PC THE TOWN

Do you know anyone who has suffered from nodes or nodules on their vocal chords? Typically it comes from overuse of the throat and vocal chords by singers, public speakers and others who do a lot of talking or singing for a living. Many performers deal with it as part of their hazardous vocal needs. Sometimes it is called "Screamer's Voice." According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology (AAO), the term vocal cord lesion refers to a group of noncancerous (benign), abnormal growths (lesions) within or along the covering of the vocal cord. Vocal cord lesions are one of the most common causes of voice problems and are generally seen in three forms; nodules (nodes), polyps, and cysts. The AAO says that vocal cord nodules are also known as � calluses of the vocal fold. � They appear on both sides of the vocal cords, typically at the midpoint, and directly face each other. Like other calluses, these lesions often diminish or disappear when overuse of the area is stopped. ...

One of the most difficult health care management issues today is controlling the rise in cases of diabetes. Chronic disease management costs and care have increased substantially with the disease over the past decade.  The medical community has declared diabetes to be an epidemic within current society, and it appears to be getting worse each year. However, in a sign that Americans may finally be turning the corner in the fight against diabetes -- and possibly obesity -- federal health statistics released this month show that the number of new cases of diabetes has dropped for the first time in decades and reported by HealthDay News. The decline wasn't sudden or dramatic. But, the number of new diabetes cases went from 1.7 million in 2009 to 1.4 million in 2014, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC report offers some encouraging indications that Americans may finally be adopting healthier lifestyles. For example, fewer whites are now being diag...