Tag: Stress

Mysterious Medical Disorders Affects 12 High School Girls

January 23, 2012

Twelve teens from Le Roy Junior Senior High School in upstate New York have been experiencing an unusual, rather mysterious medical condition. The female students’ symptoms include stuttering, verbal outbursts and uncontrollable twitching movements, which health officials say are consistent with “conversion disorder.”

A pediatric neurologist Dr. Jennifer McVige is working with a number of the affected students at the DENT Neurologic Institute. She explained: “Conversion disorder is a physical manifestation of physiological symptoms where there is traditionally some kind of stress or multiple stressors that provoke a physical reaction within the body.” McVige was careful to stress that the symptoms, however, are real. “This is unconscious. It is not done purposefully.”

Officials have confirmed that the school conducted mold and air quality tests, but have yet to find an environmental cause for the strange illness. The school’s website broadcasted a statement, saying: “The medical and environmental investigations have not uncovered any evidence that would link the neurological symptoms to anything in the environment or of an infectious nature.”

The case is still being investigated, as is the medical condition.

Yoga Reduces Post-Breat Cancer Fatigue

January 4, 2012

A large percentage of breast cancer survivors are left with fatigue that can significantly impact their quality of life. Recent studies have revealed that yoga may work as an effective treatment for the issue.

A group of breast cancer survivors participated in a three-month, twice-a-week yoga class, and reported reduced fatigue and increased “vigor”. An additional group who took classes in health issues, without yoga sessions, felt no change in their depression or exhaustion.

The psychology department of the University of California, Los Angeles, gathered 31 breast cancer survivors, in order to test if yoga’s stress-reducing qualities will have an impact on the women’s fatigue. Each woman answered a questionnaire, revealing that levels of fatigue in the group were similar. The participants were then randomly assigned to a twice-weekly yoga class or a two-hour health class which took place once a week.

After three months, the educational class continued to suffer from the same levels of fatigue, while the yoga participants reported a dramatic decrease in fatigue and depression. The improvements continued up to three months after the last yoga class, as well.

According to Dr. Maira Campos, the new study’s results mirror those of similar studies conducted over the past few years. Dr. Campos was not involved in the recent study.