Bias in treating pain; facial reconstruction; eat well, stress less – Morning Medical Update

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Biases in alleviating pain

Female patients face medical bias when female or male physicians make decisions to manage pain, according to a new study. The bias persisted across different ages and pain levels. “This under-treatment of female patients’ pain could have serious implications for women’s health outcomes, potentially leading to longer recovery times, complications, or chronic pain conditions,” one researcher said. The findings were published in PNAS with an accompanying news release.

Science of the face

“Severe facial disfigurement not only results in a profound loss of identity but also leads to what can be described as social death, a condition that is both physically and psychologically devastating,” said a study about facial reconstruction. Total face restoration is a surgical challenge, but researchers are evaluating results of 32 patients who had face restoration using prefabricated flaps of skin. Here is the study and a video of a patient now able to “deliver delicate facial expressions, including frowning and wrinkling of the nose.”

Good food, less stress

The Mediterranean diet, with healthy, plant-based fats and wholesome foods, is tasty and nutritious for the body, and maybe the mind. Researchers now posit that the menu lowers mental distress when compared with a Western diet loaded with high-glycemic and low-quality processed foods, according to a study and news release.