Highlights from the Mayo Clinic Health Letter November Issue: Rotator Cuff Injuries; Causes of Iron Deficiency; Heart-Healthy Fish Eating

ROCHESTER, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Here are highlights from the November issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter. You may cite this publication as often as you wish. Reprinting is allowed for a fee. Mayo Clinic Health Letter attribution is required. Include the following subscription information as your editorial policies permit: Visit www.HealthLetter.MayoClinic.com or call toll-free for subscription information, 1-800-333-9037, extension 9771.

Rotator Cuff Injuries: A Bane of Baseball Pitchers and Older Adults

ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Baseball pitchers aren’t the only ones at risk for rotator cuff injuries of the shoulder. According to the November issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter, adults older than age 60 experience more rotator cuff injuries than any other age group.

The rotator cuff is made up of four muscles and tendons that run between the bones of the upper arm and shoulder blade. They facilitate shoulder movement and help support the ball and socket joint connecting the upper arm and shoulder. Injury to the rotator cuff includes any type of irritation or damage to these muscles and tendons.

Pain is the most common symptom of a rotator cuff problem. But the amount of pain doesn’t necessarily indicate the seriousness of the injury. A significant rotator cuff tear sometimes causes little pain. A minor irritation can cause pain that substantially interferes with daily life.

Strains or tears can occur while using an arm to break a fall. Repetitive motions, even painting a wall, may be enough to irritate the rotator cuff. Other common culprits are playing tennis or golf. Working in construction trades or lifting heavy objects can injure the rotator cuff. Muscle and tendon degeneration, increasingly common after age 40, also can play a role. Bone spurs, poor posture and muscle strength imbalance can cause pain in the rotator cuff, too.

Minor pain often improves with self-care, such as rest, ice on the shoulder and taking over-the-counter pain medications. Seeing a doctor is important if pain persists or interferes with day-to-day activities.

Treatment will likely include several weeks of physical therapy to help heal the injury, improve flexibility of the rotator cuff and shoulder muscles and increase strength. A doctor also might recommend injection of inflammation-suppressing corticosteroids to reduce pain.

Minor surgery might be indicated when the pain is related to a bone spur or calcium deposits pinching a tendon. Large tears in the muscle can be repaired surgically, too. Patients typically need four to six months of rehabilitation to restore shoulder function.

Iron Deficiency: Find the Underlying Cause

ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Fatigue, headache and irritability are all early signs of iron deficiency. The November issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter covers iron deficiency and why it is important to determine the underlying cause.

When iron levels are low, production of healthy red blood cells decreases. The red blood cells are formed in the bone marrow, where they gather iron-rich hemoglobin — the component of blood that transports oxygen to the tissues. Iron is needed to make hemoglobin.

If hemoglobin is reduced, the red blood cells carry less oxygen. Resulting symptoms may progress from fatigue to weakness and difficulty exercising due to shortness of breath.

Iron deficiency can be diagnosed with blood tests. Sometimes the causes of iron deficiency are easy to determine, such as a loss of blood associated with heavy menstrual periods, injury or trauma. Internal bleeding also can contribute to iron deficiency. Chronic unrecognized bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract can be related to cancer. A key concern in older adults or those with a family history of colon cancer is determining if colon cancer may be behind the blood loss. Iron deficiency can be one of the first signs of colon cancer. Other possible causes of iron deficiency are celiac disease or Crohn’s disease.

Taking iron supplements can increase hemoglobin production and build up iron reserves. Determining what’s behind the iron deficiency is crucial to determining the best treatment option.

Heart-Healthy Fish Eating: Know the Benefits and Risks

ROCHESTER, Minn. -- The fats in fish -- omega-3 fatty acids -- reduce the risk of heart disease. But there is concern that contaminants present in fish could outweigh the health benefits. The November issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter covers the latest information on the benefits and risks of eating fish.

Eating one or two servings of fish a week, especially salmon or other fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, could reduce the risk of dying of a heart attack by one-third. Research links consumption of omega-3 fatty acids to a decreased risk of abnormal heart rhythms that may lead to sudden cardiac death. Evidence also suggests that omega-3s may help lower triglycerides levels and decrease plaques growing in blood vessels.

But fish and shellfish also contain methyl mercury, a component of industrial air pollution that falls as acid rain. Fish ingest the mercury as they feed. Eating too much fish could increase the risk of accumulating toxic amounts of mercury.

For most adults, there’s a large range between what’s considered a normal mercury level and what’s considered toxic. A person’s age and life phase need to be considered when weighing benefits and risks of fish and shellfish consumption. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises that young children and women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should avoid eating fish with the highest mercury contamination, specifically tilefish, shark, swordfish and king mackerel. For others, the FDA suggests two meals a week of fish that have the lowest mercury levels, such as salmon and pollock.

However, for adults in general, recent research suggests that higher weekly fish and shellfish consumption may be beneficial. The cardiovascular benefits from eating a variety of fish lowest in mercury levels far outweigh the risks for postmenopausal women and older men. That research recommends tilapia, pollock, flounder, shrimp, trout, herring, salmon, canned light tuna and cod can be eaten daily. The study recommends skipping swordfish and shark.

State and local health departments are offer information on the safety of locally caught fish. In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency provides information on safe fish consumption at www.epa.gov/fishadvisories/states/htm.

Mayo Clinic Health Letter is an eight-page monthly newsletter of reliable, accurate and practical information on today’s health and medical news. To subscribe, please call 1-800-333-9037 (toll-free), extension 9771, or visit www.HealthLetter.MayoClinic.com.