Chronic Bits 

If you're joining my sis and her husband in the slow trickle back to New Orleans, take care - there are tons of health risks to returning residents. CNN.com takes a closer look.

IBS patients have a ton more medical procedures than other folks, and many of those procedures don't even help. Here is a discussion of "somatization" of patients and how it can lead to extra unnecessary tests.

Browsing around, your humble editrix stumbled upon a list of reasons why orgasms are good for you, created by the good people of the Sexual Health Network. According to them, a nice big O can help relieve tension, help you sleep better, reduce food cravings, increase immunity, decrease depression, reduce pain, increase blood flow, make you stronger--the list goes on and on. Like you needed more reasons to have fun in the sack...

A representative of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced yesterday plans to make drug labeling information easier to read and understand. CNN.com reports that the new program will include an online component, giving patients more access to information and timely updates.

Of course, it's still deadly, even if it is getting weaker (as the BBC recently reported). The news is based on research published in current issue of the journal AIDS.

Join other Paula Kamen (All in My Head: An Epic Quest to Cure an Unrelenting, Totally Unreasonable and Only Slightly Enlightening Headache) fans at the next Bookslut reading in Chicago - October 18 at 7:30 pm at the Hopleaf. (Learn more about Bookslut readings here.)

WebMd is reporting that a new study shows that snorting carbon dioxide can help relieve migraines. The report says it works best for folks with mild to moderate migraines. Click here to read more. And check out what Kerrie over the The Daily Headache blog has to say about it.

The popular antidepressant Paxil may be linked to an increase in birth defects among kids of mothers who use it in the first trimester. This was reported today in the Kaiser Family Foundation Daily Reproductive Health Report, which sources USA Today, AP/Philadelphia Inquirer and the FDA.

WebMD has a breakdown of who should get them, including requirements for Katrina evacuees living in shelter environments. Check it out.

New research says that second-generation antidepressants don't offer much different from their predecessors when it comes to benefits and side effects. This according to Medical News Today, a U.K.-based online medical news service. Read a detailed explanation here.

Ever check out Kevin, M.D. Medical Weblog? It's pretty cool - Kevin keeps us up to speed day-to-day with news and views from a doc's perspective. He mendioned a couple days ago that an attorney in one Vioxx lawsuit claims that even one day of taking the medication is enough to bring on a heart attack. Click here for more.

If you're a ChronicBabe, you probably need a flu vaccination. Early indications are that this year, we'll get to skip all the drama of a potential shortfall. (Remember those blocks-long lines of old people lining up in winter weather last year? Maddening!) But just in case, don't mess around - if your doc thinks you need one, beat the rush and get your shot as soon as they become available. Here's what the CDC has to say about flu season; here's their specific advice on who should get shots. And finally: here's a site that helps you find a flu shot clinic near you.

Reuters reports that a new drug, Orencia, may tackle RA better than those currently available. This based on a study supported by the drug's manufacturer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and the National Institutes of Health.

Reuters reports that some drugs designed to fight Parkinson's, especially pramipexole, can induce pathalogical gambling. Fun!

The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability is reporting that a new study shows tai chi exercise has a positive effect on fibromyalgia symptoms. Most participants enjoyed it, showing interest in continuing it after the study. Check it out!

WebMD recently reported on a study that essentially proves the existence of the placebo effect, and also draws ties between elevated mood and pain relief. Apparently, the expectation of pain can sometimes be enough to bring some relief. But the Editrix wonders: why did this study only examine men? Check out the coverage here.

For many of us Babes, exercise can seem like a chore. But check this out: from the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability: tips on making fitness fun again.

If you've wondered why ChronicBabe.com has been so quiet this past week, it's because the Editrix was taking a much-needed vacation! But we're back and ready to rock. Check out our latest Babe interview: Christa Barnell.

Reuters reports that scientists have pinpointed a chemical in extra virgin olive oil that works like ibuprofen. Rock on! Red wine is good for me, dark chocolate is good for me, olive oil is good for me... when will we figure out that cheese is good for me?

The Kaiser Network newsetter alerted us today to a series by USA Today on the costs of health care. Co-produced by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health, the series of articles examines many aspects of health care costs. Totally worth checking out!