WARM UP:

One Joke: 

• Patient: Doctor, I get heartburn every time I eat birthday cake.

• Doctor: Next time, take off the candles.

One Fact: 

The human brain is incredibly powerful and efficient. It generates about 20 watts of electrical power, which is enough to power a dim light bulb!

One Quote:

“Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator. But among those whom I love, I can: all of them make me laugh.”​

— W. H. Auden

One Guess…Name That Disease: (Answer at bottom)

• Symptoms: Unilateral hearing loss is the initial symptom in approximately 90 percent of affected individuals. Additional common findings include ringing in the ears (tinnitus), dizziness, or imbalance.

• Pathophysiology: Caused by a rare, non-cancerous growth that develops on the eighth cranial nerve.

• Epidemiology: Most cases develop in individuals between the ages of 40 and 60. Associated with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) when it occurs in children.

• Diagnosis: MRI, audiogram.

• Treatment: Observation, surgery, radiation.

  

  Courtesy Wikipedia Commons

HEALTHCARE HEADLINES:

** Wonder drug gets a warning. Popular weight loss drug Ozempic will carry a new warning on the label telling patients they may be at increased risk for severe stomach problems. Findings published in JAMA warn that glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists used for diabetes and increasingly weight loss may raise the risk of bowel obstruction and gastroparesis.

** Where can you get a $1.50 hotdog, a year’s supply of cereal, and a $29 doctor visit all in one place? Costco, the most magical place on earth! The retailer is now offering its members $29 telehealth visits, $72 lab testing, and virtual mental health services for $79. Costco is competing with other retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and CVS as they also expand into health care. Fun fact: the Costco hotdog and soda combo has been $1.50 since 1985!

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WATER COOLER WONDERS…the stuff we found interesting this week:

** Travel: Still looking for the best peeping spot (that joke never gets old) this fall? Check out this list of the 10 best places to see the fall colors. Surprisingly, 9 out of the 10 are in different states. Can you guess the top spot, which is in Pennsylvania?

** Photography: We can’t resist beautiful bird pictures, and neither should you. Lots of great shots to choose from this year! Rachel Bigsby’s entire award winning portfolio is pretty amazing.

** History: A $10K bill from the Great Depression sold for $480K at auction. Bills over $500 haven’t been issued since 1969 and there are only 10 known well preserved $10K bills in existence. The $10K bill features the face of President Lincoln’s Secretary of the Treasury, Salmon P. Chase (but you already knew that).

** Video: It’s not just celebrities that have a perfect smile anymore. With all forms of plastic surgery skyrocketing, see why everyone now has fake teeth.

TGIF:

It’s well known that laughter really is the best medicine, with known health benefits including improved mood, stronger immunity, and better stress relief. So what kind of medicine do you prefer? Check out this chart of the 9 types of humor and understand what floats your boat:

THANKS FOR READING!

At The Hyperthalamus, we’re on a mission to educate and entertain health care workers. We believe procrastinating on your actual work by reading our newsletter is the best way to start your day :)

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Disease Answer: Acoustic neuroma (Vestibular schwannoma)