Health Expert PJ Hamel shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/78/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/78/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/78/index http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/78/153271/ultrasound Thu, 24 May 2012 15:18:47 -0400 PJ Hamel Do you have dense breasts? An FDA advisory panel has recently approved a medical device that improves the effectiveness of your annual mammogram screening.Did you know that breast density has been identified as a leading risk factor for breast cancer? And that women identified as having dense breasts are 4 to 6 times more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer than those with less-dense breasts?“Dense breasts,” a specific genetic... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/78/153271/ultrasound http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/78/152910/mother-day-kind Sun, 13 May 2012 05:45:15 -0400 PJ Hamel Many of us are experiencing this – Mom’s getting older, and she’s “failing.”  Perhaps she has crippling osteoporosis. She’s hard of hearing. Maybe she’s frustratingly tentative, where once she was bold. Are you impatient with her infirmities? Angry, even? It’s natural; but get over it. You may be there yourself someday…   What’s your earliest childhood memory?If... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/78/152910/mother-day-kind http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/78/152909/mothers-cancer Sun, 13 May 2012 05:34:29 -0400 PJ Hamel As a mom diagnosed with breast cancer, your first thought is simply this: “Will I live to see my children grow up?” If you’re a survivor, take a moment to savor the fact that you’re alive this Mother’s Day.What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.Familiar words. But not something most of us want to think about.We live our lives with blithe confidence, believing that things will continue on a straight, familiar... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/78/152909/mothers-cancer http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/78/152597/40-mammogram Wed, 02 May 2012 11:18:09 -0400 PJ Hamel Before 2009, it was a rule virtually carved in stone: when a woman turns 40, she should start having an annual mammogram. Then the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) came out with new recommendations: mammograms starting at age 50, and then only every other year. Massive public and institutional backlash against this recommendation (including lack of support from the American Cancer Society) threw the whole subject into... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/78/152597/40-mammogram http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/78/152556/osteoporosis Tue, 01 May 2012 08:39:44 -0400 PJ Hamel May is National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month. Big deal, right? Well, yeah; if you want to help save your family, friends, and colleagues from going through the pain and fear that comes with an osteoporosis diagnosis. Here are 10 simple and effective ways to spread the word about this disease.“Hey, I’ve got a question for you…”You’re at work. The meeting’s about to begin. While everyone’s... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/78/152556/osteoporosis http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/78/152416/dense-biopsies Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:57:20 -0400 PJ Hamel Recent research shows that women with dense breasts are at increased risk of breast cancer. As with any group at higher risk, it’s recommended that these women pay special attention to their breasts – both by checking regularly for new lumps, and by receiving periodic cancer screening. Problem is, dense breasts are also very difficult to successfully screen; and a challenge when it comes to self-exams. Thus there’s a higher... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/78/152416/dense-biopsies http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/78/152272/discovery Sat, 21 Apr 2012 09:35:38 -0400 PJ Hamel The journal Nature recently published results of a 5-year study examining the genetic makeup of breast cancer tumors. Researchers’ findings were stunning: six new types of breast cancer, beyond the previously known four, have been discovered. In the future, oncologists may be able to fine-tune treatment to match the genetics of a survivor’s particular cancer type.   Think of breast cancer treatment as baking brownies. Try... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/78/152272/discovery http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/78/152015/radiation Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:51:06 -0400 PJ Hamel The recent completion of a long-term study involving the effectiveness of radiation and hormone therapy in curbing breast cancer recurrence yielded a startling result: for some older women, hormone therapy alone is just as effective as radiation followed by hormone therapy. If you’re a woman over age 60, newly diagnosed with breast cancer and potentially facing 5 to 6 weeks of radiation – read on. For decades, it’s been the... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/78/152015/radiation http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/78/151759/specialist Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:17:46 -0400 PJ Hamel Why do my breasts hurt? What’s this lump? Is the nipple discharge I have normal? When your family doctor and gynecologist can’t nail down the cause of those bothersome breast symptoms you’re experiencing, it’s time to see a breast specialist.  Here’s a typical scenario faced by many younger women.You feel a lump in your breast. Your family doctor orders an ultrasound.The ultrasound rules out a cyst, but is... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/78/151759/specialist http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/78/151700/osteoporosis Sat, 31 Mar 2012 21:47:39 -0400 PJ Hamel April 1 is a day beloved of practical jokesters everywhere. While you may be caught with salt in your coffee (or falling for an email saying pump prices have dropped to 99¢/gallon), there’s no need to be foolish about osteoporosis. Bone up on these five common misperceptions about bone health – and the real story behind each.Osteoporosis is an old lady’s disease.Don’t be fooled: osteoporosis can strike at almost any... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/78/151700/osteoporosis