Neurological Disorders

Spinal Cord Disorders

Prevention Latest News

Shop for Genetic Tests Wisely - [03/26/08]

Summary: Genetic tests can screen blood and other tissue to find genetic disorders and markers. Increasingly, people are opting for commercial genetic tests to identify their potential health risks. But without the expertise of a medical professional, the information from home genetic tests might not be very helpful or easy to understand. It could even be detrimental.

Comment: Genetic testing can reveal a range of health information, including whether a person carries a gene associated with spinal cord disorders. There are several hundred kinds of genetic tests and (it seems) nearly that many online offers to perform them. Before you submit to a commercial genetic test, consult this information from the Mayo Clinic and the National Institutes of Health to protect yourself as a patient and consumer.

Read article - Mayo Clinic. March 26, 2008.
Read article - MedlinePlus.

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Folic Acid Key to Preventing Spinal Disorders in Newborns - [02/14/08]

Summary: Folic acid can prevent some of the most common birth defects, reducing the risk of some spine defects by 50 - 70% if taken by the mother before and during her first trimester. Yet most young women do not take a daily supplement containing folic acid.

Comment: Many spinal defects form within the first three months of a woman's pregnancy, before many women are aware they are pregnant. That is why it is important for women of childbearing age to take a daily supplement containing folic acid.

Read article - Health News Digest. February 14, 2008.