan, a professor at
the Utyfversity of Florida's
College of Medicine, notes
11■
Itat the traditional treat-
ment of avoiding high-
*
oxalate foods, such as
vi•
spinach and broc-
coli, as well as
reducing cal-
cium intake
and drinking lots
of water, doesn't
address the real
cause of kidney
stones.
"Everyone
forms crystals
- made of calci-
_ um phosphate
and calcium
oxalate," Khan explains. "But only
some of us develop stones from these
crystals. The difference is, some peo-
ple make proteins that encourage
stone development. We need to find
a way to force cells to make the
`right' kind of protein to prevent
stones from forming.
"In normal human urine, these pro-
teins keep the crystals away from each
other. But in stone-formers, the crys-
tals lose the capacity to stay away from
each other. The aggregated crystals
become the beginning of a kidney
stone."
Treating kidney stones costs $2.4
billion annually, and people who have
had one kidney stone have a high risk
of developing more. ❑

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FOUNTAINS

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(248) 353-2810

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Come celebrate

Veterans Day

with us on Tuesday,
November 11 at 2 p.m.

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Visiting Nurse Association Support Services can help you
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DVISOIT JEWISH NEWS

'TN

11/21
1997

131